Chapter 318: Your Choice Forced Her to Leave

Emily's POV:

I watched in horror as Frank's men stormed the auction hall, firing warning shots at the ceiling. The crowd screamed, some crawling under chairs, others frozen in terror.

Frank thrashed against his restraints, face twisted in rage, veins bulging on his forehead. "Get these fucking cuffs off me! Shoot anyone who tries to leave!" he barked.

Ethan, pinning Frank down, was struggling. His face was ghostly pale, blood soaking his shirt at an alarming rate. His jaw clenched in pain, but his determination held, even as his strength faded.

I felt my heart hammering against my ribs. The man I'd slapped, screamed at, and hated for days was now bleeding out after taking a bullet. For me.

In one swift motion, Ethan wrenched the gun from Frank's grasp and pressed it against the back of his head. The cold metal made Frank go instantly still.

"Tell them to put their weapons down," Ethan commanded, his voice eerily steady despite his injury. "Now."

Frank visibly trembled. "Put them down," he called out, his voice cracking. "Put your guns down..."

Frank's men hesitated, their faces tense with uncertainty. Slowly, they lowered their weapons, but I noticed they were still inching closer, forming a tightening circle around Frank and Ethan.

Frank's eyes darted around wildly before settling back on Ethan. His voice shifted between pleading and threatening as he spoke.

"Ethan, is this how you treat your father?" he demanded. "I brought you into this industry, gave you resources, connections, projects, status—whatever you wanted! Why turn against me?"

I saw Ethan's hand trembling slightly as he gripped the gun, but his eyes grew harder, more determined.

Anna suddenly appeared beside me, pulling me backward and positioning herself protectively in front of me.

"Emily, don't be afraid!" she whispered urgently.

Tears welled in my eyes as I stared at Ethan, my voice shaking uncontrollably. "Anna...what's going on..."

My stomach twisted with confusion and guilt.

I clutched Anna's sleeve like a lifeline, trying to make sense of what was happening.

Blake stepped forward, his face grave as he explained in a low voice: "Frank's activities have been under police scrutiny for some time. They sent Ethan in as an undercover agent. Michael couldn't move on this case because another special investigation unit was handling it. The operation was classified—I only found out myself yesterday."

My eyes filled with tears as hope flickered in my chest. "So Ethan didn't turn bad, did he?" I asked, my voice catching on a sob.

Ethan's POV:

"Do you remember who Katherine is?" I demanded, my voice raw with emotion.

Frank's expression stiffened, but he managed to maintain his composure. "Of course I remember!"

Tears burned in my eyes as rage and grief threatened to overwhelm me. "Then do you remember how Katherine was when she got pregnant? Do you know how she died?"

My hand shook against the gun as memories flooded back—my mother's face, her gentle smile, her tears when she thought I wasn't looking.

This monster didn't deserve to call himself a father. He never had.

I heard Blake's voice from somewhere behind me. "I alerted the police before coming here. They've deployed units, but they'll need more time to break through..."

Suddenly, the main doors burst open with a deafening crash. Tactical officers in full gear stormed in, weapons raised, shouting commands that echoed through the hall.

"POLICE! EVERYBODY DOWN! DROP YOUR WEAPONS!"

Frank's shoulders slumped as the fight visibly drained out of him. His face turned ashen as he realized it was over.

As the officers moved to take Frank into custody, my body finally betrayed me. The adrenaline that had kept me going suddenly vanished.

My vision blurred, and my legs gave way beneath me. I collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud.

"Ethan!" Emily's scream pierced through the chaos as she rushed toward me, dropping to her knees. "We need an ambulance! SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!"

Her hands trembled as she cradled me, pressing desperately against my chest wound. My blood quickly coated her fingers, turning them a bright, terrible red.

"Ethan, don't move," she begged, tears streaming down her face. "Please, don't move."

I could taste blood in my mouth as I struggled to reach into my pocket. My fingers closed around the small box I'd been carrying for weeks.

"This... for you..." I gasped, each word requiring enormous effort. "All my... savings... not much. I... won't need it... anymore..."

Emily shook her head violently, tears falling onto my face. "You're going to be fine. You have to be fine." Her voice broke on the last word as she refused to take the box.

Anna's POV:

I watched as paramedics rushed in and loaded Ethan onto a stretcher. Emily climbed into the ambulance with him, her face ghost-white, her hands still stained with his blood as she clung to his hand.

Blake and I followed in his car, his brow furrowed in concentration.

"I took care of those things as quickly as I could and rushed over," he said, regret evident in his voice. "I was still too late."

I reached out and gently squeezed his arm, understanding that he'd done everything possible. "Thank you for coming."

Blake glanced at me, his expression softening momentarily. "As long as you're safe, that's what matters most."

At the hospital, we gathered in the hallway outside the operating room.

Emily stood rigid before the doors, her hands clasped in prayer. When she saw Blake, she approached him with uncharacteristic humility.

"Thank you," she said quietly, her voice barely audible.

Blake's face remained impassive. "Don't thank me. I only did it for Anna."

Emily hesitated before turning to me. "Anna, could I speak with Blake alone for a moment?"

I nodded with a small smile. "Of course!"

Though curious about what they might discuss, I assumed it involved confidential details about the operation. I stepped away, giving them space.

Blake reached out, lightly touching my arm before I could walk away. "Don't go too far. Don't let me lose sight of you."

I smiled reassuringly. "I won't."

I headed toward the elevators, planning to arrange an additional hospital room for Emily.

Emily's POV:

As Anna walked away, I turned to face Blake. He leaned against the wall, hands in his pockets, regarding me with cool indifference.

"What is it?" he asked flatly. "What do you want to tell me?"

I took a deep breath and met his gaze directly. "Blake, I believe now that you truly love Anna."

His actions during the crisis—the way he'd shielded her, protected her—had confirmed it. There was genuine love beneath his cold exterior.

Blake let out a derisive laugh. "Whether I love Anna or not has absolutely nothing to do with what you believe."

I noticed how he gave everyone the cold shoulder except Anna. The realization made me smile slightly despite everything.

My expression turned serious again. "I need to ask you something first. Was Claire arrested?"

Blake nodded. "She was in a wheelchair—couldn't run even if she wanted to. The police took her into custody in the backstage control room."

I felt a wave of relief wash over me. "That's good."

I steeled myself for what I needed to say next. "Blake, how much do you know about what happened before and after Anna went abroad?"

His reaction was immediate and intense. His body tensed, his eyes flickered with uncertainty, and I could see the word "abroad" had triggered something deep within him.

"What do you want to say?" he demanded, his voice rising.

I stepped closer, my gaze unwavering. "Anna actually wanted to stay. It was your choice that pushed her away. Your choice that forced her to leave!"