Orphan To Unbreakable Queen - Chapter 107: Chapter 107

The Timberlake family's front door swung wide open, letting the winter wind rush in. Bowen stood framed in the entrance, his coat snapping at his sides, hair whipping wildly in the gusts.
The refined elegance he usually displayed was nowhere to be seen. His eyes now held nothing but bleak, steely coldness.
At that moment, Gareth fully realized just how his overconfidence had utterly doomed him. He'd well and truly dug his own grave this time.
"You're trespassing!" Mandy, standing nearby, mustered unexpected courage and shrieked.
Bowen merely chuckled. "Do you want me to help you call the police? And while we're at it, maybe we should talk about Gareth hiring thugs for kidnapping? That's a much more serious crime than your son's pathetic attempt to molest a girl."
Gareth and Mandy collapsed in utter despair. Mandy's lips trembled as she pleaded, her voice shaking, "Bowen, for Jacqueline's sake, I'm begging you. Please spare us this time. Nothing happened to that girl, did it?"
"Then if I beat Gareth half to death and send him to the hospital, can we also pretend nothing happened?" Bowen retorted mercilessly.
Seeing that the two of them fell silent, Bowen didn't lay a hand on them or say another word. He cast one last, penetrating glance at them, then turned and strode away.
No sooner had Gareth and Mandy finally breathed a sigh of relief than a throng of reporters, who had been waiting in ambush, swarmed in and blocked every exit. Hot on their heels came the piercing wail of police sirens.
Merely charging Gareth with hiring thugs for kidnapping would be letting him off too lightly. Bowen wanted to saddle him with far more serious charges, carrying prohibited weapons, being a dangerous fugitive, and attempted murder.
In less than half a day, the Timberlake family scandal exploded everywhere, with Jacob's past misdeeds dragged into the spotlight, every dirty detail laid bare.
Victims who got silenced by the Timberlake family's influence finally came forward, exposing Jacob's crimes one after another.
One by one they fell, first Jacob, then Gareth, leaving spoiled Mandy stranded. She was powerless to stop the family's collapse.
The Timberlake family was finished.
Enrique was reading the newspaper when he learned of the incident. True to his age, he was a man of old habits. He never cared for news on his phone, always preferring the feel of a physical newspaper in his hands.
Enrique remained unfazed. He remarked, "The Timberlake family has grown increasingly brazen these past few years. It's no surprise they've finally landed themselves in trouble."
"But I heard they crossed Bowen this time. They harmed someone under his protection," one of Enrique's subordinates said.
"Oh?" Enrique responded, his interest piqued.
"And it was a woman," the subordinate added.
Enrique's eyes glinted. "Now that's interesting."
After settling matters with the Timberlake family, Bowen rushed straight to the hospital without a moment's delay.
When he arrived at the hospital, Aubree was still unconscious, with Alvin and Matilda waiting outside the ward.
"How is she?" Bowen asked.
"Still asleep," Alvin replied.
"You two go get some rest. I'll stay with her," Bowen said.
Even the most oblivious person could tell Bowen had special feelings for Aubree. Realizing there was no reason for her to stay, Matilda nodded and left.
Alvin silently studied Bowen for a moment. "I'll go check on Isla. She's completely shaken up."
Aubree woke to find night had already fallen. She opened her eyes groggily, her head throbbing as if about to explode, and her mouth feeling parched. Spotting a glass of water on the nightstand, she reached for it, but her body was still weak. Her fingers fumbled, and the glass slipped from her hand, crashing to the floor.
The water spilled across the floor. Aubree shuddered. She saw blood, so much blood, a vast crimson pool spreading just like spilled water.
Even though it was just clear water, in Aubree's eyes, it instantly became a vivid replay of that bloody scene in the parking garage.
Even after living two lives, this still shook her to the core.
Did that guy die? Did I kill someone?' Aubree wondered, her lips deathly pale.
Aubree shrieked and couldn't stop shaking. She clutched her head and let out a desperate scream.
At that very moment, the hospital room door burst open.
