Isabella rushed forward, her voice strained with panic. "Doctor, how is my son?"

The doctor removed his mask, expression grim. "His fever persists. This isn't a typical illness. We need to perform a bone marrow aspiration immediately to determine the cause."

"A bone marrow aspiration?" Isabella froze, dread washing over her.

"It's necessary for accurate diagnosis and proper treatment," the doctor explained patiently. "Time is critical."

Isabella's head spun, her legs nearly buckling.

Liam seemed far too delicate for such an invasive procedure.

Her heart constricted with unbearable pain, each breath a struggle.

"Is there no alternative?" she pleaded, voice trembling. "Must we proceed with this test?"

The doctor sighed heavily. "I'm afraid it's our only viable option at this stage."

Lucas stepped closer, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. "Isabella, trust the medical team. They'll do everything possible for Liam."

Meeting his concerned gaze, her tears finally broke free. With a shaking hand, she signed the consent form.

An hour later, Liam was wheeled back to his room, still sedated. Isabella remained vigilantly at his bedside, clutching his small hand throughout the endless night.

Outside the hospital, a sleek black Maybach idled by the curb. Ethan sat in the driver's seat, brooding in the dim interior light. A cigarette dangled from his fingers as Isabella's words echoed relentlessly in his mind: "Liam is my child with Lucas."

Frustration erupted. He flicked the cigarette out the window and slammed his fist against the steering wheel. He refused to accept this reality.

Grabbing his phone, he dialed Benjamin with sharp, angry movements.

"Investigate Isabella's child. Now."

Benjamin sounded confused. "Child? What child?"

"Her son. He's hospitalized. Dig up everything! And terminate Vanessa's employment immediately."

He ended the call with a heavy sigh, massaging his temples. Benjamin, though bewildered, knew better than to question further and began the investigation without delay.

The next morning, Sophia's heels clicked sharply across the polished floor as she returned to Blackwood Enterprises. Her business trip concluded, she had taken the earliest flight back.

"Where's Ethan?" She scanned the empty office.

She tried his number, only to hear the automated message: "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable."

With each failed attempt, unease tightened in her chest.

Pocketing her phone, she headed toward Vanessa's office. It stood empty, desk unnaturally tidy. Apprehension made her heart skip.

She stopped a passing colleague. "Where's Vanessa?" she demanded. The colleague hesitated, then answered cautiously, "She was terminated, Miss Reed."

"Terminated?" Sophia was stunned. Vanessa's sudden dismissal made no sense. A cold suspicion crept into her mind. Had Ethan discovered something?

At the hospital, Isabella kept watch over Liam's still form. Lucas remained silently beside her, occasionally offering water and quiet words of comfort.