Chapter 2
Second Chances Protecting Mrs. Hall
Chapter 2 Liam sat i n his wheelchair, clad in a custom tailored black suit that highlighted his aristocratic, icy demeanor. His presence exuded an untouchable chill and an air of nobility.
With a cigarette pinched between his fingers, smoke curling around him, his gaze-deep and unfathomable-was locked on the screen, mirroring Emmaâs every move.
On the display, Emma swiftly and decisively took down several sturdy men with deadly efficiency. Her skills were clearly honed over years of rigorous training.
âAre you sure the info you guys gave me is legit?â Liam asked, his tone cold and questioning.
âMr. Hall, itâs rock solid. We had no clue Mrs. Hall was so...â the bodyguards fumbled for words, finally murmuring, âWild.â
As he watched Emma, Liamâs icy demeanor softened slightly. âSheâs definitely more interesting now,â he thought, intrigued.
At that moment, Emmaâs boot was pressed firmly against a bouncerâs neck, almost snapping it.
âMercy, please...â the men whimpered, pleading for their lives.
Elijah stood by, utterly baffled. âNora said Emma was just an uneducated country girl. How could she be so skilled?â he pondered.
Suddenly, the door burst open, and reporters swarmed in.
As Emma turned, a camera flash captured her face. âMiss Wilson, rumors say youâve been neglecting your duties. Whatâs this about you and Dr. Taylor?â a reporter fired off, diving into the action.
Halted by the sight of the defeated thugs, the reporter faltered, thinking, âWhat the hell is this? This isnât at all like the scene Nora described!â
Emma, standing over a defeated man with her arms crossed and her hair wild, scoffed coldly. âWhat about Dr. Taylor and me?
Keep talking. You got some sort of psychic powers or just a dirty mind? Decided I was screwing around before you even saw me? Whatâs your play? Just sleazy, or someoneâs puppet?â
The reporter recoiled, wishing to disappear, while other journalists surged forward eagerly.
Seeing the throng, Elijah yelled, âWatch out, everyone-she is losing her mind! Someone, help!â
Then, a group of police officers followed by the Wilson family entered from behind the reporters.
Aria, knowing there would be cameras, wore a delicate white dress and styled her hair in a bun. She touched her lightly made-up face, squeezing out fake tears, and lunged toward Emma. âSister, my long-lost sister! Iâm so happy to find you! Welcome home!â
Nora approached with feigned warmth. âEmma... itâs really you! Weâve searched so hard for you. But whatâs this? Werenât these men sent to protect you? Donât you want to come home?â
As Nora finished, Emma saw the barely concealed disdain from her father and grandmother.
True to form, Noraâs ostensibly caring words masked a sharp jab.
Emma replied with a cold smile, âNora, why wouldnât I want to come home? But tell me, do you and Aria actually want me back?â
âWhat are you even saying, Emma?â Nora retorted, her surprise evident. Internally she marveled, âWhy isnât she grateful and timid? Why the defiance?â
1/3 Chapter 2 Fearing things might spiral, Nora quickly gestured to the police. âOfficers, though weâve only just found Emma and we all love her dearly, we must abide by the law. Her actions are our failure in upbringing. Please, handle her gently...â
Emma laughed coldly at Noraâs performance. âReally laying it on thick, arenât you, Nora? The police havenât even said anything about arresting me, and here you are, calling for my head? Itâs not even clear whoâs in the wrong!
She then pulled a syringe and an alcohol swab from a drawer, and in front of everyone, injec nerself in the arm.
Nora blanched. âHey, what the hell are you doing?â
Emma remained calm and expertly drew a vial of her own blood.
Handing the vial to the officer, Emma said, âOfficer, if Iâm right, youâll find hallucinogenic and hypnotic drugs in my blood, drugs that are strictly banned. Iâm just a country girl; I shouldnât have access to this stuff. Please find out where it came from, who supplied it, and who drugged me!â
The police immediately sent her blood to the hospital for testing.
After a nerve-wracking wait, the results were promptly returned.
âMiss Emma is right,â announced a doctor, report in hand. âHer blood contains a banned hypnotic drug! Further investigation revealed that a reagent went missing from our pharmacy at 12:29 PM today. It looks like someone deliberately injected it into Miss Emmaâs bloodstream!â
At this, all eyes shifted to Elijah.
Elijah began to panic. The drugging was part of the plot he and Nora had devised, but he never imagined Emma would detect being drugged, much less precisely name the drug. If this was pursued further, it wasnât just about not framing Emma; improperly handling medications could mean losing his job or even facing prison time.
âOfficer, I had nothing to do with this-it must have been a mistake at the pharmacy!â Elijah quickly pointed at a nurse, snapping, âExplain yourself! Why was this drug added to Emmaâs saline?â
Emma watched the scapegoated nurse, now shaking with fear.
The nurse, Layla Brown, was Noraâs niece and Ariaâs cousin. Previously, Layla often participated in their cruel plots against Emma, likely out of a desire to gain their approval.
âThis time, I bet she was involved too, considering she handles the meds, Emma thought.
âWhat are you waiting for? Write an apology and hand in your resignation!â Elijah, trying to save his skin, lashed out at Layla.
Emma watched them turn on each other, feeling both disdain and satisfaction. She spoke to the police. âOfficer, mishandling medications is serious-it can be deadly. Just quitting doesnât cut it, does it?â
âAbsolutely not!â With that, the officers moved to cuff Layla right in front of Nora.
As the police moved to take her niece away, Nora grew desperate. âOfficer, please, Layla is just a kid who grabbed the wrong medication by mistake. She shouldnât be punished so severely. Please, let her go,â she pleaded.
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