Chapter 29 Life Saver
Charles didn't even bother to glance at him. "Get lost."
Wesley snickered, about to retort, when his gaze inadvertently drifted through the ICU's floor-to-ceiling glass window to Emily lying on the hospital bed.
In that moment, he seemed to freeze in place.
He had seen countless beautiful women in the entertainment industry, but never had a woman captivated him like this—radiating such breathtaking beauty even in her pale, weakened state.
Her elegant brows were slightly furrowed, her long lashes fluttering like butterfly wings, her lips a faint pink from blood loss.
A stray lock of hair clung to her cheek, adding a touch of fragility to her appearance.
This wasn't the calculated perfection he was used to seeing; it was beauty with life force—vulnerable yet resilient in a way that made his heart skip.
Wesley's heartbeat faltered, and he found himself breathing more softly.
"Wesley, what are you doing here?" Elodie's voice pulled him back to reality.
"I accidentally heard you called the police on Mr. Windsor. How could I miss such drama?" Wesley replied with a mischievous smile.
Elodie was too preoccupied to ask for details. "Your timing is perfect. Keep an eye on this jerk!"
The Windsor family wielded tremendous influence in Emerald City, and ordinary police officers wouldn't dare offend Charles. But with Wesley present, the situation changed entirely.
The police couldn't afford to offend either of them, but they needed to provide some explanation.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure he doesn't go anywhere."
"Wesley, Elodie, you two have really gone too far." Charles let out an incredulous laugh. He was only trying to be a good person, yet somehow had become a suspect.
Clearly, anyone in Emily's circle was bound to be troublesome.
As the tension mounted, two police officers squeezed into the room.
Their expressions turned awkward upon seeing Charles—the Windsor family's influence in Emerald City ran deep, and no one dared to move against them lightly.
But the complaint had come from Elodie, and now Wesley was present as well. These were two people they couldn't afford to offend either.
In Emerald City, the Windsor family and the Martin family were the most prestigious powers. Other families largely existed as satellites to these two giants.
The Windsor family dominated business, while the Martin family controlled politics. On the surface, they maintained civility, but undercurrents of tension always flowed beneath.
Charles and Wesley were the leading figures of their generation in these families, with a rivalry dating back to childhood.
That was why Wesley had rushed over the moment he heard Elodie had called the police on Charles—he couldn't miss such an opportunity.
The lead officer felt his head about to explode. Why did the power struggles of these elites have to involve them?
To complicate matters further, Elodie wasn't just any doctor—she was the Garcia family's daughter and Wesley's cousin.
The officer could only proceed reluctantly. "Mr. Windsor, we need you to cooperate with us..."
Charles swept his gaze over Elodie and smirked. "Instead of making accusations, you should consider why you weren't around when Emily was in danger."
Instinctively, Elodie picked up Emily's phone. When the screen lit up, an unsent distress message was clearly visible.
The recipient was her, sent shortly after Emily had rushed into the factory area, marked "No Signal."
Elodie's face instantly drained of color.
Emily had tried to reach out to her for help, but she never received it. Overwhelming guilt extinguished her earlier anger, leaving only fear and remorse.
She looked at Charles, her expression growing complicated—why was Emily in trouble, why was it Charles who saved her?
Wesley observed the entire exchange, his gaze shifting between Charles and Emily on the hospital bed before settling back on her face.
Her hand receiving the IV was delicate yet strong, and even in unconsciousness, she emanated a certain stubborn resilience.
Wesley had figured it out—Emily must have been rescued by Charles.
Wanting to help Elodie out, Wesley gave the police officer a meaningful look. "Officer, perhaps we should wait for Ms. Johnson to wake up before discussing the details?"
The police officer quickly smoothed things over. "Yes, yes, we'll wait until Ms. Johnson wakes up. Mr. Windsor, if that's acceptable...?"
Charles remained silent, which they took as agreement.
Through the glass, he watched Emily's sleeping face, his fingers hovering in midair before finally withdrawing.
Wesley noticed this subtle gesture, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.
Clearly, there was something unusual about Charles and Emily's relationship.
---
When Emily awoke, dawn was breaking outside the window. The scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, an IV needle still inserted in her wrist.
Elodie sat by the bed, tucking in her blanket, dark circles prominent under her eyes.
"You're awake?" Elodie immediately leaned closer, feeling Emily's forehead. "Your fever's going down a bit. How do you feel? Does anything still hurt?"
Emily moved her fingers slightly, her voice still hoarse: "The children..."
"Don't worry, I had the nanny, Blair Ember, take them to my place. I told them you had to work overtime suddenly, and they're being very good."
Emily finally relaxed, the tension draining from her as her eyes grew warm with emotion. In this world, Elodie was the person who always understood her vulnerabilities best.
Seeing Emily's improved condition, Elodie's tone grew serious. "What exactly happened? Was Clara behind this?"
Emily avoided her gaze, tugging at the blanket. "It's nothing, just ran into some trouble. It's resolved now."
She didn't want Elodie to know the sordid details, nor did she want her friend to act rashly on her behalf.
That disgusting person had already been punished, and if he dared show his face again, Emily could handle him just as she had before.
As for Clara, Emily had no evidence linking her to what had happened.
Elodie studied her face for a long moment before finally relenting. "If you don't want to talk about it, fine. But don't carry this burden alone. Remember what we promised as kids? To be each other's armor?"
Emily nodded, feeling even more emotional.
"By the way, what's the deal with Charles? When he brought you in, he looked like someone owed him millions. Since when did you two get so close? Those rumors online about you stealing Clara's man—they aren't true, are they?" Elodie suddenly raised an eyebrow.
"Don't be ridiculous. He's an investor in Mirage Fashion who paid a hundred million dollars to hire me as chief designer." Emily explained clearly.
Elodie clicked her tongue in amazement, then smirked. "A hundred million? At least they recognize talent. When Clara encouraged him to invest in Mirage Fashion, she accidentally did something right for once."
As she was speaking, the hospital room door suddenly opened.
Charles entered first, his black suit accentuating his tall frame, though weariness marked his features.
Wesley followed, dressed casually with a smile playing on his lips, his gaze immediately finding Emily.
"Looks like our timing is perfect," Wesley greeted them, his eyes lingering appreciatively on Emily. "Ms. Johnson, the 'Light Dream' gown I wore at the awards ceremony last time—that was your design, wasn't it? The lines were absolutely exquisite. Many artists backstage were asking who created it."
Emily paused momentarily, remembering the gown, then smiled politely. "Mr. Martin, to receive your praise is an honor for the dress."
Charles let out a cold snort, his eyes sweeping over Wesley with undisguised displeasure.
He then moved to the other side of the hospital bed, looking down at Emily. "Chatting with others while being cold to the man who saved your life?"