REBORN: MEET MY BROTHERS-Chapter 82: HE WAS THERE BEFORE III

The forced smile on Matilda’s face vanished. "Is that a threat?" She took a step closer to him. "I don’t know about the so-called respect you’re claiming to have shown by coming here."

"But threatening to have your guards throw us out? I’ll applaud you... that’s brave. I’ll also advise you to watch your tongue, Mr. Rowland. You seem to be forgetting the family you’re addressing."

"He even barged into our room with his little entourage, and he’s claiming to show ’respect.’ Please, spare us the act." Sasha scoffed.

"I am simply doing my job. If you feel disrespected, that’s unfortunate. You can take it up to the board, but I just insist that this room be vacated until the legal guardian arrives. I’ve been generous with my time."

Sasha let out a short, humorless laugh. "So in essence what you’re saying is you’re going to have us dragged out like criminals? Is that it?! Can you hear this, mother?! He wants to have us dragged out!"

"That’s not going to happen, sweetie. There is no way Rowland will have us dragged out of this room. He knows who and who not to mess with."

Wesley smirked before signalling to the guards at the door who immediately stepped into the room.

Matilda and Sasha exchanged glances. "What is the meaning of this, Rowland?! How dare you ask your filthy men to step into my father in law’s room—?" The words were barely out of her mouth before the guards got to where they stood.

"Mrs. Whitlock, your refusal to cooperate has left me with no other choice. I gave you more than enough time." Wesley clasped his hands to his back as he faced the guards. "Escort them out... Respectfully."

Sasha stepped forward angrily. "Get these filthy men out of here before I make a call that’ll end your entire career! Do you know who you’re dealing with, you arrogant little puppet?"

Matilda shot him a glare that could pierce steel. "This is William Whitlock’s room in case you’ve forgotten. You’re crossing the line, Rowland. When my husband gets here, you’ll regret ever stepping into this room with your... entourage."

The guards stepped in front of them and Sasha pointed to them. "If any of you so much as touch us, you’ll wish you hadn’t!" She yelled but the men ignored her threats and simply held their arm. Sasha struggled against the man’s grip. "Let go of me!"

Matilda also struggled. "Call off your men now, Rowland! This circus you’ve created will not end well for you. My husband is on his way, and I promise you, he won’t be as diplomatic as I’ve been." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"I’m being lenient, Mrs. Whitlock. I could have had you removed much earlier, but I gave you a chance to leave with dignity. Until the legal guardian comes, you can’t stay in this room."

"Get your filthy hands off me before I make one call and have this entire hospital crawling with lawyers and reporters!" Sasha screamed as the guards pushed them into the hallway.

The girl that was standing beside Wesley brought out their bags from the room and handed it to them. Sasha’s eyes flashed with anger as she jabbed a finger towards Wesley. "You’ll regret this! I promise you," she screamed.

But Wesley simply smiled, infuriating Sasha even more. "Have them escorted downstairs," he said to the guards who nodded at the order.

Matilda was too shocked to speak. She couldn’t believe she was dragged out of the floor by some weaselly guards like she was a nobody. The very thought made her blood boil but all she could do was struggle to free herself from the guard.

The guard holding Sasha pressed on the elevator button. Even as the door opened, both women struggled but when they saw the man standing inside the elevator, they stopped struggling.

Sasha whimpered. "Father..."

Gaulin’s piercing eyes moved from the guards to Wesley and the girl beside him, then to his wife and daughter. He gritted his teeth when he finally pieced what was going on. "What exactly do you think you’re doing, Rowland? Release them. Now."

Recognizing the man in front of them, the guards hesitated and turned to Wesley for direction. Wesley gave them a curt nod before they released Sasha and Matilda. The moment they let go of Sasha, she slapped the guard. "You imbecile! How dare you touch me and my mother?!" She also kicked the other man who held Matilda.

"That’s enough, Sasha." Matilda held her to stop her from hitting them.

Wesley watched her without saying a word.

