Chapter 21 After being hospitalized, Hillary didn't see Tristan again. Calls went unanswered; messages were left unread. Panic gnawed at her. Losing the baby meant losing her final bargaining chip to become Mrs. Palmer. She refused to accept defeat! She had worked so long and so hard for this-she wouldn't let everything slip away now. Besides the child, she still held something he didn't want exposed: a secret that could ruin him. Clinging to that thought, she ripped out her IV and bolted from the hospital even as doctors shouted after her. But Tristan was nowhere to be found-neither at the company or at the Palmer residence. Finally, she tracked him to the house that used to belong to him and Meredith. He was slumped on the floor, stubble lining his jaw, empty bottles scattered around him. Tsk." She scoffed, forcing down her contempt. The man was pathetic-but she had no choice out to lean on him for now. She stepped forward, feigning gentleness as she helped him to his feet. Tristan, don't keep torturing yourself. I'm sad about losing the baby too, but we can still have nore children. Please-help me sort out the lawsuit first, okay?" Meredith is dead set on ruining me; she hates you too. Stop living in fantasies... cherish the ›erson at your side, please?" ristan finally lifted his head. The person at my side?" He looked at her with a mocking glance. "The person at my side is not ou." Tristan!" Her patience snapped, and her masks dropped. You killed my child! You have to make this right," she said through gritted teeth. She leaned in, urgency boiling through her. "Oh, and weren't you so worried about your image ir Meredith's eyes? If you don't help me, I'll spill everything I know-how her baby died, how you le ne hurt her mother and brother..." ristan hung his head, silent and hollow. Hillary's expression sharpened into panic. "Aren't you afraid?" she demanded. For a beat he said nothing. Then, quietly and with a conviction that startled her, he answered, Say whatever you want. Do what you have to. If finding her means I die-then so be it." Suddenly, his eyes burned with a fierce light-guilt and love for Meredith flaring in every glance, and not a trace of feeling for Hillary. She ground her teeth. If he didn't help clear her name, then she'd take a different route: secure the title of Mrs. Palmer and use the Palmer family's influence to protect herself. Turning away from him, she found Samantha and rushed in with a frantic tone. "Mom! If Tristan keeps this up, the Palmer family will collapse! You have to convince him!" Samantha pressed a hand to her forehead, vexed. "That stubborn kid won't listen to anyone when he refuses-" "I have a way." Hillary's eyes gleamed. Samantha perked up. "Go on." "We must rush the wedding. The Palmer family's roots are deep-invite our former partners, make it a grand affair. He's desperate for news of Meredith; if you tell him there's a word of her he'll obey." She studied Samantha's face carefully before adding with righteous indignation, "Unlike that ungrateful Meredith, I'll stand with the Palmer family through thick and thin. Everything happening now-these attacks on the family-it's all her doing." Samantha's face darkened with fury. 'So it's Meredith? That wretched girl dares move against the Palmers?" Her anger flarec nstantly. "That wretched Meredith! Where is she? I'll teach her a lesson!" 'She's been hiding, but she still loves Tristan. She's just trying to make him regret it. The bigge and more splendid the wedding, the more likely she is to show up." Hillary's voice was full o calculation-that was her last, desperate gamble. Samantha hesitated for a breath, then nodded at last. "Do it your way. Hillary, you've alway: been the daughter I wanted. If that old woman hadn't interfered, you would have been part of this amily long ago. Don't worry-once the Palmer family weathers this storm, I'll make sure Tristar reats you right." Hillary curled into Samantha's arms, a gleam of scheming triumph flashing in her eyes. 2:54 pm G