Chapter 71: Brewing Storms

“He’s actually a celebrity. They said he got injured during a commercial performance; fell off the stage.”

“What?!” Blanc couldn’t believe it. He hurriedly pulled out his phone to check. After a bit of searching, he found the information. “Fenon International… the Fred family’s company? They’re one of the biggest players in entertainment! I can’t believe it’s one of their artists!”

Fenon International? Lemon’s company? Chase had never paid much attention to the entertainment industry. He hardly recognized any celebrities. Blanc, still talking, handed him the phone.

Chase stepped out into the hall to make a call. The line connected quickly. Through the receiver, he could hear the sound of wind—Lemon was outside somewhere. After saying a few words to the people around her, her tone turned cold, and after a few seconds, she finally spoke.

“Chase, I was just about to call you. One of our artists got hurt and was rushed to your hospital. The orthopedic team’s already started surgery. It’ll take all night—won’t finish until dawn.”

Lemon made a hand signal to the people near her, sending them off to patrol the event grounds.

“I have a feeling the Harrison family is behind this. This was supposed to be a small jewelry showcase, part of our collaboration with Quinn Group. We were only displaying previous high-end pieces. This venue’s been hosting events for over a decade without a single accident. So why now, and why us?”

“Does Wendy know?” Chase asked.

“She’s on her way here now. How’s the patient?” Lemon asked, her voice tight.

The injured celebrity’s status wasn’t small. News had already exploded online. Quinn Group and Fenon International’s PR teams were scrambling to handle it, but before they even got started, the Harrison family had already deployed online trolls. Negative comments flooded the internet, burying any attempts at damage control.

“For now, it’s hard to say. He was still conscious when brought in. My department’s handling the final stage of surgery. You guys should brace yourselves—and be careful.”

“Got it. Thanks for everything. Whatever happens… he needs to make it through alive.”

“I’ll do my best.”

As a doctor, Chase would do everything he could to save a life. But sometimes, even that wasn’t enough.

9:24 PM

After hanging up, he immediately called Wendy. She picked up in seconds.

“You heard already? Bernard—the new orthopedic head—is my person. You two should work well together. Remember to rest when you can. A surgery lasting more than ten hours… don’t exhaust yourself. And whatever happens, try to keep the patient alive.”

Her voice was calm—cold, even. Whenever things got serious, Wendy’s default was to stay detached.

“I know,” Chase said. “You’re heading to Lemon?”

“Yeah. If this really ties back to the Harrison family, we’ll need evidence first. Waylon’s already here. It’s officially a major criminal case. You’ll probably finish surgery by early morning? I’ll send someone to pick you up.”

The surgery lasted over ten hours. By the time Chase finally stepped out of the operating room, his scrubs were soaked through with sweat, and he nearly blacked out. A nurse had to steady him.

Two people stood by the OR doors—an agent and an assistant. Both rushed over the moment they saw him.

“Mr. Chase, how’s Avery doing?”

The injured artist’s name was Avery. Chase hadn’t paid much attention when looking at the charts earlier. Blanc had been the one who pulled up his photos online.

“For now, his condition is stable. We’ll know more after he regains consciousness. His lungs were damaged, so recovery will take time. We’ll finalize the treatment plan after a full evaluation. No immediate danger for now. He’ll be moved to ICU soon—one of you can stay and keep watch.”

The agent sent the assistant to handle the admission paperwork. After signing some forms, Chase changed out of his scrubs and headed outside with the agent.

“My boss said to have a driver ready to take you over,” the agent said as they walked. “They’re still at the event venue. Ms. Lemon’s brother is there too.”

Chase glanced at the time. He’d been on his feet from afternoon to dawn. Now that the adrenaline had worn off, dizziness crept in. He didn’t argue, just quietly followed.

As they reached the car, Chase asked, “I heard rumors the Harrison family might be involved. Why are you all so sure?”

9:24 PM

Seeing that, Chase reassured her, “Don’t worry. I know everything.”

After a pause, the agent said, “It’s because the Harrison family was hosting a birthday banquet next door—Millie’s birthday party. It was too close to ignore. Ms. Lemon couldn’t help suspecting them.”

That explained it. Chase suddenly remembered: yesterday, when Henry came by delivering soup, he had casually mentioned Millie’s birthday. He had invited Wendy to attend, but she declined, claiming she had to work overtime.

It was painfully obvious now. The Harrison family’s schemes had gotten so blatant that they weren’t even trying to hide anymore. Wendy had learned her lesson—no more stepping into their traps. Last time at Joy’s birthday party, they had tried to paint her as part of the family, practically standing her at the entrance like a trophy. Wendy wasn’t about to fall for that again. Henry didn’t need to bait her anymore. There was no point putting up any more façades. Now, coldness would get better results.