Chapter 598

The yacht glided through the calm sea, approaching the brightly lit resort in the distance.

The first star of the night had quietly appeared in the sky, overseeing the dramatic rescue on the deserted island as it came to an end.

Nightfall in Marigoldia was sudden yet gentle.

By the time the yacht docked, the last traces of sunset had been swallowed by the deep blue night, and the resort lights dotted the coastline like stars.

The bright lights of the hospital made Claire squint.

She pulled Joseph's jacket tighter around her. Despite the temperature on the tropical night not being low, she couldn't shake the chill deep in her bones. Zoey and Henry were ahead, carrying the unconscious Upton, while Joseph followed closely, holding Jett, whose head was bandaged.

"Check Claire first," Joseph instructed the approaching medical staff, his voice carrying an undeniable authority, the tone of a doctor.

Claire wanted to say she was fine, but seeing the worry in Joseph's eyes, she let the nurse lead her to the examination room.

Under the white lights, the scrapes on her arms and legs looked even more glaring.

When the cold antiseptic swab touched her wounds, Claire flinched involuntarily.

"Does it hurt?" Joseph immediately grasped her other hand.

Claire shook her head.

What was physical pain compared to the betrayal by Jett?

The boy she had never been close to but never thought would harm her had helped Upton lure her to that deserted island.

The examination was over quickly. Apart from a few scrapes and mild dehydration, the doctor declared she was fine.

As she stepped out of the examination room, Claire immediately saw Zoey waiting by the door.

She almost collapsed into Zoey's arms, her voice choked with emotion. "Zoe, if you hadn't arrived in time..."

Zoey gently patted Claire's back, soothing her like a frightened child. "It's all over now."

She rarely spoke so softly, "That scumbag won't hurt anyone ever again."

Claire knew what Zoey meant. That merciless kick had ensured Upton would never again be a man.

Claire should have felt disgust or fear, but all she felt was gratitude and a hint of cruel satisfaction.

"Ms. Spencer?" A Marigoldia doctor in a white coat approached, speaking with an accent, "The young patient needs a blood transfusion. Where are his parents?"

Claire's body tensed.

She didn't want to see Finnegan, and even less Mabel, but Jett was still... Claire bit her lip and took out her phone.

The call connected quickly, as if the other party had been waiting.

"Claire?" Finnegan's voice came through, unnaturally urgent. "Where are you? Is Jett with you? His phone's been unreachable."

"Marigoldia Central Hospital," Claire said curtly. "Jett has a head injury and needs a blood transfusion. The doctor needs a guardian's signature."

She hung up before he could respond.

Her fingers trembled uncontrollably, and Joseph immediately took her hand, his warm palm enveloping her cold fingers.

"You didn't have to make that call," Zoey frowned.

Claire shook her head. "Jett is only thirteen."

Less than twenty minutes later, hurried footsteps echoed down the hospital corridor.

Finnegan practically ran, his suit jacket haphazardly thrown over his shoulder, tie askew.

Mabel followed closely, her meticulously styled curls now a mess, eyes swollen from crying.

"Where's Jett? Where is he?" Finnegan grabbed a passing nurse's arm, his voice sharp with panic.

When his gaze landed on Claire sitting on the bench, he paused.

Claire could see the complex emotions in Finnegan's eyes—surprise, hesitation, even a hint of guilt?

But quickly, his expression turned urgent again. "The doctor said Jett needs a blood transfusion? How did he get hurt? What did you do to him?"

Mabel was already at the examination room door, peering through the glass.

When she turned around, her eyes blazed with fury. "Claire! How could you hurt Jett? He's only thirteen! He's just a child!"

Claire let out a cold laugh and slowly stood up. The hospital's white lights cast a stark outline on her pale face, highlighting her determination.

"A child?" Her voice was soft but sharp as a knife. "A child who helped Upton kidnap me? A child who watched his half-sister almost get assaulted and did nothing?"

Finnegan's face drained of color. "What?"

"Jett lured me to the deserted island and assisted Upton in the kidnapping."

Claire spoke each word deliberately, as if forcing them through clenched teeth. "If Zoe hadn't arrived in time, you'd be asking about my safety and dignity now!"

Mabel's expression shifted from anger to panic to guilt.

"No, Jett wouldn't..." Her voice trailed off into incoherent mumbling.

Finnegan seemed so shocked he could barely stand, leaning against the wall for support.

"Upton, what did he do to you?"

"Isn't it a bit late to care now?"

Zoey interjected, arms crossed, standing protectively beside Claire like a guardian. "Mr. Johnson already paid a million dollars to sever ties with his daughter. Why the pretense?"

Her sharp gaze turned to Mabel. "As for Upton, you don't need to worry about him hurting anyone else."

A cold smile played on her lips. "I made sure he won't ever have that ability again."

Mabel was stunned for a moment, then realized what was going on.

Mabel's eyes widened in realization, her lips trembling. "What did you do to Upton?"

"I castrated him," Zoey said nonchalantly, as if discussing the weather. "Clean and precise, no complications—unless 'not being a man' counts as a complication."

Mabel let out an inhuman wail, collapsing to the floor. "The Ellis family line ends here..."

Her face was a mess of tears and snot, her carefully applied makeup ruined. "You murderers!"

The hospital corridor's harsh lights exposed every raw emotion.

Mabel's screams cut through the heavy air like a dull knife.

"Zoey! I'll kill you!" Mabel lunged, her manicured nails like ten sharp blades aimed at Zoey's face.

Zoey didn't even blink, sidestepping and pushing Mabel away.

The pampered woman stumbled and fell hard on the cold hospital tiles, her skirt flipping up to reveal the sagging skin on her thighs.