Chapter 870

"Where is he? Where is everyone?" Arianne stumbled backward, her mind reeling. The empty ward rooms filled her with a dreadful premonition.

A nurse passed by. Arianne seized her collar, demanding fiercely, "Where are they?! Where did the patient and his caregiver go?!" The nurse, terrified, stammered, "T-They l-left!"

"Since when? When were they discharged? How could he leave the hospital when he was so sick?! And why didn't you inform his family? Who authorized his departure?!" Arianne's grip tightened, her hysteria escalating.

The nurse, nearly choking, gasped, "I-I don't k-know!"

"Ari! Ari, what do you think you're doing?!" Eloise, shocked by her daughter's actions, intervened, separating Arianne from the terrified nurse. The nurse, clutching her throat, fled.

Arianne pointed to the empty room. "Mom, Uncle Derrick is gone. How could the doctor possibly discharge him? He was practically dying! Even if he left, it would only be for the morgue." Disbelief washed over her.

"Ari, calm down. Something's wrong here. Where are the people you sent to watch Derrick and Stephanie?" Eloise, though equally shocked, maintained a calmer demeanor, drawing on her experience.

"I don't know. I haven't heard from them. Maybe they've betrayed me?" Despair clouded Arianne's eyes; she felt utterly lost.

Derrick's departure from the hospital had eliminated her leverage. It strongly suggested his orchestration of everything—the will, Damian's surrender—a realization that chilled her to the bone. "He orchestrated everything to trick me! Uncle Derrick isn't dying at all!"

"Enough! Let's try calling," Eloise suggested.

Arianne stiffly dialed a number. After a prolonged silence, the call ended. Her eyes darkened. "See? I told you so!"

"This is unusual. Let's call your father; he might know something," Eloise suggested.

Arianne laughed mockingly. "Dad? He probably wouldn't even acknowledge me now. He'd likely rejoice at my downfall. Maybe he was even involved. All he cares about is his precious son."

"Ari, stop. We don't know the full situation yet, so don't panic. Call your father. Then we'll decide what to do next."

Arianne began to calm, heeding her mother's advice. She agreed to call her father, but first, she had another idea. "Mom, give me a moment. I need to check something." She turned abruptly and walked away, Eloise following swiftly.

Arianne reached the chief doctor's office and entered without knocking. "Doctor Franklin, did you authorize my uncle's release?"