Chapter 461
Jeanie clenched her jaw tightly. The next moment, she made a harsh decision-no matter what price she had to pay, she would not let Faye hurt her family again. This would be the last time ever.
Right at that moment, the door to the ward suddenly flew open. Elise walked out of the room, supporting her weight on the door.
Alexander’s sharp eyes immediately took notice of this, and he quickly reached out to help her stand, but Elise waved dismissively. “Call the doctors over. He isn’t dead yet. Bring the instruments, quick!” she said weakly.
“Oh, all right!” Danny was the first one to react, and he charged over to the reception. “The doctors! Where are they?!”
The doctors and nurses soon arrived. Alexander helped Elise to the side.
The door to the ward was wide open. Faye watched on as an entire crowd worked to save a dead man. Displeasure was clear in her eyes.
And yet, the waves of a heartbeat returned to the heart rate monitor’s screen, and they even got stronger and stronger. At this, Faye’s expression morphed in a fascinating manner. Her grip on her shoulder tightened to the point that her nails dug into her flesh. Impossible. He was dead. How could he be revived?!
Jeanie took in Faye’s sinister expression. She walked over briskly and blocked Faye’s view. “Leave this place now.” Jeanie’s expression was chilly, her tone brooking no argument.
Faye shot a glare at Trevor before turning to meet Jeanie’s eyes. After a brief standoff, she immediately changed gears, a concerned look on her face as she spoke to Austin. “Dad, since Mom doesn’t want me here, I’ll leave. I don’t want to rile her up. You two will be fine. Please tell me if there’s any change in Trevor’s condition.”
Austin was vexed as he pinched his forehead and waved at Faye. “Go ahead.”
Faye hadn’t expected Austin to not even try to get her to stay. Instantly, her expression dimmed. She didn’t even bother to hide the displeasure on her face as she stomped off angrily in her heels. As she waited for the elevator, she gritted her teeth. “That ingrate is sturdier than I thought. He still isn’t dead even though he’s so badly injured!”
Meanwhile by the ward, Danny came running over excitedly to Elise just when she had regained some of her strength. “He’s alive! He’s alive!”
“Mm.” Elise wasn’t surprised by this turn of events. Trevor might not be dead, but he would be unconscious for the near future; his body was still frail and weak. “Arrange for a few more guards to stand watch outside of the ward. Do not allow anyone uninvolved in Trevor’s care in.”
“I know what I should do.” Danny nodded solemnly before retreating to give Alexander and Elise some space.
Now that Danny had left, the ward was once again quiet.
“I need to go to the black market again,” Elise muttered to herself.
“To look for Claude?” Alexander asked.
Elise nodded. “I managed to bring Trevor back from the brink of death, but to truly save him, I need to find Claude.”
“And if he isn’t at the black market?” Alexander asked thoughtfully. “You and Bryce are… good sisters, as he put it. I don’t think he would pull any dirty tricks.”
“Alexander.” Elise abruptly lifted her head and looked at him seriously. “There’s no such thing as eternal enemies, or eternal friends.” Especially when it comes to people like Bryce.
Perhaps Bryce did treat her favorably, but that was because there was no one else worthier than Elise for Bryce to maintain a friendship with. The moment a juicier business prospect cropped up, he would definitely not hesitate to turn his back on her.
All of the sudden, Alexander felt like Elise was a completely different person, as though everything in her eyes was just an exchange of mutual interests. He thought she didn’t believe in true love, and she didn’t truly love him.
“But I’ll always be your beloved.” Alexander took her hand, rubbing it gently against his palm as he lowered his head and gently spoke. “If there’s anything you want to do, go ahead and do it. I’ll always support you, but you have to promise me to watch out for your safety.”
A pause, then a sigh. Alexander continued then, “On second thought, let me go with you. I don’t feel at ease letting you go alone.”
Elise smiled mildly. “But you ended up hurt when you came with me last night.”
Alexander had an exasperated expression. “Fine. I am indeed too weak.” He couldn’t protect the woman he loved. He was indeed unworthy of fighting with her side-by side.
“That’s not what I meant.” Elise held his hand, her clear, pretty eyes looking at him with deep affection. “I just can’t stand you getting injured. I won’t be able to focus that well with you there!”
Alexander smiled in response. “So, we’re closer than friends?”
“Yep.” Elise casually threw her arms over his neck and pressed herself close. “Why do you have to be so handsome? I don’t even feel safe leaving you at home; how will I dare to take you with me?”
Alexander withdrew himself from her hold, a playful but confused look in his eyes. “Why does it feel like you’re trying to sweet-talk me? Who taught you to speak like that?”
“Do I even need to be taught to speak that way?” Elise’s eyes turned into crescents from her smiling. “With you around, anyone will be able to master the art of honeyed words without a master!” With that, she shamelessly hugged him tightly without easing up.
Alexander couldn’t resist it when she was acting coy like this. With no other choice, he pitched his voice up. “Okay… I’ll do as you say!”
That night, Elise entered the black market again. It hadn’t been long since her arrival when Macaque came looking for her. “Miss Sinclair, Master Bryce has decided on a change in venue. I shall take you there.”
Elise nodded without answering.
Soon, she reached a pub, where she saw Bryce drinking contentedly. Elise stood by the door and watched him from a distance. “You knew I was coming?”
Bryce put down his glass before he picked up a bottle of wine and languidly poured himself another glass. “I didn’t know you would be coming. However, I knew that we would certainly be meeting each other again shortly. I am simply unsurprised.” A pause later, he looked at the glass in his hand. “Is that not how things have been for us these few years? We would meet each other often for a while, and then we would go for a long period of time without contacting each other.”
“I don’t have time to reminisce over the past with you,” Elise stated her objective. “One of my people was missing when I left your place. Return him to me.”
“I have never touched anyone from your party.” Bryce’s expression was roguish. “I simply thought that you did not want him any longer.”
“Whether I want him or not, that’s my own business. He went missing in your territory, so you better not tell me that this is something you have no control over.” Elise’s tone took on a sharper edge.
Bryce froze, his hand reaching out for the glass of wine hanging in midair. A dark look flashed across his eyes. “El, you can’t come tyrannizing me so flagrantly simply because I indulge you. I’ve told you that he’s not here. I do not wish to repeat the same line for the third time.”
Elise collected herself. In truth, she had thought that there was a possibility of a third party being involved in Claude’s disappearance; simply, she had been holding out hope for the opposite.
“Sorry for bothering you.” With that, Elise turned to leave.
“Hold it!” The smile returned to Bryce’s face. “Just because he’s not here in my territory doesn’t mean that I can’t help you with his rescue.”
