Chapter 381: You Are So Bold!

As Nathan arrived, the ambulance followed closely behind. He had just stepped out of the car and entered Arthur’s villa when he heard the sirens in the distance. Inside, he was immediately confronted with a shocking sight. The servants were carrying Claire down from the second floor. A knife was embedded in her chest, and blood dripped steadily, staining her white dress a dark red.

Originally, when Nathan received the report from his men that Claire was still alive and had been staying at Arthur’s place all this time, he was shocked. He rushed over as soon as he heard the news, but to his surprise, Elizabeth had already arrived before him. Now, seeing Claire in this condition, injured beyond recognition, the situation had taken a turn he hadn’t anticipated.

“What…?” He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“Claire has sustained serious injuries. She must be rushed to the hospital immediately,” Elizabeth said as she walked up to him, her voice steady but urgent. She didn’t wait for Nathan to respond before issuing the command.

“Yes, yes, of course. Get her to the hospital quickly,” Nathan responded, nodding urgently. Outside, the ambulance had just pulled up to the villa.

“Father, I’m coming with them,” Frederick said, snapping back to reality. He was completely taken aback. How could Claire, who had gone upstairs with Elizabeth just moments ago, come down so gravely injured?

“Go ahead,” Nathan said, frowning slightly. He reluctantly agreed, knowing that, officially, Claire was still engaged to Frederick. The Prescott family and the Hawthorne family were still tied by this relationship.

“Thank you, Father,” Frederick said, quickly bowing before rushing after the ambulance.

Though Claire appeared gravely injured, her wounds were not as severe as they seemed. She had been the one to plunge the knife into her chest, and she had done so with remarkable control. Elizabeth had merely feigned concern, putting on a show for everyone around her.

But as Elizabeth watched Frederick, her surprise grew. From the moment they left the villa until they arrived at the hospital, Frederick’s gaze had never left Claire. His face was etched with genuine worry, his expression tight with anxiety. A thin layer of sweat had already beaded on his forehead. The whole time, Elizabeth observed Frederick closely.

Given her experience with life’s trials and tribulations, she could tell that his concern was real—he wasn’t faking it. She thought back to the advice she had given Claire, warning her that love could not be forced, and that sometimes it was better to let go. Now, seeing Frederick’s genuine distress, she began to wonder if perhaps she had been wrong.

At the hospital, Claire was rushed into the emergency room. Frederick stood in front of the door, his eyes fixed on the red light above, which signaled that the surgery was in progress.

“Frederick, Claire just went in. We don’t know how long this will take. Come and sit with me for a while,” Elizabeth said, glancing at him before gently suggesting he rest.

“Oh! Yes, of course,” Frederick replied, his mind only half present as he turned and sat beside Elizabeth. But as soon as he sat down, he couldn’t stop himself from asking, his voice tinged with confusion, “Madam Prescott, Claire seemed perfectly fine when she went up with you. How did she end up like this? I know I shouldn’t doubt you, but… she…”

Elizabeth held his gaze for a moment before responding coolly, “You’re right to doubt. It was me. I told her to do it.”

“What?” Frederick was stunned. He had never imagined that it was Elizabeth who had ordered Claire to go this far. A wave of disbelief and anger rippled through him, his eyes filled with confusion and barely restrained fury.

“Frederick, can you think of a quicker, better way to get Claire out of Arthur’s villa?” Elizabeth asked, her tone almost playful as she raised an eyebrow.

Frederick fell silent, his face softening as understanding slowly dawned on him. There really hadn’t been another way.

“Don’t worry. Claire knows exactly what she’s doing. She’s fine,” Elizabeth said, giving him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Frederick finally relaxed a little, his worry easing, though the tension still lingered in the air.

Back at the villa, Nathan had dismissed all the servants and taken Arthur upstairs to the study.

“Arthur, you’ve got a lot of nerve! Who gave you permission to do this?” Nathan shouted, storming into the room. Without hesitation, he kicked Arthur to the floor. Arthur’s face drained of color. He knew now that he had truly crossed the line with Nathan.

“Father, I did this for you! You’ve always wanted to remove the Prescott family, haven’t you?” Arthur said, scrambling to explain, his voice trembling.