Andrea, unaware that she had already been caught, placed the plucked hair inside a sachet and dialed a number on her phone.
"It's done. Come to my study," Andrea said into the phone before ending the call and entering her study room.
A few minutes later, a man entered Andrea's study room.
"Ma'am Andrea," the man called out respectfully as he stood before her.
"Doctor Hard, please have a seat," Andrea gestured towards the empty chair in front of her.
Without hesitation, Doctor Hard sat down. However, before Andrea could explain the reason for inviting him over, her phone started ringing.
Answering the call, an anxious and angry voice came through the phone's speaker, "Andrea, it's your fault. If my mom dies, you're responsible for it."
Andrea frowned upon recognizing the caller as Benita. Her frown deepened as Benita continued, "This isn't over. You haven't won. I'll make sure you regret everything you've done."
The call ended, leaving Andrea even more puzzled. She quickly made another call.
"Tony, please check on Mrs. Anderson's condition," Andrea said into the phone.
"Give me a few minutes," came Tony's prompt response from the other end.
"Ma'am Andrea, is everything alright?" Doctor Hard, who had been observing Andrea's actions, asked with concern.
"It's a family matter. Here, take this. I'll get you another sample. I need you to perform a DNA test on both samples," Andrea said, handing Lucas Anderson's hair to Doctor Hard.
Doctor Hard took the sample and left the study room.
After he departed, Andrea's phone rang once more. Answering the call, Tony's voice came through the speaker, "Andrea, Mrs. Anderson is in a coma. I'm heading to the hospital to get more information."
"Thank you, Tony. I'm on my way to the hospital now," Andrea replied. She felt a sense of anxiety due to her concern for Mrs. Anderson.
Ending the call, she quickly left her study room and entered the bedroom to find Lucas Anderson sound asleep. With a furrowed brow, she debated whether she should rouse him or not.
Deciding swiftly, she approached Lucas and gently shook him awake. "Val, we need to go to the hospital. Your mom has been hospitalized."
"She'll be okay," Lucas mumbled drowsily, turning over to resume his slumber, leaving Andrea taken aback.
Recalling how concerned Valentine had been when his mother had a mere cold a few years back, Andrea was stunned by his nonchalant response this time.
Shaking him once more, unable to believe what she had just heard, she insisted, "I mean, your mother is very ill and in critical condition."
Lucas met her gaze with a reassuring smile. "She'll be alright. It's late; let's get some rest."
With that, Lucas drifted back to sleep, leaving Andrea in disbelief. She resolved to have a serious conversation with her husband later, but for now, she needed to hurry to the hospital.
After changing her outfit, Andrea hurried to the hospital. She phoned Tony, who came out to greet her.
"Andrea, the doctors couldn't identify the substance Mrs. Anderson was injected with. They're uncertain how long she'll remain in a coma," Tony informed her.
"How is she? Was she harmed? Is there anything I can do to help her?" Andrea questioned anxiously, deeply concerned for Mrs. Anderson.
"I'll reach out to some contacts to identify the substance. Currently, she's under observation, and no treatment has begun," Tony explained the situation.
Andrea nodded gratefully and thanked Tony before briskly walking away, leaving Tony behind.
Tony noticed that Andrea's husband hadn't accompanied her to the hospital and asked in a disappointed and slightly forceful tone, "Where is your husband, Andrea?"
Although Andrea was disappointed by Lucas's absence, she defended him, "He's on his way," before hastening her steps, leaving Tony behind.
As Tony pondered Lucas's absence, he realized he had assumed Lucas was Mrs. Anderson's son. He couldn't comprehend why a son would neglect his sick and dying mother.
While lost in thought, Tony's phone rang. He answered with anticipation, "Tony, we couldn't uncover anything about Mrs. Anderson. Someone is sabotaging our investigation."
Despite his disappointment, Tony remained composed, instructing, "Continue the investigation. I want to see how far they'll go to obstruct us."
"Be cautious, Tony. I believe you're being monitored," the caller warned. The interference suggested that someone was tracking his movements.
Tony furrowed his brow, sensing he was being watched. He turned around to see Lucas approaching him with a smile.
"Thank you," Tony said to the caller before ending the call and facing Lucas, who greeted him with gratitude or perhaps mockery.
Tony couldn't read Lucas's intentions, prompting him to ask, "Who are you?"
"I'm Andrea's husband. It's chilly outside. Let's continue our conversation inside," Lucas responded with a smile, leading the way into the hospital without waiting for Tony's response.
Tony probed, "You're not Valentine Anderson. Who are you?"