Back From Prison, Built For Revenge - Chapter 30: Chapter 30

In a VIP suite at Dawnridge General Hospital, a sliver of sunlight cut through the blinds, landing on the crisp white sheets. It was soft, but it stung.
Chloe's eyes fluttered open, her gaze drifting unfocused around the room. The silence was absolute, broken only by the steady beep of the heart monitor, a rhythm reminding her she was still alive.
She tried to sit up but found her body was a lead weight. Even lifting an arm felt impossible. A sharp, stinging pain radiated from her shoulder, a relentless ache that felt like a dull knife sawing at her nerves.
"Don't move," Demi's voice came from her side. She gently propped Chloe up, sliding another pillow behind her. "The doctor said you need to rest."
Chloe frowned, her lips parting slightly, but no sound came out. She hated this feeling of being cared for, hated being this weak, this useless. But she knew she was powerless to change it, so for now, she had to accept the help.
"Mrs. Foster was just here. She went to have some soup made for you," Demi said in a low, soothing tone. "Don't worry, she really cares about you."
Chloe didn't respond. She just closed her eyes and turned her face toward the window. The light traced the sharp lines of her profile, making her look even paler.
A few moments later, the door opened softly and a figure entered. Nora Foster carried a steaming bowl of soup, setting it carefully on the nightstand. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked at Chloe with a warm, maternal smile.
"Chloe, you're awake," Nora's voice was gentle, a welcome comfort. "Are you hungry? I had them make some soup. See if you like it."
Chloe opened her eyes and met Nora's gaze, her own dark eyes unreadable. She opened her mouth, then closed it, finally managing a quiet, "Thank you."
Nora didn't seem to notice her coolness. She patiently spooned some soup, blew on it, and held it to Chloe's lips. "Good girl. Eat up. It'll help you get your strength back."
Chloe hesitated for a second before parting her lips and taking the spoonful of soup. The warmth slid down her throat, a sensation she hadn't felt in a long time. But it did little to chase away the bone-deep chill of exhaustion that had settled in her heart.
Seeing her eat, Nora offered another spoonful. "How are you feeling? Does anywhere else hurt?" she asked softly.
"I'm fine," Chloe's reply was short, distant. But Nora didn't seem to mind, just kept feeding her with quiet patience. For a while, the only sound in the room was the light clink of the spoon against the bowl, creating a strange sense of peace.
Flashes of memory surfaced—the Stone family, Hayden, Yolanda... the place she once called home. The images flickered through her mind like an old film reel: a happy family around the dinner table; Hayden gently placing food on her plate; Yolanda's sickeningly sweet, cloying words. For a long time, a younger Chloe had believed she truly had a complete, happy family.
Thinking about it now just felt like a sick joke.
"What is it?" Nora noticed the shift in Chloe's mood. "Did you remember something unpleasant?"
Chloe shook her head without answering, forcing the memories back down. Just then, Demi came back into the room, a serious look on her face. "Ms. Quinn, there's something you need to know."
"Go on," Chloe said, her eyes still closed, her voice laced with fatigue. "I'm listening."
"Yael was called in to see his father about what happened at the Citrus Grove Plaza yesterday," Demi said, lowering her voice. "I heard Owen Foster is furious."
Before she could finish, Nora frowned and cut her off. "What do you mean, 'you heard'? It's true. He is furious! He's threatening to punish Yael." She stood up and began pacing the room. "Yael works so hard, and this time he was only trying to help. How can his father be so harsh?"
Chloe opened her eyes, looking from the angry Nora to the concerned Demi. A knot of unease tightened in her stomach. She struggled to sit up, but Demi pressed her back down. "Ms. Quinn, don't move."
"Let me up," Chloe's tone was firm. "This happened because of me. I won't let someone else take the fall for it."
"Absolutely not," Nora immediately protested. "You haven't recovered. Let us handle this. You don't need to worry about it."
But no matter how they tried to dissuade her, Chloe was resolute. She had to go see Yael's father and explain everything herself. Her stubbornness left Demi and Nora with no choice but to give in. Leaning heavily on Demi, Chloe walked out of the hospital room. Each step was a difficult, heavy effort, but her dark eyes held a new, unshakable determination.
By the time they reached the Foster Group headquarters, it was nearly noon.
The second Chloe stepped into the building, the cold, corporate air hit her, making her already weak body feel even more suffocated. But she didn't stop. She gritted her teeth and pushed forward.
When they arrived at the door to the senior Owen Foster's office, she saw them.
Three familiar, loathsome figures stood there: Peter and Phoebe Stone, and Carlos Lambert.
The moment they saw Chloe, their faces twisted into varying shades of displeasure and shock. The air grew thick and heavy, and their expressions froze like stone.
"What are you doing here?" Peter spoke first, his voice dripping with undisguised contempt. "This is no place for you."
"I'm here to see Mr. Foster to explain what happened yesterday," Chloe replied calmly, her composure hiding a fierce, unyielding resolve. "It has nothing to do with anything else."
With that, she moved to walk past them toward the office door.
Just as she reached for the handle, a hand shot out and blocked her way. It was Carlos. He narrowed his eyes, studying her with the dangerous, predatory amusement of a hunter cornering its prey. "Are you sure you want to go in there? Do you have any idea what the consequences will be?"