Chapter 30
The photo was the one Suzy had taken earlier in the underground parking garage. Leonard closed his eyes tightly for a moment, then handed the phone back to Adam.
"...I see. So that’s how it is, huh?"
"Human greed has no limits," Adam said coolly as he took the phone. "Stop deceiving yourself and deal with it once and for all."
Leonard said nothing. He reached into his pocket, felt the pack of cigarettes there, and walked toward the corridor. "I’m going to have a smoke. Watch Suzy for me, please."
"Alright," Adam replied.
Leonard chain-smoked for half an hour. Adam didn’t interrupt him. He knew Leonard needed space to sort through his thoughts.
They had known each other for years. Adam believed Leonard would eventually come to his senses. He understood better than anyone that the man hadn’t been without hesitation this past year.
He had struggled a lot. But he had mistaken gratitude for love and trapped himself in it.
He just needed a trigger. Suzy was that trigger.
When Leonard returned to the hospital room, on the surface, he looked the same as before. But Adam noticed the subtle shift immediately.
Adam’s lips curved. Perhaps the love-struck delusion was finally cured.
Leonard pulled up a chair beside the bed and said quietly, "Adam, thank you for tonight. I’ll stay here with Suzy. You should head home and rest."
It was already well past midnight, and Leonard didn’t want to trouble Adam any further. He could handle keeping watch alone.
Adam glanced once at the pale girl on the hospital bed, then nodded. "Alright. I’ll go then."
"Drive safe," Leonard said.
Adam left without looking back.
The small hospital room fell silent again. Only Leonard and Suzy remained.
With no one else around, Leonard looked at her bloodless face, the guilt and heartbreak in his eyes nearly tangible.
Soon, his eyes reddened again. With no witnesses, his tears fell freely.
If Suzy had opened her eyes at that moment, she would have been startled.
Leonard imagined that if his sister were still alive and saw Suzy like this because of him, she would beat him senseless.
The thought only made him cry harder.
***
At six the next morning, the quiet hospital room door was pushed open. Leonard, eyes swollen and red, looked up to see Adam standing there.
Adam had showered and changed into clean clothes. He stood in the doorway looking composed and sharp, like a striking contrast to the exhaustion in the room.
He was also carrying a thermal food container.
"You’re here again?" Leonard asked in surprise.
Adam walked in with practiced ease, set the container on the table, and said simply, "It’s my turn now."
Leonard shook his head at once. "It’s kind of you, but no need. I can stay with Suzy."
𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂
Adam’s gaze swept lightly over Leonard’s pale face, his brows knitting together. "You plan to let her wake up and see you looking like that?"
Leonard froze.
Instinctively, he touched his face and frowned.
After a moment’s hesitation, he pulled out his phone and turned on the front-facing camera.
The man on the screen looked haggard and sickly. Dark stubble already shadowed his jaw, and his eyes were swollen and bloodshot with dark circles framing them.
He looked nothing like the confident, composed man from the birthday banquet the night before.
He hadn’t thought much of it before. But standing in front of Adam—clean, composed, almost irritatingly polished—Leonard suddenly felt a pang of sadness.
After a pause, he finally nodded.
"...Alright. I’ll head back first."
Adam nodded.
Leonard left the hospital room, turning back every few steps. In the end, he decided to find somewhere to clean himself up before returning to keep watch over Suzy.
Half an hour after Leonard left, Suzy woke up.
Thanks to her space protecting her at the critical moment, her injuries hadn’t been severe to begin with. On top of that, she had drunk spiritual spring water before, which had greatly improved her physical condition. She was no longer the frail girl she used to be—her recovery ability was exceptional.
Following her natural body clock, Suzy slowly opened her eyes.
All she saw was white. For a brief second, she felt disoriented, almost thinking she had gone to heaven.
She turned her neck slightly and realized she was in a hospital room. And she wasn’t alone.
Adam Bennet was there.
At that moment, Adam was looking down at his phone, his expression focused. As if sensing her gaze, he suddenly lifted his eyes.
Their eyes met.
"You’re awake," he said first.
Suzy blinked and nodded, her memories gradually returning.
Right—there had been a car accident last night. But judging from how she felt, nothing seemed seriously wrong. Her arms and legs were all intact.
Good. Very good.
"Adam... why are you here? Where’s my uncle?" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse.
"He went back to take care of some matters. I’m here with you for now," Adam replied.
"Is he okay?" she asked quickly.
Adam studied her closely. "He was with me. He’s fine. Why don’t you worry about yourself first?"
Suzy shifted slightly, testing her body. "I feel pretty good."
With the space shielding her, she probably hadn’t suffered any major injuries.
Thinking about what had happened the night before, she felt a surge of relief. If not for the space, she might have died.
But what she was most grateful for was that she hadn’t let her uncle get into that car.
"Hungry? Want something to eat?" Adam asked.
Suzy was about to refuse when her stomach growled loudly at the worst possible moment.
She froze, utterly embarrassed.
Adam had already put away his phone. He picked up the insulated container from the table and walked over to her.
The moment he opened it, a gentle, sweet aroma of rice porridge filled the air.
Her mouth began watering instantly.
She peeked inside.
Vegetable and corn porridge—her favorite light congee.
Adam ladled out a bowl and handed it to her. "Eat."
Suzy took it and stirred it lightly with the spoon. The mild fragrance grew even stronger.
"You brought this for me? Thank you."
"It’s nothing," Adam said simply.
Only after she finished the entire bowl did Adam begin explaining what had happened while she was unconscious.
"The investigation results are out," he said. "The car lost control because the brakes were tampered with."
Suzy nodded calmly. "I could tell. Whoever did it was targeting my uncle. He knows, right?"
"He knows," Adam replied. "And we’ve identified the person who did it. It was arranged by your so-called aunt’s ’younger brother.’ He bribed someone to do it."
Of course, Suzy thought inwardly. Just as I suspected.
It matched her suspicions almost exactly. There was no way Monica wasn’t involved.
"Does my uncle know that, too?" Suzy couldn’t help asking. She was genuinely worried for him.
If Leonard still chose to forgive Monica after knowing she had orchestrated this... Then he was truly beyond saving.
Suzy’s thoughts were written all over her face. Adam saw right through her.
"Don’t worry," he said calmly. "Your uncle won’t forgive her."
"How can you be so sure?" Suzy asked.
Adam looked at her for a bit and said, "I showed him the photo you sent me that day."