Chapter 238: Don’t Get Hooked (Part 2)
“Don’t smoke, Alison.” Jack snatched the cigarette, threw it on the ground, and stomped it out.
“Why? I like it!” She whipped her head around and glared at him. It was your fault Aidan got hurt.
“No smoking in the hospital.”
“But this is the balcony.”
“Alison, come here.” Noticing the startled older man, Jack took her arm and pulled her away from his gaze.
“No, I won’t go with you! I don’t want to talk with you!” she shouted, trembling.
“This isn’t up to you.” Ignoring her blows, he lifted her onto his shoulder and carried her toward the doctor’s office he had arranged.
“Jack, Aimée is still fighting for her life, and you’re wasting time with this woman? This is outrageous!” Sylvia gathered her courage to confront Jack.
“Jack, put Alison down!” Isabella joined in the rebuke.
Ignoring them, Jack passed them and continued toward the doctor’s office.
He set Alison down roughly on the desk.
His eyes blazed with intensity and confusion. He smirked, “Alison, why didn’t you answer the phone?”
“I didn’t want to.”
“Why?”
“Because there’s no reason you’d understand.”
He lifted her chin, forcing her to look up at him. “Alison, look at me. Tell me why you didn’t want to see me.”
Jack was confused by her sudden change. He didn’t know what had happened.
Alison bit her lip and turned her head away from him.
Jack firmly turned her face back toward him, forcing her to meet his gaze. “Alison, I know there must be a reason. If I’m wrong, I apologize.”
He’d been swamped lately, buried in the investigation, and he’d made some progress. With just a little more effort, he could put all the clues together and find the mastermind behind it all within a week.
The thought excited him. Yet, though the truth was finally coming to light, he felt himself in grave danger.
A cold flush climbed her neck, the image of Aidan lying in a pool of blood flashing through her mind.
Jack’s fingers brushed her cheek as he spoke, “Alison, tell me what happened. I will fix it.”
“Jack, it’s not that I ignored you — you ignored me first. Because of that, Aidan’s in the operating room fighting for his life!”
“What? Because I didn’t answer your calls?”
Alison shoved him into a chair, her voice trembling. “I was waiting for you to answer. Then Aimée’s car came flying toward me — I froze — and Aidan jumped in, pushed me aside, and got hit instead. I’m alive because of him. Tell me, Jack, isn’t this your fault?”
Jack finally understood. “Alison, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore your calls. I was in the middle of a meeting and had turned off the phone.”
“I don’t care! If Aidan doesn’t wake up, I’ll never forgive you — or see you again!” she yelled, shoving him aside.
Then she ran out of the office.
Jack watched her retreating figure, lost in thought. Everything seemed to be my fault. I shouldn’t have ignored her calls. Now it’s too late — the damage is done.
Alison ran into the hallway, tears streaming down her face.
“Thud!” At the turn of the corridor, she slammed into a chest.
“Move!” she shouted instinctively, thinking Jack had caught up with her.
However, she looked up to find Rock staring at her.
“Alison, calm down. Tell me what happened.”
“Aimée tried to run me over — Aidan saved me and got hit,” she said, trembling.
“Okay, I understand. Alison, you look terrible. Go rest. I’ll handle everything.”
“Why you?”
Rock’s eyes flickered with interest as he asked her in a low voice, “Do you still want to see Isabella and the Rolland family?”
Alison shook her head. “No, could it be because of Aimée?”
“She’s asleep. They say the chances of her waking up are slim.”
“Why? What happened? Rock, tell me everything.” Alison was utterly bewildered.
“To put it simply, Aimée is likely in a vegetative state.”
“A vegetative state?”
“Yes, she won’t be waking up anytime soon. Blood clots formed in her brain due to the hemorrhage,” Rock explained.
“What about Aidan?” Alison anxiously shook Rock’s shoulders, her heart racing.
“Aidan’s been stabilized, but he’s still in critical condition. We won’t know for sure until he wakes up.”
“I need to see him.”
“Don’t go. If the Rollands find you here, they’ll eat you alive. Stay out of sight,” Rock warned, steering her toward the stairs.
“Let go of me! This isn’t your concern. I don’t care what the Rollands do — I need to see him!” Alison struggled to break free, but Rock held on stubbornly.
“Let her go.” A deep command suddenly echoed.
Rock spun around, still holding Alison.
“Jack, you’re here.”