CHAPTER 376: CHAPTER 376: WHO DID IT?

"Mommy."

Timmy was the first to call out, letting his little legs dash to Ivana Monroe’s bedside.

"Timmy."

Upon seeing the lively little boy appear before her, Ivana Monroe’s eyes welled up with tears again. Seemingly forgetting about her injured leg, she moved to embrace the little boy by the bed.

Leon Keane noticed this and frowned fiercely, rushing forward to stop Ivana.

"Don’t move. Do you want your foot injury to heal or not?"

Realizing his mistake, Timmy’s clear eyes flashed with regret, and in his innocent voice, he said, "Mommy, don’t get excited. You need to listen to Daddy. Timmy and Ian both returned safely."

"Okay."

Ivana wept tears of joy, hearing her son’s voice again was such a blessing.

Leon noticed an abnormal red mark on Ivana’s face, as if someone had slapped her hard. His eyes turned cold as he asked sternly, "Who did this?"

Ivana was baffled for a moment, her attention entirely on the children, not quite understanding what Leon meant.

Leon didn’t explain, his gaze darkening as he leaned down to lift Timmy onto the bed.

Another little boy stood where Timmy had just been.

"Mommy."

Ian Keane called out, his expression slightly reddening on his usually stoic face.

Leon didn’t lift his own son onto the bed. With Timmy already in Ivana’s arms, he felt adding another child would burden her.

"Ian."

Ivana reached out, her fingertips touching the tender face of the young boy. A strong feeling of heartache surged through her, and her tears seemed unstoppable as they rolled down her cheeks.

"Hey! Don’t cry. I promised you I’d bring back both kids safely, didn’t I?"

Seeing Ivana’s tears, Leon felt a pang in his heart as well. He gently wiped away the tears on her face, being careful as if he was afraid that her reddened cheeks might hurt.

Ivana knew she shouldn’t cry like this. With both children back safely, she should be happy, but her tears were beyond her control, and she couldn’t understand why.

Ivana said to Leon, "Also bring Ian up here; I want to hold him."

Leon hesitated visibly, his dark eyes flickering.

Ian’s eyes brightened with anticipation. Honestly, he knew he shouldn’t be jealous, but seeing his younger brother in Mommy’s arms made him long for her embrace too.

"Ian is such a big boy now, why hold him? Besides, your hospital bed isn’t big enough for two kids."

Ian’s eyes dimmed upon hearing his father’s words.

"I’ll let big brother. I’ll let big brother. Timmy’s been in Mommy’s arms for quite a while," Timmy generously offered when he saw Ian’s disappointment.

And so it went.

Timmy was brought down, making room for Ian on the bed.

Ivana held Ian, his small, soft body just like Timmy’s. She kissed Timmy’s forehead, and then Ian’s as well.

The little boy’s expression was a bit shy and bashful, nestled in her arms, so reliant.

Ivana felt a motherly bond that made it seem as if this child was her own flesh and blood.

Howard Yeats sat on the couch, clearing his throat twice.

Indeed, get a wife and forget your brother. Leon had been here for nearly ten minutes, eyes only on his wife, and hadn’t even noticed him.

Leon finally noticed Howard Yeats.

He strode over to Howard Yeats, patting his shoulder, "Howard, thank you for tonight."

A simple thanks.

Howard beamed, waving his hand, "Thank you? It was no trouble at all. We’re brothers."

Leon felt moved.

The two kids stayed with Ivana, whose attention was entirely on them. Not a glance in his direction, Leon sighed slightly, realizing being a husband was not as fulfilling as being a father.

Leon and Howard Yeats stepped outside the ward as Derrick Stern and Aunt Golding entered.

Howard made a gesture towards his bodyguard at his side.

The bodyguard brought over a black plastic bag, which Howard handed to Leon, "I arrived a bit late, but your wife did impressively. Look, this is your wife’s trophy."

Leon opened the bag to find a severed hand inside, his handsome face immediately darkening.

Leon couldn’t share Howard’s lightheartedness; he was overwhelmed by fear. This severed hand was caused by a sharp butcher’s knife, yet there shouldn’t have been such a dangerous weapon in the ward.

How could Ivana have used a butcher’s knife to cut off the attacker’s hand?

A moment’s thought revealed that the attacker must have brought the knife, intending to harm Ivana.

And Ivana’s foot was still injured...

Leon dared not think further, feeling extremely remorseful and blaming himself. It was his foolishness that made him fall for the attacker’s trick to lure him away.

Seeing Leon’s pained and remorseful expression, Howard patted his shoulder, "Don’t torture yourself. Anyone faced with the children being kidnapped wouldn’t be rational, and it’s impossible to gamble with their lives."

What Howard said was true.

But if anything had happened to Ivana, Leon would never forgive himself.

Leon remained silent.

Howard said a few more comforting words; seeing Leon’s expression improve, he left all the bodyguards there and drove himself home.

Leon called Derrick Stern out, "Check the DNA of this severed hand and investigate which hospital took in someone who lost a right hand tonight."

Derrick looked at the bloodied hand in the bag, feeling nauseated, "Yes."

Driving halfway home, Howard suddenly remembered Ivy Linden, the little wildcat. He picked up his phone and sent a message, "Something major happened tonight in the VIP ward at the hospital. Do you want to know?"

After sending the message, it felt like it vanished into thin air.

Howard frowned. Could she be sleeping too deeply to hear it?

Howard dialed Ivy’s number, only to be met with a mechanical voice alerting him. He suddenly remembered that Ivy had blacklisted his number.

Howard felt both angry and amused.

He tossed his phone aside, "Never mind, I’ll visit your Yiren Magazine tomorrow."

As dawn broke.

Julia Sinclair found a chance and slipped out of the hospital.

She hailed a taxi on the road and returned to Mount Cygnus Hospital.

As soon as she entered the ward, she saw Kyle Sinclair sitting there.

Julia was startled, "Kyle, what are you doing here?"

Kyle’s face was a bit pale, and seeing Julia, his expression turned complex, "Sis, where were you last night?"

Julia felt her heart skip a beat, lying, "I... I wasn’t anywhere?"

Kyle eyed Julia’s black clothes, the evidence so clear, yet she was still lying to him? Did she really take him for a three-year-old?

Kyle got up and approached Julia, catching a whiff of the bloody scent on her, "Sis, are you hurt?"

Julia didn’t want Kyle to worry and shook her head in panic, "No, how could I be hurt?"

Kyle suddenly grabbed Julia’s arm.

The pain paled Julia’s face, and blood oozed from her stitched wound.

Kyle, a head taller than Julia, could see it, and his expression turned grim, "Who chopped at you? Was it a killer sent by that bitch Ivana?"