Chapter 69 Return
Hannah screamed at the top of her lungs, her eyes widened as she saw the burning fire advancing towards her. It grew with every passing second, driving her insanely crazy.
She struggled to escape but couldn't. Her scream was loud and clear as Diego stood with a blank look.
Hannah felt the intense heat searing her skin, causing unbearable pain, and she couldn't breathe well due to the lack of oxygen. Her head spun with fear.
"Help!!!! Please!!! Ahhhhh!!!!"
Diego's eyes closed as he smiled. "Melody," he muttered at the sound of her scream.
Soon, Diego heard the sound he wanted to hear: sirens. The firefighters were here. Casting one last glance at the woman surrounded by fire, he turned back and left the room, exiting through the back of the building.
As the firefighters stormed in with Vincent, their eyes widened at the scene.
"Hannah!" Vincent screamed in terror. Who in the world would torture someone like this?
The firefighters began to put out the intense fire, hoping the woman might survive.
Hannah's breathing was erratic, her skin wounded all over as she slowly lost consciousness. The ambulance also arrived, and her body was placed on the stretcher, an oxygen mask on her face.
Vincent swept his hair backward, frustrated. This is Diego's doing, isn't it? Why? Why does he have to go to such extremes?
"Fuck!!" He screamed, pulling his hair insanely. At the same time, he wondered who had called and informed them that his wife was going to be in this situation.
Was it still Diego? Did he only traumatize Hannah?
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(HOSPITAL)
A car abruptly halted before the large building. Einstein jumped out of the car in haste and ran into the hospital. He asked one of the nurses where Jameson's ward was and headed there.
Upon arriving, his eyes filled with guilt and relief simultaneously. He had rushed back to the country when he heard the news.
He took slow steps towards Jameson and sighed. "I almost lost my senses."
The door suddenly opened, and Diego stepped in. Einstein's eyes widened as the man's face contorted with anger. He took a step backward.
"Hey, Diego," he greeted awkwardly as Diego began to step towards him.
"Okay, before you kill me, this is not my fault. Jameson didn't want anyone to know..."
"He almost died, Einstein. Why the hell did you keep that away?!" Diego growled.
"He wanted to fulfill his promise by fighting by your side, and he was doing well. You would have pushed him away if you had found out... I had warned him to tell you, but he never listened..."
Diego took three sudden steps to catch Einstein, but he was fast enough to dodge.
"Allow me to finish," Einstein stretched forth his hand on the other side of the ward, staying alert. "Fine, I'm sorry I didn't tell you..."
"Stop talking and let me kill you... once Jameson wakes up, I'll kill him too," Diego said, running after him again.
"C'mon, Diego, we can't be doing this right now," Einstein said, but then felt Diego grab him from behind. Turning him around, Diego held Einstein's collar close.
The door opened, and Candy and Jackie saw the scene.
"Einstein," Candy called, and both men looked at her.
"Damsel, help, your husband is about to kill me..." Einstein waved his hand to Candy.
Diego drew his shirt close, glaring hard. "Damsel?"
"That's what I call her," Einstein answered, blinking several times. He was obviously enjoying how he was provoking Diego.
"Di," Candy called lightly, and Diego slowly let go of Einstein, still glaring.
"Marrow transplant can cure sickle cell," Diego said to Einstein, whose eyes widened.
"That decision is pretty late. It's dangerous; he'll have a slim chance to survive," Einstein shook his head.
"I can't watch him suffer, Einstein..."
"You want us to go for it? This is dangerous..."
"You'll be the doctor, Einstein. I trust in your talent. I've found a donor already," Diego cut in.
"I've thought of this and told Jameson, but I can't risk this. It's too dangerous. What if something went wrong? What if he dies? Do you know how much I hated myself when I heard the news?" Einstein's eyes teared up. "I can't do this, Diego."
"The doctor said he might still go back to his critical condition. At least, we should try something. Einstein, please... James has suffered enough. He's not going to die."
Einstein swept his hair backward, taking a deep breath before returning his gaze to Diego.
"What about the others? Did they agree to this?"
"Yes, we did," Yazmine appeared with Aiden. "I trust you on this."
Einstein battled with himself inwardly for a while.
"We'll have to transfer him to New York. I guess we'll need his help... you know who I'm talking about."
Einstein's grandfather, known as the best surgeon in the world. He had won so many awards but quit after he lost his wife to an incurable sickness.
"I just hope he'd help," Diego replied. "I'll come with you."
"Me too," Jackie stood. Candy gave her a questioning look. "I'll go with them."
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Hannah's accident went viral, leaving netizens confused. Some said it was a terrorist attack, some said it was Henry's men seeking revenge, and some even suspected Vanessa.
Vincent stormed his way into a luxurious hotel. He was dressed in a loose shirt and black pants. One wouldn't think of him as one of the Gonzalezes.
"Romeo Gonzalez?" He asked the woman at the front table. The woman quickly made a call.
"You can go in," the woman stated, obviously confused by Vincent's angry face.
Reaching the given room, Vincent slammed the door open and found the man he hadn't set his eyes on for nine years.
Romeo, who was busy resting on the couch, raised a brow at him.
"I didn't expect you to look like that," Romeo spoke calmly, his voice carrying authority.
"Did you see what your son did to my wife? She is in the hospital, still traumatized. She can't eat well, speak, or even walk. She is in total shock."
"She was just reaping what she sowed. You know that very well, Vincent."
Vincent stepped closer. "Hey, aren't you here to stop your son? He's going too far."
"I'm not only here to stop him. I'm here to end the constant fighting and bring our family back to how it was before Mother died," Romeo said, standing up and reaching out for a glass of wine. "It all started with us and it should end with us."
"How are you going to do it? Diego despises you to the core. He'll flare up, and things will get worse. Seeing you've broken the promise of never showing up before him, he'll hate you even more. Diego doesn't want to have anything to do with the family anymore. He only listens to Old Mavis, and his dark side is far beyond what you think. I've seen the devil in your son several times, and trust me, the Diego you knew nine years ago is completely different."
"So you're suggesting I should go back and never return?" Romeo asked.
"I'm saying you should be careful. Your son is not called the Billionaire Devil for nothing."
"I can't believe these words are coming from you, brother," Romeo said in amusement. "Has my son done something to you?"
Vincent recalled how Diego had once dealt with him. He had injected him with a poison that made him wish for death. For seven days and nights, Vincent cried agonizingly before help came. This happened eight years ago when he tried to hunt Diego for putting Griffin into prison.
"I hated the way the family turned out because of me. If you're here to bring it back, then I'm on your side. But please, release my son," Vincent pleaded.
Romeo frowned.
"He is part of the family. Remember how close he was to Diego. They were like brothers."
"You know what your son is capable of and what he did."
"Please, Romeo, I'll handle him. You're the only one who could."
"No," Romeo cut him off and turned.
"I'll do anything!" Vincent exclaimed. "Anything at all," he added, and Romeo thought for a while.