Chapter 221
At noon, the conversation around the dining table turned to hunting when Patrick made the suggestion to the group.
The Lopez family, as always, preferred the thrill of walking the tightrope.
But Susannah’s husband had a different passion–he was obsessed with falconry. The Lopez estate even kept a host of raptors for his favorite sport.
Blanche wanted nothing to do with the forest, nor did she have any stomach for bloodsport, so she opted out.
Ablett, on the other hand, had no such escape.
“Your grandfather taught you to shoot, Ablett. In just a few days, you’ll be leaving, and you’ll miss his memorial. Before you go, you should show us your skill–bring back a trophy for your grandfather,” Patrick said, his words striking a chord with Wilhelmina Lopez, who grew visibly emotional.
Seeing his mother’s distress, Ablett said nothing more and followed the hunting party into the woods.
Blanche stayed behind at the house. From her window, she could hear the distant whinnies of horses and the shouts of excitement echoing from the forest, startled birds flapping skyward in alarm.
Time slipped by, indistinct and slow, when suddenly a piercing scream ripped through the woods.
Blanche stepped outside just in time to see a group of maids dashing down the corridor in a panic.
“Something terrible’s happened! The young master’s been shot!”
In an instant, all color drained from Blanche’s face. Her legs felt foreign, numb beneath her, yet she found herself swept along with the maids, running headlong
toward the woods.
The scene was chaos–people shouting, Wilhelmina sobbing uncontrollably.
“Get the helicopter over here! Hurry, get him to the hospital!” someone yelled.
Blanche was carried by the tide of bodies to the site of the accident. Blood stained the ground in shocking pools, and the person lying motionless on the earth was surrounded by a frantic crowd. What little she could see of their white shirt was splattered with red.
09:54
Chapter 221
Her mind went blank, unable to process the scene, but her feet carried her forward anyway. She pushed through the ring of people, tears prickling in her eyes, her volce a thin whisper. “Ab-”
She finally saw who was hurt, her lashes trembling as tears spilled down her cheeks. Her heart, which had stopped for a moment, began to beat again–though confusion still flooded her face. “Miss Harvey?”
She instinctively looked for Ablett, and there he was, covered in blood, walking
toward her.
The secretaries fussed over him, dabbing at the blood on his clothes with handkerchiefs.
“Leda took the arrow for me,” Ablett said quietly, explaining what had happened. “Did it scare you?”
Blanche, still dazed, shook her head, her face as pale as chalk.
“Ablett…” Leda called out weakly.
Ablett tore his gaze away from Blanche and knelt beside Leda to check her wound. “It didn’t hit anything vital. The helicopter will be here soon to take you to the hospital.”
“Please, don’t leave me. Promise me you’ll stay,” Leda pleaded, clinging to his hand, desperate to win even a scrap of his affection, his regret. No matter how much pain wracked her body, she would not let go of this chance.
“I’m so scared,” she whispered.
Ablett gently supported her back, his expression unreadable. He didn’t answer, but turned to the staff beside him. “Once the helicopter arrives, I’ll go with Miss Harvey to the hospital. Make sure some of you stay to escort Laney and my parents back to the McCarthy estate.”
“Yes, sir,” the male secretary replied at once, moving quickly to coordinate.
Ablett’s attention remained fixed on Leda, not sparing Blanche so much as a glance.
Minutes later, he and Leda were lifted into the waiting helicopter.
Blanche stood rooted to the spot. Only then did she realize she was barefoot–she’d bolted out of the house without shoes, sprinting across fallen branches that had scraped her feet raw.
Perhaps that was why her feet felt so cold and sore.
“Miss Griffiths!” The male secretary jogged over, breathless, handing her a pair of shoes. “Director–General said you must see the doctor.”
Other helicopters were already waiting by the shore for the rest of the party.
Blanche glanced out at the distant sky, then slipped on the shoes and walked back to the house.
The doctor was waiting for her. He cleaned her scrapes, applied ointment, and bandaged her feet, sternly warning her to keep the wounds dry.
Blanche looked down at her bloodstained canvas shoes, her emotions tangled and
strange.
The intended target was Ablett. Even if this was an accident, someone would be held responsible–they’d get to the bottom of it.
The Lopez family offered their deepest apologies and promised full cooperation.
Some of the security team stayed behind to investigate, while the rest escorted the guests away for their safety.
After packing her things, Blanche heard a knock on her door.
She assumed it was Caleb and went to answer, but instead found Eddy’s tall, imposing figure.
Before she could react, he pulled her into a tight embrace. But instead of leading her out, he carried her straight to the rooftop, where a helicopter was waiting.
Wind whipped around them; the ocean stretched out below, leaving Blanche with nowhere to run.
Seeing the distress in her face, Eddy finally let her go.
Without hesitation, Blanche shoved him away, spun, and dove into the sea. With a splash, the water swallowed her whole.
Eddy lunged after her with a shout, his eyes wild with panic. Watching her slip through his fingers, the finality of her choice hit him with brutal force.
But he wasn’t about to give up. With a furious yell, Eddy jumped in after her, screaming into the wind, “Come back to me-!”
