Andrew and Owen exchanged glances. Nothing made sense.
Igor hadn’t arrived in the city yet. If he was anywhere near the city, they would have received the news.
"Maybe Igor asked him to do it," Daniel said. It was the only reasonable explanation given what had happened.
"Igor really has nerves sending his man to kill our mber in our city," Owen scoffed. "I think it’s ti to show that man who the real boss is."
All of them couldn’t help but agree but everything cos with its own consequences. Acting recklessly could result in more damage.
"Whatever we do, we have to be careful," Andrew said firmly, "We can’t afford to act out of rage. That is exactly what Igor wants — chaos."
Owen leaned back in the chair. "You think this is just a warning?"
Andrew nodded slowly. "If its really him then this is a ssage," he added. "He is letting us know he is watching but he made a mistake—he touched one of ours."
The silence that followed was thick with unspoken rage.
"We will let him think he succeeded," Daniel said after a mont. "If he believes Snoopy is dead, it will buy us ti."
Andrew’s gaze flickered toward the door. "Exactly. No one outside this room knows Joshua is alive. I will handle the rest when he wakes up."
"Do you think he will talk?" Owen asked. He was still not very confident about Joshua’s loyalty towards them.
"He will," Andrew replied. "Joshua isn’t the kind of man to stay quiet when his life is at stake."
Just then Ben received a call and he stepped outside.
After a minute or two, he ca back with the phone in his hand.
"It was one of Max’s assistant doctors," Ben continued, "Joshua regained consciousness for a minute. He was mumbling sothing about Katherine and Samuel."
Andrew and Daniel exchanged a aningful look.
Then Andrew rose imdiately. "Did he say if he will be okay?"
"He has lost too much blood but they are trying."
.....
[An hour later]
Rachael sat on the edge of the bed with her hands resting on Joshua’s cold ones. The steady beep of the monitor was the only sound in the room.
"Why didn’t you tell ?" she whispered, brushing the hair from his forehead. "Why didn’t you tell who you really were?"
Andrew entered quietly. His expression softened when he saw her. "He is safe now," he said gently.
Rachael looked up. "Safe? Soone shot him, Andrew. That’s not safe," she said in between her sobs.
Andrew hesitated. He couldn’t tell her everything. "I know," he said after a pause. "But I promise, no one will touch him again."
She turned away, unable to hide the tremor in her voice. "It feels like everyone around is hiding sothing."
Andrew stepped closer, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Sotis the truth does more harm than lies, Rach."
Her eyes t his. "Then I guess I have been living in the dark all along."
Andrew didn’t respond. He just stood there, watching the woman he loved realize that her world was far more dangerous than she had ever imagined.
After a minute of silence, Rachael asked, "Will he be okay?"
Max, who had just entered the room, answered. "He lost a lot of blood, but he will wake up. He is strong."
Rachael exhaled in relief. "Thank you, Max."
"Don’t thank yet," he sighed, checking Joshua’s vitals. "The next twenty-four hours are critical. If there is internal bleeding or infection, we will have to move him to a more secure facility."
Andrew frowned. "Secure facility?"
Max looked up from his notes. "If whoever shot him wanted him dead, they might try again once they realize he is alive. I think you should increase the guards and restrict access to this room for a few days."
Andrew nodded in agreent. "I will do that."
Rachael glanced between the two n, confusssed. "What are you both talking about? Who would want to hurt him?"
"Rach—" Andrew tried to explain but she shook her head.
"No, Andrew. You keep saying you will tell later but you later never cos. He my cousin. I have every right to know who did this to him." Her voice broke halfway through the sentence but she didn’t care.
Andrew didn’t respond imdiately. He took a deep breath then stepped closer. "I promise you, I will explain everything. Just not tonight."
Max cleared his throat lightly, sensing the tension. "He is stable for now but I will stay the night, just in case. Try to rest, Mrs. Collins."
Rachael nodded faintly but didn’t move. Her gaze stayed fixed on Joshua. Hiss face looked so pale and his body so fragile that it broke her heart.
As Max quietly left the room, Andrew lingered behind her. He also felt bad for keeping Rachael in the dark but Joshua’s story of how he had turned ’Snoppy’ several years ago, wasn’t his to tell.
He believed it would be better if she heard the details from Joshua whenever he wakes up.
....
After accompanying Rachael for a while, he sohow managed to coax her into taking so rest. He dropped her in their room before walking towards his study.
On the way, he couldn’t stop thinking about the two nas Ben had ntioned earlier.
Katherine and Samuel.
Why did Joshua specifically ntion their nas? Was he trying to tell them sothing? Or maybe warn them?
As he descended the dimly lit hallway, he furrowed his brows.
Samuel had been loyal since they ford the alliance or at least appeared to be. He had risked his own blood to side with them against Igor but then again, betrayal always ca from the ones who stood closest. No one better than Andrew understood that.
Or could it be Katherine?
He rembered Joshua dropping by his office asking about Katherine. He looked a little disturbed and his questions were a little too specific.
At the ti, Andrew had not paid much attention, assuming Joshua’s concern ca from affection and not suspicion but now, thinking back to the way Joshua’s expression had hardened when her na was ntioned, it didn’t feel like simple worry.
A faint chill ran down his spine.
If Katherine was involved, it ant Igor was already two steps ahead. That thought alone made his stomach twist. He hated being cornered in his own ga.
He clenched his fists.
If Joshua had uncovered sothing dangerous enough to get him shot then he needed to find answers before Igor made his next move.
.....
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