Chapter 607 The Truth is Only One
"Isabella, what happened? Who attacked you?" Ashley cried out, alarmed by the blood soaking through Isabella's clothes.
Isabella pointed frantically toward the hallway, her face contorted with fear. "A woman—I think it was the same one from the surveillance footage. I was coming back from the restroom when I spotted her lurking near this room. When I confronted her, she stabbed me."
"Officer, hurry! She ran that way!" Isabella directed them toward a direction deliberately opposite to Elora's actual escape route, buying her accomplice precious time.
"I'm on it!" The officer rushed off before he could issue the order to seal all exits. Yaakov called out, "I'll go with him!" and sprinted after him.
"Darling, call an ambulance, quickly," Ashley urged Ethan.
"Already done. They should be here any minute," he replied.
"What's taking them so long?" Ashley fretted. "Isabella, you're losing too much blood. Stay with us!"
Isabella managed a weak smile before collapsing into Ashley's arms.
"Isabella!" Ashley exclaimed, though her eyes remained surprisingly steady. She scanned the room. "Atticus, find a first aid kit. Now."
Atticus returned moments later with the supplies. Ashley laid Isabella on the floor and cut away the fabric around the wound with scissors. Upon closer inspection, she noted that while the wound was bleeding, it wasn't particularly deep.
Working methodically, Ashley cleaned the area with iodine, stopped the bleeding, and began suturing the wound. By the time she finished, sweat beaded on her forehead.
Ethan watched her with admiration, offering his handkerchief to wipe her brow. "Darling, you've stopped the bleeding. Try not to worry too much."
Ashley exhaled with relief. "Thankfully the wound isn't deep and missed any vital areas. The bleeding's under control, but we can't wait for the ambulance any longer. Atticus, please take her to the nearest hospital. Ethan and I will stay to investigate."
"Of course," Atticus replied, carefully lifting Isabella.
Once they were alone in the monitoring room, Ethan's expression turned pensive. "Darling, doesn't something about this situation strike you as odd?"
"What do you mean?"
"How did Elora know we were here? Eavesdropping would be incredibly risky. And even if Isabella caught her listening in, why would Elora escalate to attempted murder rather than simply fleeing? The logic doesn't add up."
"You're right," Ashley agreed, the realization dawning on her. "I was too caught up in the moment to think clearly. Let's check the surveillance footage from just before the incident."
They reviewed the recording, but due to the camera angle, they could only see Isabella's back as she staggered toward the monitoring room door. She paused briefly at the threshold, did something the camera couldn't capture clearly, and then burst through the door.
Ethan slammed his fist on the table. "What good is this surveillance system if it only shows people's backs?"
"Try to stay calm, darling," Ashley soothed, rubbing his shoulders. "Let's watch it a few more times. We might spot something we missed."
The police chief returned breathless, with Yaakov equally disheveled behind him.
"Did you catch Elora?" Ashley asked.
"Strangely, we found no trace of her. I've got officers searching the entire area, but she seems to have vanished."
Ashley frowned. "How could she have escaped so quickly?"
Ethan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "For so many of us to fail at apprehending one woman is highly unusual. I wonder if there's a traitor among us."
"A traitor?" Everyone exchanged uneasy glances.
"Darling, if there is a traitor, who do you suspect?" Ashley asked.
Ethan considered carefully. He trusted everyone present, including Atticus. Everyone except Isabella.
He glanced at Ashley, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. "I'm just speculating. Perhaps there's no traitor—maybe she's simply quick on her feet."
As they pondered this mystery, Ashley's phone rang. After a brief conversation with Atticus, she turned to Ethan. "Isabella's awake and asking for me. I need to go to the hospital."
"Of course. I'll have my driver take you."
After Ashley left, Ethan's expression hardened. "Have you identified who transferred the money to Elora?"
"Yes, Your Highness. The account holder's name is Robbie."
"Robbie?" Yaakov rubbed his temples. "Who's that?"
"Isabella's supposedly deceased ex-boyfriend."
"What?!" Yaakov exclaimed, stunned. "Are you suggesting Isabella is involved in this?"
Ethan nodded without hesitation. "Yaakov, I'll get to the bottom of this. For now, don't mention any of this to Ashley."
"Understood." Yaakov knew Ethan was protecting Ashley from potential heartbreak.
At the hospital, Ashley arrived with fruit and lunch for Isabella.
"The doctor says your wound isn't serious," Ashley explained while tucking the blanket around Isabella. "I managed to stop the bleeding and stitch it in time. Just keep the wound dry and avoid spicy foods for now."
Isabella watched Ashley bustling around, guilt shadowing her face. "Ashley, I..."
"What is it? Are you feeling unwell?" Ashley asked, her face etched with concern.
Isabella shook her head, ashamed. "I'm fine. It's just that I have a flight tonight, but now I'm stuck in the hospital and haven't even packed. I suppose I'll have to buy everything new when I reach Aivalia."
"Isabella, with your injury and the unresolved situation with Atticus, not to mention the ongoing investigation, perhaps you should postpone your trip?"
"Ashley's right," came Ethan's voice as Yaakov wheeled him into the room. "I'm granting you leave to recover. Besides, I have some questions for you. If you left, who would I ask?"
Ethan's gaze met Isabella's, his eyes conveying that he had seen through her deception—a look filled with disappointment and reproach.
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