"No!"
Screams filled the canteen as several n jumped forward to tackle Charles Montgory to the floor. When he dropped the pistol, the people nearby kicked it out of the way while making sure he was unable to worm out and reach for the weapon.
However, that was still too late. Blood pooled on the floor, staining the tiles red. Only... the bullet didn’t make it to Benjamin Hawthorne.
"Catherine!" Benjamin yelled as the woman in his arms turned limp. Red blood across her shirt, dripping to the ground.
Chaos imdiately erupted as several doctors and nurses rushed forward and surrounded them. In the distance, the sound of police sirens could be heard. And among the ruckus was Charles Montgory’s hysterical laughter.
***
"He’s what?" Aiden asked in shock. His arms were originally folded across his chest, but after hearing the news, they dropped back down to his sides.
"Did you turn deaf in the last few hours? I didn’t realize Emline had the energy to yap your ears off after everything that had happened," Matteo said with a scowl.
"Arrested," Matteo clarified, "Our dear father has been arrested for attempted murder. Your mother is in one of the wards. She was the one he tried to kill, though the witnesses claim he was aiming for Benjamin Hawthorne instead. She jumped forward and shielded him."
"Shit," Aiden cursed, running his hand through his hair. He reached for his jacket, ready to run out, but was stopped by Matteo.
"I dropped by," Matteo said. "She’s currently out of danger. But she’s still unconscious. They’re not allowing visitors for now so there’s no point heading over." His lips were pursed and he hesitated for a second before he added, "Benjamin Hawthorne is with her."
"I am her son!" Aiden exclaid. "They’re allowing her boyfriend to keep her company, but not her own flesh and blood?!"
"Do you want to confront Benjamin Hawthorne now?" Matteo asked.
Aiden imdiately grimaced at the thought. Benjamin Hawthorne, Aiden’s soon-to-be stepfather. That was, if his mother recovered and decided to marry him after his inevitable divorce with Annalise.
"Fine," Aiden croaked.
He looked at the hospital ward Emline was in. Last he checked, she was asleep― and finally so. She had been going on and on about how handso he was and how much she wanted to marry him, and the irony of it all was enough for Aiden’s balls to shrivel up into dried prunes.
"Where’s Alia?" he asked softly, so much so that Matteo almost missed it.
"Ho," Matteo said. "Safe."
"She’s still angry at , isn’t she?"
"Should she not be?" Matteo retorted with a raised eyebrow. "When Horace Hawthorne learns of this, it’s going to be your fault too, you realize that, right?"
If Aiden hadn’t co up with this stupid idea, then Catherine would’ve never been found out as Emline’s possible mother. If Catherine had never been found out, Benjamin and Annalise Hawthorne would’ve still been trapped in their farce of a marriage. They were unhappy, but at least the family was whole.
And frankly, that was all Horace Hawthorne cared about when it ca to his son and daughter-in-law.
"Arguably, this is Emline’s own undoing," Aiden grumbled under his breath.
Matteo was going to say more, but a crash that sounded from the room quickly drew both n’s attention. They looked at the door before sharing a glance, and Aiden made his way back into the room. Matteo trailed a little slower behind, peering in from the entrance but making no move to enter at first.
There was a glass and a small puddle of water on the ground, and Emline was peering over from the edge of her bed. When she heard the door open, her eyes landed on Aiden and she automatically scowled.
Internally, Aiden cheered. At least she woke up from her crazy drug-induced crush.
"What are you doing here?" Emline glowered.
Then, she noticed Matteo by the door, and her eyes imdiately widened. A faint blush crept on her cheeks as she adjusted herself, wincing when she exerted a little too much force.
"Matteo," she said breathily. "I―"
Matteo ignored her entirely. Instead, he looked at Aiden and said, "You should let her know." Finally, he cast a fleeting glance at Emline before looking at Aiden again. "She has the right to."
Then, he turned on his heel and left, the door closing behind him as he departed from the hospital.
That left Emline and Aiden alone in the room. Awkwardness quickly sank in.
Emline was the first to break the silence. She cleared her throat and turned her nose up at Aiden.
"Where’s my mother?" she asked, causing Aiden to scoff and roll his eyes. "I don’t want you here. Leave."
"And you think I want to be here?" Aiden asked, appalled. "To think I am doing this out of the kindness of my heart― if I’m not here, no one is going to take care of you, you pampered brat!"
"What nonsense are you spouting?" Emline scowled. "My mother would be here. Where is she? Get her here!"
"Which mother are you talking about?" Aiden asked.
"What?" Emline asked, reeling back a little. "My mom, dumbass. I only have one mother, don’t I? How stupid can you be?"
"Oh boy," Aiden said with a cold, mirthless chuckle. "Do I have news to tell you!"
He rubbed his hands together and instantly, Emline didn’t have a good feeling about this. She inched a little further back in her bed and she touched her stomach.
Aiden caught her actions and said, "Oh, don’t worry, the procedure was a success. Congratulations, you’re not going to be a mother."
Emline visibly relaxed. "Then what?" She rolled her eyes.
"Annalise Hawthorne is currently in the ward three doors down from you," Aiden said a little too gleefully.
"What?!" Emline bolted up straight. "What happened? Is she alright―"
"Oh, don’t worry about her," Aiden said, waving the matter off. "The doctors said she would be fine. As for what happened, she was sent there by our dearest mother, who got shot by my father. She’s in the ward right next to Annalise, apparently, and your father is currently with her."
"’Our’ dearest mother?" Emline echoed, confused. "Shot?!"
"You should be happier that your procedure was a success," Aiden said. "Because, dear little sister, we would otherwise have a huge fucking problem."
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