Chapter 449

Sunlight streamed through the hospital curtains as Evelyn Laurent sat by Ethan Sullivan's bedside, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her shirt.

Vincent Sullivan's meaningful glance before leaving had made her heart skip a beat.

"Ding—"

Her phone chimed.

She looked down at the bank notification displaying a staggering sum that made her dizzy.

"Uncle Sullivan really..." she muttered under her breath, shoving the phone back into her pocket.

Ethan lay pale as parchment on the bed, his thick lashes casting shadows beneath his eyes.

Victoria Langley gently patted her daughter's shoulder. "Evelyn, why don't you go home and rest?"

"No." Evelyn shook her head without taking her eyes off Ethan. "I'll wait until he wakes up."

Nathaniel Langley adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses after checking the monitors. "The bullet grazed his heart. Lucky bastard."

Evelyn's fists clenched.

"Fourth brother!" Her voice trembled. "Must you phrase it like that?"

Nathaniel raised an eyebrow, but Richard Langley's phone vibrated before he could respond.

Richard frowned at the caller ID. "The Quincys."

In the hallway, Reginald Quincy's roar erupted from the phone the moment Richard answered. "Richard Langley! Where the hell is my daughter?"

Richard's laugh was cold. "What nonsense is this, Reginald? Didn't Bianca return with your people?"

"Bullshit!" Reginald spat. "Surveillance shows Bianca was last seen with Evelyn!"

"Oh?" Richard leisurely adjusted his cufflinks. "Then you should file a police report instead of shouting at me."

The sound of shattering glass came through the line.

"Don't think the Sullivans can protect you forever!" Reginald hissed. "If I don't see Bianca in twenty-four hours—"

"Reginald," Richard's voice turned glacial. "Choose your next words carefully."

He hung up and turned to find Victoria watching him with concern. "The Quincys?"

"Just pathetic clowns." Richard wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulders. "Let's give Evelyn and Ethan some privacy."

The moment the door clicked shut, Evelyn's shoulders slumped.

She reached out, barely brushing Ethan's ice-cold fingertips. The contact made her eyes burn.

"Idiot..." she whispered. "Who asked you to take a bullet for me?"

Outside the window, the setting sun stretched their shadows long across the floor.