Billionaire's Regret: Losing Me And Our Son - Chapter 115: Chapter 115

The bullet hit the thug's leg, and he screamed, collapsing onto the ground beside me.
"Natalia!" A voice I'd know anywhere called out, making my heart lurch. I turned, and there was Quinn, running straight toward me.
He dropped to his knees beside me, his eyes scanning my face. "Can you walk?" he asked, his voice steady but full of concern.
For a second, I just stared at him, my brain struggling to catch up. Then, as if on instinct, I reached out and touched his face, needing to feel that he was real.
He really came for me. This wasn't some fever dream. Quinn was right here, right now.
"Mr. Madden, the police will come in five minutes. We've found Ms. Hinton, let's move!" one of his bodyguards urged.
"I can walk," I said, snapping back to reality. With Quinn's help, I got to my feet, though my legs felt like jelly.
That was when I caught movement in the distance—Forrest. He was charging toward us.
Panic surged through me. "Quinn, Forrest has a gun!"
"Who is Forrest?" he asked, but there wasn't time to explain. Even as the words left my mouth, Forrest raised his pistol and took aim.
"Watch out!" I yelled. Quinn's eyes widened, but his reflexes were faster. He grabbed me, wrapping his arms around my waist and shielding me just as the shot rang out.
My heart pounded as the world spun for a second. When I looked up, Quinn's jaw was tight, his focus sharp. He drew his own pistol and fired back without hesitation.
The shot flew true, and Forrest's eyes went wide with panic. At the last second, he grabbed Gemma and shoved her in front of him.
The bullet hit her instead. Gemma froze, her eyes blank with shock. Blood stained her shirt as she crumpled to the ground.
"Damn it, he got away!" one of the bodyguards cursed.
"Go after him!" Quinn ordered.
Then he turned to me, his expression softening. Without warning, he scooped me into his arms. "Let's go somewhere safe," he said firmly, and I didn't have the energy to argue.
"How did you find me?" I asked, dazed, not able to stop myself from blurting it out. I knew it wasn't the time for questions, but I couldn't help it. I needed to know why he was the one who found me first.
He looked down at me, his gaze sharp. "You sent me a message. I had someone track the signal and pinpointed this island."
I was taken aback. It didn't even occur to me that Jim's phone had a signal redirect function.
The enhancer in the base must had been near the secret room, which was why Jim's phone had picked up a signal. The message I thought I hadn't sent actually went through.
Quinn's tone turned dangerous. "Natalia, I didn't know you were doing all this behind my back."
I thought back to when I almost gave up and wanted to leave Benedict with him. Now, I felt embarrassed. "Is Benedict okay?" I asked before I could stop myself.
Quinn frowned. "I was focused on you. The moment I got the message, I rushed to save you. I didn't care about anyone else."
I looked up at him, my voice barely above a whisper. "Benedict is your son, not just anyone ..."
Quinn corrected me softly. "Benedict is our son."
His words took the edge off my nerves, and I felt a sudden wave of exhaustion hit me. My head spun, and I started coughing uncontrollably.
Quinn touched my forehead, looking shocked. "You're burning up! You've got a fever!"
I opened my mouth to tell him it was nothing, I had been feverish for days. Before I could say anything, everything went black.
When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Shirley was sitting by my side, tears streaming down her face. "Natalia, you're awake! How are you feeling?"
"Mom, I'm fine. I'm not going to die," I said with a weak smile, my voice rough. "Sorry for worrying you."
"Don't even say that," Shirley scolded gently. "I'm still counting on you to take care of me when I'm old!" She handed me a glass of warm water and helped me sit up.
I took a couple of sips, feeling a little better. My body still felt drained, but my mind was clearer.
"How's Dad?" I asked, the worry of hurting the Smith family was still nagging at me.
"Don't stress, we've called the police. Your dad's working with them. Once that batch of goods arrives, we'll hand it over. It's all under control." Shirley reassured me, explaining how everything would be fine for the Smith family.
I nodded, feeling a lot more relieved. After a checkup, the doctor confirmed I was okay, and Shirley had someone bring in a bunch of food.
Once I ate, Shirley gently wiped the corners of my mouth with a napkin. "Quinn helped us so much."
Just hearing his name made my heart flutter, and my mind immediately went back to the island.
"Yeah," I said softly.
Shirley studied me for a moment before asking, "When you were in danger on the island, was Quinn the first person you thought of?"
I paused, realizing she was referring to the message. Of course, since Quinn had called the police, the message details couldn't stay hidden.
I sighed and looked down, guilt hitting me. "Mom, I'm sorry. I was planning to tell you about Benedict right after Dad's birthday... but everything just happened so fast."
Shirley smiled when she heard me. She walked over, put a hand on my shoulder, and gave it a light pat. "Silly girl, I'm not mad at you. Whatever you choose, I'll understand.
"I just want you to figure out what kind of life you and Benedict want from here on."
I felt my eyes start to sting. "Mom ..."
She kept patting my shoulder, signaling for me to hear her out. "I can tell Quinn wants to get back with you, and I know you still care about him.
"I'm not sure what went down between you two or why you kept Benedict's identity from him. But it's time to face it."
She paused for a second, then added, "Whatever you decide, I'll have your back.
"I've already had someone bring Benedict to our house to look after him. So don't stress about him while you make up your mind."
Her words were so genuine, and I couldn't help but take them all in. For Benedict's sake, I knew I needed to make a decision soon.