The sun had long been replaced by the moon, but the rain refused to stop pouring. News of Liana being hospitalized had already gone viral among her fans.
No one had officially leaked it, but a fan at the hospital had recorded a short clip of Liana being rushed into the emergency ward. Since then, social media had exploded with posts, theories, and rumors.
Even the police had to tighten hospital security to keep fans from breaking in.
Zade stood near the entrance, his jacket soaked at the shoulders as he kept a sharp eye on everything. The officers nearby made sure no one crossed the restricted line.
Outside Liana's room, Ashley waited while Richard stayed with Liana's mother, who had just arrived, pale and trembling. Ashley stepped into the hallway and scanned the scene before calling out softly, "Zade, everything in place?"
She walked closer to Zade but stayed inside, so she wouldn't get soaked too. Zade gave a short nod and leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Seems like some crazy fans are here too. Better stay alert."
Ashley exhaled slowly, her eyes flicking over the restless crowd. "And there's a high chance Alex is among them. There must be over a hundred people out there. If he blends in, finding him will be a nightmare."
Zade's gaze sharpened, and his hand instinctively moved toward the gun at his belt. Ashley caught the motion and quickly placed her hand over his.
"No," she said firmly. "We can't use that. There are too many innocent people out there; we can't risk hurting anyone."
Zade raised a brow, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Oh, trust me, no one's that innocent."
Ashley rolled her eyes, though a faint smile flickered. "Maybe not perfect, but they're not criminals either. People make mistakes, but that doesn't put them in the same box as him."
Zade chuckled under his breath. "Alright, alright. You win. Go inside."
Ashley narrowed her eyes, pointing a warning finger at him. "And you should actually wear a raincoat… aren't you cold?"
Zade ran a hand through his damp hair, flashing her a playful wink. "There are too many cameras around. If I wear a raincoat, I'll look like a soaked potato.. But look at me now.....don't I look hot like this?"
Ashley's brows furrowed, her lips twisting into a mix of disbelief and shock. "Hot? You look like a wet cat, Zade."
he sighed and crossed her arms. "You'll end up with a fever at this rate, idiot. I'm sending Richard out here. Go change, have some hot tea, and then come back with a raincoat."
Zade tried to argue, but Ashley placed a hand on her hip, daring him to continue. Ashley's glare said, 'don't even think about it.'
He sighed, shoulders slumping as he muttered, "Alright, fine. But for the record… I still look good."
Ashley rolled her eyes, though a faint smile slipped out as she turned away. Behind her, the rain kept falling, the faint sound of it mixing with the distant hum of the worried crowd outside.
Meanwhile, the doctor came out after checking on Liana. Her mother rushed to him, her voice trembling, "How is my daughter?"
The doctor offered a reassuring smile. "She's fine now. But make sure she doesn't stress herself. She needs proper rest for a few days, and her medication should be taken on time."
Liana's mother let out a shaky breath of relief and nodded. Richard, who had been standing nearby, hesitated for a moment before asking, "And how are Ethilia and Char?"
The doctor turned to him. "They're fine too, but the problem is that all of them lost quite a bit of blood. We've already given them blood, and they're recovering well. Just make sure none of them overwork themselves or take on any stress."
Richard nodded, though beside him, Liana's mother's jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed slightly.
As the doctor walked away, Ashley came over, brows drawn together. "Umm… what did he say?"
Liana's mother shot Ashley a sharp look and brushed past her without saying a word, walking straight down the hall. Richard swallowed hard and met Ashley's questioning gaze.
Ashley stepped closer, lowering her voice. Richard quickly filled her in on what the doctor had said. Ashley bit her lip, a quiet hum leaving her throat. "Aunty seems not to like Ethilia at all."
Richard shrugged lightly. "Yeah, but her daughter does." He smirked, earning a quick slap on the arm from Ashley.
"Go get your raincoat and a cover for Zade," she ordered.
Richard frowned. "Why?"
Ashley narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms. "Because I said so. Go."
Richard sighed dramatically but obeyed, heading down the corridor as Ashley watched him with a faint, tired smile.
Ashley walked toward Liana's cabin, where the nurses had already shifted her. As she entered, Liana's mother sat in a chair beside the bed, holding Liana's hand tightly.
She glanced at Ashley before looking back at Liana. "The doctor said she's sleeping because of the medication."
Ashley nodded softly and settled onto the couch in the dimly lit room. Rain still poured outside, the sound steady and heavy. Every now and then, lightning split the sky, briefly lighting the room in a ghostly glow.
After a few minutes of sitting quietly, Ashley stood, about to step out, but paused. She turned back toward the bed.
"Ethilia…" Liana whispered, her voice barely audible as she started waking up.
Ashley froze, glancing toward Liana's mother, who stiffened at the sound of the name. Her eyes sharpened, and she glared at Ashley.
Ashley swallowed hard and stepped to the other side of the bed, leaning closer so she could hear clearly. Liana's mother released Liana's hand abruptly and left the room without a word.
Ashley pulled up a chair and sat beside the bed, holding Liana's hand gently. "Liana… can you hear me?"
Liana slowly opened her eyes, and her face showed clear discomfort. Ashley stood immediately. "I'll call the doctor."
But Liana's hand tightened around hers. "Where… is Ethilia?" she whispered.
Ashley offered a small, reassuring smile, squeezing her hand back. "Don't worry. She's in another cabin and perfectly fine."
A faint smile appeared on Liana's lips, but she didn't let go. "And Char?"
Ashley nodded. "She's fine too. Wait here, let me call the doctor, okay?"
Liana gave a weak nod, releasing Ashley's hand, and closed her eyes again. As Ashley stepped out, thunder roared loudly, and lightning lit the room. Liana opened her eyes and turned toward the window.
A single tear slid down her cheek. "Never thought Alex would do this… but… why?" she murmured softly. She closed her eyes again and drew in a slow breath.
Meanwhile, Ashley was walking back with the doctor when her comm buzzed. Richard's voice came through urgently, "Ashley, I think we've got a problem."