Chapter 142
Gwendolyn eased out of the hospital bed, her movements slow and deliberate as she walked to the door and swung it open.
The cursing from outside became clearer.
“Mrs. Chadwick, please don’t go out there,” her bodyguard attempted to shield her.
But as soon as she appeared, the crowd unscrewed their water bottles and doused her. The bodyguard, outnumbered and overwhelmed, could not protect her from the cold water that splashed onto Gwendolyn’s face.
It trickled down her neck, soaking the hospital gown clinging to her body.
She opened her eyes slightly, and droplets clung to her long, curled lashes.
The sight of the bandages wrapped around her momentarily stunned the onlookers, but was quickly followed by harsh words, “Serves her right.”
“Give me back my son. Dr. Quigley, please, have mercy on Bill.” Bill’s parents were on their knees on the floor, wailing amidst their tears.
Their bodies hunched, their hair streaked with gray. It was a pitiful sight.
Gwendolyn faced them coolly, her eyes downturned.
The contrast made Gwendolyn seem almost heartless. The reporters wasted no time capturing the scene, sending the images straight to Twitter.
They slapped on a headline sure to stir the pot, “Malpractice? Gwendolyn is suspected of foul play as Bill’s parents beg for mercy.”
That headline set off a maelstrom, igniting a new wave of digital vitriol against Gwendolyn.
“Dr. Quigley, Bill is our only son. Please, tell us where he is.” Mrs. Jones knew how to play the part of the grieving mother, and seeing the crowd on her side, she beat her head against the floor until a bloody mark appeared.
The rich don’t see us as human,” Mr. Jones said, supporting his wife as the couple dissolved into tears.
Gwendolyn was calm, but their words cut through her like knives, thorns piercing her body.
A sudden unfamiliar bitterness and sense of injustice rose in her throat.
And then, her heart hardened.
“If you’re looking for Bill, you should go to the police. For details, you can reach out to the
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officer at the Bayridge Police Department.”
What did she mean?
The confusion was palpable.
Gwendolyn ignored their questions, turning to address Mack and Polly in the crowd, “As medical professionals, causing a disturbance in the hospital is unacceptable. I’ll be reporting this to Mr. Hamilton. Good luck to you.”
“And to the reporters, please be responsible for what you say. I’ll be taking screenshots of your reports and my lawyer will decide what to do next.”
Her tone was firm, contrasting sharply with her gentle and beautiful appearance.
“Gwendolyn. You’re abusing your power.”
Polly was the first to object.
She was envious of Gwendolyn, now Mrs. Chadwick of the Chadwick family, and the wife of Summit Corp’s CEO.
I
Her grievances had been simmering, waiting for the moment when Gwendolyn was
vulnerable to strike.
“Yes.”
She stood in the hallway, radiant as a beam of light.
“I am using power, the power of Howard, and it is you who I’m standing up against,” Gwendolyn stated coldly.
“So, when you insult me, humiliate me, and recklessly slander me, remember who start
behind me.”
A fire was burning within her, breaking free from the cocóon of fragility.
Her cheeks bore fresh scars, vivid as she stood there.
“I am Gwendolyn, and Howard, CEO of Summit Corp, is my husband.”
She had always been gentle, enduring any mistreatment in silence, but not this time.
She wouldn’t hold back anymore this time.
On the outskirts of the crowd, Nathan leaned on Howard’s wheelchair, as if seeing Gwendolyn for the first time.
He let out an impressed whistle, “Well I’ll be, Gwendolyn fights back when cornered.”
He hadn’t expected to return to such a scene.
