Chapter 324
“What? Tim called the cops?” Jameson gasped, his face turning ashen.
“If you’re behind this, you can’t escape. I won’t let you or your accomplices off the hook. Tim adored his only daughter, and Jameson had violated his biggest taboo by targeting Danielle.”
The police had been lying in wait. Moments later, they appeared at the door and stepped inside, addressing Jameson and Jason. “Please come with us to the station for questioning.”
Jameson still tried to shield Jason. “My son has nothing to do with this. Question me instead.” He wasn’t about to go quietly. Once at the station, he’d call his lawyer and deny everything. How could they prove anything?
Danielle hadn’t been seriously harmed, and he hadn’t ordered the hit on Ross. Only one person could have used his account to contact those guys–Natalie.
Natalie had tried to kill Ross behind his back. Jameson seethed. ‘How could she be so vicious, dragging me into this mess?’
“Our investigation shows Jason wasn’t uninvolved in the kidnapping. Save your excuses. If you’re innocent, we’ll clear you,” the police stated.
Jason clenched his jaw, glaring at Shermaine with murderous rage. He wanted to strangle her. She was the reason he’d never get ahead.
After they left with the police, Shermaine felt a flicker of vindication for Ross, but it was far from satisfying.
This was just the first strike–barely a scratch. Next, she’d make them suffer.
She’d expected them to hold their nerves for a few days, but they’d rushed to Tim the second Jason returned, trying to snatch Danielle away.
‘Danielle belongs to Ross. Jason doesn’t deserve a second glance.’ That was what Shermaine had thought the first time she met Jason.
While the drama raged elsewhere, Ross’ room was downright cozy, filled with a romantic buzz.
Danielle was unbuttoning his hospital gown, her hands trembling slightly.
Noticing, Ross smiled warmly, “Dr. Shelly, are you nervous?”
Danielle’s ears flushed. “You’re seeing things,” she huffed.
Looking at the delicate beauty before him, Ross figured she was shy. He teased, “Danielle, you weren’t like this before.”
She had no idea why she was jittery. Normally, she’d yank his clothes off without a second thought–eager to help.
Now she felt ridiculously timid. ‘It’s just taking off a shirt, for god’s sake,’ she thought.
Annoyed, she shot back, “Well, you weren’t like this before either.” With a sharp tug, several buttons popped off, exposing the bandage around his abdomen.
The gauze was stained red at the wound site. Even wrapped in bandages, his toned build was obvious.
Ross dropped his gaze. “That’s why I regret it.”
But Danielle wasn’t in the mood for sweet talk. Eyeing the injury, she said, “Less chit-chat. Stay put.”
He fell silent obediently.
As she unwrapped the gauze and applied new ointment, she saw his furrowed brow. “Does it sting?”
“A little.”
She leaned down and blew softly on the wound, like calming a kid. “Almost done. Hang tight.”
Ross could take the pain, but her breath sent a tingle through him, making him smile softly.
Just then, Roy and Henry peeked in and saw the scene. Instantly green with envy, they thought, ‘First we had to swallow Joshua’s couple crap, and now we’ll be stuck with Ross and Danielle’s lovey-dovey bullshit too.’
Once Danielle finished changing Ross’ bandages and wrapping new gauze around his wound, Ruth came back with food. She found the others loitering outside. “What are you waiting for?”
“The air’s way too sweet in there. Our teeth can’t handle it,” Roy quipped.
Ruth snorted, catching the sarcasm. “You’ll survive. Let’s go in.”
They walked inside.
The moment Ross saw Henry smirking, his expression turned icy. He clearly saw Henry as a competitor.
He hadn’t forgotten how his grandmother set Henry up with Danielle, and how Henry never said no.
In the next room, Joshua had been quietly peeling an orange, feeding segments straight to Shermaine without eating any himself.
“I’m good,” Shermaine said.
“You talked so much earlier. Have some to wet your whistle,” Joshua said.
When Shermaine tried to protest, Joshua’s insistent look made her give in.
The fruit was sweet and juicy.
Joshua couldn’t seem to stop feeding her. “Hungry for a late-night snack?”
“Could go for something.”
“I’ll whip something up when we get home.”
“Sure.”
Before long, the whole orange was gone.
Tim cleared his throat pointedly, thinking, ‘These two lovebirds are so smitten. They’ll probably have kids next.’
Meanwhile in the dermatology ward, Natalie nearly ripped out her IV when she heard Jason and Jameson hauled to the station. Panicked and seething, she stormed over.
‘Jameson can sink or swim, but my son is off-limits,’ she thought.
Just as Shermaine and Joshua headed toward Ross’ room, Natalie appeared, with a mask hiding her blotchy, allergic face. “Shermaine, leave Jason alone. Touch him and I’ll ruin you!”
Shermaine gave her a disapproving look. “You’re all talk.”
Furious, Natalie lunged, but Joshua blocked her easily, shoving her back. He said indifferently with a cold face, “Do you think I’ll just stand by and watch?”
No one laid a hand on Shermaine. Well, except in the bedroom.
At the sight of Joshua, Natalie’s sanity snapped back into place, though fear still gripped her. “Shermaine, don’t think having a bodyguard makes you invincible. Remember my words. Cross me and I’ll drag you down with me, even if we both sink.”
“Pathetic,” Shermaine said coolly.
Natalie’s chest tightened with frustration.
Shermaine locked eyes with her, enunciating each syllable. “You and Jason, neither of you is escaping.”
Slimy things squirmed under the skin like bugs, She bolted to the restroom, tore off her mask, and stared into the mirror. Half her face looked rotted as revolting bugs. Gradually they multiplied, crawling over every inch. With a scream, her eyes rolled back and she crumpled.
When Jason heard his mother had collapsed in the hospital, he knew her allergic reaction was no accident. Someone had spiked her food. His expression darkening, he grabbed a cop’s arm. “I’m reporting attempted murder. Someone tried to kill my mother.”