Chapter 5

Mabel spent two days packing her things. On the second night, she received a call from Elliot. His voice echoed through the receiver. "Come by the hospital to pack my things. I'm being discharged." Mabel hummed in acknowledgement before she grabbed her coat and left the house. She'd just loaded Elliot's things into the trunk of the jeep when one of his subordinates suddenly rushed toward them. "Colonel Foster! Ms. Young is being harassed by the blind date her father arranged for her!" he exclaimed. Elliot's expression twisted in an instant, and he slammed his foot on the accelerator. The jeep shot forward, causing Mabel to collide against her seat. Unable to help herself, she murmured, "Drive slower, please…" However, he couldn't hear a thing she said. The wheels of the jeep made an ear-splitting screech as the vehicle skidded to a stop in front of the Young residence. Elliot leapt out of the jeep, his military boots thundering against the cobblestone path as he rushed inside. Meanwhile, Mabel supported herself against the jeep's door. Black spots danced all over her vision. Not too far from where she stood, she saw a man with greasy hair grab Zoe's wrist, forcefully dragging her out the door. Her white dress was wrinkled, and her face was streaked with tears. "Stop!" Elliot roared, lunging forward and landing a punch square in the man's face. The man, Jack Rhodes, stumbled backward as blood dripped from his nose. "Elliot!" Zoe threw herself into Elliot's arms. Her thin shoulders were quivering violently. "Dad forced me to go on a blind date. I don't like him at all. The only man in my heart is you…" Elliot held on to her tightly. His eyes were frighteningly dark as he said, "Don't be scared. I'll take you to see your father now." With Zoe tucked securely in his embrace, he turned around and left. Mabel was still dizzy. She wanted to follow them, but Jack grabbed her. "Who is that man to you?" he demanded. "He stole my wife from me, so he owes me a woman. You'll do just fine in that regard!" Mabel's entire body went stiff. She struggled to free herself from Jack's grip and yelled Elliot's name. However, Elliot had already guided Zoe into the jeep. He didn't even spare a single glance back at Mabel despite her terrified screaming. The engine roared to life, and the jeep began to move slowly. "Help!" Mabel struggled with all of her might, chasing the jeep with unsteady feet. Her ponytail had come loose, causing her hair to stick messily all over her face. She ended up losing a shoe as she ran. All of a sudden, there was a muffled bang. Indescribable pain exploded all over Mabel's body as she soared through the air and crashed onto the stone steps by the roadside. Fresh blood began to pool beneath her, turning the road into a sea of red. "Did we hit someone, Elliot?" Zoe asked, turning her head back in a panic. "That looks like Mabel!" Elliot glanced at the rearview mirror. The silhouette lying in the pool of blood seemed both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. His grip on the steering wheel tightened as his Adam's apple bobbed up and down. "It's fine," he said, his voice eerily calm. "We need to settle your issue first. Someone else will come and take care of her." The black jeep sped away from the scene, kicking up a trail of dust in its wake, turning Mabel's already foggy vision even more blurry. She lay in the pool of blood and watched as the bright blue sky slowly turned dark. … The next time Mabel regained consciousness, her forehead was still sticky with traces of cold sweat. The pain in her ribs was so unbearable that she had to carefully control her breathing. One of Elliot's subordinates stood in a corner in the ward. When he noticed that she was awake, he stepped forward and spoke to her in a businesslike manner. "There was a crisis happening at the time, Mrs. Foster. It wasn't Colonel Foster's intention to hit you. "The doctors have examined you and determined that you only broke two ribs, so your life isn't in danger. Colonel Foster has also sent his men to take care of you. You should rest well and focus on your recovery. I'll take my leave for now to report your condition to the colonel." The subordinate turned around and left after saying his piece. Mabel could hear his footsteps gradually grow softer. She lay on the bed, clutching the blanket tightly. The pain was so overwhelming that even her fingertips were trembling. Only two ribs? Mabel's lips twitched upward before she barked out a self-deprecating laugh. She assumed that even if she'd died from the accident, in Elliot's eyes, her death would have been nothing compared to a single teardrop from Zoe. She felt immensely thankful that she wasn't in love with Elliot. She couldn't imagine how much more painful it would have been if she had feelings for him. Mabel was incredibly quiet during her stay in the hospital. No one visited her—not even Elliot. She wasn't surprised. She obediently took her medication and changed her bandages until the doctor declared that she was well enough to be discharged from the hospital. She didn't immediately return home on the day she left the hospital. Instead, she dropped by a department store. She was going to see Luther soon, and she wanted to take some gifts for him. She meticulously selected several items, including a watch, a shirt, and a pair of leather shoes. She chose each of them based on Luther's preferences. She was in high spirits when she paid the bill, so much so that she didn't even notice when someone approached her from behind. "Why are you buying so many things for me?"