Chapter 52 I Will Uphold Justice for You
Zachary froze and immediately released his grip. David was stunned too, shoving Zachary away.
"Quick, get my medical bag!" David roared, sending the trembling Martha scurrying to find his supplies.
He quickly rose and approached Quinley, his slender fingers brushing aside her bangs. She'd hit hard—a large bump had formed on her forehead, and she was bleeding.
David bent over, gently blowing cool air on the swelling. They were close together, their interaction looking overly intimate. Zachary's eyebrows furrowed so deeply they could squeeze out an ocean.
"I'll do it." He stepped forward, wanting to replace David.
But David shot him a withering look and refused to move aside. "Haven't you hurt her enough already?"
Dark red blood seeped from Quinley's forehead, slowly pooling but not yet dripping. Martha had brought the medical bag over, and David commanded, "Open it. Find the antiseptic."
Martha silently complied. Zachary stood to the side like a statue suppressing rage he didn't dare unleash. His eyes burned like fire, focused intensely on Quinley.
She kept her gaze downcast, neither crying out in pain nor complaining. Despite being wronged, she remained silent.
"This will hurt a bit. Try to bear it." David spoke gently, expertly dabbing a cotton swab with antiseptic to clean her wound.
"Dr. Brown, I can do it myself." But she refused his help.
"I'm the doctor, you're the patient. Taking care of you is my responsibility." David insisted.
From the corner of her eye, Quinley noticed Zachary's expression growing even darker. She stopped refusing, letting David clean her wound and apply a simple bandage with gauze.
"I have limited supplies with me. Come with me to the hospital." He said, tossing all his items back into the medical bag and grabbing Quinley's wrist to lead her away.
"It's not necessary, Dr. Brown. It's just a small cut—nothing serious." Quinley tried to pull away from David's grip, but he wouldn't let go.
"You hit that hard—how do you know there's no bone damage? What if the cut on your forehead scars? Come to the hospital for a thorough examination. If there are any problems, I'll make sure he pays. I won't let those who act with impunity get away with it!"
The person he referred to as acting with impunity was clearly Zachary. The atmosphere in the room became tense, like drawn swords. Zachary and David could come to blows again at any moment.
Quinley compromised. "Alright, I'll follow your arrangements."
David's lips curved into a satisfied smile. Right in front of Zachary, he walked out of Maple Estate carrying his medical bag in one hand and leading Quinley with the other.
"How are you going to thank me this time?" Just outside Maple Estate, David's narrow eyes slanted toward Quinley. He was taking credit and trying to take advantage of her again.
Quinley smiled innocently, but her words weren't soft. "Didn't I help you too?"
In that fight with Zachary, David had been at a disadvantage. She hadn't just broken up the fight—she'd saved him from injury at the cost of hitting her own head. By rights, he should be thanking Quinley.
"You were so sure I couldn't beat him?" David's narrow eyes tightened, displeasure crossing his face.
"You didn't think you could win either, did you?" Quinley smiled back.
She hailed a cab at the intersection and climbed in. "Goodbye, Dr. Brown!"
The door slammed shut and the car roared away. David had never met a woman like Quinley—seemingly humble but with a backbone of steel.
"Ha! Interesting!" He floored the accelerator and sped away from Maple Estate's gates.
On the third-floor balcony of Maple Estate, Zachary stood tall and elegant, his deep eyes gazing into the distance. His vision was excellent—even from that far away, he could clearly see Quinley.
She hadn't gotten into David's car. He was somewhat surprised, but not entirely shocked.
Quinley only appeared fragile, but her core was exceptionally strong, sometimes even stronger than his. She was a woman with strong convictions who knew exactly what she wanted. As for things she didn't want, or what others tried to force on her, she would always find her own way to gently refuse.
"Mr. Jennings, we found Daniel West." Lucas appeared, his expression urgent.
Zachary slowly withdrew his gaze, and murderous intent quickly rose in his clear eyes. "Bring him to me."
Twenty minutes later, Lucas led two men who shoved a hooded figure into the basement. The basement was surrounded by walls, soundproofed, with only one coded door for entry.
The room was filled with surveillance equipment, and a large incandescent bulb hung from the ceiling. In one corner sat a black leather armchair where Zachary lounged with his legs crossed.
His face was dark, a lit cigarette held between his slender fingers. The tip glowed red and smoke swirled around him, but he didn't take a drag.
"Kneel." Lucas barked coldly, kicking toward the man's knees. With a thud, the man fell to his knees.
Lucas signaled, and his companion yanked off the black hood. The harsh white light made the man squint, unable to open his eyes. His mouth was taped with black duct tape, and he made muffled sounds.
"Let him speak." Zachary gave the order.
Lucas personally grabbed one end of the tape and ripped it off violently. The man's face contorted in pain.
"Damn it, I'll sue you for kidnapping!" His first words were foul, so Lucas backhanded him across the face, drawing blood from his mouth.
"Why did you frame Quinley?" Zachary leaned back in the chair, his expression obscured in shadow.
"I didn't." Daniel denied it outright.
He squinted, trying to see Zachary clearly, but couldn't.
"I'm asking you one last time—why did you frame Quinley?" Zachary's voice was terrifyingly cold.
The basement's central air conditioning blew directly on Daniel at an extremely low temperature. Goosebumps had already formed on his arms.
"I... I didn't." He remained stubborn, continuing to deny it, though his tone wasn't as firm as before.
Lucas stepped forward and stomped on his shin, applying full force as he ground his heel into the fibula. Daniel cried out in pain, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.
Zachary slowly rose, his shoes clicking against the floor with an ethereal sound. Each step echoed in Daniel's heart.
His entire spine curved like a bow, his jaw clenched tight.
"Then let's change the question. Who told you to frame Quinley?" Zachary looked down at Daniel from above as he writhed in agony like a dying snake.
Even so, he still gritted his teeth. There was a sharp crack as Daniel's fibula snapped. He convulsed and collapsed to the ground.
"Will you talk or not?" Lucas demanded.
Daniel crawled on the ground like a dog, his rear end high in the air. The veins in his neck bulged as his bloodshot eyes glared viciously at Zachary.
Lucas moved to stomp on Daniel's other leg, but Zachary stopped him with a gesture. He signaled, and Lucas pulled out his phone, showing Daniel a photo.
"Recognize her?"
The photo showed an adorable little girl with a brilliant smile like a flower.
Daniel's face was covered in cold sweat, but the moment he glimpsed the little girl, his expression became both tender and panicked.
"Katie! What did you do to Katie? She's just a child, only six years old. She's innocent—don't hurt her! If you want something, come after me. You want my life? Take it! Take it right now!"
Daniel became extremely agitated, banging his head against the floor, trying to save the girl in the photo with his own death.
Lucas grabbed him as blood flowed from Daniel's forehead. "Isn't Quinley innocent too?" Zachary shouted coldly.
"Who exactly told you to frame Quinley?" Lucas pressed again.
Daniel's face was a mess of blood, tears, and sweat, his eyes filled only with pain and fear. He knew that just saying that person's name would end his suffering and lift his terror.
But he remained stubbornly uncooperative, shaking his head desperately. "I can't say."