Free Web NovelChapter 72: Chapter 72
Aria’s POV
I wandered through the dim corridor, my wolf pacing under my skin, alert and protective, every sense stretched taut.
At the front desk, a nurse flinched at the sight of me, pale and trembling."Miss, are you okay?"
I pressed my dry lips together and nodded stiffly."This is the admission form. Which room is Peter in?"
The nurse took the paper and pointed me toward the hallway. I nodded, keeping my wolf tightly coiled beneath my skin, alert for any sign of danger.
"Thank you," I murmured, my voice low and steady, though my chest throbbed with the ache of fear and guilt.
Behind me, the nurse exhaled nervously and patted her chest."My god, with a face that pale, I thought I was staring at a zombie from a horror movie."
I ignored her comment, though my wolf growled low at the idea of being dismissed as weak. Weakness wasn’t an option, at least not to me.
I found Peter’s hospital room and slipped inside. It was a shared room, but for now, Peter was alone. My wolf prowled inside me, senses stretching, warning of any disturbance. The quiet beep of the oxygen machine was steady, almost comforting, but I couldn’t relax.
Peter lay there, fragile, tubes beneath his nose, his chest rising and falling in careful rhythm. My stomach twisted with guilt and fear. If he hadn’t helped me—if he hadn’t always been there—how would he have ended up like this?
I lowered myself onto the empty bed beside him, careful not to disturb the fragile air of the room. Several feet apart, I stared at his unconscious form, every heartbeat echoing in my chest like a drum..
"Ms. Darvin? Ms. Darvin?" A soft voice broke through my haze.
I blinked and saw the nurse from earlier standing quietly at the door. My gaze shifted from her to Peter, my wolf snarling beneath my ribs, every muscle coiled for defense. I went to her.
"The message is for you—from Mr. Collins," she said.
My hand trembled as I reached for it. I didn’t think; instinct took over. The tremor wasn’t just from fatigue, it was the surge of adrenaline.
The nurse’s eyes widened."What is it?" she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
I shook my head slightly, voice low and tight with tension."I don’t know yet..."
I shut the door and went to sit by Peter’s bed, the crumpled note clutched tightly in my hand, my knuckles white. The dim light above his bed threw long shadows across the room, and for a moment, I let myself pause, listening to the quiet rhythm of his breathing. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
I unfolded the wrinkled paper carefully, as if the words themselves might cut me. [Tomorrow at 10 a.m., Hemsworth Group.]
Just four words. But they hit me like a bone-crushing blow, driving my claws deep into my chest. My heart thudded violently, echoing through my ribcage, and my wolf growled low in protest. It was a summons, a threat, a final ultimatum all rolled into one.
I pressed the note to my chest and closed my eyes, veins bulging on my forehead as the tension coiled inside me. My wolf snarled silently, circling, itching to strike at whoever dared send this, but I forced it down. I had to keep control.
The night dragged on like a living thing, slow and painful. I finally returned home and met Lana still sleeping. I let out a sigh of relief and planted a kiss on her cheek.
I stayed awake, unable to sleep. Soon the faintest light of dawn appeared.
As soon as the sun crept through the blinds, I called Kara."Please look after Lana today," I said, my voice tight.
She agreed and I took Lana to her.
Handing my daughter over felt like giving away a piece of my own heart, but I had no choice.
Back at the hospital, I learned Peter was still unconscious. Relief surged through me when the doctor said his mind was beginning to recover, even if his body still needed rest. My wolf growled softly in satisfaction, pacing under my skin, sensing the fragile life I was trying to protect.
Peter’s phone buzzed incessantly on the bedside table. Curiosity forced me to glance at the screen. Each notification brought a fresh stab of dread.
[Mr. Clinton, previous clients are withdrawing their contracts. The firm is on the brink of collapse.]
[Mr. Clinton, please come back quickly to take charge.]
[Mr. Clinton, all the clients are refusing to pay their final installments. The company’s cash flow has completely broken!]
[Mr. Clinton...]
[Mr. Clinton, Horizon Law Group has proposed a takeover.]
A torrent of bad news, each message heavier than the last. Bankruptcy loomed over Peter like a predator circling its prey.
Then the last message appeared. My stomach twisted.
[Mr. Clinton, if you’re willing to let Ms. Darvin beg Alpha Nathan, there might still be hope for the company.]
[After all, it’s Ms. Darvin who dragged you down. You’ve done so much for her. Isn’t this already paying back her kindness?]
I closed my eyes, drained of color, my wolf growled.within me, restless and angry.
I unfolded the note again, staring at the final ultimatum. Ten o’clock. Hemsworth Group headquarters.
It was time to face whatever waited for me. My claws itched to shred every paper, every threat, but I forced my hands to throw the crumpled note into the trash. The night of torment had yellowed and creased it, but the danger hadn’t faded.
I made sure the nurses would watch over Peter carefully. Then I left the hospital and hailed a taxi, my pale lips pressed tight with determination."Hemsworth Group headquarters, please," I said, voice low but firm.
I climbed into the backseat."Let’s go," I whispered, my teeth barely gritting against the tension in my chest. freewebnoveℓ.com
My wolf growled softly, ready for whatever awaited.
