A wash of relief settled inside Selina, drifting away the grief that had almost consumed her. She was glad that, somehow, she had found her father alive.
Selina sniffled and quickly dialed Clarissa's number. After a few rings, Clarissa picked up.
"Selina, where have you been?" Clarissa's panicked voice burst through the line.
"Something terrible happened," Selina replied, her voice trembling with overwhelming emotions despite her effort to stay calm.
"What happened? You and Father weren't involved in any bad incidents, were you?" Clarissa interrogated.
"I'm in the hospital with Father," Selina responded.
"Oh my God! How could he be in the hospital?" Clarissa exclaimed. "I hope he isn't seriously injured. Which hospital is it? I need to get there."
Selina paused, overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. She quickly recalled the name of the hospital that was on the consent form she had filled out a while ago.
"Polar Hospital. We're at Polar Hospital."
"Okay. I will let Mother and Grandfather know about this."
Just as the call ended, Selina ran toward the operating room to see her father, but the nurses there stopped her and told her to wait in the lobby.
With her hands clasped together, Selina paced back and forth in the lobby, silently praying for her father's successful surgery. Life with him and her late mother had been so blissful that she couldn't bear to imagine living without him now.
"Please, God, don't let him slip away from me," Selina mumbled, her eyes closed in desperation.
As time dragged on, with the doctor and nurses still in the operating room for the past twenty minutes, Selina's mind whirled with anticipation for good news. The cool air from the air conditioner enveloped her like a comforting cloak, but it did little to soothe her spiraling emotions. She needed to know he was out of danger before she could feel at ease.
Just then, her attention snapped to the sharp sound of heels clicking against the tiled floor from the hospital entrance. It was Clarissa, rushing toward her.
Clarissa's face contorted with nervousness, and it deepened the moment she spotted Selina waiting in the lobby.
"Selina!" Clarissa called out, hurrying toward her.
Selina stood up from the soft couch, her finger curled around her phone.
When Clarissa drew closer, she fired off questions in breathless haste. "Where is he? Is he still in surgery?"
Selina tried to steady her voice. "The doctors took him in for an emergency operation. They promised to do their best."
Clarissa took a deep breath, attempting to calm her fear as she processed Selina's news. "What happened? How did he get hurt?" Her tone was gentle, an effort to ease the anxious atmosphere.
"He was shot," Selina replied.
A gasp escaped Clarissa's lips as she covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes widening with tears that began to well up.
"Why was Father shot? Were you both attacked or something?" Clarissa sounded confused as she scanned Selina's body for signs of injury.
Selina locked eyes with Clarissa, who was desperate for answers. She chose not to reveal the full truth of the incident just yet.
"Father and I were attacked by a group of bad people," Selina whispered. "I begged them to spare him, but he didn't."
Clarissa felt her heart quiver at the sight of her sister's distress. Moving closer, she lifted a hand to Selina's face, cupping her cheeks in a comforting gesture. Her chest tightened at the sight of Selina's swollen lips, wondering what her sister had endured.
"I hope they didn't hurt you beyond this bruise. You're okay, right?" Clarissa's voice trembled with genuine concern.
"I'm fine, Clarissa, but he's hurt. I'm sorry I couldn't protect him. I didn't mean for this to happen," Selina muttered.
Clarissa pulled Selina into a gentle embrace, rubbing her back to ease the guilt lingering in Selina's heart. "Shush… whatever happened was not your fault. I know you did your best to fight it. Father will be fine because he's a strong man. Let's believe he'll get through this." Despite her reassurances, her voice trembled with uncertainty and fear.
Selina sniffled onto Clarissa's shoulder, holding her tightly with her eyes closed. "He will be fine."
After a brief moment of comfort, she pulled away from her sister's arms. Given that she had been estranged from her father and the rest of the family for the past nine years, Selina wasn't sure how much Clarissa knew about him.
"Clarissa," she called softly.
"Yes, Selina?"
"What do you think of Father? Do you believe he's a bad person? Has he done anything wrong in the past or now?" Selina asked, knowing Clarissa had always been closer to him.
The question struck Clarissa like a jolt, deepening her confusion. "What are you talking about, Selina? Since when have you started doubting our father?"
"I'm not doubting him," Selina replied. "I just wanted to know what kind of man he's been since I left. I'm just curious."
Clarissa relaxed slightly, her voice carrying a trace of pride. "Father isn't a bad person. He's never hurt anyone, except for what he did in the past with his mother. But even then, he was happy and content with what he had. He's always been the best father, and he's trying to be a good husband, too."
She smiled faintly, but the smile faded as she sensed something unusual in Selina's inquiry. "Why are you suddenly so interested in his past? You've spent time with him, too," she asked, her voice tinged with suspicion.
"I know he's not a bad person," Selina replied softly. "He did everything he could to take care of me after Mother died, even if it meant going to bed hungry himself."
"Then...?" Clarissa trailed off, narrowing her eyes at Selina.
Selina lowered her gaze. "I just... I've heard people say that those who've done wrong suffer in the afterlife. I was afraid he might have done something I never knew about."
She hoped her explanation would ease Clarissa's growing curiosity and suspicion.
"How can you think like that right now? He's not dying. Don't be so pessimistic," Clarissa's voice sharpened with disappointment.
Selina nodded, reflecting on something.
"Earlier, I saw you, Father, and Mother talking with Zane as if you were close. How do you all know him? How does Father know him?" Selina asked, careful not to sound too obvious or mention anything that could lead back to the incident.
"Our family has been on good terms with Zane's for decades, and our companies have been doing business together," Clarissa replied, leaving Selina to marvel at their warm and lively conversation earlier at the party.
Staring into Clarissa's eyes, Selina could see that her sister shared the same firm belief—that their father was a modest man and incapable of murder. But after learning about their close ties with Zane, Selina understood they would never believe her if she claimed Hudson had once been cruel and responsible for someone's tragedy.
She was still puzzled about why her father had killed Zane's family, despite their close relationship. The events from the past didn't add up.
Just then, Selina snapped out of her thoughts as an infuriating voice echoed behind her.
"If Hudson had come home with us last night, he wouldn't be in this condition!"
Selina and Clarissa jolted in their positions as they turned their attention to Leah, who was approaching with rage blazing in her gaze. Selina felt her palms begin to sweat as she saw her stepmother storming towards her.
"Mom, this isn't Selina's fault," Clarissa defended.
Leah scoffed incredulously. "Is it not her fault?"
When Leah came closer, she grabbed Selina's arm with her polished nails jabbed tightly around the skin, squeezing so tight.
"Ahh." Selina winced at the rough grip that crashed her skin furiously. "You're hurting me, Madame Leah. Let go,"
Leah tightened her grip more, looking infuriated like an angry bird. "Why must you always bring misery into our lives? Can't you stay away from him even forever?"
"He's my father. I can't be away from him forever. I can't." replied Selina.
"He's not your father." Leah rebuked. "I warned you never to appear before Hudson,"
"Calm down, Mother. We should be concerned about Father's condition instead of blaming Selina for it," Clarissa hoped her mother's rage wouldn't boil over.
Leah didn't waver with empathy at Selina's remorseful gaze. Instead, she commanded dismissively through gritted teeth.
"I will only be at ease once Selina is out of here before I do something she'll regret,"