Chapter 506 Unconscious
"The patriarch was attacked on the road. It is all over on the news. Did you think this was fake? You need to go to the hospital now!"
Winnie ran down the stairs as if her life depended on it.
In the car, she couldn't stay calm, her phone kept pinging with alerts. Trembling, she turned on the news.
"We interrupt your regular programming for this urgent update. Just an hour ago, Carlos Blanchet, the CEO of Blanchet Enterprises, was fatally shot while behind the wheel. He has been swiftly transported to the hospital and is currently in critical condition. Initial reports from our on-site correspondents suggest that the shooting resulted in a catastrophic car accident. Brace yourselves, as today's stock market is anticipated to experience significant upheaval."
Her palms were sweaty with nervousness.
Winnie and Carlos had only recently reconnected, but their father-daughter bond was immediate and profound. From initial resistance toward her own father, Winnie transitioned to deep respect and a strong dependency on him as her father. Carlos reciprocated by prioritizing her at Blanchet Enterprises, doing everything in his power to protect her.
The idea of losing such a cherished father was unbearable to Winnie. He was her most treasured relationship.
Upon arriving at the hospital, Winnie charged through its doors. Outside the operating room, a crowd of Blanchet relatives and associates gathered.
Eleanor, her eyes ablaze with red and her hysteria evident, turned toward Winnie and lunged forward, slapping her in a fit of fury. "How dare you show your face here? It's all because of you. Ever since you returned to the Blanchet family, there's been nothing but chaos. Now, Carlos has been hurt.
"Mom, Dad, open your eyes and see this wretch for what she is. If it weren't for her meddling, Carlos wouldn't have insisted on divorcing me. She must've kept reminding Carlos of Irene, which is why he went to the cemetery today. He always has bodyguards, except when he visits her grave. Look what happened. He was attacked, and now we don't even know if he's alive or dead."
In response to her accusation, Patricia shot an intense glare at Winnie, her already biased eyes turning even colder. "Winnie, is this your doing? Did you return to Blanchet with the intention of seizing the family's wealth? And about your father getting shot, you're not involved in that, are you?"
"How could you even say that?!" Winnie shot back, stopping Eleanor's hand mid-swing and pushing it away furiously, her eyes blazing with anger. "My father is in there fighting for his life, Eleanor and instead of worrying about your husband, you lash out at me the moment you see me. What are you trying to achieve? What ulterior motive could I possibly have? Carlos is in this condition because of you."
Stunned by Winnie's forceful reaction, Eleanor faltered before dissolving into loud sobs. "Of course, I'm worried about Carlos. My heart is tearing apart. It's like my whole world is collapsing."
"If that's truly how you feel, then spare me your wrath. The shooter hasn't been caught yet, and you're already pinning suspicion on me?" Winnie snorted and continued, "Some people might think Aunt Millie started plotting the moment Dad collapsed, as if she couldn’t wait to seize power.
"With such a large crowd, and considering the emotional turmoil everyone is going through, I just don't have the energy to argue with you. It took a considerable amount of time for Dad and me to reconnect. I haven't had him back in my life for long, and I certainly don't want to lose him now."
Tears cascaded down Winnie’s face, an amalgamation of sorrow and anger etched into her features as she regarded Eleanor with the kind of eyes one reserves for the unreasonable. Eleanor bristled at this, particularly because Winnie had unapologetically countered with veiled words of her own.
Eleanor’s gaze shifted towards the Blanchet family elders before she retorted, "Don’t you dare accuse me of slander—you’re the one looking for a fight."
"Enough, both of you, quiet down!" Blanchet Sr.’s roar sliced through the tension. His heart was heavy with grief and seeing Winnie silently crying without arguing back, he found Eleanor’s aggression distasteful.
"Eleanor, Carlos is in there, fighting for his life and here you are bickering? How could you?"
Eleanor froze, flushed with embarrassment and on the brink of tears. "Dad..."
"Grandpa is right, Mom. You’re just overcome with grief," Ishara chimed in, stepping forward to seemingly support Eleanor but really to silence her. With tears in her eyes, she turned to Winnie. "Please, Winnie, don’t take offense at my mom’s words."
Winnie paid no attention to the pretense, her icy stare fixed on the door of the operating room (OR).
Two hours later, the OR doors swung open and the doctor emerged, shaking his head gravely. "I’m sorry, Mr. Blanchet Sr., while we've managed to stabilize Carlos’ vital signs, he's unresponsive. I’m afraid he may not wake up."
"What?!" Blanchet Sr. staggered.
Eleanor approached in a panic. "Doctor, you mean Carlos might end up in a persistent vegetative state?"
The doctor sighed and nodded. "But there is always hope for recovery. Some patients wake up after years."
"How could this happen to my boy?" Patricia wailed in pain. "Who could have shot you?"
"Don’t cry, Kathy. I believe Dad will wake up," Ishara said sadly. Dad had shown her favoritism since Winnie returned but he’d always doted on her too.
"Ishara, you’re too upset for such distress," Patricia said as they embraced each other.
Only Winnie stood in silence, her eyes misting over. She was waiting for her father to come through.
"Carlos, I've vowed to stand by you all my life, waiting for the moment you wake up." Eleanor wept, pledging her devotion as she turned to Mr. and Mrs. Blanchet. "Don't worry, I'll take good care of him and nurse him back to health."
Just as Mr. Blanchet was about to nod in sorrow, Winnie's voice cut through, steady and calm. "Grandpa, I want to be the one to care for Dad. Since coming back to the family, I haven't had much time with him. I want to do my part, to be there for him. Moreover, I'm medically trained so I can monitor his condition closely and provide professional care. I know the best neurosurgeons around the world. I'll contact them for Dad's surgery."
"Dad, absolutely not!" Eleanor swiftly interjected, her eyes filled with objection. "Winnie is practically a stranger to his care, and Carlos is my husband. How can I trust her with his life? You claim to have medical skills, but can you prove it? The international experts you talk about— Ishara is also acquainted with them. Do you think they'll come if you call?
"And in the end, won't it be the Blanchet family picking up the tab? Don't cause trouble at a time like this with your uselessness. Besides, your mom took away my true love when she was young, and now you want to take over his care? Mom, please don’t get this wrong."
Eleanor’s words grew increasingly bitter as she looked toward Patricia. Of course, Patricia was hesitant to let Winnie take on the responsibility.
Before Patricia could even say anything, Winnie locked eyes with the clear-headed Mr. Blanchet and spoke sharply, "Grandpa, you know Dad's been tangled in a fierce divorce battle with Aunt Eleanor. Legally, she's still his wife, and marital assets typically go to the spouse first, then the children.
"As an outsider, I'm not expecting any inheritance. But if Aunt Eleanor has ulterior motives and something were to happen to Dad, she could end up inheriting the entire Blanchet family fortune. Given the sudden shooting of a high-profile chairman like him, I can't help but question who's behind the trigger, and who stands to gain from it?"
Mr. Blanchet was taken aback.
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