CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279: ZEKE PIERCE’S INVITATION

Vincent Hawthorne ultimately couldn’t bear to watch Cindy Lynn die right in front of him.

He quickly turned back, kicked the bloody knife from Cindy’s hand, and squatted down beside her to check the wound, which was much deeper than he had thought. Blood was gushing out, and for a moment, it seemed unstoppable.

Vincent looked at Cindy with a complicated expression, and after simply bandaging her wound, he carried her to the car.

As he drove to the Lucas Family’s private hospital, he called Rhys Lucas and briefly explained the situation.

"Cindy has slit her wrist. I’m taking her to your family hospital now. Prepare for emergency treatment."

On the other end of the line, Rhys’s breath hitched, "What did you say?!"

Vincent didn’t say more. Hanging up, he glanced at the unconscious Cindy in the back seat through the rearview mirror, as she leaned slumped against the chair, having lost consciousness due to excessive blood loss.

Yet she was still muttering something intermittently.

Vincent heard clearly.

She was calling his name.

When the car arrived at the hospital, Rhys was already there, waiting at the entrance with doctors and nurses. As soon as Cindy got out, she was immediately rushed into the operating room for rescue.

Rhys accompanied the whole way, and it wasn’t until he personally saw Cindy wheeled into the operating room that the tension in his nerves slightly relaxed.

Suppressing his anger, he turned to find Vincent.

After searching around, he found him smoking in a secluded corner of the garden.

"What did you do to Cindy?" Rhys couldn’t help but question, "That stab was with lethal intent; she must have been pushed to the brink of despair!"

Vincent brushed off the ash from his cigarette, saying indifferently, "If she wanted to die, who could stop her?"

Rhys was infuriated by his indifferent attitude, rushing over to grab Vincent by the collar.

"Vincent Hawthorne, what kind of attitude is this?! Don’t you see how much Cindy loves you! She’s already your fiancée, and you’re still so cruel to her!"

Vincent impatiently shook him off, staring at Rhys’s face full of anger. Suddenly, Vincent chuckled strangely: "Seems like you really fancy Cindy Lynn, huh?"

"What nonsense are you talking?!" Rhys retorted, flustered and angry, "I just can’t stand you treating a vulnerable girl like this..."

Vincent laughed it off.

"Rhys Lucas, it’s one thing to deceive your friends, but don’t deceive yourself!" Vincent tossed the cigarette aside and stomped on it forcefully. He asked coldly, "Is Tanya Sinclair not a woman? Isn’t she even thinner than Cindy Lynn? Why, when I treated Tanya poorly before, not only did you not stand up for her, but you also fanned the flames from the side?"

"..." Rhys was momentarily speechless.

Vincent shoved his hands into his pockets and started to walk away. As he passed by Rhys, he casually threw out, "For these five days, don’t let Cindy leave the hospital. I believe you’ll take good care of her."

Rhys watched Vincent’s retreating figure, frowning deeply, and said solemnly, "Are you taking out your anger on Cindy because of Tanya’s matter? But it was Cindy’s mother, Shelly Sullivan, who did all that; Cindy is innocent! Now that Shelly has confessed, Cindy has suffered enough!"

Vincent froze, turning back with knitted brows: "What did you say? Shelly Sullivan confessed?"

"Yes." Rhys stepped forward, "I have a friend at the police station who told me privately. He knows Cindy is my... well-connected junior, and she’s also your fiancée. You’ve always been my best brother. So when Shelly Sullivan surrendered, he told me immediately."

"Shelly confessed that she resented Tanya for not forgiving her husband, Sean Lynn, which led to his imprisonment. That’s why she secretly contacted Old Ninth King to eliminate Tanya out of revenge." Rhys clapped Vincent’s shoulder hard, "Vincent, you really misunderstood Cindy. Remember how kind-hearted she was during our hunting trip abroad, refusing to harm even a rabbit? How could she possibly take a life?"

Detention center.

Under Officer Crawford’s guidance, Tanya Sinclair saw Shelly Sullivan, who was handcuffed.

For the first time, they sat quietly face to face, separated by a layer of iron bars.

Shelly had maintained her looks well over the years, so much so that as soon as Tanya saw her, she could effortlessly recall the arrogant image of this venomous woman brutally abusing her, humiliating her mother Charlotte Sinclair in the hospital two decades ago.

Her hands at her sides clenched tightly.

While Shelly, upon seeing Tanya, showed not a hint of guilt or regret, even letting out a cold laugh.

"Tanya, you little bitch, have more lives than your mother. Such a big explosion, and you still survived!"

Tanya sat across from Shelly, speaking coldly, "A scourge like you has the cheek to live. Why should I die?"

Shelly leaned back in her chair, sinisterly staring at Tanya, "The person behind you, the one risking their life to protect you, I can’t mess with! Tanya, it’s not you I lost to; it’s that lunatic who guards you. I concede! Everything was my doing, I ordered Old Ninth King to kill you, I drugged your daughter Joy... None of it has anything to do with Cindy! It’s all my doing!"

Tanya coldly watched Shelly’s hysterical face.

How ridiculous, she cherished her daughter like a treasure, yet she was ruthless to another’s daughter!

And the madman Shelly referred to who risked everything to protect her was probably Declan Pierce.

Tanya’s eyes dimmed slightly, her thoughts involuntarily straying.

She had no idea how Declan was doing now, whether he was out of danger...

"Tanya, don’t you want to know who your biological father is? I can tell you! But I have a condition..."

Tanya interrupted her, her face devoid of warmth, "Your condition is for me to let Cindy go, right?"

"Yes!" Shelly’s only weakness was indeed her treasured daughter Cindy. Although she was a vile woman, she was impeccable towards Cindy.

Tanya scoffed sarcastically.

"What makes you think you have the right to bargain with me?" She stood, coldly stared at the pale-faced Shelly, and told her word by word, "Don’t think that by taking all the blame, Cindy can walk away unscathed! I won’t let her go, just as you haven’t let me go all these years!"

Shelly shrieked, "Tanya!"

Tanya had already turned to leave, "As for who my biological father is, I’ll find out myself. Though it doesn’t matter if I never do..." Tanya paused, speaking coldly, "After all, my mother won’t be coming back to life."

Stepping out of the police station, the night wind was fresh, with a bright moon hanging high.

Tanya felt the breeze, coughed lightly twice, and pulled her coat tightly around herself.

Officer Crawford drove up to take her back to the hospital.

Tanya stood by the roadside waiting.

Suddenly, three black sedans drove up neatly and stopped in front of her, and the door of the middle car opened.

Tanya recognized someone familiar stepping out.

"Ms. Sinclair, it’s been a long time." Seth Yates smiled.

This was the secretary of Zeke Pierce, the rightful heir of The Pierce Family!

Tanya had met him twice.

Though the man always smiled amiably, there was an inexplicable sense of unease he evoked in people.

Recalling Declan’s caution to stay away from Zeke and those around him, Tanya warily took half a step back.

"Is there anything?"

Seth Yates just smiled silently and respectfully opened the rear car door.

A sound of suppressed light coughing flowed out first, followed by the moonlight, illuminating Zeke Pierce’s paper-pale, elegant face.

Zeke Pierce smiled slightly at her, "Ms. Sinclair, we’ve finally met officially. If you wish to see my troublesome brother, please get in the car."

Tanya, hearing the last sentence, found her retreating step halting...