Chapter 324: The Last Mission of Sheila
Sheila’s unsettling laugh reverberated through the room, and a sense of unease washed over me as I looked at her expression. At first, she had been pleading for her life, desperate to survive. But now, why was she suddenly spilling everything herself? Something didn’t add up.
“No, this isn’t right! Everyone, get out of here now, it’s a trap!” My instincts told me Sheila’s behavior wasn’t that of someone trying to survive, but of someone on a mission. If someone harbored such hatred for the Boltons, when would be the perfect moment to act? It would be now, all at once.
“Move fast,” Carter also sensed the danger. Before he could say more, I shoved him aside and sprinted. I had seen with my own eyes the nightmare the organization had created, their ruthless treatment of me, Silas, and Linda. Once their secrets came to light, there could only be one result—death. Silas and Linda had made their choice, so Sheila must have known what awaited her too. Even if we did nothing to her, that organization wouldn’t let her survive.
Adam was still reeling from the explosive news he had just received, while Sheila stared at his face and spat, “Adam, I hate you!”
“It’s because you failed to protect me and the child, because you turned us into who we are now. I’ll never forgive you! Leave, just leave!” Damian seized him and pulled him out of the ward.
I turned to find Sheila sitting on the hospital bed, tears flowing down her cheeks as she watched Adam leave. Yet, her face remained composed. It was as if she had already accepted her fate, showing no regret, only a quiet surrender. She knew; how could anyone challenge fate? There was no altering what was to come.
“Adam, I’ve never regretted meeting you, truly,” she murmured softly to herself. “Thank you for your love.”
Feeling my eyes on her, she turned to meet my gaze. “Zoey, stop your investigation. If you don’t, you’ll die a horrible death.”
“Sheila…”
“Goodbye, Adam.” She closed her eyes.
As we reached the end of the hallway, Adam attempted to rush back to her, but Damian stopped him. In the midst of their struggle, a deafening explosion rang out. Boom!
When Adam understood what had happened, a guttural cry of despair escaped him. “Sheila, no!” The screams of medical staff echoed through the chaos. “Ah! An earthquake!” “Someone help!” The corridor was filled with confused people, all unaware of what was going on.
I gripped Carter’s hand with both of mine, my limbs frozen, my body in shock. Linda and Silas had used poison, while Sheila had set off explosives.
“What… what’s happening?”
Carter wrapped his arms around me, his hands pressing to my cold forehead, his eyes concerned as my body shook. “Don’t be scared, Zoey.”
How could I not be scared? We had just come so close to dying. Maybe at the last second, Sheila remembered Adam and chose to reveal herself, making us realize how close we were to disaster. If we had kept questioning her, even if we survived in the ward, we would have been left severely injured. Sheila and Silas, despite their personal feelings, were determined to go all the way. Silas spared his life just to see Anna one last time, while Sheila ultimately let us go.
Adam knelt on the ground, overcome with grief. He had suffered the worst at the hands of the Boltons. His wives and only son were gone, and Jeffrey had rendered him infertile. How could he possibly come to accept this harsh truth? It seemed the dangers at the Boltons ran deeper than those at the Sanders.
“Why would Sheila intentionally lead us into that trap? She had the chance to set off the explosion earlier,” Carter said.
Carter answered without hesitation. “She was stalling for time.” We exchanged looks, a sudden realization dawning. “Anna!”
“Exactly!” As expected, a call came soon after from a bodyguard at the Bolton Residence: “Anna Sander has gone missing!”
We all gathered at the hospital, and even the bodyguards had taken a large number of people with them. Someone caused a distraction and seized the chance to take Anna away. Anna, Silas, Sheila—they’re all different. Who is she, really?
If she were merely a pawn, there would have been no reason for such elaborate efforts. Her identity was already revealed, and there was no more use for her. Given the brutal tactics of that organization, they could have eliminated her long ago. But she was saved, which clearly meant her identity was special. She’s the only one who holds all the truths.
I stayed silent, unsure of what to say. As for Sheila’s ward, it could only be described as a disaster. The autopsy results came out. Someone had implanted a chip bomb in her during surgery. By the time she was being wheeled into the operating room, she had already been turned into a weapon—a human bomb. Her ultimate goal might have been to take someone’s life at the Boltons—Carter, or was it me? It surely couldn’t be Jeffrey. Targeting an elderly person with limited mobility would be far too simple; there wouldn’t be any need for such intricate schemes. If they intended to harm someone, Sheila had numerous chances before. Perhaps the other person also figured out that the secret underground base was Carter’s doing. He had broken their established flow of interests, and now they aimed to punish him. Thus, they set their sights on Sheila.
Had Sheila intended to kill, the outcome today could have been far more unpredictable. The thought of the hidden, shadowy connections sent a chill down my spine. Once again, so close to death. Adam gazed at the blood-splattered walls, noting how the bomb’s explosion hadn’t caused total destruction, leaving Sheila with some limbs torn apart but not entirely obliterated. That room was pure hell on earth! I barely managed a glance before I ran, pressing my hand over my mouth. “Ugh!”