Chapter 108 A Difficult Choice

Chapter 108 A Difficult Choice

Chloe's POV

I stared at the necklace, its gaudy gold glint so bright it made my eyes ache.

Stella deliberately thrust her collarbone forward, like she was showing off some exclusive trophy. "Owen put this on me himself. See how much he cares about me?"

Dahlia stood to the side with her arms crossed, her smile sharp and mocking. "Chloe actually has the nerve to show her face shopping? That takes guts."

Layla immediately moved to defend me, but I grabbed her wrist, holding her back. She turned to me, confusion written all over her face. "Chloe, you're not seriously going to forgive him again like you always do, are you?"

I didn't answer her. Instead, I looked straight at Stella, my voice so calm it was almost flat. "That night when Owen was on his knees begging me to forgive him, the first thing he said was that the only reason he cheated was because you'd been deliberately throwing yourself at him."

Stella's expression shifted. "You're lying! Owen would never say that about me!"

I tilted my chin slightly. "If you don't believe me, call him right now and ask."

"You think I won't?" Stella's lips curled into a smile as she yanked out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen. She hit dial and switched to speakerphone, holding it up in the air between us, her eyes locked on mine with pure defiance.

The dull ringing dragged on forever before someone finally picked up.

First came the sound of ragged breathing, then Owen's voice—hoarse and slurred. "Who is it?"

Stella immediately softened her tone. "Owen, it's me. Where are you—"

Owen cut her off coldly. "You've got some nerve calling me. Are you happy now?"

Stella froze. "What are you talking about?"

Owen let out a low, bitter laugh, his tone ugly and volatile. "My parents locked me out of the house. They won't even let me come home! I can't even get through my own front door, and it's all because of you!"

Dahlia's expression shifted. She leaned closer to the phone, her voice cautious. "Owen, are you drunk?"

Stella's lips went pale, her words stumbling out in a panic. "Owen, calm down. You were the one who—"

"Shut up!" Owen's voice shot up, dripping with venom. "I never should've given you the time of day! The day Chloe and I fought, you were right there stirring the pot. All of you are the same!"

He kept shouting. "And Dahlia! You were all just waiting for Chloe and me to blow up so you could watch me crash and burn!"

Dahlia exploded. "Don't drag me into this! I had nothing to do with it!"

Owen's breathing was heavy and labored, his voice thick with defeat and resentment. "You people turned me into a joke! Now Chloe's with my uncle, and I don't have a single thing I can say back to anyone!"

There was a loud crash through the speaker—glass slamming against a table—followed by Owen spitting out a curse. Then the line went dead.

The entire boutique fell silent. Stella's face went pale. Her mouth opened and closed, but no words came out.

Dahlia was the first to recover, forcing out a brittle laugh. "He's just drunk. Everything he said was nonsense. It doesn't count."

I looked at her calmly. "Do you want to call him too and confirm? He did mention you by name pretty clearly just now."

Dahlia's expression cracked. Her eyes darted away, refusing to meet mine.

Stella shoved her phone back into her bag, her voice shrill but hollow. "You just wait!" She grabbed Dahlia's arm and turned to leave. Dahlia tried to throw one last threat over her shoulder, but Layla stepped forward, her gaze icy and sharp. "Get out."

The two of them practically scrambled out the door, their footsteps chaotic and clumsy. The bell above the entrance jingled wildly before finally settling into silence.

Layla turned to me, her eyes bright with something like wonder. "You were amazing back there! You totally shut them down!"

---

The sun was still bright on the way home, and the breeze carried a hint of coolness. Layla chattered the whole way about what we should eat later, and I listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

When we reached the house, I climbed the steps first. My fingers had just brushed the lock when I heard Lucas's voice inside.

He was in the kitchen, on the phone, his voice low. "Delta, I told you—I'm not coming back right now."

Delta's voice came through clearly. "How long are you planning to stay on leave? The evaluation you did the other day already came back approved."

Lucas was silent for a few seconds before answering, his tone firm. "I have someone I need to take care of."

