Chapter 15

"Even if he's not dead, he'll be stuck in bed for a while. What's there to worry about?"

"But I clearly heard you say on the phone that Dad is coming back to Aurora City."

"He's just coming back to Aurora City, not home! With all those injuries, he can only lie in a hospital bed!"

Maya Donovan frowned, her voice sharp as she warned Fiona White, "Even though it didn't work out this time, it's still a good opportunity.Visit him at the hospital more often. Try your best to get him to agree to let you into the company."

"Mom, it won't work." Fiona pouted. "Dad always said the White Group wouldn't be where it is today without Christina's mother. He'll never let me into the company. Why force it? I'd rather just have him give me a billion dollars so I can start my own business."

Maya shot her a cold look. "Don't think I don't know — you want that money to spend on your boyfriend. Fiona, I'm your mother, and you need to listen to me. If you can't get the White Group, once Christina comes back, you'll have no connection to the White family at all. Do you really think that without the White family name behind you, your boyfriend will still do everything you say? Dream on!"

She gazed at Fiona with utter contempt, seething with anger at how utterly hopeless her daughter had become.

If she didn't fight for Fiona, Christina would kick her to the curb sooner or later.

---

Meanwhile, at the Johnson Villa.

A group of people suddenly burst through the door and started smashing everything in sight. The place was in chaos.

"What do you think you're doing! Do you know who my sister's boyfriend is?" Kevin Johnson pointed at the intruders, full of bravado.

Even as a rod swung toward his face, he refused to dodge, his chin thrust out defiantly. "If that thing comes down, the Lewis family will make sure you never set foot in Harborview City again!"

"The Lewis family? You think that's enough of a threat?"

The man let out a cold laugh before swinging the iron rod down with brutal force.

Despite Kevin's screams and cries of pain, his face already swollen and bruised, the intruders continued destroying everything around them without any concern.

Kevin frantically grabbed Calliope Johnson, who stood there in shock. "Mom, stop spacing out! Call Mary now — tell her to bring Austin and get us out of this!"

"Okay, I'm calling!"

Mary received the call and rushed over right away.

But it seemed like the group had been waiting for exactly this. When they saw Calliope make the call, they slowed down — some even sat down casually to wait.

Upon receiving the news, Austin quickly arrived and ordered his bodyguards to secure the entire Johnson villa.

Mary ran over and helped Kevin up. Austin's face was stone cold as he stared at the group across from him, who showed no fear whatsoever.

"Who sent you?"

"Our boss says if the Johnson family dares to destroy something precious to his fiancée, the Johnson family will never have a day of peace. Get the payment over fast, and send someone to apologize to Ms. White."

The man in charge walked up to Kevin, his tone flat and indifferent.

"Oh, and our boss also said — if you actually called Austin over, we're to break one of your hands right in front of him."

Before the words were even out, the iron rod swung high in the air.

"Stop!" Austin's face went pale.

Gabriel?

The Lewis family wasn't even on Gabriel's radar?

He knew how fiercely Mary protected Kevin. He couldn't let her get hurt. Without thinking, he stepped forward to shield him.

Without a second thought, Mary lunged forward and positioned herself in front of Austin.

The iron rod struck her back with vicious force, causing her to cough up blood.

The pain was blinding.

Mary cursed inwardly. If she'd known, she wouldn't have bothered.

But the moment Austin turned around, she gritted her teeth and forced through the pain, putting on a fragile, pitiful expression. Tears streamed down her face before she could stop them.

"Are you okay?" Austin panicked. "I'm not forgetting this, Stone family. Come on — I'm taking you to the hospital now!"

Austin scooped Mary into his arms and rushed outside frantically.

"Austin, it hurts." Mary leaned into him, tears flowing freely.

"It's okay. We'll be at the hospital soon."

"It's my fault. I broke Ms. White's bracelet — but I really didn't mean to.When I found out it wasn't a gift from you, I got so upset that I dropped it. We already agreed we'd pay for the damage, right? ? Why did she have to hurt Kevin?"

Mary sobbed. "Kevin's studying design. If his hand is ruined, his whole life is over."

Austin's expression turned dangerously dark. He said quietly but firmly, "It's okay. Don't worry about it. I promise — I will make Christina come and apologize to you in person."

"She doesn't need to apologize. I protected you because I wanted to. This is nothing — it just hurts a little."

---

At the hospital, as soon as Austin got Mary settled in for her exam, he pulled out his phone and sent a voice message, his tone ice cold.

"Christina, I can't believe how two-faced you are — sending people to cause trouble at the Johnson Villa. I'm telling you right now: get yourself to this hospital and apologize to Mary. Do it now. If you don't, I will never forgive you. You'll end up married to a man you don't even love."

He waited. No response.

He sent another message. "Did you hear me? Don't think that getting close to Gabriel changes anything about how I see you!"

Ten minutes passed. Still nothing.

Austin sent another message. This time, a red exclamation mark blinked back at him from the screen.

She'd deleted him.

---

At Gabriel's villa.

"I got so caught up moving in, I totally forgot to delete you. So annoying."

Christina grumbled softly to herself, and tossed her phone aside, and resumed organizing the bedroom.

Gabriel had bought her way too many stuffed animals. She was busy figuring out where to put them all.

Austin stared at his screen, jaw tight, temples throbbing.

All that rage had nowhere to go — it just sat there in his chest, heavy and suffocating.

Christina. You've got nerve.

You think just because you've gotten in with the Stone family, you can do whatever you want?

---

Back in the hospital room, Mary had just finished her exam. She noticed Austin's expression and let out soft whimper.

Austin snapped back to attention and looked at her with concern. "What's wrong?"

"I'm fine, Austin. I'm actually happy that I took that blow for you earlier. When I think about you enduring such pain, it makes my own discomfort seem insignificant."

Austin's heart softened. He looked at her with tender eyes. "You're so silly. What are you saying? I'm a man — a little pain is nothing. Promise me you won't do something like that again."

"Okay." Mary looked up at him, her eyes shy. "But you're a man — and you're my man. I don't want my man getting hurt. Is that not allowed?"

"You're usually so quiet and gentle, and now all of a sudden you're getting bossy?"

"So are you my man or not?"

"You're already living in my house, and you're still asking that?"

Mary's cheeks flushed pink. She buried her face against him, laughing softly. "You're so embarrassing — I'm going to go tell your mom on you!"

"Go ahead. She'll just be even happier."

Austin held her close, and somewhere in the back of his mind, a quiet thought took shape —

If Christina possessed even a fraction of Mary's warmth and empathy, Rowan would have allowed him to bring her home sooner.