Chapter 292

Beneath the towering structure, fire trucks were lined up in a long procession, their bright lights piercing the night. Rumors swirled that many hadn’t made it out; the cries and wails of despair continued unabated as the building became a veritable inferno. It was all because of one woman’s jealousy.

The area was swarming with reporters, adding to the chaos.

Max got into the car, his breath visible in the cool night air. Patrick wanted to press for details about the night’s events, but he turned at the sound of Max’s voice.

“How’s Brielle doing?” Max asked as his brows knitted with concern. “I want to see the Haywood family bankrupt in tomorrow’s headlines,” he said, as if resolving a difficult decision. This would pave the way for her, and then they would be square.

He looked down, his eyelashes casting a shadow on his cheeks. “Don’t tell her,” he added quietly.

Patrick’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as he hastily dialed the hospital to check in. After getting the update, he glanced in the rearview mirror. “Ms. Brielle took her medication and is resting. All’s quiet on that front.”

“Good,” Max responded. His tone sounded detached as the city lights flickered across his face. What he was thinking remained a mystery, but his silence was palpable.

Patrick was worried but didn’t dare probe further.

Meanwhile, in the hospital ward, Brielle was writhing in the grip of a high fever, sapped of all strength.

When she awoke with a start the next day, she overheard nurses changing dressings. and gossiping about the fire from the night before.

“Three people perished in the blaze. Looks like arson. Some folks have just got evil in their hearts.”

“Did they catch who did it?”

“No, but the cameras caught a woman. Her motives are unclear; the fire wasn’t at her place but seemed aimed at the owner of that apartment.”

The nurses were engrossed in their conversation.

Brielle felt a sour sting in her eyes; she was disinterested in the fire. When one’s spirit was so low, dreams of all sorts came visiting.

In recent days, she had dreamt of Max. Last night, she had dreamt of Julian waking with swollen eyes from crying. Gasping for air, she felt drowsy and disoriented.

The nurses brought her a meal, which she didn’t touch.

Mustering her strength, she asked about Julian’s remains.

“Ms. Brielle, Julian’s body was claimed early this morning, probably by his kin,” one nurse informed her.

Brielle’s heart skipped a beat, and her lips pressed tightly together. Julian was gone, and while it was protocol to have his body rest in the morgue before cremation arrangements by the family, why would the Haywood family take his body? What were they planning?

She slumped back onto the bed, eyes welling up again.

Reflecting on the Haywoods‘ attitude towards Julian, her disdain was unstoppable. Were they expecting her to reach out? She was curious to see what game they were playing.

As she reached for her phone to contact Robert, she realized it wasn’t in its usual spot. After searching around the pillow, she found it still missing. She addressed the nurses. “Have you seen my phone? I left it right here before I slept.”

“No, haven’t seen it. There was someone here on constant watch last night. Maybe think about whether you placed it somewhere else.”

But Brielle was certain of where she’d left her phone. If someone had been on watch, how could it vanish into thin air? Definitely, someone had been in her room.

She glanced at the corridor’s surveillance camera. “Could you check last night’s footage?! need to know if anyone came to see me.”

Could it have been Max? But why would Max take her phone? A nagging unease settled in her heart, a feeling of having barely escaped the reaper’s grasp.

The on–call doctor entered, recalling a woman who had appeared somewhat surreptitious in the ward.

“Someone did come by last night. It was odd; she gave off a sneaky vibe. I asked the attending physician, and they said she was your sister, but she didn’t speak, just stood there. and then left.”

Brielle’s heart pounded faster, the unease growing. “Okay, can you help me access the footage? I want to see who she was.”

The nurse quickly contacted the security staff.

As Brielle waited in her room, the footage was swiftly brought to her. The sight of a woman, wrapped tightly in disguise, entering Brielle’s room, made her furrow her brow in anger. There was something familiar about this woman’s figure.

The footage was from the corridor’s cameras; there were no cameras in Brielle’s room, so she could only see the woman entering and leaving her room.

The sight of the woman’s bandaged hand caught her eye. Brielle’s pupils shrank in recognition–Lillian.

Wasn’t Lillian supposed to be at the police station? How did she end up in Brielle’s room?

Brielle touched her neck, feeling a surge of relief at having survived. Had it not been for the nurses, the delirious and feverish Brielle might not have been so fortunate.

Her phone must have been taken by Lillian. But why? What would Lillian want with her phone?