Chapter 15
When Wilder came to, his hospital bed was surrounded by people.
Shaw stood closest, and the moment he noticed movement, he quickly sent others to fetch the
doctor.
Wilder’s eyelids felt unbearably heavy, as though something was weighing them down. He couldn’t open them.
His throat was dry and scratchy. He mumbled, barely audible.
Shaw leaned in to listen.
He was saying the same thing over and over–just two words, “Summer… Summer…”
Shaw froze.
He suddenly had no idea how to face Wilder once he fully regained consciousness.
The doctor arrived shortly after, and Wilder finally opened his eyes.
But he looked straight past the medical staff, paying no attention to his injuries. His gaze locked
onto Shaw.
Shaw lowered his eyes, lips tightening, “Wilder… I’m sorry. We searched everywhere, even ran checks through every channel we had. But there’s still no trace of Summer.”
“She’s just… it’s like she vanished into thin air.”
There was no other explanation. A living, breathing person had disappeared right outside the gates of the prison.
Unless someone had deliberately wiped all traces of Summer’s movements.
But in Italy, there were very few people capable of pulling off something like that–barely a
handful.
Still, Wilder refused to give up and sent more people to continue the search.
Shaw was worried about him and insisted on leaving someone to watch over Wilder in the hospital.
But Wilder threatened his own life to force Shaw to go and find Summer.
Left with no choice, Shaw placed Ben outside the hospital room with strict orders to call at the first sign of trouble.
Ben solemnly agreed.
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But once they were gone, his eyes turned cold as he stared at the door to Wilder’s room.
He slowly stepped away and made a phone call.
Wilder, meanwhile, lay immobile in his hospital bed, his leg fractured. All he could do was hold his phone, checking for any updates from Shaw.
Just then, the door burst open.
The moment he saw who it was, Wilder’s gaze turned to ice.
Grace flinched beneath the weight of it.
She stepped into the room hesitantly. Each step felt like walking barefoot on nails.
Love and hate twisted across her face in equal measure.
“Who told you I was here?” he barked.
Grace acted like she didn’t hear him.
She walked over to his bedside, her eyes fixed on his injured leg.
After a long silence, she reached out and gently placed her hand on it.
“Does it hurt, Wilder?”
His expression was ashen, terrifyingly cold. The last person he wanted to see right now was Grace.
If not for her, Summer would never have chosen to leave him.
When he didn’t answer, her face darkened.
Suddenly, she clenched her fist and slammed it down–right onto his wounded leg.
“Ah-!” Wilder cried out in pain.
Whatever tenderness was in Grace’s eyes a moment ago had morphed into unfiltered hatred.
“I asked you–does it hurt?”
Wilder’s eyes burned red, veins bulging at his temples.
He wanted nothing more than to leap up and kill her right then and there.
But his body was in agony. He couldn’t even move, let alone fight back.
So he had no choice but to endure it–endure her rage and venom.
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Grace saw that he couldn’t resist and suddenly burst out laughing.
But her laughter didn’t last long.
Her face dropped again.
“Wilder, do you have any idea how much I love you? You stopped loving Summer a long time ago- so why can’t you just be with me? We’ve already gotten married, I’m carrying your child, so why won’t you let me be with you openly?”
Wilder’s muscles trembled violently.
The pain was blinding–tearing his body apart from the inside out.
Sweat streamed from his brow, soaking into his hospital gown.
He glared at her with gritted teeth.
بيا
“Grace Caldwell… you were just a game to me. The only one I’ve ever loved is Summer. So what if we’re married? I could toss you aside like trash anytime. You think I care about that worthless piece of paper?”
Grace was completely rattled.
She clutched her head and let out a piercing, manic scream.
“No! That’s not true! You love me, not her! If you really loved her, then why didn’t you give her a real wedding? A real name? A real title?!”
Then suddenly, she burst into laughter again.
“Oh, that’s right. You say you love her–who the hell would believe that? Summer? Ha! If she believed that, she wouldn’t have left you!”
“She’s gone, Wilder! She doesn’t want you anymore–and she never will!”
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