Chapter 69 Lucas is Injured by Marcus
My fingertip kept pressing the dial button over and over, but neither Marcus nor Lucas answered their phones.
I anxiously turned and ran outside. Brian hurried after me, "Bella, wait!"
"Don't stop me!" I shouted at Brian, somewhat out of control.
The discussion about the case in the secretary's office came to an abrupt halt, and the regular staff working overtime in the office area looked up as well.
I saw the stunned expression on Brian's face and the flash of hurt in his eyes. I stopped in my tracks, "Brian, I'm sorry."
"No, you don't need to apologize." Brian quickly composed himself, "Give me ten seconds—no, five seconds is enough. I'll go with you to find them! Marcus is an idiot!"
I knew Marcus's temperament all too well—he never knew when to hold back. Thankfully, I still had Brian to rely on.
I called Jonas first. He had parted ways with Lucas at the dock over an hour ago.
I called Alfred next, but he didn't pick up either, which only made me imagine worse scenarios.
With Gale's help, we finally tracked down Marcus's location. He and Lucas were at a seaside park—the same park where I had set up an ambush at the open-air cinema that rainy night.
"Don't worry, don't panic." Brian kept comforting me the whole way. "Marcus may be mischievous, but he knows his limits. He won't actually kill Lucas."
I gripped Brian's hand tightly and forced a smile, "I trust Marcus."
The sea breeze hit my face with its salty, fishy smell. From a distance, I could see two figures tangled together.
Alfred and Lucas's other subordinates were standing by their cars, following orders not to interfere. Two cars facing each other had their headlights on, illuminating the empty space between them. The familiar black trench coat belonged to Marcus, and the person he was pinning down was Lucas.
My heart suddenly tightened, "Marcus! Stop!"
As my words fell, Marcus's fist paused, then resolutely smashed toward Lucas's chest.
Lucas dodged to the side and backed away to create distance.
Alfred called out to me excitedly, "Mrs. Valeri! Mr. Valeri still has injuries!"
I quickened my pace and ran over. My high heels nearly twisted on the uneven stone pavement, but luckily Brian caught me in time.
Just then, Marcus pulled out a gun from his coat. A sharp gunshot pierced the night sky. Lucas's shoulder instantly bloomed with a large patch of blood red. He staggered backward and fell heavily to the ground.
I rushed over like a madwoman. Brian shouted in disbelief, "Marcus, are you crazy!"
Alfred had already run to Lucas's side. Blood was gushing from the wound on Lucas's shoulder. He called out to Lucas helplessly, then I pushed him aside, "Quick, get the medical kit from the car!"
Alfred snapped out of it and quickly went to get the kit.
"Marcus, Bella told you to stop. Why did you shoot!" Brian grabbed Marcus and demanded.
"He was planning to ambush me first!" Marcus's eyes were cold. "I saw him holding a weapon in his hand."
"You mean this?" I knelt beside Lucas, letting his head rest on my lap. I pried open Lucas's clenched fist—there was no weapon inside, just a flying insect common by the sea.
The insect had probably been attracted by the car lights and accidentally bumped into Lucas. Lucas's reflexive motion to catch the bug had been misunderstood by Marcus.
Marcus froze for two seconds, "Well, he's still fine. It only hit his shoulder."
"How could he be fine?" I couldn't help but want to get angry at Marcus. Lucas had an old injury on that shoulder!
Alfred brought the medical kit over. I immediately began to stop Lucas's bleeding. Lucas woke from his brief unconsciousness, pushed my hand away, and stopped my movements, "No need. Is this your revenge? Are you satisfied now?"
I froze in place for a moment. Marcus shouted angrily, "Don't blame Bella! I wanted to teach you a lesson! If you've got the guts, get up and fight me one-on-one. Don't take it out on Bella!"
I took a deep breath and held down Lucas as he tried to struggle, "Yes, I'm very satisfied! Don't move, let me stop the bleeding."
Alfred's eyes reddened with anxiety as he urged Lucas to cooperate with me. Marcus, on the side, snorted coldly, kicked Lucas's foot, "Stop pretending! This little injury is nothing to you. Get up!"
Lucas's face was pale as paper, his forehead covered in cold sweat. He tried to force himself to stand up. I couldn't help but hold him in my arms and growled at Marcus, "Marcus, stop talking!"
Marcus looked hurt. Brian pulled him back. Marcus turned around in frustration, cursed, and kicked the car's hood.
I took two deep breaths and carefully helped Lucas to his feet, "The bleeding has stopped for now. I'll take you to the hospital."
We went to the nearest hospital. Watching the red light above the operating room turn on, I couldn't help but tremble all over.
A vicious gaze stared straight at me.
Brian and Marcus stood in front of me, their expressions stern as they glared at the other person.
I turned to look—it was that Santos.
"Mr. Valeri keeps getting hurt because of you. I hope you'll stay away from Mr. Valeri from now on!"
"Santos, shut up!" Alfred scolded him disapprovingly and sent him to guard the car in the parking lot.
"Don't make it sound like Bella's the one clinging to Lucas. We'd be thrilled if he'd just get lost as far away as possible!" Marcus shouted angrily at Santos's retreating back.
I didn't have the energy to refute Marcus. Brian glanced at me, let out a soft sigh, and patted Marcus's shoulder, "Say less."
I called Roger over. If the doctors at this hospital couldn't handle Lucas's shoulder injury, Roger would take over immediately.
I did everything I could, then stood numbly outside the operating room waiting.
Over four hours later, the red light above the operating room went out.
The doctor came out of the operating room. "Who is the patient's family?"
Alfred quickly stepped forward. My feet felt rooted to the ground—I didn't have the courage to move forward.
"It's just a minor injury." Roger rolled his eyes at me and walked toward the doctor to proactively understand the situation. Then his expression gradually became serious.
A few minutes later, Roger came back and said to me, "Lucas has an old injury on his shoulder? He's been a bit unlucky—there's vascular and nerve damage. He needs to be careful while recovering, otherwise..."
Roger said something else, but I couldn't hear clearly. Brian caught my limp body as I collapsed. He and Marcus called out to me, but their voices grew more and more distant.
My consciousness sank into darkness.
Back when I watched Lucas fall, my limbs had already gone cold, and my hands and feet had gone weak.
On the way to the hospital, most of Lucas's weight pressed against me. His breath fell warmly on my neck, carrying a faint smell of blood, making me break out in cold sweat.
The red light of the operating room stimulated memories buried deep in my mind. I remembered the events before and after my parents' death, remembered walking past one dying relative after another.
Blood everywhere—warm, slippery blood covering surgical knives. The handle slipped from my hand. One person after another who had smiled at me just the day before stopped breathing in my arms.
That feeling of wanting to save them but being powerless washed over my brain again and again in the cold corridor.
When I woke up, I was at home, in my bedroom. Marcus was keeping watch by the bed. Seeing me awake, he was very emotional.
A moment later, he showed a guilty expression, "Bella, I'm sorry. I was too impulsive."