Chapter 455 Concern
Lila gently patted my shoulder, her voice firm and resolute. "Diana, don't worry. No matter what happens, I've got your back. We'll handle this together, just like we did with the law firm."
Her hand was warm, and the heat spread straight to my heart.
I looked at Lila's focused face as she bandaged my wound, then glanced at Lucas standing quietly by the window. My throat tightened. "Thanks for coming right after you got off the plane. You even fought Nicholas's men because of me..."
The steady beeping of the monitor filled the room as I took a deep breath. "But I need to get through this with Edward. The project that his company is struggling with is our collaboration. If he hadn't shielded me in the warehouse, I'd be the one in the hospital. Now he's lying there, barely able to move. I can't leave him alone."
Lila's tweezers paused, the iodine-soaked cotton ball hanging in mid-air.
"Diana, I know you're loyal, but this is too dangerous. Nicholas's reach is everywhere. Look at yourself now. Please, find a safe place to hide until this blows over, okay?"
Lila put down the tweezers and held my uninjured hand, looking at me earnestly.
Lucas continued staring out the window, not turning his head. "Edward's company is being watched closely by my father and Jeffrey. The supply chain is broken, and there's no cash flow. This isn't something you can fix with loyalty alone."
He pulled a stack of documents from his pocket and placed them on the table.
"These are the latest reports I had compiled. You'll see how complicated the situation is."
I opened the file, the dense financial data making my head spin, but I stubbornly pushed it back. "I know it's hard, but that's exactly why I can't let him face it alone. I have a responsibility to help him save the project and protect his employees..."
"I can't be a coward."
I grew more determined, "Someone has to stand up."
Lucas stood by the window, his long fingers absentmindedly rubbing his tie clip. When he turned around, his eyes were full of worry. "Diana, with your skills, you could start over. There's no need to get caught up in this mess."
I looked down at my bandaged hand, remembering Edward's pale face when he was injured, and pleaded. "Lucas, Lila, I understand your concern. But Edward got hurt protecting me. I can't just watch him face this alone."
Lila sighed and gently squeezed my hand. "We're not saying you can't help. We just want you to stay safe. Acting recklessly will only make us worry more."
Lucas was silent for a moment, then pulled out a bank card and placed it on the table. "Here's some money. Use it if you need to. Whenever you want to leave, I can arrange it."
His voice was soft but carried a commanding concern.
I looked at the bank card, my eyes welling up. "Thank you. I just want to do the right thing. I promise I'll be careful and won't put myself in danger."
The room fell into a brief silence.
Lila shook her head helplessly and put the unused gauze back in the emergency kit. "I can't argue with you. I'll stay with you. But promise me you'll tell me about any plans in advance."
Lucas gave me a long look, then turned to grab his suit jacket. The family crest on his white shirt glinted as he turned. "Diana, remember, this is your choice."
With that, Lucas left without looking back.
His footsteps faded down the hallway, and Lila sighed softly, pressing a cotton swab to my wound. "Lucas just..."
"I know. Let's go back to Edward's room."
My voice was so hoarse it startled even me.
"I need to check on his wound."
Lila's eyes behind her glasses were filled with worry. "This place isn't safe for you. Please, come with us."
I bit my lip, the memory of the warehouse explosion flashing before my eyes.
Seeing my silence, Lila relented, "Alright, I'll go with you to see Edward."
As Lila pushed open the hospital room door, the strong smell of disinfectant mixed with a faint hint of blood hit us. I knew this smell well—it was the scent of fresh blood mingled with alcohol and iodine.
Edward was half-sitting in bed. At the sound of the door, his eyes, which had been closed, snapped open, focusing instantly. He struggled to sit up, but the movement pulled at his shoulder wound, and the bloodstain on his dark blue hospital gown spread.
"Don't move!"
I rushed forward, pressing down on Edward's heaving shoulders.
His palms were burning hot, the heat searing through the bandages. I held his hand to stop him from getting up, feeling the sharp edges of his wrist bones—he had lost so much weight.
Edward gripped my wrist tightly, his eyes scanning my bandaged arm. "You're hurt? What happened? How's Anne?"
Before I could answer, a violent cough racked Edward's body, shaking the metal frame of the bed. He hastily covered his mouth with a handkerchief, which quickly stained with blood.
Lila hurried to the bedside, offering him a cup of warm water, her eyes behind her glasses filled with reproach. "Take care of yourself first, will you? Diana was almost hurt by Nicholas's men. If we hadn't arrived in time..."
"It's my fault."
Edward's voice was a raspy whisper, his bony fingers clutching my wrist. His palm was clammy, cold sweat soaking through the bandages and dried blood, his fingers trembling slightly.
"I shouldn't have let you go. Is Anne still alive?"
Edward's voice was strained, each word a struggle. He pushed himself up, the skin over his collarbone taut and veins bulging, his bloodshot eyes locking onto mine like a drowning man grasping at a lifeline.
I gently turned my hand, covering his cold hand with my palm, the sharp bones pressing painfully into my skin.
"She's still unconscious, but Lucas has people watching her around the clock. You need to stop pushing yourself. The doctor said your wound is infected. If you keep this up..."
Before I could finish, Edward began to struggle violently, the IV in his hand dragging across the sheets, leaving a trail of blood.
"No!"
Edward's hand, gripping the IV line, bulged with veins, and he groaned as the movement pulled at his wound. His back hit the bed rail hard, his face contorting in pain, his voice breaking. "Nicholas's men won't spare her. I have to..."
His words cut off abruptly. A sudden dizziness caused Edward to collapse back onto the pillows. Sweat beaded on his forehead, sliding down his pale cheeks into the hollow of his ear. The heart monitor's alarm blared urgently, echoing in the silent room.
Log in with Google Account
Chapters
Favorite
Settings
