Cole laughed and repeated, "No one is gonna steal her thunder."

For the rest of the evening the trio discussed various businesses of the Wyatts. But one question loomed large. How would they go back? Like would they just barge in the Wyatt Manor and take over the business? Or would they announce it to all that they are the new management? Or— how?

​​

"Well, first let us just assess the situation from far away for a few days. I believe Lily is gravely ill," said Daryn. "She got a heart attack, so it is highly likely that she will call you for assistance."

"Do you think so?" asked Dawn hoping that Lily would do that. Otherwise what was the alternative?

"I do think so," he replied with confidence. His eyes were shining bright.

---

After Lily succumbed in the courtroom, the paramedics rushed her to the hospital. The doctors had to attend to her immediately because she had suffered a major heart attack. When the old woman opened her eyes, she found herself in the hospital bed with tubes running out of her hand and various machines strapped to her chest and fingers. She turned her head to see around, but there was no familiar face. "Where am I?" she whispered. Her head was dizzy. Her heart monitor beeped and a nurse rushed in.

"Mrs. Wyatt, how are you feeling?" she asked. Throwing a beam of light to check her eyes. She pressed the bell for the doctor.

Lily's mind went back to the trial. In a very low hoarse voice she asked, "The t— trial?"

The nurse hesitated to answer. Lily was in such a critical condition that any more shocking news could further damage her heart and health. "I don't know…" she lied. It was national news.

The doctor came in and after examining her, he said, "Mrs. Wyatt, you need to be in the hospital for the next seven days. Once you are fine, you can go back home. Let us know whom we should inform at your home to sign the papers for you?"

"What about the trial?" she asked again. Images of her daughter along with Helena in their bed, flashed in her mind. Helena was also Luke's lover. She was disgusted. She felt like puking. Helena was in the house ever since Clare died. And she was with Luke.

"Mrs. Wyatt, I don't want to discuss the trial with you since it is not in my scope to tell you what happened. If you like, you can give us the number of the person, who can update you and we will call him or her," said the doctor, breaking her thoughts.

Lily turned her face away from him and looked outside the window. It was night and the moon was hanging over the poplar trees—just like the day Dawn and Cole went missing five years back. "Is there no one out here waiting for me?"

"Unfortunately not," replied the doctor.

She closed her eyes and said in a faint voice, "I would like to rest. If possible please call my lawyer. His number is stored in my phone."

"Sure," the doctor replied and left with the nurse.

Lily's thoughts went back to her daughter. She had called her with family to help Luke with his business only because she didn't want Clare to take over. How could a woman from a different family enjoy Luke's wealth? That wealth rightly belonged to her, Anne and Luke. But what did Anne do? What did Helena do? She seduced Anne and formed a toxic, dirty partnership, which led to their doom. A tear dropped from her eyes. What shame. How could she be so blind about Anne's relationship with David?

"What will happen to business?" she muttered.

For the next two days, no one came to visit her. She was alone. There was no TV in her room and so she was unaware of the outside world. Feeling better, she had demanded the doctor to discharge her, but he had refused.

Hertz came on the third day during the afternoon. And she threw a barrage of questions at him. Hertz listened to them with patience. His face was stone-cold.

"Why are so quiet Hertz? Update me!" she barked as loudly as she could.

Hertz lowered his eyes and his lips pursed into a thin line. He couldn't avoid her questions anymore. "Mrs. Wyatt, if you want to know the truth, I can tell you, but then I am not going to be held liable for your health after that."

Lily gripped the bed sheet beneath her blanket. "I won't hold you responsible for my health." Her breath hitched but she had to know. "So now tell me, where is Anne?" she asked. That question had been plaguing her for the past two days. Anne hadn't even come to meet her.

"She is in jail," came a straightforward reply. There was no point in hiding.

A sudden feeling of coldness extended to her stomach. "Why?"

"It has been proven that Helena and Anne were responsible for breaking the investors trust. They were held accountable for a lot of criminal charges."

"So Helena is also in jail?"

"Yes."

"What about Starfish Refineries?"

"It's gone. It will be sold to the highest bidder in order to recover costs."

The heaviness came to her heart and she closed her eyes. The two girls had completely ruined her. The monitor beeped loudly.

Worried as hell, Hertz got up and went near her. "Mrs. Wyatt," he shook her shoulders.

Lily opened her eyes and stared at the man whose face was a few inches away from her. "Don't worry, I won't die," she said in an ice-cold voice. This meant that at the moment there was only David managing the business or was he? "Where is David?"

"He is with Ms. Rose and won't come back. There's no one to look after the business."

What was the alternative she was left with? She was left alone.

"In fact most of the business is already in shambles and will close. Even if the refinery is sold, you won't be able to pay the investors. You may have to file bankruptcy," said Hertz. His tone was gloomy. "The judge has slapped a huge fine on Anne." He paused for a moment to see her reaction. When she seemed composed, he added, "Anne has asked me to fight her case separately and so has Helena. They are both moving their applications to the Supreme Court because they are challenging Judge Coombes verdict."

"What about Cecilia?"

"She continues to stay at home. She isn't going out. There's a lot of shame she has to face if she goes out." Hertz was very sad when he talked about her. "That girl has simply gone underground." Even he was aghast when the dirty little secrets of the Wyatt family rolled out. He thought it was his duty to make a suggestion so he said, "Maybe, you should call Dawn Wyatt to help you out…"

"Never!" Lily retorted. She clenched her teeth.

"But the business rightly belongs to her. She has already filed a claim for it. Even if you won't call her, it will eventually fall in her hands."

That was one thing Lily couldn't accept. Her nostrils flared and there was tightness in her eyes. After what she had done to her, her hatred for Dawn only increased. She swallowed and then said, "Call Cole."