Chapter 73 Secret Video
Genesis's POV
I anxiously let Walker lead me to the helicopter. My palms were aching when I suddenly realized I was still gripping Eli's watch tightly.
The warmth from when Eli held my wrist seemed to linger on my skin. Only now did it hit me.
I should have left the watch with him.
Those killers were originally after Eli. After he led them away, they probably wouldn't waste time chasing someone insignificant like me.
I didn't need the GPS at all.
Would he be safe?
I lowered my head and let Walker lead me to the medic.
"Be gentle. You're making her cry," Walker snapped at the doctor irritably.
I looked up confused. Who was crying?
I instinctively touched my face and realized I had been crying without knowing when it started.
Tears dripped onto the watch. I silently gripped it tighter.
"Maybe I should take you to the hospital for a checkup first?" Walker probably thought I was in too much pain and asked with a frown.
I shook my head and typed on my phone. "I want to stay here and wait for Eli."
Walker shook his head disapprovingly. "You have scrapes, and we don't know if there's internal damage. The hospital would be safer."
I stubbornly refused again.
When we rolled down the slope, Eli had protected me in his arms the whole time. I wasn't really hurt.
I couldn't help looking back toward the direction I'd run from. What if Eli emerged from the woods?
Walker sighed and didn't say more.
"Let's go then." Walker led me onto the helicopter. "We're going to meet up with Inigo now."
I nodded, then suddenly grabbed his sleeve. "Eli ran south. Maybe we could try our luck there."
Our aircraft circled continuously above the forest. Time passed minute by minute.
I clutched the watch in my palm, staring anxiously out the window.
The sky gradually brightened, but my heart sank deeper.
Our helicopter made so much noise that Eli couldn't have missed it. But he still hadn't appeared. Could it be...
I bit my lip hard, unwilling to imagine the worst possibility.
In this moment, I didn't even think about how his death would free me. I had only one prayer.
I hoped he would be safe.
Just then, Walker cheered and turned to look at me excitedly.
"Found him!"
I immediately pressed against the aircraft window, looking down through the glass.
Unfortunately, the plane was too high. I couldn't see anything clearly.
Soon the aircraft landed in a clearing. I stumbled down and ran toward where they were pointing.
Heavy breathing sounded in my ears. I clutched the watch and ran hard to Eli's side.
He looked like a demon who had just crawled up from hell, covered in blood from head to toe, radiating deadly killing intent.
At his feet lay killers who had clearly lost all signs of life. He had apparently taken them all out.
I instinctively stopped. Eli looked over sharply.
In that moment, the murderous look in his eyes completely faded, replaced by a gentle smile.
He walked quickly toward me.
I gripped the watch tightly, not daring to move.
"Are you stunned? Why are you standing there like that?" Eli asked with a teasing smile.
Only when he stood alive before me did I let out a long breath of relief.
Thank goodness nothing happened to him.
Thank goodness he wasn't lying in a pool of blood like Mom and Dad.
I pressed my lips together and looked him up and down.
"How are you? Are you hurt?" I asked with concern.
Before Eli could answer, I saw the wound on his leg and immediately turned around frantically to find the medic.
But Eli turned my head back toward him.
His hands still carried a heavy smell of blood. I instinctively frowned and grabbed his hand with concern.
"You need to see a doctor now!"
I anxiously tried to run away, but Eli turned my head back again and planted a kiss on my lips.
I froze.
"It's just a minor injury." He looked me up and down. "Are you scared?"
How could I care about being scared now? All I could think about was his injured leg.
I gritted my teeth and shouldered his arm, supporting him as we walked toward the helicopter.
Eli looked at me in surprise and smiled.
Was he delirious from pain? How could he still smile when he'd been shot?
Eli let his weight rest on me and reached out to pinch my cheek.
"You're finally getting closer to me. At least you know to worry about me now," Eli said with a smile.
I paused, my expression complex as I lowered my eyes.
Walker took us to the hospital. Eli needed surgery to remove the bullet, and I volunteered to get checked out.
"I feel a little dizzy. I don't know if I hit my head somewhere when we rolled down."
"Didn't you say you were fine before?" Walker asked confused.
My heart pounded in my chest. What if they suspected something?
"What do you know? Concussions don't always show symptoms immediately!" Inigo kicked him.
Eli squeezed my hand and told me to get checked, asking Walker to accompany me.
I forced a smile for Eli.
Walking down the hospital corridor, Walker couldn't help saying to me, "I've never seen Eli care so much about any woman. Last time he even said..."
As if he'd said something he shouldn't have, Walker quickly covered his mouth and grinned at me sheepishly.
But I had no mind to think about the deeper meaning of his words. Instead, I looked down at the watch in my hand that Eli hadn't taken back.
During this time, I had been desperately trying to escape Eli's surveillance and send that video.
Just now, I suddenly realized this might be the perfect opportunity. Even though Eli had just saved me and I was moved by it, I still wanted freedom more.
I typed on my phone to tell Walker. "I'm thirsty and hungry now. Could you get me something to eat? I can go in by myself."
I handed the phone back to Walker. He hesitated, looking at the examination room right in front of us, then nodded in agreement.
After he left, I quickly went in for the examination, then walked out of the room.
As I expected, he hadn't had time to return yet.
I immediately went to the nurses' station and apologetically asked to borrow a phone.
The first text I sent to Walker. "I'm done with the examination. Going to find Eli now. You can find me there."
After it sent successfully, I texted a number I had long memorized. "You can release the video you have of me. Do everything just as we discussed before."
After confirming it sent successfully, I quickly deleted the message and gratefully returned the phone to the nurse.
The nurse smiled at me warmly. My tense heart finally relaxed a little.