Chapter 147
"Apologize? What's the use of apologizing now!" Aria ignored Victor's advice, suddenly grabbed the glass, and flung her arm.
Half a cup of cold water splashed unreservedly onto Vitale's face.
Water droplets trickled down his sharp jawline, soaking the collar of his expensive shirt and the front of his suit.
A few strands of wet red hair stuck to his forehead, making him look momentarily disheveled.
"Fuck!" Victor blurted out, staring at Aria in shock before nervously glancing at Vitale.
This Aria was insane! She was completely out of her mind!
"Aria, that's enough!" From the hospital bed, Henley reacted faster and more intensely than anyone else.
Ignoring the sharp pain in his abdomen, he leaned forward abruptly, using his only movable hand to grab Aria's wrist tightly. His grip was so strong that Aria let out a cry of pain.
Henley's face grew even paler from the pain and anger. He growled at Aria in a tone harsher than ever before, "Do you even know what you're doing? Stop! Right now!"
Aria froze at his shout. The pain in her wrist and the unfamiliar severity in Henley's eyes made her feel wronged and sparked an even stronger backlash.
She struggled hard and, with a swift motion, slapped Henley across the face with a crisp sound!
That slap not only stunned Henley but also made the air in the room drop to freezing.
"Look at him! Look at what he's done to you! He dragged you into this mess, and Isabella—where is Isabella now? Is she alive or dead? It's all because of him, this mafia boss!"
"I don't care! I can't forgive him! Even if he wants to kill me right now, I'll still say it! I'll still curse him!"
Though Aria was trembling with fear, she still bristled with defiance and roared.
Henley's cheek burned from the slap, but what shook him more was Aria's reckless madness.
Suppressing the throbbing pain in his wound and the anxiety in his heart, he turned to Vitale, his voice breathless from urgency, "Boss, please forgive her. She's just too scared and worried about Ms. Lorraine. She's lost control of her emotions."
"I promise this won't happen again. Never."
Vitale hadn't moved at all.
Water droplets slid down his cheeks, dripping onto his shirt and leaving dark stains.
He didn't wipe them away, letting the coldness linger on his skin.
After a few seconds, Vitale slowly pulled a clean handkerchief from his suit pocket and began wiping the water from his face with deliberate, calm movements.
His hands were steady, not showing the slightest tremor, as if the water hadn't been thrown at him.
After wiping his face, he casually tossed the damp handkerchief onto a nearby medical cart, then finally looked up at Aria.
"I just gave you a chance to vent," Vitale said, his voice low and even, but each word felt like an ice pick striking the silent hospital room, "You cursed at me, and I took it. But there won't be a next time."
He leaned forward slightly. Though he was still a few steps away from Aria, the invisible pressure he exuded felt almost tangible, enveloping her.
"Don't fucking lash out at me again."
"Losing track of Isabella has me more frustrated and on edge than anyone. Do you get that?"
He stared into Aria's wide eyes, filled with fear and anger, speaking slowly and clearly, "Isabella is your friend, sure, but she's also my woman."
"I don't need you to remind me how important she is, and I don't need you to blame me for not protecting her. Your yelling does nothing but mess with my head and waste precious time."
His gaze shifted to Henley, whose face was pale and lips tightly pressed together, "Henley, keep your woman in check. This is the first and last warning."
"If next time, she does anything like this again or says anything I don't want to hear, I can't guarantee my gun won't slip out of its holster and end up pointed at her head."
"You know, Henley, when I really lose it, I lose all sense of reason. And when I'm like that, I don't need a reason to do anything."
Henley's heart sank to the bottom.
He knew Vitale too well.
Vitale's current calm was far more terrifying than rage.
It was the kind of restraint on the brink of breaking. The string was pulled to its tightest, and any extra push could snap it completely, leading to devastating consequences.
And Aria was undoubtedly dancing on that string.
Henley gripped Aria's wrist tightly and nodded to Vitale with extreme seriousness, almost pleading, "Understood. I get it. I'll keep her in line."
"I'll control her hands, her feet, and her mouth. I promise."
Maybe it was Vitale's icy stare and words that finally pierced through the fog of anger and fear clouding Aria's mind, or maybe it was the warmth from Henley's tight grip and his solemn promise that brought back a sliver of reason. Either way, Aria's intense trembling gradually calmed down a bit.
