The True Heiress Reborn And Slays (Alicia Delaney) novel Chapter 554

She couldn’t place any faith in her own flesh and blood

When she was isolated with nowhere else to turn, her only genuine source of support was Elsie–who wasn’t even related to her

blood.

However, everything Elsie had ever possessed had already been stripped away by the Harper family.

If Melissa didn’t take decisive action now, the road ahead was only going to get significantly harder.

The more Melissa dwelled on the situation, the more her anxiety spiraled.

Elsie detected the shift in her demeanor and gave her another gentle nudge. “Mom, stop overthinking this. We’re simply… coverin our bases, that’s all. If Dad really… doesn’t pull through, having leverage in your hands won’t do any harm. That way, Riley and Raymond will be forced to treat you with respect–if only out of consideration for what you’ll still control.”

Melissa settled down somewhat, though the worry didn’t leave her features. “But… back at the hospital, Riley said if Zavier doesn recover… she’s going to have me thrown in jail.”

Elsie waved it off, keeping her tone steady and reassuring. “Mom, she’s just trying to intimidate you. Think about it—what kind of daughter actually sends her own mother to prison? It would destroy her reputation. Harper Group’s public image would take a massive hit. She’s bluffing. She wouldn’t actually dare go through with it.”

Melissa stared blankly, her chaotic thoughts finally latching onto something solid.

Right. Riley wouldn’t dare.

She was far too proud to do something that would set the entire city gossiping.

With that realization, Melissa let out a long breath and mumbled, almost to herself, “Yeah. I’m just… planning ahead. It’s not like I’m trying to steal anything from them…”

The night dragged on.

For Riley and Raymond, maintaining their vigil outside the ICU, those long hours felt like an eternity.

Inside the room, Zavier’s condition remained unstable. The numbers on the monitors spiked and dipped like a volatile roller coaster, every erratic shift yanking at the siblings‘ heartstrings.

The elite team of specialists flown in oversight from across the country had finally arrived and were currently huddled in a conference room with the chief physician from Central Hospital, urgently debating the next course of action.

In a bid to stimulate the patient’s will to survive and support Zavier through the most critical forty–eight hours post surgery, the lead doctor–after consulting with the specialists–made an exception. He allowed Riley, Raymond, and Sebastian to don sterile protective gowns and remain by his bedside.

“Talk to him,” the doctor instructed, his expression grave. “Use familiar references, your voices, to try and reach him. Sometimes, a patient’s sheer will to fight is the one thing medicine cannot replace.”

Raymond stepped up to the bed and looked down at his father, the man who had always seemed larger than life. His eyes instantly

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Chapter 554 A Will to live

reddened.

He leaned in, his voice rough with suppressed emotion. “Dad, the folks at the office have no idea what’s happened. I told them you… took off on an impromptu vacation overseas.”

“Owen and the others were giving me a hard time–said it wasn’t fair for you to jet off and have a good time without them. They’re your old crew. They’re still holding down the fort at the company, waiting for you to come back. You can’t just leave them hanging like this.”

By the end, Raymond’s voice had grown thick. He swallowed back a shaky breath and glanced toward Riley, who had remained silent.

Riley stood motionless, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

“Come on,” Raymond urged softly. “Say something too. Dad always worried about you the most.”

Riley bit down hard on her lower lip, as if physically steeling herself.

After what felt like an agonizingly long time, she slowly reached out and, with her gloved fingertips, lightly grazed the back of her father’s pale, swollen hand.

The abrasions from the crash were still visible.

Riley drew a slow, steadying breath and, through a blur of tears, fixed her gaze on her father’s closed eyelids.

“Dad, you don’t get to be as selfish as Melissa.”

Raymond’s eyes went wide with disbelief.

He couldn’t believe what he was hearing.

At a moment like this, shouldn’t she be offering words of encouragement, willing him to fight?

Why did it sound like she was laying a guilt trip on him instead?

If their unconscious father heard that, what if it made him let go even faster?

Alarmed, Raymond instinctively moved to stop her.

But the instant he shifted, Sebastian’s hand clamped down firmly on his forearm.

He gave Raymond a subtle, almost imperceptible shake of his head, his eyes filled with a quiet confidence in Riley.

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