Chapter 183:

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Kelly’s POV

“She was shot and she’s pregnant. Please take care of her,” Pierce pleaded with the nurses as they provided stretchers. Gently, he laid me down on one.

The doctors immediately began their work. My arm was bleeding heavily, and the sight of it seemed to unsettle Pierce even more. He turned pale when the doctors informed him that he’d need to wait outside the emergency room. For a moment, our eyes met, and I offered him a reassuring smile, silently telling him that everything would be okay before the door to the emergency room closed between us.

I swallowed hard, biting my bottom lip to hold back the tears as the pain continued to course through my body. I had to stay strong—for the baby. I wasn’t going to die here.

“We’ll put you to sleep and begin the surgery now, Mrs. Anderson,” the kind doctor said. “We need to stop the bleeding and repair the damaged tissue. Please trust us and pray while you’re under.”

I nodded at her, and she instructed one of the nurses to administer the anesthesia.

As the anesthesia took hold, I slowly drifted into a deep sleep, my mind fading into a peaceful dreamland. I saw myself, Pierce, and our loved ones happily bonding in a beautiful, flower-filled place.

“Mr. Anderson!”

I looked up, my gaze meeting the police officer’s. He was scanning my body, his eyes focusing on the blood-soaked shirt I wore. It was Kelly’s blood, and seeing it sent a cold chill through my veins.

Blood. The blood of the woman I love. Seeing her hurt, seeing her in the emergency room—it haunted me. I don’t know how I would survive if something happened to her.

The officer’s lips parted as he took in the sight of me. “Mr. Anderson… she was shot?”

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I sucked in a sharp breath and nodded. “In her arm. She’s… losing too much blood.”

I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to steady myself. The officer placed a hand on my shoulder.

“The shooter was caught on CCTV,” he said. “We’ve already sent men to track him down.”

I clenched my jaws and locked eyes with him. “Make sure he doesn’t get away. My wife and child are in danger. We need to catch the person responsible—no matter what it takes.”

The officer nodded firmly. “We’re doing everything we can, Mr. Anderson.”

Just then, I saw my father approaching, with Emily by his side.

“Where’s Kelly?” Emily asked, her voice trembling when she saw the blood on my shirt.

I swallowed hard and looked at the closed doors of the emergency room. I couldn’t speak, so I just stared at the door, hoping it would provide the answer for me.

“She’s okay, right? It’s just a minor injury, right? Tell me, Pierce!” Emily’s voice cracked with desperation.

My lips parted, and I was about to force myself to answer Emily when the door to the emergency room suddenly opened. The doctor walked out, removing his gloves and pulling his surgical mask down as I rushed toward him.

“Doctor, how is she?” I asked urgently.

“The bullet has been removed from her arm. She’s stable now, and the baby’s fine too.”

I exhaled in relief, finally able to breathe properly after hearing the good news. “Thank you… thank you so much, doctor.”

I glanced over at my father, who placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring nod. “You saved them.”

For the first time, he comforted me in a way that made my chest tighten. I felt like I could break down in front of him, the weight of the fear and stress lifting slightly with those three simple words. They meant more to me than I could explain.

I swallowed hard, licking my dry lips, and turned back to the police officer with a more intense expression.

“Update me as soon as you catch the shooter, officer.”

“Of course, Mr. Anderson. I’ll go ahead for now.”

I looked back at my father. “Where’s my daughter, Dad?”

“She’s with your mom and sister. Don’t worry about them. They’re safe.” His face remained emotionless, but I understood now. He’s always like this. He cares deeply, but expressing it isn’t something he’s good at.

Once Kelly was transferred to a private room, I stayed by her side, holding her hand. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, not even for a moment. I skipped both lunch and dinner, too worried to leave her alone for even a second.

“If you don’t want to eat, at least drink this,” my father said, lifting my gaze to meet his. He handed me a cup of hot chocolate.

I sighed, accepting the drink without saying a word. He stood next to me and gently tapped my shoulder. His presence in this situation helped calm me, even though I was still panicking inside. Just knowing he was there made everything feel a little more manageable.

“I know you’re scared. Use that fear to be smarter, Pierce,” he said quietly. “You were raised in a strong family. You have everything, every resource, to resolve this problem.”

I lifted my face to meet his eyes. “Am I supposed to kill them?”

He shook his head. “Killing is not always the best option. Attack them where you have the advantage.”

I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling inside me. “Kelly already has their company and their other properties. She already has everything they can use against her.”

“A businessman always has a plan B, C, D, and so on, Pierce. The alphabet is long. You don’t stop at one letter if you want to complete a word.”

I stared at him, frustration building. “Can you please tell me everything you know? You know something, Dad. I’ve always known that. You knew Kelly survived that night. You knew Snow is my daughter. You know we have a hidden enemy. I want to save my family, but I can’t do it when I’m blind… I… I need your help.”

He looked at me with those blank eyes. My dad had always been soft only to my mother. The way he looked at me now made me question my real identity. But now, I was starting to understand everything.

“You always have the truth right in front of you, Pierce. You’re just too kind to see it,” he said quietly.

I furrowed my brow. “What do you mean?”

He tapped my shoulder again, his gaze steady. “I’ll bring your mother, sister, and daughter to another country. Snow will study there, and we’ll take good care of her. After your wedding, we’ll fly abroad. I want you to focus on resolving things with just you and your wife. Don’t let kindness blind you. Not all that glitters is gold.”

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