From Villain to Virtual Sweetheart: The Fake Heir's Grand Scheme(BL)-Chapter 649: When Secrets Limp Into the Light

Earlier when Micah and Clyde walked down the hospital corridor toward the Ramsy family, the overhead lights cast a pale glow over the polished floor, and the quiet beeping of machines from distant rooms filled the air. Aria, who had been leaning against the wall, straightened slightly as she watched her little brother walk toward them with his hand tightly holding Clyde’s.

Damn! Why was this shameless man here with Micah?

She had seen him before, and the way he cared about Micah had reassured her. She used to be fine with him staying close.

But last night, after Willow returned from the auction and told them about Clyde arriving with a girl, her opinion of the man hit rock bottom. She couldn’t believe that Clyde had fooled her too.

Her fingers moved over her phone, typing quickly, expression stormy. Even if Clyde was Dean’s uncle, she would always protect her little brother. She wouldn’t let anyone mess with his feelings.

Then Micah’s voice carried clearly down the corridor.

"He’s my boyfriend," Micah said, calm but firm. "He’s family to me."

Willow, standing beside her, stiffened. Her mouth dropped open. Her brain stopped working for a full two seconds.

"Unbelievable..." she muttered. "What is he thinking? What if Mum flips out? Doesn’t he know it’s not the time or place for this?"

Aria nodded immediately. "He has a death wish. He’s absolutely asking for it."

"Should we interfere?" Willow said, worried.

"How?" Aria whispered. "Micah is too lovestruck to reason with him. And that blond guy is too annoying for me to step in and help!" She gritted her teeth. "Seriously, I thought we had to worry about Darcy but now this idiot is making my blood boil!"

Then, her gaze drifted downward and stopped on Micah’s foot.

His ankle was strapped in a brace, the white support stark against his dark pants. Her eyes widened. Didn’t Willow say the doctor had called it a sprain and recommended that she put on a brace?

She reached out and lightly tugged on Willow’s sleeve, careful not to draw attention.

"Sis..." she whispered, leaning closer. "Didn’t you say the girl from last night hurt her foot too? Was it the same leg?"

Willow’s body went still. For a second, she didn’t respond. Then, slowly, almost mechanically, she turned her head and looked at Micah’s braced ankle. The memory of last night came rushing back... the strange white-haired girl, the awkward atmosphere, and especially that odd conversation she’d had with Clyde. The more she thought about it, the less it felt like a coincidence.

"...You mean..." Willow murmured under her breath, eyes narrowing slightly.

Aria frowned, her voice still hushed but much more animated. "You told me that guy kept talking about Micah the whole time, right? How does that even make sense? Even a four-year-old knows you don’t mention your favourite toy in front of someone who might smash it. If that girl was his date, why would he keep bringing Micah up over and over?"

Willow didn’t answer right away. She watched Micah and Clyde from a distance, her thoughts spinning. The way the blond man looked at Micah now, it was exactly the same look from last night. Soft. Focused. Like there was no one else around.

And now that she really thought about it... that girl’s height, her shoulders, the way she stood...Her eyes slowly widened. "No way! Did the swapped-babies mess with his head so badly that he started pretending to be a girl?"

Aria clicked her tongue. "As if! I bet this little rascal did it just to chase after that guy, not because of some emotional reason like a coping mechanism." Her mobile phone dinged, implying a message. She looked down.

Meanwhile, Willow hesitated, doubt flickering across her face. "But... what if he really was cross-dressing because he wanted to escape? What if we just misunderstood everything?"

Aria awkwardly tugged at a strand of her hair and tucked it behind her ear, suddenly looking a bit embarrassed. "Sis... Dean texted me back. I went off about his uncle being trash coming here with Micah." She said, turning the phone so Willow could see the screen. "He said Micah was really that girl, Asena."

Willow rubbed her forehead, looking both stunned and exhausted. She knew very well about her sister’s little crush on Dean Du Pont.

That part didn’t surprise her. The thing that rendered her speechless was her little brother. "That little troublemaker..." she muttered, looking at Clyde with a frown. "If his own nephew said it, then it’s probably true."

Up ahead, Micah limped past the Ramsy family, trying to look normal despite the slight stiffness in his steps. Clyde stayed close at his side, eyes flicking to Micah’s ankle every few seconds, his worry obvious.

They entered the hospital room together.

The door clicked shut.

A faint buzzing sound followed in the quiet corridor.

Felicity Ramsy and Mabel Ramsy immediately stepped closer to Elina and Jacob.

