Alessia let Elle go to the bathroom first and walked to a corner to answer the phone.
"Sia, it's Grandma!"
As soon as she picked up the phone, Grandma Carter's kindly voice came through.
Alessia smiled, "Grandma, I recognize your voice."
"You recognized it? It seems you still remember me. Why haven't you come to see me for so many days?" Grandma Carter asked.
"Grandma, I've been a little busy lately. I'll come see you as soon as I'm free," Alessia replied.
However, as soon as she finished speaking, Grandma Carter's tone suddenly changed.
"Sia, how long do you want to keep lying to me? I saw the news. Elle was kidnapped by Sisca, right? Although the news didn't say it, I guessed it was you as soon as I heard the surname."
Nowadays, information on the internet was really advanced. She had just returned to Toronto, and the news was already out.
Alessia's eyes drooped slightly, moved by Grandma's concern. She didn't want Grandma to worry, so she said, "Grandma, it's Elle, but I didn't mean to hide it from you. Although Elle was kidnapped, she wasn't injured."
"As long as she's not hurt." Grandma Carter breathed a sigh of relief, sounding like a child.
"When will you bring that child to see me again? I really like Elle, and your son too. Last time only your daughter came, your son didn't come to see me."
Alessia hesitated for a moment. Last time, Christian and Christopher had switched places, and Grandma didn't know they were triplets.
But Dominic hadn't told Grandma about it yet. She couldn't reveal their identities without his consent. After all, she and Dominic had already agreed that she wouldn't interfere in the matter of Christian and Elle's identity.
Because she had lied to Grandma, she had been delaying visiting her.
Alessia sighed in her heart. "Grandma, give it some time. The kids are about to start school soon."
"Oh, yes, school is starting soon. I'm getting old, even forgetting the dates. Have you found a school for those two children? Do you need Grandma's help?" Grandma Carter asked warmly.
"I've found one."
The more Grandma cared about her, the more guilty she felt.
This feeling of deceiving someone who cared about her wasn't pleasant at all. She hoped Dominic would clarify the identities of Christian and Elle to Grandma soon.
Alessia hung up the phone. Not long after, Ava's call came again.
After confirming that she and Elle were okay, Ava breathed a sigh of relief and reminded her gently, "Don't forget about the family recognition banquet."
Alessia's lips curled up in a mysterious smile. "Don't worry, I won't forget."
"Good. Rest well, honey, Mom will hang up now." Ava said tenderly.
"Okay." Alessia replied perfunctorily and hung up the phone.
....
Overseas.
Rehabilitation hospital.
Nolan was supported by a nurse as he slowly walked down the corridor. Not even two minutes had passed, and he was sweating profusely, but as he continued, he became more stable, making some progress at last.
The nurse gradually let go of his hand, and Nolan, like a child just learning to walk, staggered forward.
The first two steps were barely stable, but when he took the third step, his legs trembled, and uncontrollably he stumbled and fell to the ground.
"Mr. Ramirez." The nurse hurried forward to help.
"Get away." Nolan, like an angry lion, glared at the nurse. He weakly pounded the ground with his hands, then finally tremblingly touched his leg.
His leg was really useless! Even with top-notch medical care, it couldn't be healed again. He could no longer walk independently, all because of Alessia.
And the perpetrator Alessia was living a carefree life in the country.
"I want to call my mom!" Nolan gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with resentment.
In the hospital room.
Nolan sat on the hospital bed, taking the phone handed to him by the nurse.
"Son, I heard that you haven't been cooperating with your rehabilitation these past few days?" Margaret's voice came through the speaker.
Nolan leaned against the head of the bed, his face sullen and strange. "What's the use of cooperating with rehabilitation? I'm still disabled."
"I know you're suffering. Although rehabilitation can't make you walk independently, it will still help with your future mobility." Margaret persuaded.
"You're such a good mom, making your son rely on crutches." Nolan sneered.
Margaret fell silent for a moment, whether out of guilt or something else.
Nolan became impatient and said, "Before I went abroad, didn't you say you would find a way to bring me back to the country? It's been so long, when can I go back to the country?"
On the other end of the line, Margaret bit her lip in distress.
She thought of Harrison's plan.
In the past few days, for some reason, except for the successful fashion show hosted by Jessie, the other businesses of the Ramirez group were not going well.
Two projects had fallen through in a row, which was a severe blow to the already declining Ramirez group.
Now, she could only hope to use Alessia to climb up to the Laroux family.
She knew her son's personality very well.
Now that he had a deep enmity with Alessia, he would definitely cause trouble when he returned.
For the sake of a better future, she could only let her son stay abroad for now.
When the Ramirez family completely climbed up to the Laroux family and everything settled down, it wouldn't be too late for her son to come back.
Margaret made up her mind and said in a gentle voice to Nolan, "Nolan, stay abroad for now. Whatever you need, I will send it to you."
"So... you've betrayed me too, haven't you?" Nolan stared straight at the wall, his expression grim.
"I had no choice!" Margaret explained.
Nolan didn't want to listen to her anymore. His chest heaved violently with emotions. He abruptly hung up the phone and threw it forcefully against the wall.
With a loud 'bang,' the phone shattered into several pieces. Nolan didn't even bother to pick it up. He just buried himself under the covers.
When he woke up again, it was already dark outside.
Nolan habitually reached under the pillow and pulled out a new phone to check the news. He happened to see the news that Sisca was suspected of kidnapping being arrested.
His pupils suddenly dilated.
Sisca was in trouble!
Did Sisca kidnap Alessia's daughter to help him?
Whatever the case, he had to go back. He had to see Sisca.
***