Chapter 158 The Murderer
The kiss finally broke. Aurora snuggled into John's arms, too shy to look at anyone. Her heart was racing. How could she not fall for a guy who had her back in all this chaos? Meeting John was the best thing that ever happened to her.
Sandra was fuming. How could John acknowledge those two kids?
She wanted to argue more, but Todd pulled her aside. "Sandra, don't stir up more trouble. The little bit of gratitude your sister has for the boss will vanish, and that won't end well for you."
Sandra was stubborn. "Those two kids aren't even John's."
"If the Boss says they are, then they are." Todd signaled to Sam. "Get Ms. Johnson a coffee."
"Ms. Johnson, this way, please." Sam approached Sandra, making it clear she'd be escorted out if she didn't leave.
Sandra shot a hateful look at John and Aurora on the stage, then turned to Todd. "Remember my sister's kindness to John. Who do you think John would choose between my sister and Aurora?"
Her words carried a deeper meaning.
Todd felt uneasy. "She's gone; talking about this now is pointless."
"It will matter." Sandra said with a hint of something before leaving.
Lloyd's emotions were all over the place.
Whether Summer and Loren were actually part of the Lewis Family or not, John had made it public today, so now they were. To say Lloyd didn't care at all would be a lie.
Aurora having kids out of wedlock was definitely a scandal. For a family as prestigious as the Lewis Family, marrying a woman with such a past was unthinkable.
But when Lloyd saw Summer and Loren, his worries disappeared, replaced by a strange affection. Since John had accepted them, he had to go along with it. He was quite pleased with Aurora as his granddaughter-in-law.
At seventy years old, almost with one foot in the grave, he should now learn to live with a deeper understanding of life.
"Come to great-grandpa, my dear great-grandchildren." Lloyd warmly waved to Summer and Loren.
The two kids walked over and said in their sweet voices, "Hello, great-grandpa. We wish you a long life and endless happiness."
"Good, good, good." Lloyd couldn't stop smiling and handed them two gifts. "Here, one for each of you. Great-grandpa wishes you health and happiness."
"Thank you, great-grandpa." Summer and Loren took the gifts without hesitation.
Loren peeked inside and saw an eight-figure check. How generous.
"Rich great-grandpa." Loren, a little money-lover, chuckled, his eyes sparkling as he hugged Mr. Lewis's arm. "I love you the most."
Summer was also surprised by the amount.
It was clear these red envelopes had been prepared in advance. Lloyd really liked the two brothers. He was amused and laughed heartily.
Seeing this, Aurora felt deeply grateful.
Kevin and Ashley let out a sigh of relief, smiling.
Just then, the hotel lobby manager rushed over.
"Mr. John Lewis, something's happened. Mrs. Lewis is in critical condition."
Hearing this, John's face tightened. "Where's my mom?"
"In the hallway."
John quickly ran over.
Aurora, Todd, Lloyd, and most of the guests followed.
Helen lay in a pool of blood, already unconscious. Seeing this, John's face turned pale. Aurora got anxious, and the other guests were shocked.
"No one else come over. Stay where you are." John shouted, rushing to Helen. He checked her breathing, felt she was still alive, and immediately told Gary, "She's still breathing. Hurry."
Before John got there, the hotel staff didn't dare to move Helen.
That much blood would make anyone's legs turn to jelly.
Helen's body temperature was dropping fast, and things were looking bad.
Gary did a quick check and immediately stopped the bleeding to save her life.
Gary said, "We need to get her to the hospital for surgery, now."
There wasn't enough time to get back to the island, so they had to use a nearby hospital for Helen's surgery.
"Tyler, get the car." John scooped Helen up and rushed out.
Tyler sprinted to get the car, and Gary followed close behind.
Todd stayed back. "Lock down the scene. No one comes in or out. Manager, get the hotel surveillance footage."
With this happening, the birthday party was over. Lloyd took charge of seeing the guests off, handling the chaos like a pro.
Aurora handed Summer and Loren to Sophia and Kevin, then headed to the hospital.
Sophia said, "Summer, Loren, go home with me first."
It was too bloody, and Sophia didn't want the kids to see it.
Summer said, "Sophia, you take my brother home. I'll stay with my godfather."
Todd got what Summer was saying and said, "Let Summer stay with me."
Summer was part of Nightfall, not just some kid who could be shielded from trouble.
Loren wanted to stay too, but he knew he wasn't as capable as Summer. With Helen in trouble, he didn't want to make things worse, so he left with Kevin and Ashley.
The scene was locked down, and Todd called the cops. Before they arrived, he and Summer checked out the scene.
Todd asked, "Summer, find anything?"
Summer pointed at the bloodstains. "Grandma was attacked from behind."
He spotted a piece of ceramic in the corner. "The weapon was probably this ceramic vase. The attacker was ruthless and picked a blind spot in the surveillance. The person is sneaky and kinda smart."
"Kinda smart?" Todd was puzzled.
Summer's face was serious. "There's a broken fingernail in the bloodstain. The attacker is a woman."
Todd nodded, impressed. "Everyone here today is a big deal, and this happened just a few dozen yards from the hall. Whoever did this had a strong motive."
At the hospital.
Helen was rushed into surgery, with Gary leading the operation. Aurora stayed with John outside the operating room. She tried to comfort him. "Helen will be fine, don't worry."
John stared at the operating room door. "A buddy of mine was nearly blown apart by a bomb once. No one could save him, but Gary did. He's the miracle doctor of Nightfall. With him here, my mom will be fine."
John trusted Gary as much as he trusted himself. What he was really worried about was who had attacked Helen.
John said, "When I find out who hurt my mom, I'll kill them."
Aurora felt heartbroken too. Helen had always been good to her, and she hoped Helen would pull through.
The surgery took four long hours, a torturous wait for John. When the operating room door finally opened, Gary came out, looking exhausted.
"Her life is saved, but I can't guarantee she'll wake up," Gary told John. "Be ready for the worst."
Helen's brain was injured. It was a miracle she survived at all. John got what Gary was saying. Helen might end up in a vegetative state. If Gary said so, the chances of recovery were slim.
John didn't say anything, just sat on the bench and lit a cigarette.
Seeing John like this, Aurora was worried and walked over. She held his hand, offering silent support. John gently patted Aurora's hand, letting her know he was okay.
John's phone rang; it was Todd. "Boss, come to the hotel."
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