Chapter 402: A Car Crash

Irritable, Susan picked up her phone. The moment she entered the game, she heard Manuel say, "That's not an impulse; I'm serious." Her heart skipped a beat. She glanced at Manuel as he left the room.

Damn it. Who cared? Once annoyed by his ignorance, she was now even more frustrated by his seriousness. She even felt self-reproach.

Angrily, she rose from the bed and showered. She vowed to resist his advances. She didn't like him, anyway.

Emerging with wet hair, she quickly dried it and returned to bed. Meanwhile, Manuel returned, intending to shower. He found her hair still damp and fetched the hair dryer, helping her finish drying it.

Susan glanced at him. "You'll get sick if you don't dry your hair completely," Manuel said.

Susan pursed her lips and let him continue. She hadn't realized how accustomed she'd become to his tenderness. Only after drying her hair did Manuel shower.

Staring at the bathroom door, Susan's mind wandered. She wondered about Manuel's past relationships. She felt a subtle, yet persistent passion whenever he flirted. The desire wasn't aggressive, but undeniably present.

She forced herself to stop thinking about it. She couldn't be swayed by his tenderness now, nor could she ever yield to his attempt to force her into marriage.

Susan picked up her phone to read the news. Suddenly, Henry's name appeared, surprising her. They hadn't spoken in a long time, and this late-night call was unusual. The call stirred feelings; he was her dream, forever unattainable.

She answered. "Hi, Henry."

"Good evening, Miss. The owner of this phone was in a car accident and seriously injured. We're transporting him to Kensbury Central Hospital. Your number is in his favorites, so we believe you're close to him. Please inform his family, if possible."

"Is... is he okay?" Susan stammered, nervous.

"There's a lot of blood. We can't assess his condition until he's examined. Please come to the hospital immediately!" The line went dead.

Hearing "a lot of blood," Susan was terrified. She threw off the covers and rushed out. Henry was an orphan; she couldn't bear the thought of him dying.

The others were in their rooms. Unseen, Susan grabbed her car keys and fled. Her mind filled with images of Henry's blood; the thought of him alone in the world overwhelmed her.

She sped off, crying with worry. Kensbury City was battered by heavy rain. Susan disregarded the risks; only Henry filled her thoughts.

Manuel emerged from the bathroom to find Susan gone. Assuming she was in the living room, he paid it no mind. After a while, however, he sensed something was wrong.

Worried, he wheeled himself to the door and searched the living room. Finding her nowhere, he knocked on Tia's door. "Do you know where Susan is?"

"Wasn't she in her room?"

He then quickly knocked on Justine's. "Mom, have you seen Susan?"

Justine was bewildered.

Something was wrong.

Manuel rushed to the entrance, discovering the missing car keys. Pale-faced, he hurried back to the bedroom.

"What's wrong, Manuel? Did Susan go out?!" Justine asked, frightened.

Manuel didn't answer, instead grabbing his phone and calling Susan. The phone rang unanswered for a long time before connecting.

He asked urgently, "Susan, where are you?"

"I'm on my way to the hospital. Henry had a car accident."

"Pull over and stay calm. I'll pick you up."

"No, I can manage."

"It's pouring. Drive carefully."

"I will," Susan replied coldly. "Manuel, don't try to stop me. I'm seeing Henry, no matter what."

"I'm not trying to stop you. I just want you to be safe..."

"Leave me alone!"

Susan hung up. His call only fueled her agitation. She wouldn't calm down with Henry alone in the hospital.

She wiped her tears. Just then, a car with its high beams blazed toward her. Dazzled, she swerved, hitting a guardrail. She tried to brake but the slick road prevented her. The car crashed with a sickening thud, a sharp pain lancing through her belly.

She blacked out.

"Where did Susan go?" Justine asked, worried.

"She's going to the hospital," Manuel said, trying to stay calm. "I'm going to find her."

"Why?" Justine watched her son speed away in his wheelchair.

"Henry had a car accident."

"I knew it. Henry again...Wait! I'm coming with you!" Justine hurried after him.

Luckily, Justine's car was available; hailing a taxi in this downpour would have been impossible. They both got in.

"Manuel, can you drive?" Justine asked fearfully, seeing him settle into the driver's seat.