Chapter 458 The Pretender
Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the hallway, and three men dressed in black kicked open the hospital room door.
As Daryl turned and raised his gun, I grabbed a metal tray and smashed it against the back of his head with all my strength.
With a crisp thud, his police hat flew off, revealing a menacing tattoo on the back of his neck, another mark of the Adams family.
"Nice move, Ms. Cooper."
The leader of the men removed his sunglasses and looked at me with admiration.
The silver tie clip on his tie glinted briefly. I felt like I had seen that tie clip before, but I couldn't remember where.
"Who are you..."
Ignoring the pain and confusion, I forced myself to ask.
"Ms. Cooper, no need to worry. Mr. Jackson sent us to protect you."
As he spoke, the other two men quickly tied Daryl up with rope. One of them pulled out silver needles and inserted them into several key points on Daryl's body. With each needle, Daryl let out a suppressed growl. His growls ceased abruptly after the last needle, and the room fell into a dead silence.
The moment the door burst open, I instinctively shielded Edward's hospital bed.
When Lucas walked in, the hem of his trench coat lifted slightly. I noticed his pant legs were stained with mud and sand from the docks, carrying a salty, fishy smell. Lila stood beside him, her high heels trembling. She clutched the chain of her handbag so tightly that it left a red mark on her wrist. Suddenly, a pearl decoration on her handbag fell off, bouncing on the floor.
It was only then that I realized it was really Lila.
"Lila." My voice caught in my throat, the taste of blood and rust overwhelming. My knees gave out, and I collapsed forward. Lila rushed over, her slender shoulder pushing aside my arm that was blocking Edward's bed, her warm hand gripping my shoulder tightly.
"It's okay, it's all over now."
Lila's voice trembled slightly, her hair brushing against my nose. I clung to the back of her shirt, my knuckles turning white from the pressure. Tears flowed uncontrollably, mixing with the metallic taste of blood, staining the collar of her light-colored shirt. The scene of Edward collapsing three days ago, the feel of the metal tray hitting Daryl, and the tension of the past few days—all the fear turned into hot tears at that moment.
Lila patted my back gently, just like she used to comfort me when we watched horror movies in our college dorm. The only sounds in the room were my intermittent sobs and the steady beeping of Edward's heart monitor.
Lucas quietly retreated to the corner of the room, his fingers moving swiftly across his phone screen, arranging the next steps. He occasionally looked up at us, his eyes filled with concern for Lila and a hint of worry for me.
"They won't let you go."
Once I had calmed down a bit, Lucas's gaze fell on Edward's blood-soaked bandage. The sound of his shoes grinding against the floor was unnerving.
"That fake cop is backed by the Adams family. Their people are all over this hospital. You're in constant danger."
As Lucas spoke, his fingers unconsciously rubbed the buckle of his belt, reminding me of the gun that had been pressed against my temple not long ago, sending a chill down my spine.
Lila gently cupped my face, wiping away my tears with her thumb, her eyes full of concern.
"Diana, what are you gonna do next? The Adams family won't stop."
I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. Jeffrey's twisted face and the menacing tattoo on Daryl's neck flashed before my eyes, filling me with a sense of helplessness.
"I don't know."
I lowered my head, staring at my blood-stained fingers, the dark red scabs under my nails from the fight with Daryl.
"Edward is unconscious again, the Adams family is lurking in the shadows, and all I ever wanted was to run my business and live a good life. I never thought I'd end up like this."
A wave of grievance surged in my heart. I had never sought out these troubles, yet I was dragged into this dark storm.
Lila sighed and pulled me into her arms, her chin resting on my head.
"It's okay, don't think too much. Let's get out of here first, and then we'll figure it out. No matter what happens, I'll be with you."
Her fingers paused on my back before tightening her embrace, as if trying to embed me into her.
Lila turned to Lucas, her eyelashes still wet with tears, but her gaze had grown serious.
"Should we move now? Edward is still unconscious, and his wound could worsen with the jostling..."
Lila's voice trembled, making it hard for me to understand.
"Move? Where to?"
I pulled away from Lila, filled with confusion and unease, warily looking at the two of them, as if realizing for the first time that I knew nothing about what was happening around me.
Lila was already examining Edward's wound.
"Transfer him to Lucas's private hospital."
She removed the blood-soaked bandage, and the sight of the torn new flesh made my stomach churn. "The security system there can withstand heavy weapons, and the doctors are top specialists from around the world."
Lucas put his phone back in his pocket and walked to the window, lifting a corner of the blinds. The slight clinking of the metal blinds accompanied his gaze sweeping over the figures moving below.
"Jeffrey's people have infiltrated this hospital's security system. We need to leave before they realize."
I stared at the silver tie clip on Lucas's tie, my throat tightening.
"Weren't you supposed to be a wandering artist abroad? How do you have a private hospital?"
The smell of disinfectant suddenly became overwhelming. In the silent room, only the steady beeping of the heart monitor and the occasional honking of cars outside could be heard. The memory of him holding a paintbrush was now replaced by the sight of him playing with a metal lighter.
Lucas turned and leaned against the windowsill.
"I discovered arms smuggling contracts in my father's study a long time ago. I knew he would turn to crime. The wandering artist persona was just a cover."
Lucas's voice was calm, eerily so. The metal lighter flicked in his fingers, the flame illuminating the darkness in his eyes and making the scar on his hand more prominent.
"I started a security company and acquired hospitals abroad for this very day."
Lucas lifted his head slightly, his gaze passing over me and Lila to the world outside the hospital room, as if reminiscing about the past and planning for the future.
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