Chapter 278

"We should probably go," James said, glancing at Victoria. "You guys should deal with... whatever is going on."

As James and Victoria ordered a ride from them to get home, Lucas and I exchanged a worried glance. The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on us.

"I'm kind of nervous," Lucas admitted, his voice tinged with apprehension. "Edwin is unpredictable, and he wouldn't just say that to scare me. He's done something to my father."

A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of what Edwin might have done. Despite all our efforts to be safe, it seemed that danger still lurked dangerously close.

Although, I must admit that Kendrick was the last person on my mind.

"We should go check on Kendrick," I suggested, gently nudging Lucas toward the car. "We need to make sure he's okay."

Lucas nodded, his expression grim as he climbed into the driver's seat. With a heavy heart, I settled into the passenger seat, the weight of the unknown pressing down on us was suffocating.

As we drove in silence, the tension in the car was palpable. Each passing moment only served to heighten our anxiety, the uncertainty of what we would find at Kendrick's house gnawing at us relentlessly.

"What could Edwin possibly do with all of your father's security personnel around?" I questioned. "I mean, it's not like he can just get past all of them.

Lucas's grip tightened on the steering wheel, his knuckles turning white with tension. "I don't know, Shana," he replied, his voice strained. "But Edwin is cunning, and he always finds a way to get what he wants. I wouldn't underestimate him."

His words sent a chill down my spine, the fear of what Edwin might be capable of settling like a heavy stone in the pit of my stomach.

"But why would he go after your father like this?" I pressed, desperate for answers. "What does he stand to gain?"

"Edwin has always been jealous. Jealous of me, my father, the business. He's wanted all of it for himself, and he knows that he'll never have it. And my father hasn't made it easy on him because he's always dangling the possibility right in front of his face."

"So, you think that this is an act of revenge?"

"It's possible." Lucas shrugged. "I wouldn't put it past him."

My heart pounded with apprehension as we approached Kendrick's house. The large home now loomed before us, shrouded in an eerie silence that sent a chill down my spine.

Lucas parked the car hastily, and we both leaped out, our footsteps echoing against the pavement as we raced to the front door. With trembling hands, Lucas fumbled for his keys, his desperation palpable.

Finally, the door swung open, revealing the dimly lit interior of the house.

Without hesitation, we darted inside, our senses on high alert as we searched for him.

"What room does he use the most?" I asked Lucas. "And where are all of the security guards?"

"He's always in his office," Lucas said. "But, I don't know... something's wrong. I don't feel good about this."

We rushed up the stairs to where Kendrick's office was. Dread hung heavy in the air as we pushed the door open, revealing Kendrick's slumped form in his chair.

"Dad!" Lucas exclaimed, rushing to his side while I hovered anxiously behind him.

"Oh my god," I whispered, my hands flying to my mouth in horror.

Lucas rushed to Kendrick's side, his hands trembling as he checked for a pulse.

Kendrick remained motionless, his breathing shallow and labored. Panic surged within me as I watched Lucas shake him gently, pleading for him to wake up.

"He's alive, but barely," Lucas said.

Relief flooded through me as he confirmed that Kendrick was still alive, but the sight of him so vulnerable and helpless tugged at my heartstrings.

My heart felt as if it was going to explode from the adrenaline coursing through my veins.

"We need to call an ambulance," I urged, my voice trembling with fear.

"Yes call for help, now," Lucas said urgently, his voice breaking through the haze of fear that clouded my mind.

Nodding silently, I dialed 911, my fingers shaking as I relayed the situation to the operator.

"911, what's your emergency?"

"Hi, yes... there's been an accident," I said over the speaker, my voice shaking.

The dispatcher's calm voice filtered through the chaos, guiding me through the necessary steps as I provided Kendrick's address and a brief description of his condition.

With each passing moment, the urgency in her tone mirrored the frantic beat of my heart.

As I hung up the phone, the distant wail of sirens grew louder, signaling the arrival of help. Lucas hovered anxiously by Kendrick's side, his hands trembling as he brushed the hair from his father's forehead.

"Help is on the way," I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper as I joined Lucas by Kendrick's side.

The minutes stretched into an agonizing eternity as we waited for the ambulance to arrive, the weight of uncertainty heavy in the air. With each passing second, the fear threatened to overwhelm me, but I clung to the hope that Kendrick would pull through.

As we waited for help to arrive, I couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that washed over me like a tidal wave. We had failed to protect Kendrick, failed to prevent whatever terrible fate had befallen him.

How had Edwin been able to slip through the cracks like this?

How had we been so blind sighted?

Finally, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the hallway, and the paramedics burst into the room.

"We're here to help," one of them said, their voice calm and reassuring as they sprang into action, assessing Kendrick's condition with practiced efficiency.

Lucas and I stepped back, allowing the paramedics to work, our hearts heavy with worry as we watched them tend to Kendrick.

The police soon arrived, immediately coming up to Lucas and I to ask us questions.

"We got here half an hour ago," Lucas explained. "My cousin had warned me that something had happened to my father. My girlfriends and I rushed over here as fast as we could."

The police officers nodded, jotting down notes as they listened intently to Lucas's account of the events. They exchanged a few murmured words before turning their attention back to us.

"Did you notice anything suspicious when you arrived?" one of the officers asked, his tone measured as he studied our reactions.

I glanced at Lucas, uncertainty flickering in my eyes as I recalled the tense encounter with Edwin earlier.

"Edwin, my cousin, was acting very strange," Lucas explained, his voice tight. "He seemed... off. His behavior was erratic, and he left abruptly after making some cryptic remarks."

The officers exchanged a meaningful glance, their expressions sobering as they processed this new information.

"We'll need to speak with your cousin," one of them said, their voice grave. "Do you have any idea where we can find him?"

Lucas shook his head, frustration evident in his features. "I don't. But I'll do everything in my power to find out."

As the officers continued to question us, I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled over me like a suffocating blanket.

Whatever Edwin's motives were, it was clear that he was threatening, and there was more to the story than we knew.