And at that moment, Arnold’s voice pierced through the chaos, causing Josie’s heart to skip a beat, “Josie!”
Ivy, who had been knocked down by Dexter, unexpectedly rose and snatched the knife from the ground, forcefully thrusting it into Josie’s abdomen.
The sudden attack caught Josie off guard, and her face turned pale as her eyes fixated on the scene of Dexter and Summer locked in an embrace. Ivy’s eerie voice echoed in her ears, “So he’s made his choice now…”
With each passing moment, Ivy increased the pressure, driving the knife deeper into Josie’s body. Josie stared blankly, her gaze drifting down to see her blood pooling around her, a disturbing amount of blood.
Unbeknownst to her, Dexter’s expression had changed; his face was contorted with disbelief and devastation, “No! Josie!”
The sky hadn’t fully brightened yet, and a faint. hue of pale blue colored the distant horizon. Leaning against the railing, a man stood there, his attire now different.
He wore a simple, solid-colored shirt with a couple of buttons undone, and his sleeves were rolled up a couple of layers..
Even in the gradually brightening sky, one could still make out the untreated wounds on his arms, smudged with dried blood from the friction. Emanating a menacing aura, and his face contorted with anger.
Standing alongside him were his subordinates, one kneeling on the ground. “It’s my fault, Mr. Russell. I screwed up by not realizing that Mrs. Russell was being followed and left vulnerable. I take full responsibility and am ready for whatever punishment you see fit.”
The atmosphere in the room grew tense as the weight of responsibility settled upon them. All the bodyguards were acutely aware that the stakes were high, and any harm that befell Josie under their watch, they would face harsh consequences.
The man nonchalantly flicked his cigarette, watching the ashes scattered in the air, his gaze fixed on the expansive sea. With a steady voice, he broke the silence. “How long have you been on my payroll?” The person stammered in fright, “A… a… a year.”
Dexter’s smile sent shivers down the spines of those present, his aura cold and indifferent. His bodyguards sank to their knees one by one, acknowledging his unwavering authority.
He snuffed out the cigarette, his gaze slowly turning toward the person. His tone was eerily calm. “A year? Yet you failed me. Screwed up my rules and expectations! Do you have any idea the sh*t you put me in? How on earth can I trust someone as incompetent as you?”
“I… I didn’t expect Ivy would betray us and harm Mrs. Russell. So, I didn’t beef up the security…”
The person’s feeble defense crumbled under the man’s overpowering presence. Dexter’s gaze passed over the kneeling figure, catching a glimpse of a figure in a white cloak bustling about. Josie was being attended to and rescued in the surgery.
Speaking deliberately, Dexter’s voice tinted with fury and seriousness, “I’m not going to deal with you guys right now. You should know you’ve failed me miserably! But let me make myself clear, if anything happens to that woman in there, every single one of you will pay with your lives!”
His demeanor remained cold and stern, and the subordinates quickly cowered down. They had worked for Dexter for a year but had never seen him this furious. Usually, he was indifferent and aloof. This time, they had indeed struck a nerve.
“Get out!” The space beside him cleared as the room’s door finally swung open. Anderson, the top surgeon from Wavery Hospital, removed his blood-stained gloves and walked up to Dexter. He couldn’t help but comment, “I remember you never smoke.”
In fact, Anderson had an important surgery scheduled today, with the patient already on the operating table. However, the hospital director coerced him to take Josie’s case, promising to take responsibility if anything went wrong with his patient.
It turned out the hospital director wanted Anderson to rush over and save the daughter- in-law of the Russell family!
Dexter’s expression softened slightly upon seeing Anderson’s disheveled state. He squinted his eyes, signaling that Anderson should refrain from any ambiguous remarks.
“Thank the heavens you got her here just in time, and the emergency procedures were executed without delay. She was almost a goner, but we were able to save her. Anyway, once the anesthesia wears off, she’ll wake up.”
Dexter nodded, refraining from unnecessary words.
