Chapter 397: $90 55 vouchers

Fireworks were still going off when the Prescott family rushed to the hospital. Not just Tuff and Kayla, but the second and third branches of the family came too. Practically the whole family showed up.

On the way, Tuff looked so pale that everyone could tell he was freaking out. Kayla kept wanting to say something to comfort him, but the words just wouldn’t come. All she could do was squeeze his hand.

All they knew from the phone call was that there’d been a car accident and someone was in the ER. They wouldn’t know what really happened until they got there.

Everyone was worried sick. Diane’s daughters were crying their eyes out.

“If it weren’t for Joyce causing trouble, none of this would’ve happened tonight,” Lizbeth snapped, unable to hold it in anymore.

As soon as she spoke, Tuff’s third uncle, Maverick, exploded. “That crazy woman! If anything happens to my wife, I’ll kill her.”

Tuff’s heart raced even faster, and he felt even more uneasy. “Maverick, don’t do anything to her yet.”

“Tuff, after all this, you’re still protecting her?” Lily sighed.

Kayla turned around and shot her a glare. “Did you just crawl out of a grave or something?”

“Huh?” Lily blinked, confused.

“Is being snarky the only way you know how to talk?” Kayla snapped.

Kayla’s icy vibe made everyone in the car fall silent.

Lily covered her face and started sobbing. “What did I even do? Joyce stirred up all this mess, and now we’re not allowed to touch her. How is that not protecting her?”

“Mom, that’s enough!” Lizbeth shouted.

Lily went quiet, tears streaming down her face.

Kayla thought, ‘Say what you will about the Prescott family, but their parenting’s solid. Lily might be a mess, but at least she didn’t mess up her daughters.’

Finally, they arrived at the hospital. Brylee was waiting for them, leaning on a cane, tears streaming down her face. “Tuff, I’m so sorry…”

“Where’s my mom?” Tuff and Zara asked at the same time.

“They… they…” Brylee choked on her words, her sobs making everyone’s hearts ache even more.

Lizbeth couldn’t take it anymore. “Can you just finish what you’re saying before you start bawling again?”

Brylee hiccupped through her tears before finally managing, “I got hit and blacked out. When I came to, there was blood everywhere… Mrs. Prescott and Diane were both covered in it. I called out to them, but no one answered…”

Everyone felt their hearts sink.

“Just shut it! You never have anything good to say,” Kayla snapped, then turned to find a doctor.

Zara followed after her.

Tuff looked like he’d been completely drained, slumping against the wall, unable to move.

Maverick crouched down, face buried in his… , just as crushed as the rest.

Lily supported Brylee and whispered, “Can you be more specific? Where exactly are they hurt?”

“Ribs, legs… I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have asked them to come help at the Lambert family. None of this would’ve happened if I hadn’t,” Brylee sobbed, her way with words really something else.

She went on and on, but never actually said how bad the injuries were.

She really knew how to keep everyone guessing.

“Alright, it’s not that serious,” Kayla said, walking over with a doctor. Her cool, commanding voice snapped everyone out of their grief.

Maverick looked up. “Really? It’s not serious?”

“Both ladies just have broken ribs and legs. It’s not life–threatening,” the doctor said, handing over the diagnosis.

Tuff grabbed the report. “My mom’s got a broken left leg, and Diane broke two ribs… The rest are just minor cuts and bruises.”

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

After all that drama from Brylee, the real injuries felt almost anticlimactic.

“Thank God…” Zara hugged her sister Lizbeth, finally letting herself cry.

Tuff finally let himself relax too.

God only knew how tense he’d been the whole way here.

“Doctor, when can we see them?” Paul asked.

“Just a little while longer,” the doctor replied.

“Okay!”

Everyone just nodded and settled in to wait quietly outside the ER.

As the sudden silence settled in, it hit everyone that Brylee had stopped crying.

Kayla strode over, her stunning face frosty and full of queenly authority.

Brylee shrank back, then, leaning on her cane, hurried after the doctor. “Doctor, how’s Joyce doing?”

“Stop right there!” Kayla snapped.

Brylee visibly flinched. “Kayla…”

“So how did the accident happen?” Kayla pressed.

“We were heading to the hospital when a garbage truck suddenly swerved out of control…” Brylee stammered.

“Isn’t that convenient?” Kayla scoffed. “And you barely got hurt, huh?”

“I… I guess I just got lucky,” Brylee muttered.

Kayla let out a cold laugh, her eyes full of suspicion.

She didn’t believe a single word Brylee said.

Brylee had shown up at the Prescott family tonight, supposedly to see Tuff. But Maggie, quick on her feet, lied and went in his place.

And just like that, a car accident happened.

‘If Tuff had gone instead, would there still have been an accident?’ Kayla couldn’t help but wonder.

