Chapter 226 Serial Conspiracy
When Athena arrived at the hospital, her heart pounded in her chest. The air around her felt thick with fear and helplessness as she heard the details of the car accident from the officers. Her hands trembled as she struggled to process the information.
“This was planned. Someone’s trying to kill her!” Athena’s voice shook with a mix of fear and fury, each word dripping with the weight of what she had just learned.
The officer nodded grimly. “The other car was stolen. It’s hard to trace, but we’ll do everything we can to track it down.”
“Thank you… for your hard work,” Athena whispered, feeling numb as the reality of the situation crashed over her. She collapsed into a chair, her eyes drawn to the bright emergency lights, praying for a miracle.
“God, please save Evie. Please let her pull through this. Let her be safe. I’ll do anything to give back, to make things right,” she muttered to herself, her heart racing.
Suddenly, she heard a familiar voice calling her name. “Athena!”
She blinked, wondering if she was imagining things. But when she looked up, George was already standing in front of her, his face tense with worry.
“George?” Athena gasped, her surprise evident. “What are you doing here?”
“I thought your friend asked me to come to Girard City to help you,” George explained, glancing at the emergency room door. “How’s your friend?”
“I didn’t!” Athena frowned, her confusion deepening. “George, if I needed you, I would’ve just called you myself. Why would I have someone else notify you?”
George looked taken aback, his brow furrowing. “Wait… was this some kind of prank?”
“When did you find out about Evie’s accident?” Athena pressed, trying to make sense of everything. Her mind was racing now. Evie was in critical condition, and now George had suddenly appeared in Girard City—was all of this connected?
“As soon as I got off the plane, I received a text message,” George replied, handing her his phone. The number was encrypted.
Athena’s stomach dropped. “George, you need to be more cautious. At least call me first before acting on something like this. I’m so scared right now.”
“I was terrified when I heard you were hospitalized,” George admitted, his voice thick with concern. “How could I sit by and do nothing?”
He noticed her hand instinctively moving to her abdomen, and his concern deepened. “What happened? I thought everything was fine after the last checkup?”
“I… I fell,” Athena replied quietly, trying to brush it off, but there was a tremor in her voice.
“Did you get hurt?” George’s gaze immediately scanned her for any signs of injury.
“No…” Athena shook her head, feeling a bit dumbfounded by his worry.
“That’s good,” George muttered, his usual teasing tone absent. “But you’ll need new shoes. I’ll get you some non-slip ones tomorrow. As your belly grows, it’s too risky to fall again.”
Athena’s heart was too heavy to laugh, but she appreciated his attempt at lightening the mood. Still, the unease gnawed at her.
“George, you should go back now,” she said, her voice trembling slightly. “I can handle it from here.”
But George shook his head firmly. “I’ll stay. I’m not letting you wait here alone.” His gaze softened as he met her eyes, filled with understanding. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Athena felt a lump in her throat. His presence, his quiet strength, made her feel less alone. She wiped her eyes and nodded silently, grateful but still consumed by worry for Evie.
“Have you eaten?” George asked after a moment, glancing at the clock. Athena hadn’t even noticed the time passing.
She looked at her phone—7:00 p.m. The hospital cafeteria was closed by now.
“I figured you hadn’t,” George continued. “I’ll get you something to eat.”
Before Athena could protest, George was already on his way out. She wasn’t hungry, but she appreciated his gesture.
Unbeknownst to George, however, someone was watching him closely from the shadows, tracking every movement.
When George returned with hot food, Athena forced herself to eat a few bites, though the food felt like ash in her mouth. Her mind was still focused entirely on Evie.
The hours dragged on.
The operation didn’t end until nearly half-past nine. When the lights in the emergency room finally flickered off, Athena’s breath caught in her throat. Her legs felt weak as she stood, straining to keep herself upright.
They wheeled Evie out, her face swollen beyond recognition from the injuries. Athena could barely identify her friend in that state, her heart breaking all over again.
Evie was immediately rushed to the ICU for observation.
“I spoke with the chief surgeon,” George said gently, his voice soft but full of relief. “All the blood in her brain has been cleared. She’ll be fine, as long as she wakes up within the next 24 hours.”
Athena nodded, her chest tightening with a mixture of hope and fear. She didn’t know how much more she could take.
George, always looking out for her, offered her a can of warm sweet milk. “Athena, you need rest. How about I find you a nearby hotel room? You can rest, and I’ll stay here and wait with you.”
Athena felt the exhaustion wash over her, but she couldn’t leave Evie. “I can’t…” she whispered.
“I’ll stay here,” George insisted, his voice calm and steady. “You don’t have to be alone.”
Athena finally nodded, her shoulders sagging with relief. For the first time since the accident, she allowed herself to lean into the comfort of someone who truly cared.