Chapter 1033: Chapter 1032
"The nurse said my mother won’t last two hours. Can you make it here in two hours?" Martin pleaded earnestly.
"Serena’s phone, for two lives. Think it over and let me know," Rosemary said, laying down her terms before abruptly ending the call.
Martin was stunned, never expecting the phone to be what Rosemary wanted.
But then again, why should she help him for nothing.
Aside from the phone, he had nothing else to offer that could possibly tempt her.
After much contemplation, Martin was about to approach Serena when his phone rang with a call from the enigmatic figure.
"Why haven’t you dealt with the girl yet? You promised me action," the voice on the other end demanded angrily.
"I need more time. My mother and sister’s lives are at stake. They depend on her," Martin tried to pacify the caller.
"There’s no more time! I want to hear she’s been taken care of by midnight tomorrow, or I’ll come for your family myself!"
"Hello? Hello?" Martin was fuming but couldn’t afford to burn bridges just yet, especially since he had no intention of harming Rosemary, hoping to stall for even a split second longer.
Just then, Serena rolled out in her wheelchair to find him. Martin quickly crouched before her, speaking in a tone of negotiation, "Serena, there’s a way we can save mom and sis. Would you be willing to
help?"
Serena, sensing the desperate tone in his voice and his expression, had an ominous feeling but still asked with feigned sincerity and asked, "What’s the plan?"
"Rosemary wants your phone, in exchange for their lives."
His words made Serena’s smile freeze. Holding back her anger, she managed a smile and asked,
"How does she know about the phone? Did you tell her?"
Seeing Martin stay silent, Serena grew anxious. "Martin, that was our secret. How could you share it with an outsider?"
"With the situation so dire, if we give her the phone, we could save mom and sis. Please?" Martin implored.
Serena’s demeanor shifted, "That was the last thing my dad left me. Why should I hand it over?"
"The guilty have their debts; she’s after the mastermind of the hospital fire. Dad’s gone; she won’t go after you."
"Martin, I can’t." Serena maneuvered her wheelchair to leave, "I won’t hand over the phone, no matter what. Anything else, I’d consider."
"Serena." Martin quickly held onto the wheelchair, stopping her from leaving, "Our mom and sister are lying in there."
"So am I not family to you? Do you disregard my feelings just because I don’t share the Cooper blood?
In a crisis, you choose them over me?"
"I never had to do things I didn’t want to before. What’s changed now?" Serena looked up at Martin, her eyes brimming with heartache. She hadn’t expected to see his true colors at such a critical moment.
"Serena, this is about my mom and my sister’s lives. Please, I’m begging you." Martin suddenly dropped to his knees in front of Serena’s wheelchair, grasping her hands earnestly as he pleaded.
Serena felt both hurt and furious. "That cellphone was the last thing my dad gave me before he passed away. You’re essentially asking me to trade my father’s life for your mom and sister’s lives. How can you be so heartless, so cruel?"
Just then, a young nurse hurried over, clutching a critical condition notice, urging Martin to sign it.
Martin was out of options. He knelt on the ground, dignity abandoned, begging Serena desperately.
But Serena shrugged off his hands, pressing a button on her wheelchair’s armrest to wheel away.
The young nurse watching the scene felt a pang of sympathy, and even Dora and June, standing not too far off, couldn’t believe how cold Serena could be.
After all, Martin had sacrificed so much to save Serena.
Now, all he wanted was the cellphone which could potentially save two lives.
Although they didn’t know the secrets hidden within that phone, Serena’s actions were undoubtedly breaking Martinr’s heart.
Martin stood up, looking utterly defeated, and glanced at the notice in the nurse’s hand.
"Can I have a little more time?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
Perhaps moved by Martin’s plight, or maybe because she thought he still had a chance, the nurse nodded without pushing him further to sign.
At that moment, Fitch approached with an autopsy report in hand.
"I got permission from the truck driver’s family to conduct an autopsy by a professional. This is the authoritative report. They found undigested medication in the driver’s stomach, a drug that is different from sleeping pills but has a much stronger effect. It induces sleep, hallucinations, and makes one sleep deeply and soundly."
Fitch shoved the report into Martin’s hands. "This proves that the accident was no coincidence – it was orchestrated!"
"Fitch, I’m really busy now. I don’t have time for this." Martin, frantic and feeling helpless, dialed Rosemary’s number, telling Fitch, "I need to speak with Rosemary. My mother’s condition is critical. We can talk about the driver’s case later."
Fitch stepped aside, waiting quietly.
"No." Martin said, a mix of helplessness and sorrow in his voice. "She won’t give it up."
He had never asked her for anything before, and the one time he did need her help, she refused.
Martin was dumbstruck, unable to comprehend why Rosemary would do something like this. Why was she so intent on exposing Serena’s true colors?
"I caught someone," Rosemary paused before continuing, "He confessed that it was he who pushed Florence down the stairs, and he orchestrated the car accident as well."
"What are you saying?" Martin’s grip on his phone faltered, his whole world seemed to implode at the revelation.
He had thought that his mother’s supposed suicide was a result of his stubborn decision to get engaged to Serena. It never crossed his mind that Serena could have orchestrated such a vicious act.
And his sister’s car accident. He had always thought it was just a tragic mishap, especially since the traffic cameras had caught Jennifer’s truck driver dozing off, leading to the crash.
But Fitch had just revealed that the driver had been drugged, indicating that the accident was premeditated. Given Rosemary’s straightforward nature, she had no reason to lie to him. She must have concrete evidence to make such claims.
But why would Serena do such things? There was no deep-seated hatred between her and Martin’s mother or sister. If there was any, it was only because his family didn’t support their union. Was that enough for her to harbor such resentment and resort to murder?
"It gets worse. Serena also hired a hitman to kill me, thinking she could use Yolanda to do her dirty work. But she didn’t anticipate that her accomplice would spill everything," Rosemary stated, her voice calm. "What floor is Florence on?"
"The sixteenth." Martin was still reeling from the shock, struggling to process everything.
Soon enough, Rosemary arrived on the sixteenth floor.
"Rosemary." Martin hadn’t expected her to arrive so quickly. A mix of gratitude and guilt washed over him. She could have easily turned a blind eye, but she didn’t!
Just then, the doctor issued another critical condition notice, and the young nurse reluctantly approached Martin with the form to sign.
As she rushed over, she caught sight of Rosemary and exclaimed with joy, "Ms. Rose?"
Mr. Cooper managed to bring in the big guns?
With her here, it seemed the form didn’t need signing after all...
"How is Florence doing?" Rosemary asked as she followed the nurse towards the operating room.
The nurse shared all the information she had and led Rosemary to get changed into a sterile surgical gown.
As Martin watched Rosemary’s retreating figure enter the OR, not only did a weight lift from his shoulders, but Fitch also let out a sigh of relief.
As long as Rosemary was here, there was no one she couldn’t save!
Meanwhile, Serena, seated in a wheelchair, came out of the room and she decided to return to the estate.
Firstly, she didn’t want to stay and give Martin any chance to plead with her. Secondly, she feared that Martin might secretly find her hidden phone at the estate and hand it over to Rosemary. Watching the girl he once adored, Martin’s emotions tangled into a complex knot.
Her gaze was cold, seemingly afraid he would cling to her and she maneuvered her Wheelchair towards the elevator.
Martin blocked her path and asked, "Where are you going?"