Chapter 134

The emergency room at Elmsworth Hospital was tense.

Acacia had received a blood transfusion, but her condition remained critical.

When she was first brought in, her skin was ghostly pale, her wrist marred by a deep, alarming gash.

Outside, her parents stood with Frederic and Glynnis.

Una, Acacia’s mother, was inconsolable. She kept calling her daughter’s name between sobs, her voice breaking with every syllable.

"Enough!" Mr. Stirling snapped, his patience wearing thin. "You’re not a child anymore. Stop making a scene. Do you want people to laugh at us?"

"Laugh at us?" Una whirled on him, her face streaked with tears. "Our daughter is fighting for her life, and you’re worried about dignity? Do you even have a heart?" She grabbed his collar, her hands shaking. "Our son is already gone. Acacia is all I have left. If she doesn’t make it, I won’t either!"

Mr. Stirling’s expression darkened. His daughter had harmed herself over a man, and now his wife was causing a spectacle.

He had always felt inferior to Frederic, and this humiliation only made it worse. In frustration, he shoved Una away.

"Stop acting like a madwoman! This is a hospital, not some street market. Have you forgotten you’re the wife of a chairman?"

Una stumbled back, landing hard on the floor. Shock replaced her tears.

"Enough!" Glynnis stepped in, helping Una up while masking her disdain. "The priority is Acacia’s survival. Fighting won’t help her."

Inside, she couldn’t care less about the girl. But with her own mother under investigation, she had to play the role of the concerned friend.

"Mr. Frederic," Mr. Stirling turned on him, his anger redirected. "Your son owes us an explanation!"

His voice was sharp. "Acacia has been devoted to Thaddeus for years. Their engagement is public knowledge. After Mr. Hamiltion’s birthday, they were supposed to marry. But your son drags his feet with the divorce, then backs out? Is this how you repay my daughter’s loyalty? You’re pushing her to her death!"

Frederic remained silent, his expression grim.

"We may not be as powerful as the Abernathys, but we have our pride!" Una spat, her eyes blazing. "If Thaddeus abandons Acacia, we’ll make sure the world knows. Your family will never know peace again!"

She knew exactly what she was doing.

Acacia’s suicide attempt was a desperate gamble—one meant to force Thaddeus’s hand.

Frederic exhaled heavily. With Elspeth’s scandal already looming, another public crisis would devastate the Abernathy name.

"Mr. Stirling," he finally said, his voice firm. "Once Acacia wakes, tell her this—Thaddeus will marry her. Nothing will change that."

The couple’s tension eased slightly.

But Una still doubted. Thaddeus wasn’t the same powerless boy anymore. Would he really obey his father’s orders?

Footsteps echoed down the hall.

Thaddeus arrived, his face ashen, Gordon trailing behind.

"How is she?"

Before Frederic could answer, Una lunged forward, grabbing Thaddeus’s collar.

"Look what you’ve done!" she shrieked. "Are you trying to kill her so you can run back to your ex-wife?"

"Mrs. Stirling, please!" Gordon quickly intervened, pulling her away.

The commotion drew stares from nearby onlookers.

"Calm down?" Una’s voice cracked. "My daughter is dying because of you! She saved your life when you tried to kill yourself! And this is how you repay her?"

Thaddeus’s head throbbed.

Memories he had buried resurfaced—dark, suffocating.

Meanwhile, Evadne had been taken to the hospital by Avery for treatment.

She hadn’t let Jason come, insisting he stay with Nydia to keep her calm.

Thankfully, her injuries weren’t severe—just deep enough to require stitches and a tetanus shot.

Her jacket, torn and bloodied, had been discarded. Now, she wore only a thin red dress, her bandaged arm exposed.

Avery noticed her discomfort and draped his own jacket over her shoulders.

"It’s cold outside," he murmured.

Evadne hesitated, then relented when he tightened the fabric around her.

"Your sister and secretary would panic if they saw this," he reasoned.

She sighed. He was right.

"Sir, how did you happen to be there earlier?"

"I live in that area," Avery lied smoothly.

"Really? What a coincidence." Her tone was light, but she didn’t press further.

"You didn’t even flinch during treatment," he remarked, admiration in his gaze. "You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met."

"Many women are strong," she replied with a polite smile.

Avery’s lips curved. I don’t care about others. Only you.

"Thank you for your help," she added, "but please—no more sudden embraces. I don’t like strangers touching me."

His expression turned apologetic. "I acted on instinct when I saw you hurt. It won’t happen again."

She nodded, accepting his sincerity.

"By the way," he began, "I never got your name—"

A cold voice cut through the air.

"Evadne."