Chapter 99
Chris hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Maybe I’m just overthinking it. Earlier at the hospital, I overheard some nurses talking about a serial killer who’s been targeting wealthy middle–aged women lately. But honestly, not just anyone could waltz into a hospital.”
Tyler’s heart dropped. Suddenly, he remembered that Eleanor seemed to have something to say before she left.
“Tyler, don’t stress too much. Maybe I’m just being paranoid,” Chris tried to reassure him.
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Tyler quickly pulled out his phone and tried calling Eleanor, only to find her phone was off. His heart tightened as he looked at Chris. “Come with me, we’re going to the hospital”
Chris shook his head. “I’m not going. If I’m wrong, it’s a waste of time. If I’m right, I’ll just make things worse. Tyler, you should call the cops.”
“You’re coming with me. No arguments.” Tyler demanded, staring him down.
“So, you think I’m involved?” Chris shot back.
Tyler didn’t answer. Instead, he grabbed Chris by the collar and dragged him forward.
Eleanor didn’t sleep a wink all night at the hospital. She dozed off briefly but kept waking up.
Gracie, the housekeeper, watched her from the side and said, “Miss, why don’t you get some rest? I’ll keep an eye on things here.”
Eleanor shook her head. “I’m good. I’m young. I can handle it.”
“You all should go get some sleep,” Linda chimed in. “I’m not helpless.”
“I’m fine, Mom,” Eleanor replied softly.
She stood up and walked over to the window. Outside, everything was still and quiet.
“How’s the security of the hospital?” Eleanor asked.
“It’s solid.” Gracie replied, “Mrs. Donovan’s in a VIP room, so security’s extra tight. The glass doors outside get locked at night -no one’s getting in without the code.”
“You’re just spooked by what I said earlier,” Linda said, “Don’t let your imagination run wild and scare yourself.”
Eleanor didn’t respond. She pursed her lips and removed the hairpin from her hair, turning it over in her hand. It was no ordinary hairpin. Her neighbor, who was also her martial arts teacher, had given it to her as a self–defense weapon when she was fifteen and visited her grandma in the countryside.
Though it looked plain, it concealed a secret mechanism. When opened, it transformed into a dagger. Eleanor triggered the mechanism, revealing the sharp blade.
The lights in the room flickered a few times before suddenly going out. Eleanor’s heart skipped a beat. She hurried over to the door and locked it.
Moments later, the lights came back on, and voices could be heard outside.
“What was that just now?”
“It’s nothing, just a wiring issue. It’s already fixed.”
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Chapter 99
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The hallway soon quieted down again.
Not long after, someone twisted the doorknob a few times, but it wouldn’t open. After a short pause, there was a knock at the door.
“Room check. Please open the door,” a man said in a low voice, as if trying not to draw attention.
“Don’t open it,” Eleanor called out, stopping Gracie, who was about to open the door. “It’s the middle of the night–who does room checks now?”
Eleanor pulled out her phone to check the time, only to realize it was dead.
“Who are you? What are you doing here?”
A nurse’s voice came from the hallway, followed by a sudden scream.
Eleanor lowered her gaze, thinking for a moment, then said to Gracie, “I’ll go see what’s happening. When I leave, lock the door behind me.”
“No!” Linda sat up, her face full of worry. “You’re just a girl. What can you do out there?”
“Mom, my phone’s dead. You call the police.”
Eleanor opened the door and slipped out quickly. “Gracie, lock the door.”
Gracie fumbled with the lock, hands shaking, while Linda urged, “Hurry, call the police!”
Outside, Eleanor spotted a pool of blood on the floor. Her pulse quickened with fear. Gripping the hairpin tightly, she followed the trail of blood.
Earlier, the young nurse had gone to check the electrical circuit after the power outage. It turned out the breaker had tripped. Just as the lights came back on, she saw a man lurking near the ward. She shouted, and the man charged at her with a dagger, stabbing her in the chest.
Luckily, she always carried alcohol spray. As the attacker yanked the knife out and went in for another stab, she whipped out the spray and blasted it at him, buying herself a precious moment to escape. But the pain from her wound made it impossible to get far. She stumbled, and before she knew it, he was right behind her, raising the knife to strike again.
Terrified, she squeezed her eyes shut, but the pain never came. Slowly, she opened her the attacker’s arm–the same woman she’d seen earlier during rounds.
eyes and
saw someone had grabbed
“Go! Now!” Eleanor shouted.
The nurse, trembling, nodded and limped away as fast as she could.
The man let out a low growl, suddenly broke free from Eleanor’s grip, and slashed at her with his knife.
Eleanor dodged to the side, and with a flick of her wrist, the tip of her hairpin snapped open, revealing a gleaming blade.
The man clearly hadn’t expected Eleanor to dodge so easily. Seeing the weapon, he turned to run.
Eleanor hurled her hairpin, striking him squarely in the legs. He staggered, still trying to escape, but a solid kick from behind sent him sprawling to the floor. As he tried to get up, he felt cold steel pressed against his throat.
“You’re not so tough,” Eleanor said with a faint laugh. “Honestly, I’m not that skilled, and I’ve never actually fought anyone before. I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”
Hospital security arrived moments later. They found the man unconscious on the floor and Eleanor hairpin in her hand.
rby, twirling her
Chapter 99
“You guys made it. Eleanor pointed at the man on the ground. “I’m just a girl, not that strong, and 1 didart huve way rage, so I knocked him out. The police should be arriving any second
A siren wailed outside. Eleanor finally let out a sigh of relief, Suddenly, the man on the four twitched, starting to mien v Without hesitation, she stepped forward and struck the back of his head, knocking him out again.
Turning to the stunned security guard, she said, “It’s safer this way?
“Eleanor!” A worried voice called out from behind her.
She turned and saw Tyler rushing toward her.
His face filled with fear. He pulled her into a tight embrace. “Are you okay?”
“I was terrified,” she said, resting her head on his shoulder. “Thankfully, he only relied on brute strength. I may not be a master, but at least I’ve studied martial arts, so I can handle it. Plus, my master gave me this hairpin for self–defense
Eleanor shot a glance at the approaching police officers, dropping her hand from her hairpin. She whispered, “Don’t tell them what I just said. I don’t want them to confiscate it.”
“Alright, Tyler replied.
Chris hurried over. “Eleanor, are you hurt?” he asked. Before she could answer, one of the security guards spoke up.
“She’s good. Took down the perp by herself.
“That move just now gave me chills watching it.”
Chris looked a bit stunned, eyeing Eleanor suspiciously.
Eleanor frowned. “What are you staring at? I learned some self–defense when I was a kid. But my teacher always said, martial arts aren’t for picking fights. Otherwise, when we broke up, you would’ve gotten more than just a chair to the head”
Chris’s eyes
lit
- up.
“So it really was you who saved me in high school? You knew martial arts and never told me?”
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