Chapter 284: Chapter 284: One Step Away From Death

Ever since they met again after five years apart, their relationship had undergone a substantial change.

Whenever Rory Linden faced him, she was distant and evasive, as if she were desperate to draw a clear, uncrossable line between them.

To never see each other again.

This was the first time since their separation five years ago that she had been this close to him without pushing him away.

Even if it was only because of the drugs.

Sean Harrison’s arms tightened around her as if he’d made some kind of decision, and his pace quickened.

The two of them left the room.

As Rory Linden breathed in the fresh air, her mind gradually began to clear.

Only then did she realize that she had just been...

...a single step away from death.

The air outside was hot and muggy. Weeds grew wild all around, and there was hardly a proper path to be seen.

Rory Linden was completely drained of strength, her head resting gently on his shoulder.

From her angle, she could only see his profile.

The afternoon sun was bright.

Even in his thirties, Sean Harrison’s face and physique seemed to be a cut above other men his age.

The light shone from the other direction.

It cast a soft glow on his profile.

Even in the shadows, she could still see the faint, almost imperceptible curve of his lips.

Whenever they passed a patch of thick weeds, he would turn sideways, using his body to shield her from the vegetation.

The ambulance was parked on the road not far away.

Sean Harrison carried her to the vehicle with steady strides, glancing over to confirm she was awake before asking, "Let’s go to Elysian Hospital. It’s closer."

Rory Linden nodded weakly.

’In any case, going back to Celestria University Affiliated Hospital is definitely not an option,’ she thought.

Gossip traveled fastest in a hospital.

Right now, probably only a few hospital administrators and department directors knew about her kidnapping.

If she were admitted there, the entire hospital would likely know within an hour.

Once at Elysian Hospital, Rory Linden was first given a full-body examination.

Afterward, a nurse accompanied her to a patient room.

’When I used to work at Elysian, I came up to the VIP wards on the top floor countless times. I never thought I’d end up a patient here one day.’

As soon as she got off the elevator, Keith Hawthorne was already waiting outside.

"I heard what happened to you and rushed over as soon as I finished my surgery."

He was wearing blue-green scrubs under his white coat.

His hair was still a bit messy, a sign that he’d just taken off his surgical cap and come straight here.

"Thank you, Director Hawthorne."

Rory Linden still hadn’t recovered her strength, and her voice was faint.

As her wheelchair moved, Keith Hawthorne walked alongside her. Seeing her deathly pale face, he couldn’t help but sigh. "I never would have thought Evan Hollis was capable of something so deranged."

The nurse couldn’t help but nod in agreement. "Dr. Hollis used to be so nice at the hospital. I can’t believe he would do something like this."

Evan Hollis had worked at Elysian for some time.

He had made a good impression on everyone—kind, enthusiastic, and always willing to help. He also seemed to have an excellent memory, even remembering the minor preferences of many doctors and nurses.

Many of the nurses had a crush on him.

No one could have imagined this was his true nature.

Rory Linden didn’t say anything more.

Her mind was still a mess. Listening to Keith Hawthorne and the nurse, she was reminded of what had just happened.

’Why didn’t the bomb explode...?’

’Did Evan Hollis make a mistake somewhere, or...?’

A bold speculation suddenly surfaced in Rory Linden’s mind.

’Could it be...?’

’Did Evan Hollis hold on to his last shred of decency?’

The thought merely flashed through Rory Linden’s mind.

She refused to speculate on the inner workings of the man who had kidnapped her and nearly made Leo an orphan.

Even if the outcome had been a stroke of incredible luck, she still wanted Evan Hollis to face the full extent of the law.

Keith Hawthorne did not enter the room.

With the nurse’s help, Rory Linden changed into a hospital gown and lay down on the bed.

The hospital beds at Elysian were top-of-the-line, and the mattress was soft.

Rory Linden lay there for a while, feeling groggy. Her eyelids grew heavy, and before she knew it, she had fallen asleep.

When she opened her eyes again, the sun had already set.

The sky outside was dark.

The main light in the room was off, with only a small nightlight on beside her bed and a sliver of white light coming from the corner...

Rory Linden followed the light with her eyes.

Sean Harrison was sitting on the sofa, his legs crossed, holding a tablet as he appeared to be handling work.

The white light was emanating from the tablet’s screen.

Rory Linden felt a little thirsty. She propped herself up with her hands, subconsciously trying to sit up...

"You’re awake?"

Sean Harrison hastily set his tablet down and strode over.

He reached the bedside and helped support her. "Don’t move around. Just tell me what you need. If you’re thirsty or hungry, just order me around."

She seemed to have slept for several more hours.

The drug Evan Hollis had injected into her system had mostly worn off.

"I... I’m a little thirsty." Rory Linden paused, then added, "Could you turn on the lights first?"

"Okay."

Sean Harrison agreed.

As the lights came on, Rory Linden saw her phone.

She picked it up and glanced at the time—it was almost ten o’clock at night.

This was around the time Leo usually went to bed.

She decided to send Sherry Walsh a message anyway, asking if Leo was asleep.

Sherry Walsh called her immediately.

"You’re awake?!" Sherry’s voice was incredibly emotional. "Oh my god, I was scared to death when I heard what happened! Thank goodness you’re okay, otherwise I really don’t know what I would have told Leo!"

"I... I thought I was going to die, too."

Rory Linden thought back to the situation just hours before.

Countless bombs had been strapped to her body, the timer on them ticking down second by second.

It was as if her life was draining away.

In the end, even the police had been forced to give up and pull back...

She couldn’t help but glance at Sean Harrison as he walked over with a glass of water.

’In what I thought were the final moments of my life, Sean Harrison stayed by my side.’

’Ready to die with me...’

"In any case, it’s just so good that you’re okay," Sherry Walsh continued. "Leo’s asleep now. Where are you? Would it be okay for me to bring him to see you tomorrow? If it’s not a good time, I won’t come."

"I’m at Elysian Hospital. I’m doing okay, and I should be discharged in a few days."

Rory, worried about disrupting Sherry’s work, added, "By the way, if you get busy, you can just take him to Auntie Wagner’s."

"Oh, please, you know the nature of my work. I decide whether I’m busy or not."

Sherry reassured her, "You just focus on getting better. Don’t worry about Leo. Leaving him with me for three months would be no problem."

"Thank you."

Rory Linden thanked her sincerely.

Not knowing that Rory had just woken up, Sherry said, "It’s so late, you should get some rest. If you want to call Leo tomorrow, just let me know anytime."

The call ended.

Sean Harrison brought the water to her.

Rory Linden looked at the man before her, desperately wanting to ask what on earth he had been thinking at that moment.

He clearly had a chance to survive, so why would he choose to stay behind and die with her?

"Sean Harrison, what in the world was going through your head? Why did you stay with me today? It’s a miracle the bomb didn’t go off. Otherwise, we’d both be reincarnated by now!"

Her emotions were a tangled mess, but when she spoke, she couldn’t suppress her anger.