Thorns Grow After Betrayal (Celeste and Chester) novel Chapter 313

He’d always wanted children, but it had never worked out.

And yet, both of his kids had turned out to be such disappointments.

If only he’d known Edna was pregnant—even if this pregnancy was risky—he would have paid any price to make sure she kept the baby.

This was his flesh and blood.

Losing the child by his own hand? It would be like carving the meat right off his bones.

“Doctor! Get a doctor in here, now!”

Murdock tried to lift Edna, but after the shock of what had just happened, his arms went weak. He nearly dropped her and almost hurt her even more.

Edna had already passed out from the pain.

Blood smeared the floor, tracked everywhere by Murdock’s panicked footsteps.

Celestine watched it all with icy detachment, the chill settling deep into her bones.

If she hadn’t guessed right, that slap from her grandfather just now would have killed the baby on the spot.

The way Edna instinctively clutched her abdomen had set off all of Celestine’s alarms.

That was why she’d done everything she could to intervene.

Thank God her grandfather had understood her intent. If not, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But all of this—they’d brought it on themselves.

Luckily, they were already in a hospital. Doctors and nurses rushed in, wheeling Edna into the emergency room, while Murdock followed, shell-shocked and desperate.

“Save that baby! You have to save my child!” he shouted as the doors slammed shut.

Outside, the commotion only grew louder. The hallway was chaos.

Jade, covered in blood, screamed at Celestine, “This is all your fault! You bitch! You made my mother lose the baby! You killed that child! You killed my little brother!”

“No, that’s not true!” Jade sobbed, shaking her head. “My mother had her reasons. She just loved Dad too much. Please, don’t be so cruel.”

Pete looked at her with disgust. “Reasons? Were they as bitter as the mountain of medicine my mother drank to stay alive? Don’t call me your brother. The only reason I haven’t thrown you and your mother out is because I didn’t want to dirty my hands.”

With that, he shoved Jade aside.

His words cut deeper than any slap.

Why did she have to be the outcast, the illegitimate child?

She was a Selwyn too! All she wanted was what they had and took for granted.

Instead, she lived under everyone’s contempt.

She hadn’t done anything wrong!

Jade’s long nails dug into her palm, her eyes cold and venomous as she glared at Celestine. “Murderers! All of you—you’re nothing but murderers!”