"What happened to Micah’s foot?" Felicity asked, concern written all over her face.

"And who was that man with him?" Mabel added, lowering her voice.

Elina crossed her arms, her expression dark. "I have no idea. That little rascal... sometimes I swear he enjoys pushing my buttons. It’s like he lives to test my patience."

Jacob gave her shoulder a gentle pat. "Micah is still young," he said in a calm tone.

Elina shot him a look. "Young? Really? Who brings someone like that, some scum, to meet the family at his grandmother’s sickbed?" she whispered sharply, clearly annoyed.

Jacob squeezed her shoulders a little. "Let’s talk about this later," he murmured.

Mabel and Felicity exchanged an awkward look. The family drama had become a bit too much to handle.

Then, almost at the same time, they glanced toward their father, Albert Ramsy, who was sitting silently on a bench nearby. Their eyes moved to their husbands and children, silently signalling them to stay close and keep an eye on the old man.

The sons-in-law and grandchildren subtly gathered around Albert, forming a loose circle as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Mabel let out a long breath and turned back to Jacob and Elina. "What should we do? Should we try to convince Mother to stay and have the surgery?" She tried to change the subject.

Jacob’s expression dimmed, the lines on his face deepening. "There’s nothing I want more than for her to fight and live longer," he said quietly. "But in the end, it’s her life. She’s suffered a lot bringing all of us into this world. Her body paid the price. We don’t have the right to force her."

Felicity nodded slowly. "I agree. I’m just... more worried about Dad. I don’t think he can handle it."

They all sighed at the same time, the sound heavy.

Felicity and Mabel were standing far enough away that none of them had heard Micah’s earlier declaration. But with Elina’s furious words, they could guess the new guy’s relationship with Micah. And with Elina already in a bad mood, no one dared dig deeper.

Felicity and Mabel shot each other gossipy looks, dying with curiosity. They all wondered the same thing but didn’t dare say it out loud, who was that blond man? What had he done to be labelled as scum?

A little distance away, Willow let out a long breath, her thoughts finally settling into place. Once she accepted the truth, her shock turned into urgency.

She stepped forward quickly. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

"Mom. Dad," she said seriously, her voice firm. "There’s something I need to tell you."

**********

Inside the hospital room, the air smelled faintly of disinfectant. Machines hummed softly, and the curtains were half drawn, letting in muted daylight.

Zhou Ruyan lay propped up on the bed, her frail body supported by pillows. A nasal oxygen mask rested under her nose, and thin wires were attached to her chest, leading to the monitor beside her.

Darcy stood at her side with his head lowered, quiet and still.

"Grandma!" Micah called gently as soon as he stepped in, his voice warm.

Zhou Ruyan’s eyes curved as she smiled. "Sweetheart," she said, her voice soft and slightly wheezy.

Micah limped over, each step careful, and took her hand in both of his. "How are you feeling?"

His eyes were already shining with unshed tears.

Zhou Ruyan’s gaze dropped to his ankle, then shifted to Clyde, who was hovering a step behind, clearly worried about Micah’s injury. Her smile deepened knowingly.

"I’m much better now that I’ve seen you," she said. Then she looked at Clyde. "Mr Du Pont, it’s nice to see you again."

Clyde inclined his head politely. "Ma’am, I wish it were under better circumstances."

She gave a faint shake of her head. "Life doesn’t always wait for good timing," she said gently.

Then she looked back at Micah, her eyes twinkling despite her condition. "What happened to you? You youngsters should show some restraint. Playing too wild at night, hm?"

Micah’s face turned red instantly. He felt mortified. "Grandma!" he protested. "That’s not what happened! I just tripped!"

Zhou Ruyan chuckled, though it turned into a light cough. "That’s better. You looked like you were about to cry just now. I was teasing. I’m sure Mr Du Pont would never cross the line."

Micah fell silent, flustered, and sat on the edge of the bed. "Grandma, you’re so bad," he muttered, pouting slightly.

Darcy watched the two of them quietly. After last night’s chaos, he had only received a message saying Clyde was fine. He hadn’t pried into their argument, assuming it was about Micah’s reckless plan again. Now, seeing them like this, things seemed... normal.

Which, honestly, was what he expected.

He stepped back toward the door. "Grandmother, I’ll wait outside," he said softly.

Clyde nodded as well. "I’ll step out too," he said, giving Zhou Ruyan a respectful look before following Darcy.

They left the room, closing the door gently behind them, giving grandmother and grandson a moment alone, while Clyde, on the other hand, clearly had something he wanted to ask Darcy.