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Chapter_150
Whitney carefully closed the lid of her acupuncture kit, her hands still trembling from the intense concentration required during the procedure. The room had quieted, the soft, rhythmic beeping of Braxton’s heart monitor offering a semblance of peace in the wake of the chaos that had consumed the night. She had managed to slow the hemorrhage, but the truth was, she was only buying time—how much, she couldn’t say.
Timothy’s grateful words echoed in her ears as she packed the last of her tools. You’ve given us more hope than we’ve had in hours. She hadn’t expected the emotional weight of the moment to hit her like it did, but seeing the tear fall from Timothy’s eye was a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation. She had given them hope, yes, but it was fragile, like a thin thread that could snap at any moment.
As she straightened up, ready to leave the room, Bryce’s presence beside her felt like a heavy anchor. He was watching her closely, his sharp eyes calculating, as if he could see the weight of everything on her shoulders. His earlier words about the dangers of her actions—of the consequences if Braxton didn’t make it—lingered in the air like a warning she couldn’t ignore.
If Braxton doesn’t make it… She knew the stakes had just become higher. Braxton’s survival was now linked directly to Ludwik’s fate, and if the worst happened, everything she had done to try to protect him would likely unravel. She wasn’t naïve enough to believe there wouldn’t be repercussions, but she also couldn’t live with herself if she hadn’t tried. She couldn’t be the one who stood by and did nothing.
Bryce’s voice broke through her thoughts again, low and measured. “You need to leave soon. The family will want to speak with you.” His eyes softened slightly, as if he understood the toll this was taking on her, but his words remained firm.
Whitney nodded slowly, the weight of the situation pressing against her chest. “I’ll go,” she said, her voice steady but strained. She needed to get out of there—before the family arrived, before the tension suffocated her any further. She had done what she could for Braxton, and now all she could do was wait. But the waiting was the hardest part.
She turned to leave the room, her gaze lingering on Braxton’s still form for a moment longer. She had done what she could for him tonight, but the future was uncertain. The ripple effect of her decision to intervene could be catastrophic, and she wasn’t sure if the storm had passed or if it was just gathering force.
As she stepped into the hallway, Timothy’s voice called after her. “Thank you, Whitney. I’ll never be able to repay you for this.”
She gave him a small nod, unable to find the words to reassure him. You don’t owe me anything, she thought. I just did what I had to do. But she didn’t say it aloud. Instead, she kept walking, her mind already turning over the next steps. The clock was ticking. Ludwik’s situation wasn’t over, and neither was hers. The tangled web of family, ambition, and responsibility was far from untangled, and Whitney knew that whatever happened next, it was going to take everything she had to survive.
She made her way back to the car, her pulse still racing, her thoughts spinning in endless circles. How long would it take for the family to realize the true nature of the betrayal that had unfolded? Would Braxton wake up in time to clear Ludwik’s name? Or had she just sealed their fates—one way or another?
The city lights flickered in the distance, casting long shadows on the road as she drove away, uncertain of what lay ahead but knowing that whatever happened, there was no turning back.
