Dexter’s chiseled face was filled with gloom. “Mrs. Maskelyne, what are you talking about? We don’t understand. A brother’s duty? Everyone knows we love and cherish our sister the most. If we haven’t done well enough, then there’s no better brother in this world.”
Sylvia glanced at him, a mocking smile on her red lips. “Do you really think so? Then… let me ask you, do you genuinely cherish your sister? Or do you see her as a woman?”
Her words were blunt and direct, exposing the brothers’ sordid thoughts.
Franklin had never considered such a perspective. His eyes narrowed in shock. These two brothers…
If it were true, it would be utterly shameless and despicable.
Bryce suppressed his shock, his eyes burning with intense anger. Sylvia’s sharp insight had seen through their thoughts clearly, making him furious as if his innermost secrets had been exposed.
He gritted his teeth, his voice almost hissing through them. “Mrs. Maskelyne, you must take responsibility for your words. I advise you not to speak without evidence.”
“Do I need to make things up? The one who drove your beloved sister to her death is none other than you two. And the reason she developed depression is also because of you.” Sylvia found these men utterly shameless. They looked decent but did beastly things.
“Mrs. Maskelyne, out of respect for Mr. Maskelyne, we won’t pursue today’s slander, but that doesn’t mean you can continue to defame us.” Dexter held the bloodied Olivia in his arms. “Please refrain from saying such things in the future, or don’t blame us for being rude.”
“I’d like to know how you plan to be rude. Will you arrest me? Beat me up? Or kill me? I’ve seen the Hogan family’s methods before.” Sylvia chuckled softly. “I advise you not to provoke Olivia any further, or you’ll only receive a corpse next time.”
The atmosphere in the room was on the brink of explosion due to Sylvia’s anger and intolerance of the brothers’ behavior.
The tension was palpable, with a scent of blood lingering in the air.
Franklin’s cold gaze swept over the enraged brothers. His icy voice cut through like a winter wind. “Dare to threaten my woman? It seems the Hogan family has long harbored rebellious intentions. What? Do you feel wronged serving under the Maskelyne family?”
Now that was a real threat!
Franklin’s words were like a sharp slap, waking the furious Hogan brothers.
The brothers looked up at Franklin in shock.
Bryce, being two years older than Dexter, quickly responded. “Mr. Maskelyne, it was Mrs. Maskelyne who insulted us first. This has nothing to do with our family. Please don’t drag them into it.”
Franklin’s large hand gripped Sylvia’s small one protectively. “Is that so? I clearly heard Master Bryce threaten my wife just now. If anything happens to her under my watch… don’t blame me for causing trouble for Master Bryce.”
At this tense moment, several medical staff rushed in with a stretcher. “Where’s the patient?”
“Oh my, so much blood! Quickly, get her on the stretcher.”
They hurriedly lifted the unconscious Olivia onto the stretcher and carried her out.
The lobby manager stood there stiffly as if waking from a dream. What had he just heard?
Their boss said the Hogan brothers had designs on their own sister?
Damn!
What an astonishing family secret!
Would the Hogan family silence him?
Then he thought again, probably not… their boss wouldn’t let that happen.
And Mr. Maskelyne was quite imposing just now.
With that thought, his worry eased.
Sylvia, concerned about Olivia’s condition, went with Franklin to the hospital, which happened to be where she worked.
By now, it was dark outside. The streetlights cast a dim glow on the road, and traffic made way for the ambulance siren as their car followed closely behind.
They arrived at the hospital’s emergency department without any delays.
Olivia was taken into surgery for emergency treatment.
The Hogan parents arrived at the hospital anxiously. Luca immediately questioned them, “How could having a meal with your brothers lead to this? Our family makes headlines every few days because of this; don’t we have any dignity left?”
Luca pointed at his trembling sons in anger. “You call this cherishing your sister? You’ve cherished her right into the hospital again.”
