The Billionaire Twins Need A New Mommy! - Chapter 476

Chapter 476: The Only Justice He Could Offer
“I know, Justin, I know,” Derek huffed languidly as he pulled into a parking space. “God. Why do you keep nagging — I am okay! I am okay! Stop pestering me!”

“I’m just worried — Aunt Celestine too!”

Derek clicked his tongue, ruffling his hair in irritation. He understood Justin’s nagging and Celestine’s concern about his well-being. After all, when Derek found out who had saved him, he had spiraled into a depressive state.

But not the type of episode where he drowned himself in sorrow or alcohol. If anything, he had grown more determined and worked harder than before. Instead of alcohol, he drowned himself in workload — enough to concern Celestine all over again.

“Just where are you, by the way?” Justin asked, his voice laced with annoyance. “I came to your place to pick you up. Aunt Celestine wants you to have dinner at her place.”

Derek’s expression soured. “Why does she keep asking you to pick me up? I can drive myself there.”

“Tell me about it.” Justin clicked his tongue, walking out of Derek’s empty villa. “So? Where are you?”

Derek didn’t answer immediately. He stared through the windshield at the hospital entrance ahead of him.

“Just going to check on something,” he said. Without waiting for Justin’s response, he hung up. He stepped out of the car, fixing his eyes on the hospital where Lawrence was admitted.

Ever since Lawrence’s “accident,” which turned out to be an attempted murder, Derek had never visited him. He heard updates now and then, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He couldn’t deny the goosebumps he felt when he heard the case was now being treated as attempted murder, though.

Never in his wildest imagination did he think Jasmine would do that to her own husband. And of course, the Lancasters couldn’t stop gossiping about it. Only Celestine and the chairman kept them from saying anything in front of him. Still, he knew they were talking — he would catch snippets or overhear pieces of conversation in their small world.

But tonight, he planned to meet Lawrence.

Not out of concern — only to check if Lola had visited him… or if Lawrence knew how Derek could reach her. He had already tried asking Aileen, but she’d rather hang herself than tell him anything about Lola. He reached out to her other friends and managed to contact Amala.

Naturally, Amala shut him down and warned him to stay away.

But Derek couldn’t give up. He needed to talk to Lola — maybe to apologize, maybe to fix what he broke. He wasn’t sure. And with no options left, Lawrence was his last resort.

His heart steeled with determination as he entered the hospital. Once he got Lawrence’s room number from the reception desk, he walked straight there. But just as he turned down the hallway, he paused, catching sight of a patient dragging his IV as he turned the corner toward the far end of the hall.

“Huh?” Derek frowned, studying the patient’s silhouette. “Isn’t that… Melissa’s dad?”

Why was he wandering alone?

Curious and uneasy, Derek followed. He stopped briefly in front of the ward he’d been told Lawrence was in. When he peered inside and saw the room empty — aside from an empty plate on the bedside table — he turned and followed the direction Lawrence had taken.

“It’s him… isn’t it?” Derek muttered under his breath as he dragged his feet after the man.

When he reached the end of the hallway, Lawrence paused by the fire exit. Deep lines formed on his face as he stared at the stairs leading down… and the stairs leading up.

Derek opened his mouth to wonder where Lawrence might be going. And then a single thought hit him like ice water dumped over his head.

His eyes widened, heart skipping hard. He looked up.

“Shit—” Derek bolted up the stairs without hesitation.

If his hunch was right, Lawrence was about to do something irreversible. Derek’s mind went blank as adrenaline surged through every nerve. Soon, he reached the rooftop entrance and burst through the door.

As he stumbled onto the rooftop, his shaky eyes scanned the area — and there he was. Lawrence stood near the railing, attempting to climb over it.

“Hey—” Derek choked out. Before he knew it, he ran and tackled Lawrence from behind, dragging him away from the edge.

The sound of Lawrence’s body hitting the concrete and the metallic clang of the fallen IV pole echoed across the rooftop. Lawrence winced, his injuries aching from the impact. Derek panted heavily, staring at him with wide, horrified eyes.

“What the—” Derek’s throat dried, forcing him to swallow before he breathed out, “What the hell are you doing?”

Lawrence’s ears twitched at the ragged voice. He lifted his gaze, only to find Derek standing there. His complexion drained further, eyes stinging.

Derek darted his eyes between Lawrence and the toppled IV pole. “Are you seriously trying to kill yourself?”

“Do not stop me!” Lawrence burst out, pushing himself up in desperation. “Derek, don’t you stop me — this is what I deserve! I should’ve died already instead of burdening my daughter with my existence! I should die for everything that I did!”

Whether it was emotion or sheer determination, Lawrence managed to reach for the railing again. But in his frail state, he struggled to climb it. Derek simply stared at him, stunned.

Earlier, he intervened purely by instinct. It wasn’t because he cared for Lawrence — or felt anything sentimental. Despite Lawrence nearly becoming his father-in-law, they were never close. The only things Derek remembered about the man were the favors Lawrence had once asked of him. Nothing more.

So now, even as Lawrence clawed weakly at the railing, Derek stood motionless.

“No.” Derek finally spoke quietly. But Lawrence didn’t stop. “That is not what you deserve, Uncle.”

Lawrence froze and turned. “What?”

“Jumping over there is not what you deserve,” Derek repeated, shock still etched across his face. “What you deserve… you, Melissa — the Youngs — everyone except Lola — is not death. It’s to live for as long as you can and pay for everything you’ve done.”

Lawrence’s breath hitched, his body trembling as Derek stared firmly back at him. Derek then picked up the fallen IV pole, holding it with a strange sense of clarity settling over him.

“That’s right,” he muttered, looking back at Lawrence. “You have to live… because you’re one of the reasons I’m suffering, too. Uncle, don’t die.”

And somehow, Derek found a new way to keep himself from spiraling over Lola’s absence:

He would make sure Lawrence stayed alive long enough to face the consequences of his actions — the only justice Derek could offer Lola.

And himself.