Chapter 162 The Fragile Hold
Caroline was completely gone.
She couldn't hear him anymore. She ducked her head and sank her teeth into Alexander's forearm.
Sharp pain shot through him. He grunted, his muscles tensing involuntarily, and his grip loosened just a fraction.
Caroline wrenched herself free and threw herself to the floor, clawing at the scattered pills on the carpet. She shoved them into her mouth frantically.
No water. She swallowed them dry.
The pills lodged in her throat. Her face turned crimson instantly.
But she kept forcing them down, her fingers still scrabbling under the bed for more.
"Spit them out! Spit them out now!"
Alexander's chest felt like it was being ripped open. He couldn't restrain himself any longer.
He lunged at her from behind, locking his arms around her waist. His other hand pried her mouth open, his fingers diving inside to fish out the pills.
Caroline gagged violently. The pills came up mixed with blood and saliva.
She fought even harder, thrashing with her arms and legs, slamming her head back into Alexander's jaw, doing everything she could to break free and get to the pills.
Watching her destroy herself for a hallucination—for the chance to "see" Edith again—felt like his chest was being torn apart. The pain nearly brought him to his knees.
He couldn't hesitate anymore.
"I'm sorry... Caroline..."
He whispered. His eyes closed to hide the agony flooding through them.
He raised his hand and brought it down in a precise strike to the back of her neck.
Caroline's body went rigid, then limp. She collapsed unconscious into his arms.
The doctor came down the stairs wiping cold sweat from his forehead. The living room had been scrubbed clean.
Alexander sat on the sofa, eyes closed.
His security team stood in a tight circle around him. The pressure radiating off him was suffocating. Every man kept his head down, not daring to make a sound.
"Mr. Hamilton..."
The doctor spoke carefully.
"Mrs. Hamilton is out of danger. We've put her under deep hypnosis. She's sleeping soundly now. Fortunately, you got most of the pills out in time. She only swallowed a small amount—the actual dose absorbed into her system is negligible. It shouldn't directly harm the baby. However—"
He paused, glancing nervously at Alexander's face before continuing.
"However, her emotional distress was severe. The shock triggered symptoms of threatened miscarriage. There's been some light bleeding. We've administered the strongest medications we have to stabilize the pregnancy, but she needs complete bed rest. She cannot be subjected to any more stress. The fact that we were able to calm her with hypnosis this time was pure luck. If she goes through another shock like this... I can't guarantee the hypnosis will work again. It could cause a complete mental breakdown."
The room fell into dead silence.
Alexander didn't move.
After a long moment, he exploded. He kicked the heavy wooden coffee table in front of him, sending it crashing onto its side.
"Who?!" His eyes were bloodshot as he roared. "Who the hell had the nerve to send that skin to my house?! To terrorize her?!"
"Sir, please, calm down..."
Liam stepped forward reluctantly.
"We just tracked down Charles, and the next thing we know, he's dead and his skin is delivered straight to Mrs. Hamilton... This was deliberate. Someone wanted to trigger her—"
"Obviously!"
Alexander whipped around, his glare boring into Liam.
"Tell me something I don't know! Where's the killer? Did you catch him? What did he say?!"
Liam flinched under the verbal assault but forced himself to report. "We caught a few low-level guys. We interrogated them. They're from the Crimson Pack—part of another underground smuggling ring. They've been at war with Charles's black market operation for years. Fighting over territory, stealing shipments, the usual blood feud."
"They admitted to killing Charles. Said it was payback because Charles intercepted a major shipment last time, cost them a fortune, and nearly got them executed by their boss. So they went after him for revenge. But they swear no one ordered the hit. As for Charles's old employer, they claim they don't know. All they knew was that Charles was picking up cargo at the docks tonight, so they set up an ambush..."
"Torture them."
Alexander's voice was ice-cold.
"Leave them their mouths and hands. As long as they can talk and write, I don't care what else you take. I want the truth. Break them."
Liam's face went pale. He hesitated, then spoke even more quietly. "Sir... they're already dead."
"What?!" Alexander spun around.
"They took poison beforehand. Timed it perfectly. They held out just long enough to get through most of the interrogation before it kicked in. By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late."
Liam's voice was strained.
"They never planned to leave alive."
Alexander slammed his fist into the wall beside him. The impact echoed through the room.
Blood seeped from his split knuckles.
He didn't seem to feel it. He paced the living room like a caged animal.
"They went for revenge, not a suicide mission! Killing Charles, getting the cargo back—their boss would've rewarded them! Why would he send them to die? This was a silencing. Someone's pulling the strings!"
The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. His control snapped completely. He turned and grabbed for the gun on the entryway table.
"Sir! Stop!"
Liam's face drained of color. He lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Alexander's waist.
"You can't go to Crimson Pack territory! That's the most lawless part of the docks—full of killers, addicts, international fugitives... Their boss is a butcher who clawed his way out of Crimson Delta's killing fields. He's got a private army of mercenaries who only care about money and don't fear death! They've always hated the old Grandhaven families! If you go in there alone, it'll be a bloodbath!"
"Get off me! Let go!"
Alexander thrashed violently and kicked Liam hard in the stomach.
Liam gasped in pain, his face going white. Sweat broke out on his forehead.
But he gritted his teeth and held on, begging desperately.
"Sir! Please! Think about Mrs. Hamilton! Think about the baby! If something happens to you, what will they do?! Mrs. Hamilton needs you! She can't survive this without you!"
Liam's words cut through Alexander's rage for a split second.
But then Alexander saw red again.
"So what—we just let this go?!" His laugh was bitter and sharp. "If we don't find who's behind this, we're sitting ducks!"