Chapter 184 Secret
The doctor and nurse were both very professional, swiftly concluding the examination. Inevitably, the examination caused Anna's wounds to be accidentally touched, resulting in her involuntary cries of pain. Separated by only a thin curtain, Sophia and Henry shed tears in unison, each of Anna's cries feeling like a dagger to their hearts.
The doctor extracted semen samples from Anna's vagina, belonging to three different individuals, and noted the evident physical injuries, confirming she had been gang-raped.
Sophia nearly fainted, her vision darkening as she was engulfed by overwhelming pain, which quickly turned into a tide of anger. "I will ensure the police crack down hard on these criminals! They must pay for their heinous acts!" she declared.
The doctor nodded, understanding her sentiments. "We will inform the police of Anna's condition immediately, and they will start an investigation."
Thankfully, the Stuart and Russell families held significant influence in Lakeside Haven, allowing them to swiftly suppress the news and prevent the horrifying details of Anna's assault from becoming widespread. Despite this, some people still learned the truth.
A few upper-class individuals, who had always harbored ill feelings towards her, even came to the hospital with gifts under the pretense of showing concern. Their words were of comfort, but their eyes betrayed their mocking intent.
Anna felt as if even the dogs outside the hospital were ridiculing her. How could she endure such humiliation?
Thus, Anna devised a plan: she would make Isabella experience the same suffering. She called her assistant, "Contact an influencer with over a million followers; I have a news story to break."
Unbeknownst to Anna, Emma was also planning her next move.
Walking out from the interrogation room at the police station, both she and Elizabeth felt a profound exhaustion, yet they could not afford to rest.
"Thank you," Elizabeth said softly, "without you, I might have died in that dreadful place."
"It was you who saved me; I should be the one thanking you," Emma replied earnestly.
Elizabeth waved dismissively. "No more thanks between us. It was a joint effort. We couldn't have made it without each other's help. We are friends now. So, can we talk about Aurora's situation?"
Elizabeth's deep brown eyes, clear and teary, bored into Emma's. She had come to Lakeside Haven to rectify the injustice of Aurora’s death and would not rest until the matter was resolved.
With a gentle smile, Emma did not directly answer Elizabeth’s question. Instead, she said, "We can, but I have a question too. Tell me why Nightfall kidnapped you."
"Because I found out things I wasn't supposed to know," Elizabeth replied, glancing around cautiously.
Emma understood her implication; the bustling street was not the place for such a conversation. They needed a secure location for their discussion.
"To my house," Emma suggested.
"Alright," Elizabeth agreed.
As they were about to hail a taxi, Michael arrived hurriedly. He had been in a foreign country for a meeting when he heard about Emma's situation. Instantly, he abandoned the multimillion-dollar project and boarded the first available flight back. Despite the pilot's attempts to speed up, the distance from country F to Lakeside Haven was still too great, and he had only just arrived.
Michael’s appearance was striking at that moment. His tall, lean frame bespoke elegance, though his originally immaculate suit was now wrinkled from the journey. His deep eyes reflected anxiety, his brows were furrowed, and his usually neat hairstyle was slightly disheveled from the rush.
"Are you okay?" Michael asked urgently, his voice filled with a mixture of concern and tension as he scanned Emma for injuries, his eyes revealing deep worry.
"Don't worry; I'm fine," Emma reassured, wanting to mention that George had taken most of the injuries but refraining upon seeing Michael’s anxious expression. Despite her suspicions about Michael’s identity, she did not want to hurt him who had always shown her unwavering kindness.
Michael’s focus remained on her as he asked softly, "Is there anything else bothering you? I’ll take you home now."
"I'm just a bit tired; that's all," Emma replied, trying to appear composed.
"Get in the car; I'll take you home now," Michael insisted, seemingly oblivious to Elizabeth standing nearby.
Elizabeth observed Michael with intrigued eyes, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing on her lips. 'Interesting', she thought. This man's presence signified that the condition of Lakeside Haven was complicated indeed.
Just as Michael was about to take them home, a commotion broke out outside the police station. Emma and Elizabeth looked curiously in the direction of the noise to see a luxurious black car pulling up, its polished surface gleaming under the lights. The car door opened, and Clarence Fisher, the mayor of Lakeside Haven, stepped out, accompanied by several well-dressed bodyguards.
"Elizabeth!" Clarence called warmly, waving at her.
Elizabeth smiled and quickly walked over to Clarence. Emma and Michael observed the scene, stunned.
"Clarence himself came to fetch her?" Emma whispered, a hint of astonishment in her eyes.
"It seems Elizabeth comes from quite an influential background," Michael mused, his expression complex as he pondered the revelation.
Clarence greeted Elizabeth with a familial warmth, evident in his affectionate demeanor. Elizabeth led him towards Emma.
"Uncle Clarence, let me introduce you to my savior—Isabella, right?" Elizabeth looked to Emma for confirmation.
Only then did Emma realize that despite surviving risky trials together, they had yet to exchange names. She nodded promptly.
Elizabeth continued, "I would be dead now if it weren’t for her."
Clarence visibly disliked such grim talk. "Nonsense! You’re going to live well!" He then turned to Emma with a gentle smile. "Thank you for helping our Elizabeth. If you ever need anything in Lakeside Haven, you can count on me. As her friend, consider me your uncle too."
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