She stopped shouting, but the fear that Vitale might actually pull out his gun, combined with her deep terror for Isabella's situation, made her legs weak. She could barely stand.
Stumbling back a step, she leaned against the edge of Henley's hospital bed. Then, as if all her strength and courage had finally drained away, she slowly and cautiously buried her head into Henley's uninjured shoulder. Her body still trembled uncontrollably.
Henley, with his good arm, awkwardly but firmly wrapped it around her shoulders. He whispered soothingly in her ear, his voice carrying a gentleness that hadn't been there when speaking to Vitale, "It's okay, Aria. It's okay. Mr. Luca will use every resource he has to find Ms. Lorraine. He'll make whoever hurt her pay the worst price."
"Panicking and acting impulsively like this won't help. It only puts you in danger and makes things worse. Calm down, okay?"
Aria sniffled in his embrace, her silent tears soaking into his hospital gown.
She didn't speak, just nodded lightly.
Henley let out a sigh of relief and cautiously asked, "Aria, can you let me talk to Mr. Luca alone for a bit? About Ms. Lorraine—maybe I've remembered some details."
Aria immediately lifted her head, worry flooding her eyes again. She gripped Henley's sleeve tightly and shook her head, "No! I don't want to leave! I won't let him be alone with you! I won't let him hurt you!"
Despite her fear, her instinct to protect Henley was still strong.
Seeing her concern, a warmth spread through Henley's chest. He forced a small smile and gently wiped the tears from her face, "Thanks for caring about me, darling. But you should trust my judgment, right? Just like I trusted my judgment earlier when I agreed to be with you."
His words caught Aria off guard. A faint blush crept onto her cheeks, though the worry didn't fully disappear.
"Okay?" Henley looked at her, his gaze earnest and resolute.
Aria bit her lip. Finally, she wiped her tears and said softly, "Alright. I think your judgment is pretty good."
She paused, then added, "Can I wait outside, though? Right by the door. I won't come in and disturb you."
Henley nodded, "Sure, but Aria, promise me you won't rush in at the slightest noise. Mr. Luca won't hurt me. We're discussing important business—very important stuff."
Aria still hesitated. She glanced at Victor.
Victor quickly raised his hands, "Alright, alright, I'll be the guarantee, okay? Aria, come with me outside. I'll get you a comfy chair and maybe a hot cocoa. Let these two workaholics figure out how to save your best friend. How's that?"
Aria felt a bit more at ease.
She hugged Henley tightly one more time and whispered clearly in his ear, "I trust you, but you have to call me back in later. I need to see with my own eyes that you're safe."
"Deal. I promise," Henley hugged her back, his tone gentle but firm, "Because I trust Mr. Luca."
Those words finally made Aria let go completely.
She gave Vitale one last look.
Vitale's expression remained unchanged. He just tilted his head slightly, signaling she could leave.
Then, with Victor, she walked out of the room, looking back every few steps.
The heavy hospital door closed softly, shutting out the sounds from outside.
Only Vitale and Henley remained in the room, along with the steady beeping of the machines.
The gentleness on Henley's face vanished instantly, replaced by his usual calm and a hint of awkwardness.
He shifted, trying to sit up straighter, but the movement tugged at his wound, making him gasp in pain.
"Mr. Luca, I'm sorry. Aria just cares too much—about me and about Ms. Lorraine. She's not usually like this," Henley tried to explain.
Vitale stayed silent for a few seconds before speaking, his voice betraying no emotion, "That's good."
Henley froze, unsure what "good" referred to.
"You finally have someone who cares about you," Vitale said, his tone flat, as if stating a simple fact, "That's a good thing, Henley. At least in the middle of this mess, not everything is bad."
Henley opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.
He hadn't expected Vitale to say something like that.
But Vitale didn't give him time to dwell on it.
He pulled a chair over, sat down by Henley's bedside, and leaned forward. His gaze locked onto Henley's eyes like a spotlight.
"Now, let's talk about Isabella."
"Tell me everything you can remember from before and after you passed out—every single detail about the attackers that night. Anything could be the key to finding her."