Rebel 28

She instinctively turned to look and saw the car barreling towards them , its intent clear and vicious .

Jessica felt a chill .

Was that car targeting her ? She tried to move away , but the car was too fast .

She couldnt find cover in time , and it was about to hit her … Watch out ! Jake suddenly dove , pushing her out of the way .

Jessica was thrown to the side , and the screech of impact filled her ears .

She turned in horror to sec Jake slammed against the car , her eyes wide with fear .

Baker ! At the hospital , the emergency room light was on , and Jessica sat on a bench in the hallway , still in shock .

She prayed fervently that Jake would be okay .

Jessica ? A shadow fell over her , and a deep male voice broke through her daze .

Jessica looked up to see Charles standing before her , his brow furrowed with concern .

She opened her mouth to speak but found that she had lost her voice , unable to utter a single word .

What happened ? How did you end up in a car accident ? Charles had immediately halted his meeting and rushed to the hospital upon hearing about her accident .

Seeing her sitting there , seemingly unharmed except for a bleeding cut on her forehead , he breathed a small sigh of relief .

But the sight of her injury made his frown deepen .

Before she could respond , the doors of the emergency room opened , and Jessica sprang to her feet , rushing over to the first doctor she saw .

Doctor , how is he ? Did you save him ? The doctor shook his head .

Im sorry .

His injuries were too severe .

We couldnt save him .

Jessica was struck by lightning , standing frozen in place .

It was an unimaginable shock to hear that Jake had died saving her.

As Jakes body covered with a white sheet was wheeled out , she felt dizzy , unable to believe that his life had been lost for her sake .

Jakes family arrived at the hospital in tears .

His wife , May , was inconsolable , begging the doctor to save him .

Please , save my husband ! If he dies , I cant go on ! כוו Seeing Mays grief , Jessica felt immense guilt and sorrow .

It pressed on her chest , making it hard to breathe .

Im so sorry .

This is all my fault .

He died saving me … Her voice broke , and she couldnt continue .

Hearing this , Mays grief turned to rage .

She grabbed Jessicas shoulders , shaking her violently .

Its you ! You killed Jake ! Give him back to me ! Jessica , overwhelmed with guilt , didnt resist or speak , letting May vent her anger .

Enough ! A cold male voice cut through the chaos .

Jessica felt herself being pulled away .

The voice continued .

The person responsible is the driver who hit him , not her .

The company will handle his funeral arrangements .

What you need to do now is to mourn and ensure he is laid to rest , not cause a scene here .

Jessica looked up to see Charles , calm and authoritative , his presence commanding .

May seemed to regain some composure and stopped attacking Jessica .

Sobbing , she and the nurses took Jake away .

Jakes death left Jessica in a daze , unable to come to terms with it .

Noticing her untreated wound , Charles took her by the wrist and led her to the doctor .

Even after her wound was bandaged , she remained in a state of shock .

The police arrived to report their findings .

They found that the driver was drunk which caused the accident , and they had taken him into custody .

The officer explained the situation to her , asked a few questions , then left .

Though the polices conclusion seemed straightforward , Jessica couldnt shake the feeling that there was more to it .

The car had seemed to target her deliberately , and she doubted it was merely a drunk driving incident .

Since the polices investigation was thorough , she had no grounds to dispute their findings .

Charles drove her home afterward .

She was so lost in thought that she didnt realize they had .

arrived until they were parked outside her building .

She felt a warm hand envelop hers , and she turned to see Charless deep , concerned eyes .

What are you thinking ? Charles had given her space , but her continued silence worried him .

Jessicas eyes slowly focused , meeting his handsome , concerned face .

I … nothing .

Her turmoil and guilt were all too evident to Charles .

He moved closer , gently tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear , his voice low and reassuring .

Dont overthink .

Its over now .

Charless warm fingertips brushed her cheek as she withdrew , freeing her hand from his grasp .

Confusion churned within her .

When had they become so close ?