"Mr. Gordon, we're still at the burn hospital. Ava left us, but I heard that Alessia got into a car accident and is at the X Hospital."
"I know, I'll handle it." Gordon hung up the phone and walked back into the ward.
"Who is it, Gordon?" Evelyn asked. "Is it Christian?"
Gordon gently pulled up the blanket for Evelyn and said calmly, without changing his expression, "No, that child is probably busy with school. He hasn't called all day today."
In reality, he had blocked Christian's number last night.
Disappointment flickered in Evelyn's eyes.
Gordon watched Evelyn's changing expression carefully, handed her a glass of water, and tentatively said, "Children's preferences aren't fixed. Maybe after seeing you yesterday, he thought you were boring and didn't want to play with you anymore."
"No, Christian is a good kid. Yesterday wasn't the first time we met, how could he think I'm boring?" Evelyn denied it outright, but a hint of sadness appeared on her face.
Gordon looked at Evelyn's changing expression with pity and stopped the topic there.
He knew that cutting off contact between Evelyn and Christian, without hurting her, was not something that could be achieved overnight. It would take time.
"You rest first, I'll be back soon." Gordon took the water glass from Evelyn's hand and handed it to the servant beside him. After instructing the servant to take care of Evelyn, he walked towards the emergency room building.
Soon, Gordon arrived at the operating room door and saw Alessia standing with Ava.
Ava had said that Alessia was his daughter. At first, he didn't feel it, but the more he looked, the more he felt that Alessia resembled him somewhat.
Reaching this conclusion, Gordon didn't feel happy. Instead, he furrowed his brows.
In his heart, anyone who wasn't Evelyn's child was just a stranger to him.
So, he wasn't interested in finding out who Alessia's mother was.
If Ava hadn't come to the X Hospital, he wouldn't even bother with Alessia.
Gordon walked towards Alessia and Ava. At this moment, the look in his eyes towards Alessia was no longer the kindness and gentleness from yesterday, but rather disgust.
Alessia frowned when she saw Gordon approaching with a cold expression.
Seeing Gordon, Ava's eyes filled with tears. She choked up and waved to Alessia, "Gordon, you're here. Are you here to recognize Sia?"
"Mr. Laroux, you're here. Take a good look. This is your daughter. If you don't believe it, we can do another paternity test," Harrison said excitedly, pointing at Alessia.
Only Alessia remained indifferent, quietly watching Gordon.
She felt that Gordon's arrival definitely meant more than just recognizing her.
The look in Gordon's eyes as he looked at her made him even more disgusted.
Indeed, someone who could get involved with Ava was scheming.
Gordon looked down on Alessia, coldly stating, "Forget about it. I won't do a paternity test, and I won't recognize anyone as my daughter. Regardless of whether I have other children outside, I won't recognize them. In my heart, only Evelyn's children deserve to be my children."
As Gordon said this, his gaze never left Alessia's body. It was obvious that this statement was aimed at her.
When Ava heard Gordon say this, her first reaction was to look at Alessia, but Alessia's reaction disappointed her.
Alessia stood calmly, her face showing no emotional fluctuations.
To be publicly told by her own biological father that he wouldn't acknowledge her, yet she could remain so indifferent. How strong must her mental fortitude be?
Even Gordon was taken aback for a moment, then he thought of something else. "Of course, whether I'm alive or dead, the assets of the Laroux family will not be shared with you, not a single cent."
This was a blunt way of telling Alessia that no matter what she did, she wouldn't get anything from the Laroux family.
"Uncle Gordon, Alessia is excellent girl. She definitely wouldn't be interested in anything from your Laroux family." Just as Dominic returned after bandaging Bianca's wound, he heard Gordon's words and, taking advantage of Alessia's inattention, arrogantly pulled her to his side.
"You... Dominic Carter, what's your relationship with her?" Gordon recognized Dominic and asked, glancing at Alessia.
Dominic grabbed Alessia's hand and didn't let go, looking at Gordon arrogantly. "She's someone who's pursuing me."
Who would pursue him? Ridiculous.
Alessia blinked in disbelief, then rolled her eyes.
She tried to pull her hand away, "Don't be silly."
"I won't let anyone bully you, don't be afraid," Dominic held onto her tightly and whispered in her ear.
Who's afraid?
Alessia felt a deep sense of helplessness. She felt that Dominic today was really different.
The interaction between Alessia and Dominic, seen by Gordon and Ava, seemed normal but turned into an intimate whispering in their eyes.
Gordon squinted and said to Dominic, "Dominic, for the sake of my father's relationship with you, if you want to protect Alessia, I have no objection. But you'd better take care of her. Know what you can do and what you can't. If you provoke someone you shouldn't, no one can protect her."
After saying that, Gordon was about to leave when Ava timely spoke up. She looked fragile and distressed. "Gordon, are you really disregarding everything for Evelyn? Is she worth it?"
Gordon paused, dangerously glancing at Ava.
Ava continued fearlessly, "Evelyn isn't worth it at all. You'll regret not recognizing your own daughter for her."
"What did you say?" Gordon, without any warning, reached out and grabbed Ava's neck. "Ava, don't challenge my limits again."
Even in public, Gordon dared to act.
His move frightened Ava, her eyes widening as she slapped Gordon's hand off her neck. "Gordon, let go."
Harrison was also stunned, taking two seconds to react and come to help.
"Mr. Gordon, what are you doing? My sister loves you so much, how could you treat her like this? She wants you to acknowledge your daughter, it's for your own good. Are you trying to alienate everyone for Evelyn?"
Gordon glanced at Harrison. Only when Harrison stepped in did he release Ava and push her toward Harrison.
He looked at Harrison with disdain. "How could your Ramirez family have such a foolish head of the family? No wonder the Ramirez family has fallen to this level."
"What do you mean?" Harrison was stunned, questioning angrily. Criticizing him was one thing, but criticizing the Ramirez family was another.
"What do I mean? Isn't it clear enough? Ava has been playing you for a fool. When the Ramirez family was just starting to decline, I pressured them in revenge, all because of Ava. Do you think I'd help the Ramirez family again because of Ava? Think for yourself."
After hearing Gordon's words, Harrison felt as if he had been struck. Actually, apart from being foolish, Harrison wasn't stupid. He had just believed his father's words, trying to take care of his sister.
He had been supporting the Ramirez family alone all these years, without making any breakthroughs. He felt exhausted. When Ava tempted him, he placed all his hopes on this unrealistic matter.
The longer he was trapped, the deeper he fell. After losing everything in the end, he still couldn't recognize reality and wanted to take a gamble.
So he ignored his wife's advice and insisted on listening to Ava, continuing down this wrong path.
It was only when Gordon explicitly stated that he wouldn't acknowledge Alessia, and then Dominic personally shattered his hopes, that he finally woke up.
He looked at Ava, his lips trembling. "Ava..."
"Harrison, how can you believe Gordon's nonsense? For the sake of Evelyn, he even did things like locking me up in a mental hospital. How could you believe him?" Ava interrupted him before he could finish his sentence.
Harrison's eyes darkened, then cleared. He spoke with a clear mind. "Since you know how loving Gordon and his wife are, how could you be so sure that Gordon would divorce and marry you? How could you be so sure that Gordon would acknowledge Alessia, thus helping our family? So you've been lying to me all along."
One by one, Harrison exposed the promises Ava had made to him.
Facing Harrison's questioning, and in front of Gordon, Ava couldn't make empty promises anymore. She choked up.
In the end, she could only cry pitifully, "Brother, how could you trust outsiders and not believe me?"
***