Aubree's eyes lifted, and she saw Bowen standing there. Almost instinctively, her hand shot out toward him.
She had just woken up, her body still weak and reeling from such a profound shock. She staggered forward, unable to steady herself. The events in the underground garage replayed vividly in her mind like a relentless nightmare.
After starting a new life, she completely severed ties with the Wilson family. And, as much as she hated to admit it, the only person whose mere presence could truly bring her peace and reassurance was undoubtedly Bowen.
Bowen strode forward swiftly, catching her in his arms with lightning reflexes. In one fluid motion, he pulled her tightly against his chest.
Bowen placed his hand on Aubree's waist and pulled her forcefully into his embrace.
He couldn't even bear to imagine what would have happened if he had arrived just a moment later today. He might have lost Aubree forever.
'It was my fault,' Bowen thought. 'Gareth must have resorted to desperate measures, and I failed to keep her safe.'
"Bowen..." Aubree choked out, burying her face in his shoulder. Her fingers clung desperately to his shirt as tears streamed down her face.
It was rare for Aubree to show such vulnerability. As Bowen felt the warmth of her tears soaking through his shoulder, his heart clenched as if squeezed by an invisible fist. The pain was almost unbearable.
"It's over now. You're safe," Bowen murmured, pressing a gentle kiss to Aubree's hair. His hand came to rest on Aubree's back, gently patting in slow, steady rhythms, like soothing a frightened child.
His voice was laced with exhaustion.
From the moment Aubree was sent into the hospital, Bowen had been wound tight as a coiled spring, his shirt rumpled, those always-perfect strands of hair now falling loose, eyes bloodshot.
"I... I killed someone." Aubree choked out in a daze, her voice thick with confusion. When she looked up at Bowen, her eyes were brimming with utter helplessness.
Bowen's chest tightened. He said, "He's alive. You acted in self-defense. I'll handle the rest."
As he spoke, a fierce glint flashed in Bowen's eyes. 'I'll have to fix that mistake,' he thought, 'But right now, it's clear that Aubree comes first.'
Bowen gently wiped the sweat from Aubree's forehead. "Don't worry," he murmured, "I've got everything covered."
His voice was gentle yet unwavering, instantly putting her at ease.
"Yeah." Aubree looked up and met Bowen's deep eyes. She nodded vigorously, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. The sight made Bowen's heart clench painfully.
"You haven't had anything to eat all day. Are you hungry?" Bowen asked.
Aubree shook her head weakly. She had no appetite and even felt nauseous.
Bowen knew she was still grappling with the trauma, so he didn't force her to eat. He reached out and touched her face. Her skin was ice-cold under his fingers. Not worrying was impossible, but he also knew he couldn't simply talk her out of her fear.
"Would you like to rest a bit longer?" Bowen asked gently.
"Okay..." Aubree nodded.
Bowen tucked her in. He moved to withdraw his hand when a soft, gentle touch settled on the back of it. Aubree tightened her grip around his hand and said nothing. She just gazed up at him with shimmering eyes, completely melting Bowen's heart.
"I'm not going anywhere," Bowen reassured her.
With Aubree still clinging to his hand, Bowen directly took a seat at the edge of the bed.
After what felt like an eternity, Aubree noticed the breathing beside her had grown steady and deep. Turning her head, she realized that at some point, Bowen had dozed off, leaning against her bedside.
She'd never seen him look so broken before.
His grip remained firm around her hand. When she tried to pull away, it only tightened.
Almost without realizing it, Aubree reached out and brushed her fingers against Bowen's face. His skin was surprisingly soft under her touch.
Bowen was breathtakingly handsome, and she'd known it from the very first moment she laid eyes on him. Now, as she studied him more closely, she realized that every single one of his features was perfect.
Aubree's gaze drifted down to his lips, perfectly shaped, with a deep, almost painted hue. The longer she looked, the more unexpected warmth bloomed inside her.
Aubree's mind flashed back to that drunken night and the accidental kiss they'd shared.
Flustered, Aubree quickly averted her gaze and shut her eyes. She felt as if something inside her quietly broke through her walls.