The IVF Secret That Shook a Dynasty novel Chapter 500

"Go ahead, sweetie. He's your uncle."

Though still a little confused, Chaim was a good listener. He looked back at the man. "Hi, Uncle Raymond."

Raymond beamed, absolutely thrilled. He instinctively dug into his coat pocket and pulled out another wrapped gift.

"Here you go, buddy. A little something from me!"

Vivica immediately tried to intervene. "You really don't have to do that! You guys already gave him so much the day we arrived."

When they first met at the hotel restaurant, Joseph and Vivica had brought welcome gifts for the Smith family, and in return, everyone had showered Chaim with ridiculously generous presents. Accepting more today felt like entirely too much.

But Raymond aggressively waved off her protests. "Today is completely different! This is officially for my favorite nephew."

Before Vivica could argue further, he bent down, scooped Chaim up into his arms, and smoothly tucked the present into the little boy's pocket. Still carrying Chaim, he turned and led the way toward the elevators.

Vivica exchanged a helpless glance with Joseph, but neither pushed the issue. They simply fell into step behind him.

Once inside the elevator, Raymond looked back at them. "Vivica, Hillary is actually having a pretty good day today. Do you want to stop by her room?"

At the mention of her biological mother, the image of that frail, exhausted woman flashed through Vivica's mind. She pressed her lips together, hesitating before gently declining. "The doctor said she needs to rest. I don't want to overwhelm her right now. Let's just go see... Hayes."

She still couldn't bring herself to say the word 'father.'

"Alright. I'll take you straight to Hayes's room."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. Raymond led the way down the hall, still carrying Chaim.

Hearing the voice, Hayes slowly turned his head, looking toward his nephew. "Who is..."

At the doorway, Vivica worried that the intimidating hospital setup might scare her son. She quickly stepped past Joseph and hurried into the room. Joseph stayed close behind her, equally protective.

Hayes had just laid eyes on the little boy in his nephew's arms, trying to process who he was. But before he could even get the words out, a woman rushed into his line of sight.

His gaze shifted. When he saw Vivica—a spitting image of his wife in her youth—his eyes went wide with shock. He completely forgot to answer his nephew.

"Hillary..." Hayes whispered weakly, the name slipping out like a breathless prayer. For a split second, he genuinely thought time had reversed itself—that his wife was suddenly young and healthy again.

Seeing his raw reaction, Vivica immediately realized what was happening. She froze, completely at a loss for words.

Noticing the confusion, Raymond quickly stepped in to clarify. "Hayes, this is Vivica. She came to see you."