“What exactly are you getting at, Kayla?” Brylee’s face fell as she tried to put on her best ‘elder’ act.

But up against Kayla’s overwhelming presence, her attempt at authority didn’t even register.

“Tell Joyce to quit stirring up trouble. If she drags my family into this again, I’ll make sure she’s finished,” Kayla said, her words cold and cutting.

Brylee went pale, her voice trembling. “You… you’d really dare to kill someone?”

“If something like tonight can happen once, who’s to say it won’t happen again?” Kayla’s gaze was icy, her whole aura radiating danger.

She never said the word “kill,” but her words cut sharper than any blade.

Brylee looked like she might pass out any second. “You… you…”

“I’ll get to the bottom of what happened tonight. If someone’s behind this…” Tuff stepped up beside Kayla, his words hanging in the air, heavy with warning.

Brylee was totally floored. She couldn’t even muster a response.

Her legs gave out, and she collapsed to the floor. “It was an accident! Just an accident!”

“It better be!” Kayla snapped, her eyes cold as ice.

Kayla and Tuff shared a look, both silently steeling themselves for what came next.

Finally, Xzavier showed up to take Brylee home.

First, Diane, who had broken ribs, was wheeled out.

Her two daughters and husband rushed over. “Mom…”

“Honey…”

“Where’s Tuff?” Diane looked around, her eyes searching.

Tuff stepped forward. “I’m here, Diane.”

“Don’t worry, we’re all fine. Just some injuries that’ll heal,” Diane said gently, trying to reassure everyone.

She was practically covered head to toe in what the doctor called minor injuries, but she still managed to crack a smile.

Tuff felt a lump in his throat. “Got it, Diane. You should go rest in your room.”

“Where’s Kayla?” Diane asked again.

“She’s here! Everyone’s here. We just didn’t tell Grandma yet,” Tuff replied.

“Good, good…” Diane managed a weak smile. “Don’t worry. We’re all going to be fine.”

Kayla couldn’t help but feel moved. ‘Guess there really is some real love between sisters–in–law,’ she thought to herself.

The second branch couple checked in on Tuff and stuck around to wait for Maggie with him.

After what felt like forever, Maggie finally emerged from surgery.

She’d just had her leg operated on and was still unconscious. The woman who always seemed so unbreakable now looked so fragile and pale.

It was the first time Kayla had ever seen her mother–in–law like this, and Kayla felt her heart melt a bit.

“Oh, thank goodness she’s finally out!” Lily breathed a heavy sigh of relief. “Kayla, you’ve been through enough tonight. Why don’t you go home and get some rest? I’ll stay here and look after Maggie.”

“No need. I’ll stay,” Kayla replied, not backing down.

Lily had never actually taken care of anyone before. She just wanted to redeem herself after Kayla called her out earlier, but now she felt even more sidelined.

She felt bitter but didn’t dare show it, so she forced a smile and said, “You’re young, there are some things you might not be able to handle…”

“Bedpans and all that? Anyone can manage,” Kayla replied coolly. “Terrell, why don’t you take everyone home?”

With two women injured, it wouldn’t be appropriate for Terrell to stay. He nodded, “Alright, I’ll leave it to you two. I’ll have the house send over a couple of maids to help out.”

“Alright.”

Kayla was polite to Terrell.

Lily was left standing there, feeling totally sidelined. ‘Seriously? Out of everyone here, Kayla only ever comes for me!’ she grumbled to herself.

“Kayla, my mom can be a bit blunt sometimes. Don’t let it get to you,” Lizbeth whispered.

Kayla gave her a small smile. “Alright.”

Lizbeth left with her parents, looking genuinely relieved.

Diane and Maverick shared a smile. ‘Kayla’s got a clear sense of right and wrong, and she’s quick to act when things go down. The Prescott family’s really blessed to have her,’ they both thought.

“Diane, can you tell us what really happened tonight?” Kayla asked.

“Joyce tried to take her own life and refused to go to the hospital. Maggie and I went to talk her down. Since there were a lot of us, we followed the ambulance in the Lambert family’s car. Just as we were almost at the hospital, a garbage truck suddenly swerved right in front of us… and that’s how it happened,” Diane explained.

Even now, Diane still felt shaken just thinking about it.

Suddenly, Tuff remembered something. “Weren’t you in the Prescott family’s car?”

“No, we were in the Lambert family’s car. Maggie was driving, and Brylee and I were in the back, so our injuries weren’t too bad. The driver’s side took the worst of it. That’s how Maggie’s leg got crushed. Luckily, the ambulance was right there and got us to the hospital fast…” Lily said.

Tuff and Kayla exchanged a look.

‘Wait a second, we sent our own driver right after they left. So why were they riding in the Lambert family’s car?’ both Tuff and Kayla thought, suspicion creeping in.