Back From Prison, Built For Revenge - Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Yolanda stood at the hospital room door, her gaze locked on Carlos's back as he carried Chloe away. Her nails dug deep into her palm, almost drawing blood, yet she felt no pain.
'Why? Why is he so concerned about Chloe?' she wondered. Jealousy and unease welled up in Yolanda's chest.
The sting of being utterly disregarded coiled around her like a venomous serpent, its grip suffocating Yolanda, fangs sinking in and stealing her very breath.
"Ms. Stone, we should leave now," Camila whispered hesitantly, her voice tinged with unease.
Yolanda didn't respond, just shot Camila an icy glare that made the assistant instinctively lower her head, too intimidated to speak.
At the corner of the hospital corridor, Yolanda halted. Concealed in the shadows, her gaze fixed intently on the distant ward entrance.
Carlos stood there, an uncharacteristically grave expression on his face. Cradling Chloe in his arms, he instructed the doctor in a hushed tone, "Run a thorough check on her. If anything seems off, let me know immediately."
Upon hearing the profound concern and desperate urgency in Carlos's voice, Yolanda ground her teeth.
"Carlos?" Yolanda murmured, her voice trembling with wounded pride and bitter resentment.
Yolanda couldn't help but recall what Quella had said to her just a few days earlier. "Yolanda, do you really think Chloe is that simple? She's not getting close to Carlos without an agenda.
"Do you honestly believe she's just out for revenge? Don't be naive. She's clearly after everything you have, including your fiancé."
At the time, Yolanda had dismissed Quella's warnings as mere alarmism. But now, it seemed there was some truth to them after all. 'Chloe really does have ulterior motives,' Yolanda thought.
The hospital garden lay deathly quiet at night, broken only by the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze. Yolanda stood alone beneath a towering tree, her fists clenched so tightly her knuckles turned pale.
Yolanda closed her eyes, and the image of Carlos holding Chloe just moments ago kept replaying in her mind. 'He's never cared about me so badly or treated me so gently,' she thought.
"Why?" Yolanda murmured to herself. "Why does Carlos always take her side? I'm supposed to be his fiancée."
These conflicting emotions were driving Yolanda to the edge. On one hand, she was terrified of losing Carlos; on the other, she desperately craved to possess his heart entirely, leaving no room for any intruder.
Gritting her teeth, Yolanda hissed, "Chloe, you'll never take what's mine."
It was already late at night when Yolanda returned to her room. Camila carefully brought her a cup of hot tea and whispered, "Ms. Stone, it's so late. Should you retire for the night?"
"Retire for the night?" Yolanda sneered, smashing the cup onto the floor. "Do you really think I can sleep right now?"
Camila shrank back in fear, but forced herself to advise, "Ms. Stone, I know you're worried about Mr. Lambert, but if you act on impulse like this, won't it—"
"Shut up," Yolanda snapped sharply. "Don't you dare tell me what to do."
Camila lowered her head, not daring to speak, yet a flicker of complex emotions flashed in her eyes.
Early the next morning, the hospital lobby was bustling with people as a new day began.
Carlos sat on the bench, phone in one hand as he dealt with work and a coffee cup in the other. He looked as composed and elegant as ever, though a trace of weariness showed between his brows.
"Hi, Carlos." A honeyed voice pierced the silence.
Carlos looked up to see Yolanda hurrying toward him. She was dressed in a light blue sundress, looking fresh and charming. But as she drew closer, a slight frown creased his brow.
"What brings you here?" His tone was cool and distant.
"I was so worried about Chloe that I made a special trip to check on her," Yolanda said, clinging to his arm, her voice deliberately sweet. "She suddenly fainted last night. I was absolutely terrified."
Carlos withdrew his arm, his tone cool and detached. "Mrs. Stone needs care. You should go home."
Yolanda was stunned by his words, staring at him in disbelief. "But Chloe still hasn't woken up. I want to stay with her," she pleaded.
"That won't be necessary." Carlos stood up, setting his coffee cup aside. "She has doctors and nurses here, and Demi is already looking after her. That's quite enough."
With that, he turned and walked away without so much as a backward glance.
In the hospital garden, dappled sunlight filtered through the leaves. Chloe sat on a bench, her gaze fixed on a distant patch of grass. Though the doctor assured her the test results were fine, she still felt utterly drained.
"My, what happened to you in just one night?" A familiar, deep voice drifted from behind her.
Chloe turned her head to see Carlos standing there, hands buried in his pockets, his deep eyes fixed on her with an inscrutable intensity.
"If you're here to watch me fall apart, sorry, but I'm not giving you that satisfaction," Chloe said coldly, then turned away, refusing to acknowledge him any further.
Yet, Carlos stepped closer and sat down beside her. "I'm not here to gloat," he said, his voice calm. "I just want to know—what really happened?"
His tone was deceptively calm, but his piercing gaze radiated a palpable intensity. This instantly put Chloe on edge. She shifted sideways, putting deliberate distance between them. "What's it to you?" she shot back.
"Of course it does," Carlos said, narrowing his eyes. "Don't you remember? We once were—"
"Let bygones be bygones," Chloe cut him off sharply. "I'm no longer the naive little girl I once was, and you're certainly not the trustworthy man I once believed you to be."
Carlos's face darkened at her words. He stared at her in silence for a long, tense moment before finally speaking in a low voice, "So, you're on guard against me now—is that it?"
Chloe didn't answer; her silence spoke volumes. This only fueled Carlos's displeasure. He seized her wrist and yanked her roughly toward him. "Chloe," he growled, "do you really think you can just shake me off like this?"
His grip wasn't crushing, but it sent a sharp pain through Chloe's wrist. She twisted against his hold, but couldn't break free. Forced to look up, she met his gaze with icy defiance. "Let me go."
They were so close, they could almost hear each other's breathing. Just then, a sharp, furious voice shattered the tense standoff.
"Unhand Ms. Quinn." Demi rushed over, swiftly separating them and shielding Chloe. She fixed Carlos with a wary yet furious glare. "Mr. Lambert, have some self-respect."
Carlos sneered, ignoring Demi as he turned to Chloe. "Seems you're never short of knights in shining armor, are you?"
With that, he turned on his heel and strode away without so much as a backward glance at them.
As Carlos's figure disappeared at the far end of the garden, Demi finally let out a relieved sigh. She turned to steady Chloe. "Ms. Quinn, are you all right?"
Chloe shook her head weakly, but her pale face betrayed her. Demi sighed softly and cautioned in a hushed tone, "Mr. Lambert is not someone to be trifled with. It's best to stay away from him."
Chloe just curled her lips in a bitter, mocking smile. "Demi, do you think I want anything to do with him?"
A tall figure stood silently, observing the scene from afar, as still as a statue.
But upon closer inspection, one could see his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles had turned pale, while his fathomless eyes blazed with intense resentment and desire.