Chapter 84 Protection
Sloane's POV
I didn't rush in right away. I just stood far off outside the emergency hall, watching through the glass window as Jared anxiously talked with several doctors.
His tense profile, the heavy worry between his brows—it all showed that his concern for Keira wasn't fake.
My chest ached again, and that nauseous feeling in my stomach surged up once more.
Just as I was about to turn and leave, I caught fragments of the conversation between Jared and the doctor.
"...sprained ankle, hit her head too, currently unconscious, but vital signs are stable, needs to stay for observation..."
Sprained ankle, hit her head, unconscious...
So that's what happened.
The dark cloud in my heart, born from misunderstanding, instantly cleared up quite a bit.
I lowered my eyes, not wanting to watch this drama anymore.
I came here just to confirm my suspicions. Now that the truth was out, all I felt was endless exhaustion.
I didn't want to face Jared, didn't want to face Keira, and definitely didn't want to face those complicated looks from the Montclair family.
I wanted to take my child and leave this messy place.
I turned around, about to leave quietly, when a sharp, angry voice suddenly exploded behind me.
"Sloane? What are you doing here, woman!"
My steps halted abruptly, my body instantly stiffening.
I didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Aeneas.
His icy voice was like a poisoned knife, stabbing hard into my barely calmed heart.
I gripped my purse tightly, my nails digging deep into my palm.
Sure enough, hurried footsteps came from behind.
"You dare show your face here?!" Aeneas practically charged up to me, his wrinkled face now full of rage and disgust, as if I were something filthy that couldn't see the light of day.
Arthur quickly followed beside him, looking at me with his usual coldness, plus an undisguised scrutiny and displeasure.
"You vicious woman! Keira almost got seriously hurt because of Jared, and you still have the nerve to show up here!" Aeneas pointed at my nose, spitting as he spoke, his voice shrill and grating.
"What does her accident have to do with me?" I lifted my head, meeting his hostile gaze, my voice calm without a ripple.
I didn't want to show weakness, and I definitely didn't want him to see me in a sorry state.
"You!" Aeneas trembled with rage, raising his hand as if to slap me.
Just then, a tall figure suddenly blocked my way.
Jared's large frame was like an impenetrable wall, completely shielding me behind him.
"Father, what are you doing here?" His voice wasn't loud, but it carried a chilling pressure that instantly froze Aeneas's raised hand in mid-air.
"What am I doing?!" Aeneas's face turned iron-blue with anger at his protective stance. "I'm asking what you're doing! Keira is lying in there injured because of you, and you're out here protecting this woman! Do you have any conscience left!"
He pointed toward the hospital room, then at me, his tone full of disappointed anger.
Jared ignored his questioning. He simply reached out and, in front of everyone, tightly grasped my hand.
His palm was dry and burning hot, his fingers firmly interlocking with mine, the gesture seeming to announce something to everyone.
My heart jumped, and warmth instantly flowed from his palm through my entire body.
He turned to look at me, those eyes filled with determination and tenderness, as if all the surrounding chaos had nothing to do with him.
Then he looked at Aeneas, his voice not loud but every word firm, carrying an unquestionable finality: "Sloane is my wife. Protecting her is something even God would approve of."
"You—" Aeneas was so angry at Jared's words that his face went from blue to white, then from white to purple, his chest heaving violently, clearly furious.
Arthur stood to the side, watching Jared tightly holding my hand, his face showing an indescribable disappointment.
He sighed, turning his gaze to Aeneas, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness and suggestion: "It seems Jared has made up his mind. About that Winslow family cooperation we mentioned before..."
Arthur didn't finish his sentence, but the implication was clear.
Hearing this, Aeneas's face became even uglier.
He looked at Jared, then at me, and finally just snorted heavily and stormed off, with Arthur following close behind.
After they left, the emergency hall became quiet again.
I looked at Jared holding my hand tightly, that warmth and determination soothing all the anxiety and grievance in my heart to the fullest.
He didn't let go, just turned to look at me, those deep eyes now reflecting only me.
"Were you scared?" he asked, his voice low, carrying a barely noticeable tenderness.
I shook my head, but my eyes felt hot.
In this moment, I finally understood that what he was holding up for me wasn't just protection—it was his determination to stand against the entire Montclair family.
And I, it seemed, was finally beginning to truly fall in love with him.
"Jared! What are you doing here?! You bastard, get over here now!"
Aeneas's voice exploded behind me again, filled with towering rage, as if he wanted to flip the entire emergency room.
He had returned, clearly unable to let go of Jared's "nonsense."
He strode over, pointing at Jared's nose, veins bulging on his old face, his eyes full of disappointed anger. "You're still here being lovey-dovey with this woman, while Keira is lying in there fighting for her life because of you, and you still have the heart to protect her?!"
He pointed toward the hospital room, then at me, each word like a poisoned blade stabbing into my heart.
But Jared only held me tighter, those deep eyes showing nothing but determination.
He looked coldly at Aeneas, his tone without a hint of compromise: "Keira has doctors taking care of her, and you're there too, Father. I'm here for my wife."
"Your wife?!" Aeneas laughed in anger, that laugh full of mockery and disdain. "You think doing this will change anything? You think protecting her will make the Montclair family accept her?! Don't be naive, Jared! You two will divorce sooner or later! Everything you're doing now is just pointless struggle! Wake up!"
He got more agitated as he spoke, even trying to grab Jared to pull him away from me.
But Jared didn't budge, his tall frame like an immovable mountain, firmly shielding me behind him.
"I won't divorce!" Jared's voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unquestionable finality. "Never!"