Cody nodded, not responding. Cody heard the clack of heels. He looked up and saw Cristelle. She rushed over, carrying the sleeping Candace in her arms. She was extremely pale.
“How is Linford?” She quickly queried.
Enzo went to comfort her, “Linford got shot in his left shoulder. But he will be fine. Don’t worry. They will get the bullet out soon.”
“That’s great!” Cristelle let out a long breath as she slumped on the bench. Candace happened to wake up at that moment. She rubbed her eyes with her little hand, yawning against Cristelle’s chest, “Mommy, where are we?”
Cristelle held onto the little girl tighter, “We are in the hospital, honey. Let’s sit for a while.”
Three hours later, Linford was finally pushed out of the operating room. The doctor said his situation was steady now. And he needed to get some rest.
Cristelle took Candace to another room to do some checkups. Cody was left to take care of Linford in a private room.
Linford opened his eyes and looked around. Cody was the only one inside the private room. He felt a bit disappointed.
Linford tried to move his arm, but the wound on his shoulder brought him to groan in pain.
Cody looked up and grabbed his cup, leveling the straw toward his mouth, “Don’t move around. You want water?”
Linford looked at Cody for a minute, finally ensuring the boy wasn’t going through any trauma.
Linford cleared his throat, feeling less worried, “Could you crank the bed up a bit?”
Cody put the glass of water on the nightstand and jumped off his chair, cranking the bed for Linford.
After doing that, the boy sat on his chair again. The silence inside the room lasted awkwardly.
Linford cleared his throat, “Where’s your uncle?”
“He went back to the camp,” Cody answered.
Linford nodded, “How are your Mom and sister?”
Cody didn’t have many expressions on his face, “They’re perfectly okay. They’re probably at home now.”
Home? They didn’t even come to visit me? Linford was a bit sad to know the fact.
“Then why are you here?” Linford asked again.
“Uncle told me to stay,” Cody answered without looking up this time.
“Oh,” Linford thought the boy probably didn’t want to stay and take care of him. So he cleared his throat, “You can go back if you don’t want to stay. Just go home and get some rest. I’ll be fine.”
Cody didn’t budge.
“What’s wrong?” Linford was worried.
“How did you know my plan?” The boy sounded serious.
Linford only realized then that the boy was here to question him. Linford adjusted himself and sat straighter, “Your uncle is pretty sharp. It wouldn’t take him that long to find out who sent those attackers. He didn’t capture that person because he didn’t want to investigate the case. You’re the only one who could persuade him to drop the idea. It’s not hard to guess.”
“You wanted to let him go, right?” Linford added. He was pretty unhappy about that, actually. Jasper tried to kill Cody. Yet the boy chose to let him go.
“Why didn’t you interfere if you didn’t like my way of dealing with it?” Cody questioned him again.
“Because I respect your decision,” Linford responded calmly, “And I believe you know what you were doing.”
Cody’s eyes lit up, but he soon managed to calm down.
“I only found out today that he also wanted to hurt Candace. That person is just intolerable. I’m glad you also didn’t tolerate him this time,” Linford looked at his son.
Jasper Johnson was trying to hurt Candace. Of course, he would never tolerate that.
The thing that bugged Cody the most was that he failed to tell what kind of person Jasper was. He thought he was good at seeing people through.
Cody had been feeling guilty after what happened to Candace years ago. He thought he was the one to blame for Candace’s condition. Candace wouldn’t have been kidnapped if he didn’t go out to buy that ice cream that day.
“Cody, thank you,” Linford suddenly blurted out.
Cody looked up, frowning confusingly, “Why?”
“Thanks for taking care of Cristelle and Candace for such a long time when I was away. Thanks for saving Candace. Your Mom and your sister wouldn’t be so happy right now if it were not for you,” Linford’s smile was genuine, “From now on, taking care of them will be my mission. And you can just relax and do things you like. How about that?”
Cody felt his hard façade cracked by Linford’s words. He had tried so hard to protect Cristelle and Candace for all these years. Finally, now, someone had seen his efforts. And this man seemed to understand him as well.
Cody felt he was about to cry. But that would be too embarrassing. So he lowered his head.
“And… I’m sorry,” Linford added.
“Why?” Cody sniffed, trying to hold back his tears.
Linford knew how proud the little boy was. He knew he owed Cody this.
“I’m sorry that I showed up so late. You must have gone through a lot. From now on, I will protect you, Candace, and your Mom from any harm. You don’t need to put so much pressure on yourself anymore.”
Cody couldn’t stay in this room longer. He knew he would probably cry out loud if Linford Bradley didn’t stop talking.
“I… I need to take a walk. Just press the button if you need anything. The nurse will come to help you,” with that, the boy just ran out of the private room.
Linford knew the boy must be battling himself right now, and he didn’t want to pressure him. So he didn’t dare to stop him.
Sitting on the bench in the hospital corridor, Cody rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand. He had to admit that he hated Linford Bradley more than a little. That man did nothing for the family; he just jumped out of nowhere and decided to be their dad.
Cody just couldn’t bring himself to trust him easily.
But those things he said in that room sounded genuine. He also proved his words by protecting him so many times.
So… Should he trust him?
Cody didn’t have an answer.
Drew came into Linford’s room to visit. Linford was lying in his bed, holding his phone.
He had just called Cristelle, but Cristelle just didn’t pick up her phone. He sent a couple of messages as well, but none of them got any reply. What happened?