Chapter 273
Blake’s POV
What I saw made my stomach turn.
Hannah Winters sat naked on the floor, her thin body covered in marker writings. Her mother was using herself as a shield, both of them soaked in something that smelled awful.
The three of them Laurel, Thalia, and Olivia – went from smug to terrified in an instant.
“Blake darling…” Laurel’s voice faded as she realized what was happening.
I didn’t waste time with words. I strode to Hannah, yanked off my jacket, and covered her.
“Get them cleaned up. Now,” I ordered the security team behind me.
As they helped Hannah up, she suddenly lurched forward and vomited blood all over the floor. Just like that, everything went from
bad to worse.
Outside the emergency room, I sat on a bench under harsh fluorescent lights. Laurel knelt in front of me, crying and making
excuses.
“I didn’t mean for it to go this far,” she said, wiping her eyes. “I just wanted to scare her a little. Thalia and Olivia took it too far, and it felt awkward to stop them since I started it…”
“So you let them torture a cancer patient?” My voice was ice.
“I don’t even recognize you anymore,” I said, staring her down. “The person I met five years ago would never do this.”
Her tears came faster. “I was scared of losing you! Everything you do for me now is just because I’m dying. That hurts. I know I was wrong to think Hannah was with you. I was just terrified you’d leave me.”
I laughed without humor. “And terrorizing a dying woman was your solution?”
I leaned back, suddenly exhausted. “I’ve stayed with you because I promised to take care of you until the end. That’s why I’ve given you everything you wanted. Maybe that was a mistake.”
The emergency room doors swung open before she could respond. Dr. Evans stepped out, pulling her mask down. Hannah’s mother jumped up from her seat.
“How is she?” Hannah’s mother asked, her voice breaking.
I stood and joined them. “Dr. Evans.”
She looked between us, her face grim. “The cancer already weakened her. Now she has a lung infection from whatever liquid they
used. It’s serious.”
Can you help her?” Hannah’s mother pleaded, starting to cry. “My daughter didn’t do anything wrong. She was just here for treatment and these monsters…”
She covered her face with her hands. “Is she going to die today?”
I comforted. “There has to be something we can do.”
Chapter 273
Dr. Evans hesitated. “Well… there’s that special medication we’ve been using for Miss Rose. She’s due for her next dose. The hospital keeps it ready, so…”
‘Give my medication to Hannah!” Laurel pushed forward suddenly.
“This is all my fault. Let her have it,” she announced loudly enough for nearby staff to hear. She beat her fist against her chest. “I deserve to be punished.”
After Dr. Evans left to handle the medication transfer, only the three of us remained in the hallway. Hannah’s mother sat with her hands clasped, praying silently. Laurel kept talking at me.
“Blake, I swear I know what I did was terrible…”
“I don’t want to hear it,” I cut her off. “Not until Hannah’s stable.”
I got up and walked to the window, turning my back on her. She followed me but kept her distance when she saw how angry I was.
We waited in silence. Eventually, word came that the medication had worked. Hannah was stable and back in her room.
Laurel’s POV
I stood in the doorway of Hannah’s room with Thalia and Olivia. Hannah was in bed, still pale but breathing easier. Her mother stood guard like a hawk, glaring at us.
“We wanted to apologize,” I said, trying to sound like I meant it.
“Save it,” Hannah’s mother snapped. “If my daughter recovers without permanent damage, fine. Otherwise, I’ll see you in court.”
The security guards Blake had posted outside made it clear we weren’t welcome to stay.
Once we were down the hall, Thalia leaned in close. “Did we get the wrong person?”
“Looks like it,” I said with a frown. I pulled hospital records from my purse and handed them to her. “Hannah and her mother were
here all night. They never left.”
Olivia looked at the papers and groaned to Thalia. “How could you mess this up?”
She kept complaining. “We humiliated ourselves, Blake’s furious, and now he’ll tell his grandfather, who’ll cut our allowances and make us feel guilty for months.”
Thalia’s face hardened as she studied the records. “I’ll find that real homewrecker.”
Her eyes narrowed to slits. “And when I do, she’ll pay for everything we went through today.”
Audrey’s POV
I curled up on the bed at Lunar Mansion, my body drenched in cold sweat. The pain had gotten worse. Snow lay beside me, his blue eyes watching me with concern.
The phone rang, and I reached for it, each movement sending fresh waves of pain through my stomach.
“Audrey? You okay? Felix sounded worried.
“Just peachy, I managed, trying to keep my voice steady.
“Are you here?” I asked.
“Yeah,” he said quietly. “I’m at the back fence. Security’s crawling all over this place.”
I forced a laugh. “You picked a great spot.”
‘Not much choice with all the guards,” Felix said. “What’s Parker doing, keeping you locked up like this? Is he trying to make you a prisoner?
‘Something like that,” I muttered.
I slowly got up from the bed, then started walking downstairs, cutting to what mattered. “Did you bring the medication?”
There was a pause before Felix answered. “Audrey… my grandfather does have it, but it’s all on the island.”
My hope sank as he continued.
“He didn’t rush to bring it because Mayo Clinic had it in stock.”
His voice got heavier. “But when I sent someone to check, they found out the medication had just been given to another patient. On Blake Parker’s orders.”
His words hit me halfway down the stairs. My foot slipped, and I barely caught the railing before falling.
I wiped the cold sweat from my face. “Who got it? Laurel?”
“No, Felix said. “Someone named Hannah Winters. Don’t know anything else.”
He paused. “Grandfather sent painkillers for now. Tomorrow he’ll have someone bring the medication from the island.”
“Fine,” I hung up and made my way to the back garden where Felix waited beyond the fence.
*Here.” He pushed the pills and a water bottle through the bars.
I downed everything in one gulp. “Thanks.”
–
“Should kick in fast three minutes and you’ll feel better,” Felix leaned against the fence. “Stick around a bit. I want to see if they actually work.”
The pain made it hard to think straight, but I managed to sit on the ground near the fence. Felix had brought me medicine after all.
“How’s Rachel?”
“Same as before. The drugs are leaving her system, but she won’t wake up for a while…”
Maybe it was being locked up alone for days, but I found myself talking more than usual. Our five-minute check-in stretched to
thirty.
Then a voice from behind froze me in place. “What are you doing?”
3/4
