Chapter 186 The Accident
Charles was already worked up from her teasing, and her gentle coaxing melted away most of his irritation. Seeing the mischievous glint in Emily's eyes, he sighed helplessly and reached up to pinch her cheek, "Just this once. If he's calling about nothing important, I won't let him off easy."
Emily immediately beamed, slipping out of his embrace and hurrying to the sofa to grab her phone. As she swiped to answer, she couldn't resist turning back to stick her tongue out at Charles playfully.
Charles leaned against the door, his gaze locked on Emily's figure, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together. The way she'd just softened her voice to coax him nearly stole his soul.
Once Simon's call was handled, he'd definitely have to properly "punish" this enchanting woman.
Emily had barely pressed the phone to her ear when an unfamiliar male voice came through, "Is this Simon's daughter? You need to get to Evergreen Hospital's emergency department right away! Your grandmother was in a car accident—she's in surgery now, and it's critical!"
Emily's heart plummeted, and she instinctively questioned, "Who is this? Where's my dad? Why are you calling from his phone?"
"I'm just a passerby. I found your dad's phone by the roadside, and before I could return it to him, I received a call from the hospital saying your grandma was in a car accident. Your dad is listed as the emergency contact. I couldn't reach him and don't know where he is, so I went through his contacts and saw "daughter" as a note, so I quickly called you! If you can, please come over as soon as possible!"
Emily's grip tightened on the phone.
Lauren in an accident?
Though she had no warm feelings toward Lauren, the woman was still Simon's mother. And with her relationship with Simon recently improving slightly, she couldn't just stand by and do nothing. "I understand. I'll be right there."
After hanging up, Emily looked at Charles apologetically, "Lauren's been in an accident—she's in surgery and needs family there. Unable to contact Simon, so I have to go."
Charles's frown deepened, the desire in his eyes replaced by frustration. He'd been planning to continue where they left off after dealing with Simon's call, but now this unexpected crisis had emerged.
They'd have to stop.
But seeing Emily's guilty expression, he knew she was suffering too. He stepped forward and gently ruffled her hair, "Don't overthink it. I'll drive you to the hospital."
He pulled out his phone and irritably dialed Nathan, "Find Simon's location immediately. I don't care what he's doing—get him to Evergreen Hospital's emergency department now. His mother's been in an accident."
After hanging up, Charles grabbed his jacket from the sofa and personally draped it over Emily's shoulders, "It's windy tonight. Don't catch a cold."
Seeing his thoughtfulness, Emily felt overwhelmed with gratitude. She took his hand and stood on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek softly, "I'm sorry for disappointing you again. When this is all handled, I... I'll make it up to you, okay?"
Charles's eyes immediately brightened as he cupped her chin, "You said it—don't go back on your word."
They hurried downstairs, where Nathan had already brought the car around and thoughtfully prepared hot beverages. Charles handed Emily the drink before sliding into the driver's seat and starting toward the hospital.
The car fell into contemplative silence. Emily leaned against the passenger seat, watching the city lights streak past the window, her mind churning with complex thoughts. Was Lauren's accident genuinely unexpected, or another carefully orchestrated drama?
Charles seemed to sense her thoughts and said while driving, "Don't worry. We'll assess the situation once we get to the hospital."
Emily nodded, feeling somewhat calmer.
With Charles beside her, she always felt an inexplicable sense of security.
Half an hour later, the car pulled up outside Evergreen Hospital.
Charles was about to get out and accompany Emily inside when she stopped him, "Wait in the car. Let me check the situation first before seeing Lauren. If you come in and lose your temper, it might make things worse."
She reached up to stroke his cheek, "Be good and wait for me. Once I handle this, I'll come back to you. Then you can... do whatever you want with me, okay?"
Charles felt his heart itch at her teasing manner, but could only sigh helplessly, "Fine. I'll wait in the car. Call me immediately if anything happens."
Emily smiled and nodded, pushing open the car door and walking into the hospital.
The moment she entered, she spotted a familiar figure—Celeste.
Emily stopped dead in her tracks, her expression instantly turning cold.
What was Celeste doing here?
Celeste also noticed Emily, looking startled for a moment before but soon a fake smile appeared on her face as she proactively greeted Emily, "Emily, what brings you here? Don't worry, the doctor said Mom's injuries aren't serious. She'll be discharged after a few days of rest."
Emily watched her theatrical performance with inner contempt. Celeste always managed to appear at crucial moments. Who knew what scheme she was plotting now?
Lauren was propped up in the hospital bed with her leg in a cast. After greeting Emily, Celeste picked up a water cup and carefully helped Lauren drink, the two women whispering together intimately. Their closeness made them look like a real mother and daughter.
Lauren glanced at Emily with cold indifference, not even bothering to move her lips. Instead, she spoke gently to Celeste, "You're so thoughtful, knowing I was thirsty. Unlike some people who've been here so long without even asking how I'm doing."
Celeste immediately put on a flattered expression, playing along with Lauren's words, "Mom, what are you saying? Taking care of you is my duty. Emily just arrived and hasn't had time to process everything yet. Please don't take it to heart."
Though her words sounded conciliatory, her eyes slyly glanced toward Emily, clearly a deliberate provocation.