Chapter 2788

“Let’s head inside,” Patricia said, not giving away much about Charlie.

She had not brought Charlie here to drink, and she was not here for that either.

As the group went in, Lulu hung back and looked across the street.

She could not spot Ellar’s car, which made her worry. ‘Will Ellar show up? Can he even find this place?’

“Lulu, hurry up!” June called out.

“I’m on my way,” Lulu replied and headed inside, completely oblivious to the van that had just pulled up at the curb.

As the night progressed, Nicole and Jared were getting ready for bed when the phone suddenly rang.

Such an unexpected call during such a late hour made Nicole frown as she picked it up.

“Ms. Riddle? Ellar has been injured.” Patricia’s voice came through, sounding grave.

“What’s going on?” Nicole asked, her voice low and her gaze sharp.

“We were attacked at the bar. Ellar got hurt while he was trying to protect me.”

Patricia explained, her voice filled with worry and guilt.

Upon hearing that, Nicole tensed up. “Where is he now?”

“At the hospital,” Patricia replied.

“I’m heading over now.”

After Nicole had hung up, she scrambled, preparing to rush out of the house.

Jared, who had overheard the conversation, also got up.

“I’ll go with you,” he said, quickly getting dressed.

Then, he gently took Nicole’s hand, and they hurried off together.

“Don’t be too worried. It might not be as bad as it seems,” Jared explained in the car, attempting to calm her nerves.

He figured that if Ellar’s condition was really severe, Patricia would have shared more details.

“Okay.” Nicole agreed, though she still had a look of worry on her.

When they got to the hospital, they saw Max, who had arrived after he had heard the news. “Mr. and Mrs. Johnston?

n “What’s the situation?” Jared asked Max.

“We have our men on the case,” Max replied.

“Okay.” Jared, holding Nicole’s hand, led her into the hospital, with Max following them from behind.

Outside the emergency room, the atmosphere was tense, with June, Samuel, Spencer, Lulu, Charlie, and Patricia all waiting anxiously.

As Nicole approached them, Lulu immediately came up to her, looking deeply upset. Nicole, I really regret suggesting we go drinking. If I hadn’t, perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.”

“It’s not on you.” Patricia quickly comforted her upon seeing that Lulu was beating herself up over events that none of them could have foreseen. “Even if we hadn’t gone drinking, something else might have occurred.”

She then turned to Jared and Nicole with respect. “Mr. Johnston, Ms. Riddle.”

Nicole, sensing that Patricia might have more information, asked, “What exactly happened? Tell us everything.”

“I noticed someone following us from the moment we entered the restaurant. I wasn’t sure who they were after, so I discreetly messaged Charlie, telling him to be on alert outside,” Patricia explained.

“After you’ve left the place with Mr. Johnston, those people stuck around. They didn’t react even after our secretaries had all left, which made me think the target was probably…” she paused, looking at Samuel, Spencer, and the others, thus hinting that they might be the intended targets.

And that was why she had agreed to Lulu’s suggestion to hit the bar and asked Charlie to come along.

“But why Ellar? Why would they target him?” Samuel interrupted, puzzled.

“Ellar was supposed to be protected,” Patricia replied, her eyes narrowing. “Our assailants probably knew this and therefore, they switched their target.”