Back From Prison, Built For Revenge - Chapter 48: Chapter 48

"Ms. Quinn?" Demi's voice, hushed and tentative, drifted in from beyond the door, as if she feared disturbing the fragile mood within.
Chloe's eyelids fluttered slightly before she slowly opened her eyes. Gone was any trace of her former innocence and vivacity, replaced by a chilling lifelessness.
It was still the same familiar face, but those eyes no longer seemed to belong to the living. She sat up, her gaze falling on the open gift box beside her. In the center lay an exquisite necklace, its icy cold gleam stark under the dim hospital lights.
Without a second glance, Chloe mechanically shoved the necklace back into the gift box, her movements as brisk and indifferent as if she were discarding something utterly insignificant.
"It's raining outside," Demi said hesitantly from the doorway after a long pause. "Mrs. Stone arrived completely drenched, but she's still waiting outside your room. She wants to apologize to you in person."
The only sound in the ward was the rain drumming against the window. Suddenly, Chloe barked a hollow laugh, so brief and rough it was impossible to tell if it was bitter or mocking.
She lifted her gaze to Demi, her voice razor-sharp. "Apologize to me?"
She repeated the word, a faint sneer tugging at her lips, but her eyes remained ice-cold. "Does she truly believe a simple apology can make up for all the suffering I've endured these years?"
Demi lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes, not daring to say another word.
Demi had long understood. Chloe's heart had been hardened by time and fate into a cold, unyielding stone. No amount of remorse or reparation could make the slightest dent now.
Outside the ward, at the far end of the corridor, a gaunt figure stood still. Thunder rumbled ominously as rain pounded against the windows, threatening to tear through the oppressive night.
Phoebe clutched a thin overcoat against the howling wind, her hair plastered to her rain-streaked cheeks. Rainwater dripped from her chin, soaking through her collar.
Her hands clenched and unclenched, her lips twitching occasionally before pressing tightly together, as if words rose to her throat only to be forcibly swallowed back down.
Phoebe stood ramrod straight, held upright by sheer willpower alone, for a puddle of water, formed from the dripping rain, had already gathered at her feet.
"Mrs. Stone, it's quite late. You really should head back," the hospital security guard urged, a hint of hesitation in his voice. Clad in a heavy-duty uniform and clutching an umbrella, even he swayed unsteadily in the strong wind.
Phoebe turned to look at him, her gaze making the security guard momentarily falter. In her eyes was a desperate resolve, so unwavering that no storm, however fierce, could sway her in the slightest.
"I can't leave," Phoebe said hoarsely, her voice brooking no argument. "I must wait for her."
The security guard parted his lips, then snapped them shut. He said nothing, merely sighing.
He knew all too well that the tangled affairs of the rich and powerful were none of his business, and he was in no position to interfere.
All he could do was quietly step back a few paces and raise his umbrella a little higher, shielding the stubborn Mrs. Stone from the rain.
In the ward, Chloe said nothing more, yet sleep eluded her. She sat on the bed, gazing at the blurred curtain of rain outside the window, her fingertips lightly tapping the bed's edge.
She seemed to meticulously calculate something, or perhaps simply venting the turbulent unease within her.
Chloe knew Phoebe's visit wasn't just about an apology. She would never waste time on fruitless atonement.
Chloe closed her eyes and took a deep breath, only to find her chest tightening even more. A chilling premonition crept over her. Something was looming, and it might just upend her entire world.
"Chloe, stop pretending to be strong." Hayden, standing nearby, finally spoke up, looking down at her with conflicted emotions in his eyes. "If there's something you want to say, just say it.
"Bottling things up like this isn't good for you."
Chloe looked up at him, her gaze so cold it seemed to freeze the air.
"You don't need to concern yourselves with my health," she said flatly. "But Grandma is getting old and can't handle any more shocks. You two should go back and take care of her instead."
Hayden frowned and averted his gaze in displeasure. Comforting others had never been his forte, especially not when it came to someone as ice-cold to the core as Chloe.
Resentment simmered in his chest, yet he felt powerless. After all, the Stone family was deeply in debt to Chloe.
Just then, a familiar yet grating voice cut in. "Chloe, you need to understand. Some things aren't up to your whims."
Phoebe pushed open the door, wringing the sleeves of her drenched coat, her voice icy. "The Stone family can give you everything, and we can just as easily take it all away."
Chloe paused briefly, then scoffed. "Threatening me? So that's what this visit is really about?"
"I'm not threatening you," Phoebe lifted her head, her haggard face etched with exhaustion, but a hint of steel flashed in her eyes. "I'm just reminding you.
"The Stone Group is in crisis, and we need to pull together to get through this. You wouldn't want to see the Stone family fall apart, would you?"
"How incredibly noble of you, Mrs. Stone," Chloe said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "But I can't help but wonder a thing. Are you doing this for the Stone family, or just to protect your status?"
The air turned instantly tense. Hayden's frown deepened as his gaze flickered uncertainly between his mother and Chloe. He wanted to speak, but found he couldn't get a word in edgewise.
Just then, the crisp tap of a cane echoed from the doorway. All three turned to see Evelyn, supported by the butler, slowly entering.
Dressed in a dark dress and leaning on an ornately carved cane, every step Evelyn took radiated a commanding, almost oppressive presence.
"Silence." Evelyn's voice, though not loud, struck like a hammer with every word. "We don't air our dirty laundry in public. Whatever needs saying, we'll keep it within these walls."
Chloe instinctively straightened her back, though her expression remained cold and detached. "Grandma, if you have something to say, just come out with it."
Evelyn narrowed her eyes, studying Chloe for a few seconds before letting out a weary sigh. "We're all family here.
"What can't we talk through properly? Chloe, I know you've suffered a great deal, but the Stone family has also been good to you. I hope you can put the family's interests above all else."
"The family's interests?" Chloe's lips slowly curled into a smile so cold it sent shivers down their backs. "It is nothing but the Stone family's interests. And me? Who will protect my interests?"
"Enough." Phoebe cut in sharply. "Mrs. Stone, I know exactly what must be done. I'll discipline Hayden and Yolanda properly. They will face the consequences for their actions."
The ward fell silent once more, but beneath it, a storm was brewing.
The butler stood by the door, taking it all in. His lips twitched, but in the end, he merely lowered his head and sighed under his breath, "A wealthy family is so complicated."
The rain continued its steady patter, though the thunder had faded. Phoebe cast a final, unreadable glance at Chloe, then turned wordlessly to leave the ward.
But as she stepped into the corridor, she suddenly halted, as if struck by a forgotten thought.
"What's the matter, Mrs. Stone?" the butler asked gently.
"It's nothing." Phoebe shook her head. "I just feel like I've overlooked something important."
The butler hesitated, words caught in his throat, but ultimately followed in silence.
Meanwhile, back in the hospital room, Chloe sat rigidly on the bed, her fists clenching soundlessly. As the door clicked shut, she finally murmured, "What more could they possibly take from me?"