Mrs. Hogan’s eyes were red and tears kept falling. “You are really my good sons. If anything happens to your sister, I won’t live either.”
Sylvia watched Mrs. Hogan cry again after recently doing so, unaware that her beloved sons were keeping her in the dark.
The real harm to Olivia wasn’t depression but her two brothers!
But… she couldn’t say it out loud.
The Hogan family’s affairs were not hers to meddle in.
Especially given Olivia’s current critical condition.
She could only be a bystander.
Franklin seemed to sense her inner turmoil and gently squeezed her hand. “She belongs to the Hogan family now. Until her true identity is clarified… there’s nothing we can do.”
They were powerless.
Sylvia nodded. “I know.”
But thinking of that shy and timid girl still made her sad.
This feeling of helplessness was very distressing.
“Such a large wound will likely leave a scar.” Sylvia sighed deeply. “The only thing I can do is send her some scar removal cream.”
She felt even more upset.
“Don’t overthink it. Saving her life is what matters.” Franklin comforted her and led her to sit down.
The Hogan family members were in chaos, crying and shouting.
Reporters who had caught wind of the news rushed over to interview them. “Is there a reason behind Olivia’s frequent suicide attempts?”
“Have you identified the cause of her depression?”
“Aren’t her brothers supposed to love her dearly? Why would she commit suicide if she’s so loved? Is that love fake?”
“Is everything just a facade?”
The reporters’ barrage of questions nearly drove the Hogan family to collapse. Dexter raised his fist to hit someone. “Get lost! If you don’t leave, I’ll smash your cameras.”
“Why are you so agitated? Are you hiding something?” The reporter’s face turned red with anger. In their line of work, they couldn’t back down; they had to dig for news.
Dexter seemed to be hit where it hurt most and snarled, “Get lost! Don’t push me!”
“You rich families are all hypocrites! You must have driven her to this!” The reporter, who usually wrote online novels, had a vivid imagination and started piecing together a story where the young girl was bullied by her brothers but had to pretend they loved her for the family’s sake.
He felt like a righteous hero exposing the truth.
“You must have done unspeakable things!”
Dexter’s face turned livid with rage and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He punched the reporter in the nose. “I’ll beat you to death!”
Blood gushed from the reporter’s nose as he became even more furious. “I must have hit the mark! I’ll write about this! Expose your hypocrisy!”
Dexter’s punches rained down like a storm. Bryce feared for the reporter’s life and pulled his brother away. “Dexter, are you crazy?”
“Crazy? I’ve been crazy for a long time!” Dexter’s eyes were bloodshot as he beat the now-helpless reporter.
Luca also tried to pull him away while Franklin intervened with a kick that sent Dexter flying off the reporter. “Killing someone in front of me? Mr. Dexter, you’re quite bold.”
His words drew all eyes to him and Sylvia. The reporters recognized them and became excited.
“Mr. Maskelyne! Miss Andrews!”
“Why are you here? Is it because of Olivia?”
“How is Olivia doing now?”
“What secrets is she hiding?”
The reporters bombarded Franklin with questions.
Franklin’s face remained stern. “I don’t know and have nothing to say except that Miss Olivia needs rest.”
The beaten reporter was taken away by medical staff for emergency treatment.
His colleague clutched his camera tightly. “Our magazine will sue you! Assaulting a journalist-justice will prevail.”
He shouted as he followed his injured colleague.
Other reporters suddenly remembered the assault and began seeking justice for their peer. “Mr. Dexter, you’re too arrogant! Attacking a journalist!”
“Yes, I recorded it all! I’ll post it right away!”
“That’s right! You’ll face legal consequences!”
Mrs. Hogan realized things were getting out of hand and quickly handed out several bank cards one by one. “Please show mercy and have some tea on us.”
“There’s not much money on these cards, just ten thousand dollars each… so please keep this quiet.” Luca added hastily, using their usual method of bribing reporters.