Return of the Crowned Heiress novel Chapter 345

People couldn't just reap benefits from others without bearing the associated risks. Besides, it wasn't hard to connect the dots—Maurice was the one who orchestrated her kidnapping.

And speaking of Maurice, wasn't he widely known as Stephan's archenemy?

Felicia paused, weighing her options. Despite everything, she decided to give Stephan a subtle warning.

"That day..."

Just as she was about to explain, a faint noise came through from Stephan's side.

That soft, syrupy voice from earlier—the one that had answered her call previously—spoke again.

"Stephan, dinner's ready." Johanna gently pushed open the door. After she finished speaking, she feigned surprise at seeing Stephan on the phone and quickly covered her mouth in a mock apology. Then, she tiptoed back out, closing the door quietly behind her.

Stephan barely spared the doorway a glance, but the icy sharpness in his eyes was unmistakable.

Felicia couldn't see what was going on, but being interrupted like that made her lose any inclination to continue the conversation.

"Stephan, you sound busy. I still have to dry my hair, so I'll hang up now."

She ended the call without waiting for a response. She plugged in her hairdryer and flipped it on.

Stephan pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling slowly. Rising from the couch, he strode out of the ward.

In the adjacent VIP ward, Imogen lay on the hospital bed, her face pale and gaunt. Her once soft features were sharp with exhaustion, her frailty apparent.

Her unfocused eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, her hands gently cradling her stomach. She let out a soft sigh of relief only when she felt the reassuring curve of her baby bump.

Johanna had set up a table full of food, her voice gentle and coaxing. "Imogen, don't cry anymore. The baby's safe, and that's all that matters. You need to focus on resting and keeping yourself healthy."

"How can I not think about it?" Imogen's reddened eyes brimmed with tears. "I was nearly driven to a miscarriage by my brother. How can I face Archie if something happens to our child?"

"Stephan..." Johanna's voice faltered as she instinctively stepped back.

She quickly tried to explain herself, her tone soft and apologetic, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you earlier... And about that call this afternoon, I didn't mean to overstep."

Her voice was barely a whisper, but Imogen wasn't deaf. She heard everything, and her head turned toward them with a snap.

"What call? What happened?"

"It's nothing, Imogen. Please don't worry about it," Johanna replied hesitantly.

Imogen's temper flared, and she slammed the spoon back into her bowl. Soup splashed onto the table, but she didn't care.

"Tell me what happened! Now!"

"Imogen, please calm down," Johanna urged, feigning concern as her voice dropped to a pleading tone. "You need to think about the baby."