Chapter 24: Bad News

Caroline’s POV

“Check our specialist hospital,” she said, unfazed. “Still Velvet. Just drive straight. It’s less than an hour if the road is clear.”

For a moment, I simply stared at her.

Less than an hour?

Anderson had been shot. He was somewhere in the city, fighting for his life, and I had already wasted precious minutes driving to the wrong hospital.

“Is there anything else you need to tell me?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice steady.

She shook her head. “That’s all I know, ma’am.”

I didn’t even bother saying thank you. I turned and hurried out of the hospital, my heels clicking frantically against the tiled floor. I could feel people’s eyes following me, probably wondering why a woman in a bloodstained dress was running around like someone being chased by death.

They had no idea.

I pushed through the entrance and rushed towards the SUV. My hands were shaking so badly that I struggled to get the key into the ignition.

“Come on, come on,” I muttered, turning it again.

The engine finally roared to life.

I pulled out of the parking lot and pressed my foot against the accelerator. The road stretched endlessly before me, but thankfully, traffic had eased. I glanced at the dashboard, watching the speedometer climb.

Every second felt like a lifetime.

I gripped the steering wheel tighter, blinking away the tears that kept blurring my vision.

I had seen blood before. I had witnessed accidents, hospital emergencies and people crying over loved ones. But nothing had prepared me for this

Not him.

Not like this.

My mind kept replaying the sound of the gunshot. The sudden screams. The confusion. The sight of everyone running for cover.

And then there was the blood.

So much blood.

I swallowed hard, trying to push the images away.

Who had done this? Who could have wanted him dead badly enough to pull a trigger?

And why?

By the time I spotted the familiar sign for Velvet Specialist Hospital, my chest was tight with anxiety. I turned into the compound, barely slowing down before bringing the SUV to a stop.

I didn’t even bother parking properly.

I jumped out, slammed the door and ran towards the entrance.

The lobby was packed. Patients occupied almost every seat, nurses hurried between departments, and the sound of people talking filled the room. But I barely noticed any of it.

My eyes searched desperately for a familiar face.

Then I saw him.

Liam.

He was standing in front of one of the wards, his hands resting on his waist. Nail stood a few feet away, speaking quietly to another man.

For a moment, relief washed over me.

I had found them.

I rushed towards them, my heart pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.

“Liam!”

He turned.

“Is he okay?” I asked breathlessly. “How is Anderson? Have the doctors said anything? Is he—”

“Look at you.”

His voice stopped me.

I blinked, confused by the expression on his face. His eyes moved slowly over my appearance, taking in the blood on my dress, the stains on my hands and my messy hair.

His lips curled into a humourless smile.

“You took your time.”

“Liam, please. I—”

“Where were you?” he interrupted. “Slapping my brother’s friends around?”

I froze.

So, the incident with Solana had already reached him.

“Is that really what you want to talk about right now?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Your brother has been shot!”

“And whose fault is that?” he snapped.

I stared at him.

For a second, I couldn’t find the words. I was exhausted, frightened and barely holding myself together, yet he stood there looking at me as though I were the biggest problem in the entire hospital.

“I got lost,” I finally managed. “I went to the wrong hospital, Liam. They told me he was at Velvet, but I didn’t know there was another branch. I had to drive all the way back, and I—”

“Of course you did.”

He let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.

“Everything you touch goes wrong. Everything.”

“Liam, that’s not fair.”

“Fair?” He stepped closer, lowering his voice. “Do you want to talk about fairness now? My brother is lying in there with a bullet in his body, and you’re standing here giving me excuses.”

“I didn’t shoot him!”

The words escaped before I could stop them.

His eyes narrowed.

“I didn’t say you did.”

“But that’s exactly how you’re making me feel!” I cried. “I’ve been driving around trying to find him. I’ve been calling, asking questions, practically begging people to tell me where he was taken. Do you think I wanted to waste time at the wrong hospital?”

He stared at me without responding.

I wiped my cheeks with the back of my hand, only managing to smear some of the blood across my skin.

“Please, Liam. Just tell me how he is.”

For a brief moment, something shifted in his expression. But it disappeared almost immediately.

“We don’t know yet,” he said, turning away. “They’re still in there with him.”

He paused before adding, “Not that you’ve earned the right to ask.”

My lips parted, but no words came out.

I lowered my eyes, fighting the tears gathering again.

“Is he conscious?” I asked quietly.

No answer.

“Did he say anything before they took him in?”

Still nothing.

“Liam, please. I’m asking you a question.”

He turned his head slightly, but before he could respond, the ward door swung open.

A doctor stepped out.

He appeared to be in his forties, with tired eyes and a white coat that looked slightly creased. He removed his glasses and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

Something about his expression made my stomach drop.

The conversations around us gradually faded as everyone turned towards him.

“Doctor?” Liam was the first to move.

Nail stepped forward, followed by me. I hurried desperate to hear what he had to say.

“How is he?” I asked.

“Is he conscious?” Still nervous.

The doctor raised one hand, asking me to calm down.

Liam moved closer.

“I’m his brother. I need to know what’s happening.”

The doctor looked at him, then glanced at the rest of us.

“Your brother sustained a serious gunshot injury. We’ve managed to stabilise him temporarily, but his condition remains critical.”

My fingers tightened around the strap of my handbag.

“Can we see him?” I asked.

The doctor looked in my direction but didn’t answer immediately.

“We’re doing everything we can,” he continued. “However, the bullet caused significant internal damage, and he’s lost a dangerous amount of blood.”

My heart began to pound.

“No,” I whispered.

Liam’s jaw tightened. “What are you saying, Doctor? Is he going to survive?”

The doctor took a slow breath.

“I don’t want to give you false hope. Based on his current condition, we estimate his chances of survival at fifteen per cent.”

The world seemed to stop.

Fifteen per cent.

I stared at him, waiting for him to say something else. Perhaps he had made a mistake. Perhaps I had misunderstood.

But he didn’t.

“Fifteen?” Nail repeated, his voice barely audible.

“I’m sorry,” the doctor said. “His condition is extremely delicate. The next few hours will be critical because we have to remove the bullet from his chest. We’ll start the surgery, but I need you all to understand how serious this is.”

I couldn’t move.

My bloodstained hand slowly rose to cover my mouth as tears streamed down my cheeks. My knees felt weak, and I reached for the nearest wall to steady myself.

Anderson couldn’t die.

He simply couldn’t.

I looked towards the closed ward door.

“Please,” I whispered. “Don’t let him die.”

I didn’t know whether I was speaking to the doctor, God or anyone who might be listening.

“Please save him.”

The doctor gave a sympathetic nod before returning to the ward.

As the door closed behind him, the hallway fell into an uncomfortable silence.

I slowly turned towards Liam, hoping to find even a little comfort in his expression.

But he was already looking at me.

His eyes were cold, his jaw clenched. He moved closer until he was standing directly in front of me.

“Fifteen per cent,” he whispered.

I swallowed, unable to look away.

“I hope you’re happy, Caroline.”

“Liam…”

“Whatever you came here for, whatever game you’ve been playing, I hope it was worth it.”

I shook my head, tears falling freely.