Chapter 152 This Is My Responsibility

Chapter 152 This Is My Responsibility
Aria's POV

I didn't know what emotion to process all of this with. Seeing Rowan sitting there in that chair all night, looking like he hadn't eaten or slept, stirred something in me I couldn't quite name.

I turned to head to the hospital cafeteria. The least I could do was bring him some breakfast.

When I returned with a small bag containing coffee and a sandwich, I stopped dead in my tracks. The hallway outside Ava's room was packed with people—reporters with cameras, microphones thrust forward, and what looked like angry civilians crowding around the door.

My head spun trying to make sense of it all. What was happening?

"Rowan!" a reporter shouted, shoving a microphone in his face. "Your mistress lost the baby! You think this is God's will? Divine justice coming down on you?"

Another reporter jumped in, her voice sharp and accusatory. "You've destroyed an entire family! What do you have to say to Cecilia, Victor, and Marcus? This family is in ruins because of you two!"

A third reporter pushed forward. "How do you respond to your wife Cecilia's pain? She's going through hell right now!"

"Does this miscarriage make you reconsider this affair? Are you going back to your family?" another voice called out from the crowd.

"Your kids Victor and Marcus won't even see you now—what would you say to them?"

"The public thinks this is karma for your betrayal. What's your take on that?"

Questions bombarded him like a tidal wave, microphones and cameras closing in on Rowan from every direction...

The crowd of onlookers grew uglier by the second. "The homewrecker got what she deserved!" someone yelled from the back.

Others began pushing closer, their faces twisted with righteous anger. "Cheaters should pay!"

Rowan looked up from where he'd been sitting, his eyes hollow and confused. "What are you people doing? Wasn't causing Ava's miscarriage enough for you? Do you want us dead?"

"Yes!" someone screamed back. "Cheaters should die! Both of you should die!"

The crowd surged forward like a tidal wave, and I watched in horror as several enraged people began roughly shoving Rowan around.

He stumbled backward, arms crossed protectively over his chest, trying to shield himself, but the mob's fury showed no signs of letting up—if anything, it was getting worse. Suddenly, someone gave him a vicious shove, and he went down hard on the cold pavement.

He struggled desperately to get back on his feet, but some of the people who'd completely lost it started stomping on him mercilessly. The whole scene descended into total chaos.

Celia was the one who should have been grieving, but the crowd was just using this whole thing as an outlet to vent their pent-up anger.

I couldn't stand it anymore.

I rushed forward, placing myself between Rowan and the crowd. "Stop this!" I said, my voice stern and authoritative. "This isn't just online harassment anymore. This is assault. You're physically harming someone."

They sneered at me, some laughing mockingly. "Oh, look at this," one man said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I bet you're in love with this old fool too, aren't you?"

I couldn't believe these people would say such things. The cruelty was breathtaking.

The internet truly was terrifying. The Sterling family had always held such prestige and respect in our community, but the moment they made one mistake, this was how people reacted. I couldn't imagine what would happen if...

"Even if they made mistakes," I said firmly, "there are law enforcement agencies and family members to handle their punishment. As outsiders, it's not your place to act as judge and jury."

Someone in the crowd laughed harshly. "Get out of our way, or we'll beat you up too!"

I was about to respond when a powerful voice cut through the chaos from behind me.

"Sterling family affairs are none of your business."

Instantly, the crowd's demeanor changed. Fear flickered across their faces as they backed away.

I turned around to see Marcus standing there, his presence commanding and intimidating. His Alpha aura was overwhelming, radiating authority and barely contained power.

He said, his voice cold and dangerous, "Even if they've made mistakes, it's not your place to judge them. But those who have hurt them will pay the price."

The threat in his voice was unmistakable. The crowd scattered immediately, reporters and civilians alike fleeing the scene as quickly as they could.

I turned back to Rowan, who was still on the ground, and quickly helped him to his feet. "Come on," I said gently, guiding him toward the medical wing. "Let's get you checked out."

Marcus wordlessly followed us, his protective presence looming behind as I guided Rowan into an empty examination room. The Alpha's jaw was tight with barely contained rage, but he waited patiently outside while I conducted a quick assessment.

When we emerged from the examination room, Marcus was waiting outside in the hallway. Rowan was physically unharmed but emotionally shattered, his face pale and drawn.

"Let's get him to a private room first," I told Marcus as we walked down the corridor. "He's not seriously injured—just shaken up from the assault and emotional trauma."

Marcus nodded, sighing heavily. The weight of his family's situation was clearly taking its toll on him too.

"Thank you," he said quietly, his voice carrying genuine gratitude. "For helping him."

"I'm a healer," I replied simply. "This is my responsibility."

He nodded again, accepting my explanation.

We walked in silence for a moment before I spoke up, "If there's nothing else, I should get back to my duties."

I had barely taken a step when his hand shot out, grabbing my wrist. He looked at me intently, as if he wanted to say something important, his blue eyes searching mine.

But before he could speak, a sharp voice cut through the air.

"Are you trying to seduce my fiancé?"