Chapter 1014: Chapter 1013
Realizing the grim possibility, Serena spat out another mouthful of blood, a mix of sorrow and fury overwhelming her until she slipped into unconsciousness.
The medical machines blared their alarming tones, and Martin, sensing the urgency, immediately pressed the call button.
Doctors and nurses rushed in once again, ushering him out.
Outside the hospital room, Martin, at his wit’s end, dialed the number of that enigmatic contact once more.
For two days and nights, the mysterious person hadn’t taken his calls. This time was no different; the call went unanswered.
Call after call, Martin’s efforts seemed in vain. Clearly, he had been discarded like a useless pawn.
Despair and helplessness washed over Martin as he covered his face with his hands, sobbing.
After what felt like an eternity, the medical team emerged, and with a heavy heart, one of them announced, "Mr. Cooper, you’ve got the last three hours to say your goodbyes to Serena."
"What did you say?" Martin stood up, tears brimming in his eyes.
"We’ve done all we can," the nurse said with regret. "Serena’s condition has taken a severe turn for the worse."
"Can’t you do anything else to save her?"
"Her illness is peculiar, complex. We’ve never seen anything like it in all our years," one doctor admitted, though it was clear to him that not even Ms. Rose could save Serena now.
Martin’s tears fell freely. He knew all too well that Rosemary was determined not to lend a hand.
"If Dr. Caden were still here, maybe he could’ve done something, but he left Hope Hospital a long time ago. We’ve only seen him once since then, at Ms. Rose’s homecoming party. Other than that, he’s been out of sight."
Finding him was like looking for a needle in a haystack.
And Serena couldn’t wait that long.
"We are truly sorry," the doctors and nurses said in unison, bowing to express their deepest apologies before leaving, helpless.
Martin pushed open the door to the hospital room and saw Serena on the bed, looking as fragile as a porcelain doll, her complexion pale and weak, eyes closed as if she might slip away at any moment.
The shallow peaks and valleys on the medical monitor indicated her breathing was barely there.
"She brought this on herself," came the cold voice of Diana from the doorway.
Rolling her eyes, Diana walked into the adjacent room.
Martin sat by the bedside, holding Serena’s hand, his tears falling unrestrained.
After a moment, Serena’s fingers twitched, and her eyelids slowly opened.
She parted her lips, as if struggling to speak.
Martin rushed to the railing, "Serena, what are you trying to say?"
"Martin." Serena’s breath was faint, as if summoning her last bit of life, she struggled to utter, "I don’t want to die."
Tears welled up in Martin’s eyes once again.
"I haven’t gotten engaged to you, haven’t started a family with you. I really don’t want to die."
After murmuring those words and shedding tears, Serena slipped back into unconsciousness.
Martin’s tears, once more, became uncontrollable, like a dam breaking under the force of a flood.
After composing himself, Martin dialed the mysterious caller again, persistently ringing through without a response, refusing to waste a single second.
After countless attempts, the call was finally answered.
"Don’t hang up!" Martin pleaded urgently, "I’ll do anything you ask, just save her."
"How can I trust you again? Besides, I have many pawns in my game; your absence wouldn’t be the end of the world."
"As you’ve said, no one else can save her but you. I’m still waiting for the final antidote. so in the meantime, I’ll do whatever you command! I won’t ignore your orders. You might find someone else, but they might not be as capable as me, and they might not have the right motivation to take on the Collins family."
Because Serena was his girlfriend, and Rosemary refused to save Serena, Martin, in a fit of rage, had someone take out Rosemary. This reason could keep the mysterious person out of the picture and direct the Collins family’s vengeful fury solely at Martin, clearing the mysterious figure.
That was why the mysterious caller wanted him to strike at Rosemary.
"Come to the terrace on this floor." The voice on the phone seemed to relent.
Martin immediately left the hospital room balcony and dashed towards the terrace on that floor.
Dora, curious, peeked out from the doorway and was shocked to see her boss kneeling on the terrace.
She had no idea who he was on the phone with, could it be Ms. Rose?
To save Serena, her boss, a man of such stature, was actually kneeling in public to someone on the phone.
Dora was taken aback by the depth of Martin’s love for Serena.
Such love was truly staggering.
"Kneel for two hours, and I’ll give you the antidote," the voice on the phone ended the call abruptly.
Martin knelt there on the terrace, knowing he had to let the mysterious caller have their way, or else the antidote would not be handed over.
That was all she could do.
She had to preserve the Cooper family’s dignity.
The Cooper family’s honor was at stake.
Diana, hearing the nurse’s instructions through the wall-mounted communication system, was puzzled.
What was happening?
For heaven’s sake, why were the families being told not to leave their rooms?
She was utterly bewildered and fuming with rage as she stormed over to confront him. "What the hell are you doing? Praying to the Almighty to save that wench? Do you even realize who we are? The
Coopers are a name to be reckoned with, and here you are, the heir Grandpa trusted the most,kneeling like. What if someone from downstairs sees you? Get up this instant!"
"Leave it, Diana," Martin said, his posture unyielding as he knelt there, his dignity and pride cast aside for a greater cause - a life-saving antidote.
"Why should I leave it be? You’re kneeling there, tarnishing the Cooper name! Do you hear me? Get up—" Diana tried to pull him to his feet when persuasion failed.
But Martin shook off her hands. "Stop it, just go inside. I’ll leave on my own in two hours."
"Two hours? Why the hell are you kneeling here for two hours? Who told you to do this?" Diana couldn’t make heads or tails of it but had a gut feeling it involved Serena.
"Did that wench argue with you, and after losing, she made you kneel? You won’t get up, huh? I’ll deal with her myself!" Diana was about to storm off.
"Diana!" Martin had no choice but to grab her arm. "This has nothing to do with her. Just go inside. I can’t say more."
Diana realized that someone had threatened her brother, that someone dared to mess with a Cooper.
They were no pushovers to be trifled with.
If not Serena, then who?
Rosemary?
No, Rosemary seemed too upright and honorable. So who else could it be?
"You want me to go inside? Fine, but you have to tell me why you’re kneeling. Just give me a reason, and I’ll leave you to it."
Finally, Martin relented, "I’m doing this to save her. I can’t just stand by and watch her die!"
"You’re doing this to save her? And this is going to work?"
"Yes."
Diana couldn’t believe her brother would throw away his dignity, his reputation, and even the family’s honor just to save that girl.
Angry and baffled, she eventually turned her back and walked away. Out of sight, out of mind.
Two hours later, a mysterious call directed Martin to a fire hose cabinet in the stairwell, where the antidote awaited.
After administering the antidote to Serena, she was finally out of danger.
A few days later.
The news of Attlee and Olga’s execution topped the trending searches.
[These two were monstrous, harming their own family for money. If Rosemary hadn’t come forward with evidence, they’d still be at large.]
[Justice has been served at last. Grannie Grace can rest in peace now.]
[Good and evil will be repaid in the end. I’ve always believed it’s not a matter of if, but when. And now,their time has come.]