The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 490

"Melanie is so worried that someone's going to hurt my feelings down here. She just gave me a huge pep talk," she laughed, slipping her arm through his with a happy sigh. "As if anyone could mess with me when I have you. You're my ultimate safety net."

In most families, a woman needed a strong maiden family to make sure her in-laws treated her with respect. But her life had been the exact opposite. After she got married, her husband and his family had become her greatest protectors.

***

Bright and early the next morning, Raymond's name flashed on Joseph's phone. He was calling to check on their itinerary, practically begging to act as their personal chauffeur for the day.

Joseph shot him down without a second's hesitation. "Unless you are calling to tell me the DNA results are in, do not contact me. We are handling our own schedule while we're in town, and we don't want any outside interruptions."

The harshness was intentional. He needed Raymond to finally take a hint and back off.

After getting the door slammed in his face yet again, Raymond knew there was no point in pushing. Besides, it was still the middle of the holiday season, and he had his own extended family obligations to deal with, so he reluctantly let it go.

Joseph had already meticulously planned out their entire day. As soon as he hung up, the three of them headed out of the hotel for a day of sightseeing.

They were having a blast exploring the city, right up until late afternoon when Joseph's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw Raymond's name flashing on the screen. He immediately knew what it was.

"It's probably the test results," he murmured to Vivica before swiping to answer.

"Mr. Baird, where are you guys? Can you get to the hospital? The same one we were at yesterday?" Raymond's voice was wild with panic. This didn't sound like a man delivering lab results.

Joseph's brow furrowed. Had something catastrophic happened? Were Hillary or Hayes crashing?

Mistaking Joseph's silence for a refusal, Raymond didn't even wait for a response before blurting out the rest. "Hillary collapsed. She's unconscious, and the doctors are trying to resuscitate her right now. Please, you have to come. If... if she doesn't make it..."

"Thank you! I'll be waiting for you out front!"

Hanging up, Joseph immediately bent down and scooped Chaim into his arms. "Alright, buddy, change of plans. Mommy and Daddy have an emergency. We'll pick this back up tomorrow, okay?"

They were just a few miles away from the hospital when the phone rang again. This time, there was no question about what it was. The DNA results were in.

Since Joseph was navigating the chaotic city traffic, he grabbed his phone and passed it back to where Vivica was sitting. "You should take this. It's got to be the results."

Vivica stared at the glowing name on the screen, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. She forced herself to take a slow, deep breath to steady her shaking hands before finally swiping to answer. "Hello, Mr. Smith?"

"Vivica?" Raymond was clearly caught off guard that she had answered, but the sheer, electrifying excitement in his voice was unmistakable.