Chapter 158 For Her, You’d Even Give Half of the Stewart Family’s Assets?

Chapter 158 For Her, You’d Even Give Half of the Stewart Family’s Assets?

The footsteps in the hallway were heavy and chaotic.

The moment Christopher finished speaking, four uniformed Coast Guard officers had already strode into the medical room.

The lead officer scanned the room, his gaze locking directly onto Chloe, where she lay on the floor. He reached into his chest of pocket and pulled out his badge.

"Chloe? Someone has filed a report accusing you of intentional assault and endangering another person's life. Please come with us and cooperate with the investigation."

A simple sentence, landing in the room like a hammer blow.

Chloe's whole body shook violently. She scrambled and crawled behind Adrian.

"I'm not going! I never intentionally hurt anyone!" She gripped Adrian's soaked dress pants with both hands, her knuckles going a frightening white. "Adrian, tell them! It was a misunderstanding! I can't be taken away, I can't go to prison!"

Two of the officers stepped forward, pulling out handcuffs.

"Ms. Johnson, please cooperate with us. We have preliminary access to surveillance footage and witness statements. This is a lawful summons." The officer's tone was strictly professional.

The metallic click of the handcuffs was the last straw for Chloe.

She suddenly screamed like she'd lost her mind, scrambling backward on her hands and feet.

In her retreat, her palm landed on the remains of the hot chocolate she'd knocked over earlier.

A sharp shard of broken ceramic drove into her palm.

The pain hit her nerves like a jolt. Chloe snatched up the bloodied shard without a moment's hesitation and pressed it against her right carotid artery.

"Stay back!"

The jagged edge instantly cut through the delicate skin on her neck. Bright red beads of blood welled up and rolled down, dripping onto her already filthy white dress.

It was horrifying to look at.

Everyone in the room froze.

The officers who had been moving toward her stopped immediately. One rested a hand on his equipment and barked sharply, "Chloe! Put down what's in your hand! Resisting arrest will only make things worse for you!"

"I told you I never intentionally hurt anyone!" Chloe sobbed, her face twisted with anguish. She pressed the shard deeper into her flesh, and the blood flowed faster.

She wasn't looking at the officers at all. She tilted her head back, eyes fixed on Adrian.

"Adrian, are you really just going to stand there and watch them take me away?" Tears and sweat streamed down her face, her voice pitched to a desperate wail. "My life was already destroyed once! Back at the orphanage, the Turners mistook me for Elodie and took me home. Have you forgotten how many beatings I took in her place? Have you forgotten how many days and nights they locked me in that basement without food?"

The hand hanging at Adrian's side clenched into a fist.

Chloe stared at him, sobbing bitterly, every single word stabbing straight at Adrian's soft spot.

"That winter, the crazy woman from the Turner family burned me with red-hot iron tongs. I still have the scars. I suffered that in Elodie's place! If I hadn't taken her name, do you think Elodie would have survived in that orphanage long enough to grow up? She would have been tortured to death!"

Chloe pointed at Elodie on the hospital bed, screaming herself hoarse.

"I barely escaped. I barely managed to live like a human being! And now you want to send me to prison? Malicious assault? A charge like that will ruin the rest of my life!" She pressed the shard hard against her artery, neck tilted back, looking ready to slash it open at any moment. "If you want me behind bars, you might as well drive me to my death right here in front of you! At least then I'll have paid back whatever I owe!"

The room went deathly quiet.

Only Chloe's ragged breathing, and the faint sound of blood dripping onto the floor.

Ellie was shaking with rage beside her. She pointed at Chloe and erupted, "Bullshit! You know exactly what really happened back then! And now you're dumping everything on Elodie? You're disgusting!"

"Shut up!"

Adrian suddenly roared, cutting Ellie off.

He stared at the blood pouring steadily from Chloe's neck, his temples throbbing.

The orphanage. The basement. The iron tongs.

The words sliced through his reason like blades, over and over. He had always felt he owed Chloe something, and that debt had made him give her endless, bottomless tolerance. And now this woman was going to die in front of him.

Adrian turned and stepped between the officers and Chloe.

"Officer." His voice came out rough and hoarse. "There's more to this situation than it appears. Is there any way we could handle this internally first, before things go any further?"

The lead officer frowned. "Mr. Stewart, this is a criminal matter, not a personal dispute. Once a report is filed, we are required to bring the individual in for questioning."

"I understand." Adrian took a deep breath and turned to look at the hospital bed.

Elodie was propped against the pillow, her face pale, watching him with no readable expression at all.

Adrian walked toward the bed, step by step.

Seawater was still dripping from his suit. He stopped at the edge of her bed.

In five years of marriage, this was the first time he had ever stood before her like this. No arrogance. No reflexive blame. Just the wretchedness of a man backed into a corner with nowhere left to go.

"Elodie." He spoke quietly, his voice carrying a noticeable tremor. "I'm asking you. Please."

Elodie said nothing. She just looked at him.

"Drop the charges." Adrian closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, they were red. "Sign a letter of understanding. If you're willing to forgive her, there's still room to affect what happens next — the detention, the sentencing, all of it."

Ellie exploded. She rushed forward to shove him. "Adrian, have you lost your mind?! Elodie almost died! And you're here begging her to drop the charges for the person who tried to kill her? You're a bastard!"

Lucas stepped in front of Ellie, blocking her from Adrian, his voice cold and firm. "Mr. Stewart, know your place. My client needs rest right now. She will not be subjected to any form of coercion."

Adrian ignored everyone else. He leaned over the bed, both hands gripping the railing, eyes locked on Elodie.

"I know this isn't fair to you." He forced the words out through clenched teeth. "But she can't go to prison. She's been through too much. Her mental state can't handle that kind of pressure. Give her this one chance."

Elodie still didn't speak.

She didn't even change her breathing.

Adrian's heart kept sinking. Desperate, he laid everything on the table. "If you sign that letter, I'll agree to whatever you want. Money, shares, full control of the development project — it's yours. From now on, the Stewarts will never interfere in any decision you make."

He put everything he had left on the table.

To protect Chloe, he had stopped counting the cost.

Chloe sat collapsed on the floor, shard still raised. When she heard his words, a flash of wild joy crossed her eyes — but she quickly buried it under fresh tears.

The room fell into a long silence again.

Then Elodie let out a quiet laugh.