Ch. 203: Mr. Edwards’ Unraveled Life chapter 203
Chapter 203
Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins rushed into the hospital, their hearts heavy with dread.
The moment Mrs. Jenkins saw Jamie lying pale and unconscious in the hospital bed, her composure crumbled. She collapsed to the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. "My poor daughter! Why did this happen to you? My baby, who’s suffered so much already. I should never have let you return to Craggaville. Look at the pain it’s caused you!"
Mr. Jenkins quickly knelt to help her up, his tone firm but comforting. "Wife, you must stay strong. Our daughter needs us. If you fall apart now, how can we fight for her? Jamie was wronged, and we’ll make sure justice is served!"
Hearing his words, Mrs. Jenkins quieted her sobs, though her eyes burned with fierce determination. She declared with certainty, "My daughter didn’t fall into the sea. She was pushed!"
Outside the ward, several members of the Jenkins family waited alongside Tessa, who had been the one to find Jamie.
Tessa had gone looking for Jamie and Norah, knowing Jamie had been following Norah. She hadn’t seen either of them in some time and grew anxious. What she eventually stumbled upon was horrifying: Jamie, thrashing in the sea, exhausted and moments from drowning. Tessa acted swiftly, pulling Jamie from the water and performing CPR until Jamie coughed up seawater and regained a faint pulse.
But there had been no sign of Norah.
Tessa now stood by, worried and restless. The partnership between the Edwards and Jenkins families hung in the balance, and Tessa needed to ensure the situation was managed carefully.
When Jamie’s parents arrived, their grief quickly turned into accusations.
“Where are the Edwards family members?” Mrs. Jenkins demanded sharply. “I want justice for my daughter!”
The Jenkins’ employees shifted their gaze toward Tessa, who felt the weight of their stares but refused to back down.
“Justice?” Tessa shot back indignantly. “Your daughter’s safety isn’t the only concern here. Norah is still missing! And yet, you’re already pointing fingers at us without knowing the full story. That’s not fair!”
Mrs. Jenkins turned her fury toward Tessa, her voice rising. “How dare you speak to me like that! The Edwards family hires people like you, and now my daughter suffers the consequences? Shameful!”
Tessa, unwilling to be silenced, retorted, “And Jamie has a mother like you! Isn’t our Ms. White’s life just as valuable? At least Jamie is still alive. What about Norah? She’s still missing, and we don’t know if she’s even alive! If you can’t appreciate that I saved Jamie, the least you can do is stop slandering Norah!”
Mrs. Jenkins’s chest heaved with rage. “Don’t you dare accuse me of slander! My daughter has always been kind and selfless. She’d never harm anyone! You, on the other hand, are covering for a murderer. I’m calling the police! Whoever hurt my daughter will pay dearly!”
She turned to her husband. “Where’s your phone? Call the police! I’ll make sure the person who did this to Jamie suffers worse than she ever did!”
Before Mr. Jenkins could respond, a calm but cutting voice interrupted.
“Call the police if you’d like,” Kevin Edwards said as he strode into the room, his icy gaze fixed on them. “But be prepared to see your daughter in prison.”
Mr. and Mrs. Jenkins froze, their expressions darkening. Mr. Jenkins’s voice trembled with anger as he barked, “Kevin, my daughter is lying unconscious in that hospital bed. How dare you say something so cruel? I’ve known your father for years. If you can’t sympathize with us, at least don’t pour salt in our wounds. She’s our only child!”
Tessa, standing nearby, was furious at the Jenkins’ lack of concern for Norah. Tears stung her eyes as she spoke up, her voice trembling with emotion. “Your daughter may be your world, but Norah is ours! Jamie is alive, but Norah might not be! If it weren’t for me pulling Jamie out of the water, she’d be gone too. And instead of showing gratitude, you’re here accusing us of things we didn’t do!”
Mrs. Jenkins lashed out, pointing a trembling finger at Tessa. “How dare you! I’ll—”
Tessa, emboldened by her anger, stood her ground. “Go ahead and hit me if you think that’ll fix anything! You think your money gives you the right to bully others? If you can accuse without proof, so can I! Let’s see how it feels when the tables are turned!”
Mrs. Jenkins staggered, clutching her chest as someone rushed to steady her.
Mr. Jenkins stepped forward, glaring at Kevin. “Do you hear this? Do you let your employees talk to people this way? It’s disgraceful! Your father would be ashamed to see the way you’re running things!”
Kevin’s expression didn’t waver. His tone was calm, but the steel in his voice was unmistakable. “Respect isn’t something you demand—it’s something you earn. Maybe you should try earning some before expecting it from others.”
Mr. Jenkins’s face flushed with anger. “You’re making a mistake, Kevin. My daughter fought to secure this partnership with you. She sacrificed profits and begged me to agree, and this is how you repay her? No sympathy, no support—just insults? You have no conscience!”
Kevin’s piercing gaze bore into Mr. Jenkins. “Let’s get one thing straight,” he said coldly. “My company has nothing to do with my father. Don’t try to use him to pressure me. And if Norah’s disappearance has anything to do with your daughter, then I suggest you start worrying about how to keep her out of prison.”
The room fell silent as Mr. Jenkins struggled to respond, visibly shaken by Kevin’s resolve.
Just then, the tense atmosphere was broken by the sound of light footsteps. A soft voice called out, “Kevin…”