I stood outside, my fingertips hovering over the doorknob, something stirring in my chest.

Delta went quiet for two seconds before her voice turned sharp and serious. "Then let me tell you something important. Soren was badly injured on an assignment. Severe head trauma with massive bleeding. He just got rushed into the ER. He's unconscious now."

The air inside seemed to drain away instantly, suffocating and oppressive.

Lucas only asked one question, his voice low. "Where?"

"Sacred Dawn Hospital. ICU wing." Delta paused, then added, "This wasn't just some routine fraud case. The suspect was armed."

Lucas didn't waste words. "I'm on my way."

The call ended. I pushed the door open and walked inside. He'd already yanked off his apron and tossed it over a chair, his head down as he searched for his car keys.

He looked up and saw me. His movements stopped. "You're back."

I was holding the gift box with the stuffed animal inside. "I heard everything."

Lucas's throat bobbed. "I have to go to the hospital."

"Then go." I set the box down on the counter and walked over to him quickly. "Don't worry about me. Soren's safety is more important."

Lucas stared at me, as if trying to figure out whether I was forcing myself to say that. "Stay home. Lock the doors and windows. Make sure Layla doesn't go home too late."

Layla poked her head out from behind me. "We'll take care of ourselves. Don't worry."

Lucas grabbed his jacket. He lifted his hand toward me, hesitated, then finally just brushed his knuckles lightly against my chin. "Keep your phone on you at all times."

I nodded. "I'll be waiting for your call."

He turned and left quickly, the door swinging shut behind him. The house still smelled like the lasagna he'd been baking, but it suddenly felt empty and cold.

Layla looked at me, concern in her eyes. "Should we eat something? You don't look so good."

"Yeah. Let's eat." I picked up my jacket. "After that, we're going to the hospital."

---

We grabbed two sandwiches on the way and didn't say much. When we arrived at Sacred Dawn Hospital, the hallway was crowded with people—uniforms draped over their arms, voices low and heavy.

A few people recognized me. Their eyes landed on me briefly before sliding away in silence.

Lucas stood at the far end of the hall, talking to a nurse. His broad shoulders were tense, every line of his posture tight with exhaustion.

Before I could get close, Delta stepped out from the side and blocked my path. "Chloe, come with me for a second."

She led me to the corner near a vending machine—quiet, away from the crowd.

She got straight to the point. "Lucas being tied down by personal feelings might not be bad for you, but for the team, it's a risk."

I looked up at her. "You want me to convince him to come back? To return to the precinct?"

"Yes." Delta nodded, her expression serious. "Soren is his partner. Without him, the follow-up work is going to be nearly impossible."

I tightened my grip on the sandwich bag. "He might say he's on leave and doesn't want to come back, but when something really happens, he won't run from it."

Delta's sharp gaze locked onto me. "Are you sure?"

I met her eyes. "I saw it myself at the door just now. The second he heard the news, he didn't even take off his apron properly before rushing out. The answer you're looking for was already obvious in that moment."

Delta fell silent, studying me, weighing something internally.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed down the hall. Someone shouted Lucas's name.

Lucas turned at the sound, his eyes sweeping the corridor before landing on me immediately. He strode toward me, his expression dark and tense.

He stopped in front of me and took the sandwich bag from my hands, as if afraid I'd be too anxious to hold it steady. His tone left no room for argument. "Go home."

I didn't move. "Which room is Soren in?"

Lucas looked at me for two long seconds before answering quietly. "He's in the ICU. Civilians aren't allowed inside."

I lifted my chin. "Then I'll wait outside with you."

His breathing grew slightly heavier as he tried to reason with me, his emotions tightly controlled. "Chloe, this isn't a place you should be."

I reached out and grabbed his sleeve. "And you shouldn't have to carry all of this alone."

Something darkened in Lucas's eyes. He stayed silent for a few seconds, then wrapped his hand around my wrist and led me down the opposite side of the hallway.

"When we get back," his voice was low and hoarse, but serious, "there's something really important I need to talk to you about."