Chapter 114: General Hawthorne’s Reluctant Denial

Frederick stood silently at Bates’ bedside. He barely moved. It wasn't until Zreland found him and learned that Frederick had fainted that an ambulance was called. Frederick simply felt weak, sick, and faint all the way to the hospital.

Once there, he stood before the emergency room's glowing red sign, unmoving, his eyes fixed on it. Even now, he couldn't fully grasp what had happened. Claire had thrown herself into harm's way, sacrificing her life to save his.

He knew she had harbored feelings for him since childhood. But to Frederick, her affection had always felt…unreal. Claire had once been the spoiled little princess of the Prescott family, accustomed to having everything she wanted handed to her on a silver platter. Frederick had always believed she liked him only because he was the one man who didn't dote on her like everyone else. He figured it was his indifference that had caught her attention. She couldn't have him, and that was why she wanted him.

The same prison, he thought, because she had no…

But she was no longer the Prescott family's cherished daughter. She was completely under…

More importantly, it had been him who had condemned her. In a dual attempt at leverage, she had arrogantly tried to negotiate with him, using footage from the slums.

He couldn't believe that, in a matter of days, Claire had transformed into someone willing to sacrifice her life for him. Unless she had ulterior motives, Frederick clung to this belief. He refused to accept the idea that Claire truly loved him, let alone that her love for him was so deep it outweighed her regard for her own life. Besides, he didn't think he deserved her love. He felt he was nothing more than a bastard of the Hawthorne family. Though no one outside the family knew the truth, he was all too aware of his precarious position. It was why he had worked so tirelessly, clawing his way up from obscurity to become a general, even planning a bid for the presidency. If he succeeded, he could finally cement his place in the world. He would no longer have to live in fear…

The thought sent a shiver down his spine, dragging him back to the dark, damp basement of his memories, and he remembered the soft, gentle voice he could never forget.

“General Hawthorne, are you all right?”

Richard’s voice brought Frederick back to the present. Seeing Frederick standing still, Richard was concerned. Frederick turned his head slightly, meeting Richard’s concerned gaze.

“I’m fine.”

He redirected his attention to the red light above the emergency room door, standing as still as a statue. For five hours, Frederick stood there, waiting. He didn’t budge until the doors finally opened.

“Doctor, how is she?”

The moment the doors parted, Frederick stepped forward, his voice urgent. Richard followed closely behind him.

“The bullet struck near her chest, but fortunately, it missed any vital organs. It didn’t reach her heart. We’ve removed the bullet. She’s out of danger but will need to stay in the ICU overnight for observation. If she wakes up without complications, she’ll be…” the doctor explained, pulling off his mask and wiping his forehead.

Frederick exhaled deeply, his chest loosening as a weight lifted. He followed Claire as she was wheeled into a recovery room.

“You can go home now,” he told Richard once Claire was settled.

“Yes, General Hawthorne.” Richard hesitated, wanting to stay, but seeing the tension in Frederick’s face, he chose to leave without further protest.

Frederick remained in the hospital room, standing by Claire’s bedside. She looked fragile and pale, as if she could fade away at any moment. He stood there the entire night, never moving.

When Richard returned the next morning with breakfast, he found Frederick in the same spot. He looked haggard, his eyes rimmed red with exhaustion.

“General Hawthorne,” Richard asked as he put down the breakfast, “did you stand there all night?”

As if on cue, Claire stirred. Her eyes fluttered open just in time to hear Richard’s words. She opened her eyes and turned her head toward Frederick, her voice faint and unsure. “You… stayed all night?”

Her heart skipped a beat.

Frederick scoffed, his voice laced with cold mockery. “What makes you think I’d waste a whole night on you?”

He told himself that he had stood there with Claire all night. If it weren’t for Richard coming to deliver breakfast, reminding him, he might have continued to stand there, motionless.

Claire remained silent, a bitter ache twisting in her chest. She thought, “Of course. Why would I think Frederick would stay by my side?”

“Or did you think saving my life would earn you something in return? Were you gambling, hoping that if you survived, I might be moved enough to let you go?”

Frederick’s tone grew harsher as her silence unsettled him. Claire’s chest tightened, and she looked up sharply. She had thrown herself in front of a bullet for him. She didn’t expect that in his eyes, it was nothing more than a calculated ploy, a wager.