Chapter 121 Don't You Hate Me?
Alexander pulled the car door open and slid into the seat.
His movements were mechanical, distant.
Caroline had been waiting. The moment she saw him, something flickered in her lifeless eyes. She lunged forward instinctively, grabbing his hand.
"Alexander..."
He didn't push her away.
But the instant her fingers brushed his sleeve, his arm went rigid, muscles going rigid as steel.
Was he... tense?
Caroline's heart jumped. She let go immediately, retreating to the far corner of the seat. She kept her head down and said nothing.
Alexander sank heavily into the leather seat, closing his eyes. His hair fell across his forehead, shadowing the deep furrow between his brows.
His temple throbbed. Thoughts crashed through his mind like a storm.
"Drive." The word came out flat, cold.
Liam glanced at him in the rearview mirror. Worry flickered across his face, but he said nothing. He simply started the engine.
The silence in the car was suffocating.
No one spoke.
Caroline lifted her eyes cautiously, looking at the man beside her.
His face was dark, jaw clenched, lips pressed into a hard line.
Unease twisted in her chest, along with something sharper—pain.
Was it because she had caused him trouble again? Did he hate her even more now?
Suddenly, Alexander's eyes snapped open. He turned, his gaze locking onto her—pupils burning red.
Caroline flinched.
"I killed the bodyguard. That's it. I didn't kill Isabella. Didn't destroy the Neville family. Didn't get revenge for you." His voice was harsh. "Doesn't that make you angry? Don't you hate me for it?"
Caroline froze, then shook her head frantically. She reached for him, stopped halfway.
She just looked at him with those wet, pleading eyes.
"No... it's okay. Really. Alexander, I don't need you to get revenge for me. I don't want you caught up in this. I don't want more blood on your hands. As long as you're safe, I... I don't care what happens to me. Even if it costs me my life..."
"Shut up!"
Alexander's hand shot out. He grabbed her wrist and slammed her against the window.
The impact sent a dull thud through the car. Her neck wound hit the cold glass.
Caroline gasped. Tears spilled over.
Alexander didn't let go.
His gaze was wild, his voice sharp.
"Do you just sit there and take it? Don't you ever get mad? Don't you ever hate? Right now, you should be looking me in the eye and saying—Alexander, get out of this car and make them pay! That's what a normal person would do. You get me?!"
Caroline's heart hammered. His eyes terrified her, but she saw the exhaustion in his face, the weariness.
Her heart clenched.
She shook her head, trembling.
"No... I don't want that. Alexander, I don't want you to kill anyone. I just want you to be okay."
Alexander went still.
His red eyes bored into hers. His breathing was ragged.
Then, slowly, the tension drained out of him. His grip loosened.
Before she could react, he lowered his head and pressed his burning forehead against her thin shoulder.
He closed his eyes and said nothing.
Caroline sat frozen. Then, carefully, she wrapped her arms around his tense back.
Back at Ravenwood Manor, Alexander went straight upstairs and disappeared into his study without a word.
Caroline stared at the closed door. Panic fluttered in her chest. She started to follow.
"Ma'am!" Kenna caught her arm. "Your injuries are serious. You need treatment now. You can't wait any longer!"
Caroline hesitated, then let Kenna half-carry her back to the bedroom.
The family doctor arrived quickly. When he saw her wound, his face blanched.
"Ma'am, this is badly infected. I need to debride it thoroughly. It's going to hurt. I'll give you a local anesthetic first."
Caroline gripped Kenna's hand. Her voice was small. "Okay. Go ahead."
The doctor injected the anesthetic around the wound, then picked up a sterilized swab and saline solution.
The moment the swab touched the edge of the wound, Caroline screamed.
"Ah!"
Her body jerked violently, nearly flying off the bed.
The doctor pulled back and checked the injection site. His face went white.
"Ma'am, you're not responding to this anesthetic. It's not working!"
"What?" Kenna's voice pitched high.
The doctor's forehead beaded with sweat. "There's no time to get another type, and I don't know which ones you'll respond to. But if we don't clean this wound now, the infection could turn septic. It could be life-threatening."
Caroline was shaking. She had bitten her lip hard enough to draw blood.
She took a shaky breath.
"It's... it's fine. Doctor, keep going. I can handle it."
She buried her face in Kenna's chest.
The doctor gritted his teeth and tried to be as gentle as possible with the forceps.
It didn't matter.
The pain was excruciating.
Caroline's body convulsed. Muffled screams tore from her throat.
Tears soaked through Kenna's blouse.
Kenna held her tightly, whispering over and over, "Just hold on, ma'am. It'll be over soon."
In the study, Alexander sat alone at his desk.
Then he heard something.
A sound from down the hall.
He frowned, looking up.
Another scream—louder this time, more anguished.
What the hell?
What was the doctor doing to her?
Alexander stood abruptly, striding out of the study and pushing through the hallway toward Caroline's room.