"If you keep hitting them that way, Miss Whitlock, the hospital will file for assault," the girl beside Wesley finally spoke for the first time.

"And it’s okay for them to manhandle my family?! Do you think I’ll not file a lawsuit against the hospital?"

.

The girl glanced nervously at Wesley before turning back to Gaulin. "With all due respect, Sir—"

"Don’t you dare use those words when you clearly have no clue what they mean! If you had any respect, you wouldn’t have dared to lay a hand on my wife and daughter in the first place."

Matilda stepped close to her husband. "They didn’t just lay a hand on us, Gaulin. They dragged us out of the room like criminals. Right in front of your unconscious father."

"And this one," Sasha pointed an accusing finger at Wesley, "had the audacity to smirk about it, like it was some kind of joke." Her voice trembled from the anger.

Gaulin’s eyes narrowed on Wesley’s nonchalant face and his face hardened even more.

Wesley sighed softly. "Mr. Whitlock, I’m sorry you had to witness such an unfortunate situation. But your family has had a long-standing relationship with this hospital, and you understand how critical our policies are. This entire situation could’ve been avoided if your wife and daughter had simply complied with the hospital’s new policy."

"As much as I respect your family, I expect the same level of respect as well. If you feel the hospital’s policy is intolerable, you’re free to take your father elsewhere. But this action has to be carried out under the hospital’s new policy, and as such, only the legal guardian has the right to make this call."

Gaulin scowled. "You don’t need to say anymore. With the disrespect you’ve shown my family, as the legal guardian of my father, I wouldn’t dare to keep him here for a second longer."

"Very well then. Since the hospital has made findings on each patient’s legal guardian..." Wesley adjusted his glasses as he turned to the girl beside him. "...Elizabeth, please confirm Mr. William Whitlock’s legal guardian is his son, so he can proceed with the paperwork downstairs."

She nodded and went through the file in her hand. Her brows furrowed as her eyes returned to their faces. "Mr. Whitlock, you are not the legal guardian of Mr. William Whitlock."

Gaulin became confused and exchanged glances with his wife and daughter. "What are you trying to say? How is that even possible?"

"My husband has been my father-in-law’s legal guardian for years, so what nonsense are you blabbing?!" Matilda snapped.

Wesley raised a hand to stop Matilda from making another scene out of this. "Mrs. Whitlock, please calm down. There’s no mistake here. The hospital’s records are clear."

Elizabeth hesitated and glanced at Gaulin before continuing. "It seems the legal guardianship was updated recently. The name listed here is Ava Whitlock."

"Ava?!" Matilda’s frowned. Why was Ava’s name there?

"That’s impossible!" Sasha barked. "Ava is barely involved in any of this. How could she possibly be the legal guardian?"

Wesley cleared his throat. "I understand this is surprising, but the documentation doesn’t lie. If you believe there’s been a mistake, I suggest you reach out to her and sort this out. Until then, I’m afraid the hospital will need to communicate directly with Ms. Whitlock regarding Mr. William Whitlock’s care."

Gaulin’s jaw tightened. When and how did Ava become his father’s legal guardian? "This is absurd. I’ve been managing his care for years. I don’t even recall Ava stepping in to sign anything!"

"Nevertheless..." Wesley replied, "...these are the facts we’re working with. I’ll leave you to handle the family discussion. Once Ms. Whitlock is reached, we can proceed. But for now, since you’re not Mr. Whitlock’s legal guardian, the hospital’s policy cannot be sidetracked. I have no choice but to ask you and your family to leave, Mr. Whitlock, until a permission from Ms. Whitlock is received."

Gaulin’s hand balled into a fist at his side as he took a deep breath, trying to rein in his rising anger. "You want me to leave my father’s side because of some stupid mistake from this hospital? Do you think I don’t know this is all a sham?!"

"Mr. Whitlock...

"I don’t even know what you’re talking about..." Gaulin yelled. This time, he was more serious than ever. He took his time to answer the said question with a dignified expression.