Chapter 6

The air went still with a deathly silence.

Hannah's gaze froze on Samuel, and confusion crossed her face. "What do you mean? What was that about beating up Benjamin and throwing him in the lake?"

Samuel clutched the box of ashes tightly. He was about to speak when a sob cut him off.

"Tristan! My baby!"

The doors of the ER department swung open. A small child was swaddled in bandages. His cherubic face was pale, and his breathing was barely perceptible. Tyler's eyes were red, and he grew hysterical as he lunged for the bed like a maniac.

The nurse standing nearby stopped him just before he reached the bed. "Please keep your distance, sir! The patient's condition is critical, and his life is still in danger. He'll need to be transferred to the ICU for further observation!"

As soon as the nurse spoke, Tyler whirled and fixed Samuel with a murderous look. The next second, he charged forward and grabbed him by the hair.

"This is all your fault! You did this to Tristan! Give me back my boy!" Dragging Samuel by the hair, Tyler shoved him against the wall.

There was a loud bang, and fresh blood spilled from the gash on Samuel's forehead. The crimson liquid blurred his vision, which was flashing black. He'd yet to snap out of the white-hot pain when Tyler snatched the box of ashes he'd been shielding in his arms.

Another loud bang followed, and the box splintered and broke into pieces.

The gray-white ashes scattered into the air and across the floor. The breeze in the hospital swept them away, leaving nothing behind.

Samuel froze.

Tyler's vicious words and curses still rang in his ears. "You're a shameless prick, Samuel! You wouldn't leave Hannah alone, and now, you've killed my son! You owe me and Tristan your blood! You'll pay with your life!"

Red filled Samuel's vision. He exploded into movement, grabbing the fire extinguisher from the wall beside him and swinging it at Tyler. "I'm going to kill you, Tyler!"

Yet Hannah was quicker. She immediately stepped forward and pulled Tyler into her arms protectively. The heavy canister struck her back, and a pained grunt escaped her.

The next moment, she reached up, grabbed Samuel's arm with hawk-like precision, and forcefully shoved him back.

He staggered and fell. The fire extinguisher rolled away from him.

Annoyance colored her features. "Are you done, Samuel?"

Samuel's eyes were red. "He smashed my box first."

Hannah snorted. "I think staying in the bungalow all those years has made you sick in the head, Samuel. You'd rather pretend Benjamin is dead than hand him over, and now, you're causing a scene and threatening to hurt Tyler over some cheap box?"

"Hannah, do you know what was in that box? It—"

Samuel was interrupted by a gust of white powder. His eyes were burning like a thousand small needles were pricking them, and he was losing his vision.

Tyler had broken free from Hannah's embrace, picked up the fallen fire extinguisher, and aimed the nozzle at Samuel's eyes before pulling the pin.

"Samuel!" Alarmed, Hannah instinctively stepped toward Samuel. However, a frantic, shrill beeping from the medical equipment cut through the air the next moment.

"The patient's heartbeat is dropping! His vitals are in danger! Get him to the operating room now!"

"Tristan!" Tyler's tears flowed down his cheeks like rivulets as he grabbed Hannah by the arm. "Honey, you have to save Tristan!"

Hannah was suddenly glued to the spot. Her gaze swept over the red-eyed Samuel, whose face was covered in blood as he lay on the floor. Then, she glanced at Tristan, whose life was hanging by a thread.

With Samuel, whom she owed so much, on one end of the scale and Benjamin and Tyler on the other, Hannah was suddenly caught in a dilemma.

"Tyler!"

Tyler had cried himself into a stupor and fainted, collapsing on the floor. Hannah didn't spare another glance at Samuel as she helped Tyler to his feet, then hurried off.

As Samuel lay on the floor, all he saw was red. His blood, mixed with tears, slid down his face. He heard a staccato of frantic footsteps drawing near and stopping before him. An anxious but familiar voice sounded above him. "Samuel!"

Samuel lifted his hand and clutched the hem of the person's shirt, growling hoarsely, "Diana! I want them dead! I want all of them dead!"