Chapter 272 The Situation Is Not Good
Richard's voice was icy. "You can refuse; no one's forcing you."
Brian felt a surge of frustration. He wanted to throw the paper and pen in Richard's face and shout, "I refuse."
But he knew that acting on impulse would only cause trouble for Charles, who had worked so hard for this deal—no way he could do that.
"Can I offer less?" Brian asked, trying to negotiate. "How about five hundred million dollars?"
Richard took the paper from him and strolled outside, not bothering to respond.
"I'll sign," Brian said, defeated, following Richard's lead.
"Last ten seconds," Richard said, handing the paper back, looking bored. "Expired if late."
Brian took a deep breath, swallowing his emotions.
One day, he would make Richard pay for everything he had taken from him.
With a mix of resentment and determination, he scribbled his name on the paper.
Brian hadn't felt this emotional in a long time.
"The person you want to save is inside; his condition is very serious," Brian explained. "Follow me."
"Wait a minute," Richard said indifferently.
Brian frowned. What now?
Richard didn't answer. He waved the paper outside.
Brian followed his gaze.
Just as he was wondering who could make Richard act this way, he saw Daphne get out of the driver's seat, her expression unchanged.
"Daphne?" Brian looked at Richard. "Why did you bring her here?"
Richard ignored him, clearly showing that talking to him was a waste of time.
Daphne glanced at the paper in Richard's hand, then at Brian's now-neutral expression. "Did he sign it?"
"He signed it," Richard said, handing the paper to her. "Keep it safe."
Daphne took it, checked it over, and put it away.
Brian was puzzled. He looked at Richard. "Are you two together?"
Richard ignored him and walked inside. "Where is he?"
"Are you and Daphne together?" Brian asked again.
Richard's tone was distant. "Do you still want me to treat that person?"
Brian's curiosity was squashed. He swallowed, his gaze shifting between Richard and Daphne before he finally said, "Follow me."
Richard disinfected himself and changed into surgical scrubs.
Under Brian's guidance, he went to the operating room.
As the door closed, Richard went in, and the door completely isolated them.
Daphne put the contract away and sat in the hallway outside the operating room, waiting.
She didn't ask Brian about Charles's condition. If Charles hadn't been in a dire situation, Brian wouldn't have spent so much money making a deal with Richard.
Brian inviting Richard meant the situation was extremely critical.
While she waited outside, Brian walked over and sat next to her. Neither of them spoke.
After a long while, Brian glanced at her. "What's your relationship with Richard?"
"Friends," Daphne answered simply.
"Boyfriend and girlfriend?" Brian pressed.
"No," Daphne replied.
"Then why did he bring you here?" Brian's face remained calm, but inside, he was on high alert. Their late-night appearance together made him doubt they were just friends.
Richard was a loner. If Daphne weren't important to him, he wouldn't be with her this late. This meant that when Brian contacted Richard, he was already with Daphne.
Daphne didn't get his question.
Brian misread her reaction and smiled faintly. "Ms. Murphy, you're pretty relaxed about relationships. It's been less than two months since your divorce, and you already have someone you fancy?"
"What?" Daphne's mind was almost entirely on the operating room.
Brian didn't push further, but his eyes showed flickers of emotion.
Time ticked by.
An hour passed, then two, and the operating room door stayed shut.
Daphne began to worry that Charles's condition was dire.
Neither of them spoke in the hallway, lost in their thoughts.
At four in the morning, the operating room door finally opened, and Richard stepped out.
Daphne immediately stood up, while Brian just glanced at Richard without moving.
"How is he?" Daphne asked.
"Not good. Although the bullet's out and the bleeding's stopped," Richard said plainly, "his central nervous system is severely damaged. Whether he wakes up depends on the next forty-eight hours."
"How could this happen?" Daphne's heart tightened.
"Before this fever, he probably had another high fever," Richard explained bluntly. "That fever didn't fully subside before he had another, combined with severe blood loss and a gunshot wound. It's a miracle he's still alive."
If the bullet had been even slightly off, Charles might have died on the spot.
Daphne was stunned.
Richard continued, "Even if he wakes up, he might have issues like aphasia, sensory disturbances, or limb paralysis due to central nervous system damage."
His words felt like a heavy stone pressing on Daphne's heart.
She suddenly didn't know what to do and couldn't imagine how to handle it if Charles really had the issues Richard mentioned.
"Let's observe first," Richard remained calm. "Maybe God will favor him, and he'll be fine."
Charles was sent to the intensive care unit. To ensure his best recovery, Richard advised against visiting him.
Daphne stood outside the ward, looking through the observation window at Charles lying in bed with various tubes attached to him. She felt a dull pain in her chest.
That bullet, he took it for her. The more she thought about it, the harder it was to move her legs.
"Stop looking," Richard had already changed clothes. "Professionals are watching over him. You should rest. If something happens to him, you'll need to inform the Lancelot family."
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