Chapter 6 Nightmare and Warning

Emily's POV

"It's nothing, I've got some things to deal with here. Talk later." I forced down the tremor in my voice and hung up directly.

That huge achievement was going to be credited to him? Whatever, it was already decided. At a time like this, I was still here heartbroken over him stealing my work—how utterly ridiculous.

Just then, Zara's increasingly bold flirtation came through my earpiece: "Doesn't Bruce find it thrilling, knowing your fiancée is just on the other side of the wall?"

Bruce responded in a low, husky voice: "You're such a troublesome vixen."

"Bruce, harder... let Emily get a good listen..."

I smiled bitterly. Since she wanted me to hear so badly, I'd go see for myself.

I threw off the covers, put on my slippers, and walked out of the hospital room expressionless.

The door to the empty room next door was slightly ajar. I pushed it open. The room was empty—the disgusting sounds were coming from the private bathroom inside.

I walked to the bathroom door. There were blinds here, and the hallway light cast my shadow clearly onto the frosted glass door.

I didn't try to soften my footsteps, nor did I make a sound. I just stood quietly outside the door, like a ghost come to claim a soul.

Soon, Zara, who was enjoying the thrill, sensed something wrong and suddenly let out a sharp scream.

"What's wrong?" Bruce was clearly startled, his voice panicked.

"Bruce, look... there's someone outside! A shadow!"

The bathroom fell instantly silent. I could even clearly hear Bruce swallowing hard.

A few seconds later, the bathroom door was slowly pulled open a crack.

When he saw it was me standing outside, Bruce's legs went weak and he nearly collapsed onto the toilet.

I swept my cold gaze over his lower half, which he hadn't had time to put back together, my tone completely flat: "Mr. Howard, the perfect image you've carefully maintained for eight years seems to have collapsed."

I found myself surprisingly calm at this moment. Even though my chest was already churning with towering rage from the betrayal, my outward appearance was extremely cold.

Bruce finally came to his senses, fumbling to pull up his pants, his face full of panic.

"It's not like that! Emily, let me explain!"

He didn't even glance at Zara, disheveled inside, before rushing out at top speed and grabbing my wrist. The pleading and regret in his eyes looked utterly ridiculous and glaring at this moment.

I looked down at the arm he was gripping—goosebumps had already spread uncontrollably across it.

"Mr. Howard, do you see?" I coldly pulled my hand back. "My body is already physically rejecting you."

Bruce's breathing became extremely rapid, his voice hoarse beyond recognition: "No, Emily, believe me, I can explain all this! I..."

His lips kept moving, but I couldn't hear what he was saying anymore.

My brain suddenly hit with a wave of intense dizziness—the aftereffects of carbon monoxide poisoning fully erupting at this moment.

"Emily! Emily!"

The last thing I remember was Bruce looking at me anxiously, shouting for a doctor. Then I fell into complete darkness.

I had a dream—a long nightmare I hadn't had in ages.

Since settling down with the Howard family, I hadn't had this kind of dream in a long time. I thought I'd truly started living a normal life—that the darkness of the training camp, the hot blood on my face from my first kill, the panic of being stepped on and unable to breathe, had all been pushed into the deepest recesses of my memory along with my stable days with the Howard family.

But this time, those deliberately sealed memories surged like a tide in my dream. They seemed to mock my naivety: Come back, Lily. You were born for darkness. You'll never live a normal life.

"No—I don't want to go back!"

I jolted awake from the dream, gasping for air, looking around in shock.

The hospital room was pitch black, so quiet I could only hear my own heartbeat. This oppressive environment instantly reminded me of the fear of being locked in solitary confinement.

Just then, Bruce's voice came faintly from outside the door on the phone. At the same time, the monitoring earpiece I'd pressed under my pillow transmitted his voice as well.

I quickly grabbed the earpiece and put it in my ear.

"Is my mom okay?! How is she doing?!" Bruce's voice was extremely anxious.

Hearing this, my foggy brain instantly cleared. I threw off the covers and rushed out of the room, immediately seeing Bruce sitting on a bench in the hallway, anxiously bouncing his leg.

Seeing me awake, he froze, then stood up with delight on his face, reaching out to help me: "Emily, you're awake..."

I grabbed his collar, my eyes sharp as knives: "What happened to Elizabeth?! Tell me!"

Bruce clearly hadn't expected the usually docile me to have such strength—he was actually choked a bit.

"Tell me! What happened to Elizabeth?!" I demanded sharply.

A flash of shock crossed Bruce's eyes as he stammered: "Mom... Mom was in a car accident. She's in the emergency room downstairs right now. The doctor just came out and said she barely made it out of danger..."

Car accident?!

My brain raced. Douglas had said the other side hired "Mole," the fifteenth-ranked assassin, to take his life.

If they could send an assassin to infiltrate the villa once, they could naturally create an "accident" for a second attempt!

In other words, Elizabeth's so-called car accident might be a warning from those assassins to Bruce! All of this was trouble he'd brought on!

At this thought, the fury in my heart instantly ignited, and I shoved him hard to the ground.

"If anything happens to Elizabeth, I will never forgive you!"

Bruce fell to the ground, completely stunned. In eight years, I'd never used such a murderous tone with him, let alone gotten physical.

He sat there on the ground, staring at my back, speechless. In eight years, he'd probably never seen me like this.

He opened his mouth to say something, but I was already too tired to look at him. I turned and rushed back to the room, grabbed my coat and belongings, and headed downstairs to the emergency room without looking back.

Since the assassins had already started targeting the Howard family, they might still be lurking near the hospital!

After just a few steps, I felt another wave of dizziness. I shook my head hard, trying to clear the remaining effects of the gas. At the same time, a cramping pain came from my lower abdomen, and a warm flow surged out—I gave a self-mocking smirk.

Today was already bad enough, and now my period started—talk about adding insult to injury.

I felt the hidden pocket of my coat—the two tactical knives and five poisoned darts were still there, and the poison needle bracelet on my wrist was ready.

They had guns, and I was in terrible physical condition—the danger was extreme. But I had to go.

For Elizabeth, the only person who'd genuinely cared about me these past eight years.

I walked quickly into the elevator and pressed the button for the emergency room floor.

The crisp sound of a lighter came through the earpiece, followed by Bruce's heavy sigh and the sound of him exhaling smoke.

That scumbag was probably squatting in the hallway, smoking to escape reality.

He made a call.

Soon, Zara's affected crying came through the earpiece: "Why are you still calling me? Didn't you just pull up your pants and leave me alone in there for that woman, Emily? Why are you contacting me?!"

"I'm sorry, Zara..." Bruce's voice was thick with exhaustion and irritation. "My mom was in a car accident, and Emily just got mad at me and left. My head's a mess right now, I don't know what to do... You're the only one I could think of."

"Then come to me, Bruce." Zara's tone instantly softened, taking on a pitiful fragility. "I was so scared I got a fever. I really need you right now..."