Hearing her husband's gruff words, Rhea smiled softly and wrapped her arms around Hogan. "Darling, when do you think our son will finally win that girl over? I have to say, I think Chloe is a wonderful young woman." Hogan pondered for a moment before replying coolly, "That's Eugene's affair. You should focus on your own. I'm still very much here, yet you're already entertaining thoughts of another man. That's a rather dangerous notion, you know." "Is it now?" Rhea looked at the man teetering on the edge of a jealous outburst. She knew his temper; once roused, it was a challenge to soothe. Well, she had her work cut out for her. ***** Chloe's car, along with her purchases, was still parked at the mall. Eugene had Bruce arrange to retrieve it while he drove Chloe and Robert to the hospital himself. In the car, Chloe sat in the passenger seat while Robert lounged in the back, idly playing with a tablet. "Were you frightened earlier today?" Eugene asked, his voice soft, almost tentative. Chloe glanced at him. "It takes quite a bit more than that to frighten me." A slight smile touched Eugene's lips as his grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Back there, when I thanked my parents in front of you... you didn't correct me. Can I take that to mean our relationship might be ready to progress?" Chloe's lips curved gently. "And what does 'progress' entail?" "Marry me. Make it official," Eugene stated, his tone utterly serious. "However, marriage isn't something I'm considering at the moment," Chloe replied offhandedly. Eugene wasn't discouraged. Instead, he clicked his tongue thoughtfully. "If you won't marry into my family, I have no objections to marrying into yours. I'm an only child. My parents are still young and preoccupied with their own ventures. If necessary, I can suggest they try for another heir. I'm fully prepared to be the one who joins your family." "Pfft!" Chloe couldn't suppress a laugh. "Eugene, you have absolutely no shame." "Where you're concerned, I have no bottom line." "You're really something else." Chloe's smile widened, and she said nothing more.After all, how could one not be drawn to a man like this? Perhaps she had already fallen for him. This was a feeling she had never experienced with Arthur—this sense of reckless, all-in determination. Maybe this man was fate's offering to her. As the car continued toward the hospital, Chloe checked the time. The earlier detour had cost them. She wondered if Zachary was growing impatient. ***** Inside the secure psychiatric ward, Carolyn stared at the disheveled, grimy woman before her, struggling to reconcile this image with the mother she once knew. Her mother had always been elegance and luxury personified—a far cry from the deranged individual now rocking back and forth in the stark room. "Mom...?" Carolyn called out tentatively, keeping her voice low, terrified of being associated too closely with the inmate. The woman looked up, her eyes wild, and let out a grating laugh. "I'm hungry! I want food! Give it to me now, or I'll scream!" Carolyn stood frozen. "Where is this? I'm a lady! An heiress! Let me out! Why are you keeping me locked in here?!" Monique's rant escalated. She began clawing at her hospital gown, tearing at the fabric with frantic strength, her dignity utterly discarded. Carolyn watched in stunned horror. She simply couldn't accept that this was her mother. She couldn't wrap her head around how her mother had fallen so far. "Look, she's torn her clothes again. That's the third set today. At this rate, she'll have nothing left to wear!" "She's completely unhinged and violent. Be careful she doesn't lash out at you—she got one of the aides yesterday." "We need to restrain her and call for a sedative. Increase the dosage. She's stronger than she looks—harder to pin down than a greased pig." As the ward staff rushed in to subdue Monique during her latest outburst, a chorus of weary complaints followed. Carolyn, seized by fear and shame, took several furtive steps backward, intent on slipping away unnoticed.An orderly approached to assist. Noticing Carolyn's pale, fearful face as she retreated, he offered a kind, if weary, word. "Don't let her scare you. She's... profoundly ill. Believes everyone is out to get her. We had to admit her for everyone's safety. There's not much more we can do."