Chapter 176 - 175: Several Cases Share a Common Point

Chapter 176: Chapter 175: Several Cases Share a Common Point

I froze for a moment. ’The police announced that the victim is still alive? Aren’t they afraid... the suspect will find out and come to the hospital to finish the job?’

’Or did the police have their own agenda?’

"Let’s go to the hospital first," I said softly.

Julian Fletcher looked at his arm and said quietly, "I’m fine..."

"To the hospital," I said, frowning.

Julian Fletcher smiled and started driving toward the hospital.

"Cece..." Julian glanced at me. "You are worried about me... aren’t you? Just now..."

I frowned, looking at Julian. "If it were a dog that had just been slashed, I’d be worried too."

"..." Julian was clearly speechless, and his face darkened.

’Then again, ever since Cecilia Caldwell "died," Julian’s temper seemed to have gotten much, much better.’

’If I’d said something so snide to him in the past, he probably would have lost his mind.’

"If you’re with me, Master Lancaster’s people will have to think twice before they make a move on you." He was telling me to stick to him like glue.

I let out a cold laugh. "Isn’t being with you the most dangerous place to be? Why do you think Master Lancaster’s men targeted me the second I left your house? It means someone in your family sold me out."

Julian frowned. "Mrs. Wright?"

I stared at Julian as if he were insane. "Are you nuts? Erin Whittaker!"

Julian smiled. "I was just kidding."

’I really think Julian is sick in the head.’ I ignored him.

"You did that on purpose, didn’t you?" Julian said after a moment.

"I have no idea what bullshit you’re talking about." Just hearing Julian speak was making me furious.

"You couldn’t have been unaware that someone in the Fletcher family might betray you, or that it would be dangerous to leave." Julian glanced at his arm, wincing in pain.

Since the bleeding hadn’t been stopped, blood was still trickling down from his fingertips.

I ignored him. It’s not like he was going to die from it.

"You know I wouldn’t let anything happen to you..." Julian’s face began to turn pale.

Julian glanced at me. "Cece... help me stop the bleeding."

I shot him an irritated glance. "You’re not going to die. Letting it bleed out a little will prevent infection."

"..." The corner of Julian’s mouth twitched.

"Cece... you wanted me to bring you out here alone on purpose. What is it you wanted to tell me?" Julian looked at me, his eyes filled with anticipation.

I glanced at Julian. I did want to tell him about Erin Whittaker scheming against him.

But knowing Julian, he’d never believe me. It would be a waste of breath. "Have you never suspected Erin Whittaker?"

Julian’s expression grew complex, his gaze turning deep and unreadable.

After a long silence, Julian said, "I’m not an idiot."

"Oh, really?" I laughed mockingly.

’Not an idiot, huh?’

"Suit yourself, then." I didn’t say anything more. If he had his suspicions about Erin, then he ought to be vigilant.

"Cece, the wound is still bleeding," Julian said, holding his arm out to me.

I glanced at his wound, then grabbed a tissue and pressed it against the cut. "There. Just bear with it."

Julian gave a helpless laugh. "Cece... I refuse to believe that your feelings for me... are completely gone."

"You’re overthinking it. Cecilia Caldwell never had any feelings for you to begin with. The one she loved was Sebastian Lancaster. She only thought you saved her, but you weren’t the one who did," I said, coldly shattering Julian’s delusion.

Julian’s gaze fell, and he said no more.

The car pulled into a spot in the Meridia Hospital parking lot before Julian finally spoke. "Cece... the person you love isn’t Sebastian Lancaster. Please, just believe me this once... You don’t love him. You’re terrified of him. You once begged me for help, begged me to help you hide from him..."

I frowned. "Yeah, I look like I believe you, don’t I."

’Between Asher and Julian, Asher was obviously more trustworthy.’

"Cece..." Julian was getting desperate. He was finally getting a taste of what it felt like to not be trusted. "Why can’t you just believe me this once? Sebastian Lancaster is genuinely dangerous. You were desperate to get away from him, so how could you... love him? He’s lying to you. He’s just taking advantage of your amnesia and has been deceiving you the entire time."

"Dr. Quinn said Sebastian Lancaster isn’t just some ordinary psychiatric patient. He has no empathy. He’s incapable of loving anyone. The only thing in his heart and in his mind is obsession. There’s no room for anyone else."

I ignored Julian. All he was doing was bad-mouthing Asher.

"Silvia?" The moment I walked into the hospital, Zeke Shaw spotted me. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

I shook my head and pointed at Julian. "He is."

A nurse came over to check Julian’s injury and led him to a treatment room.

"Master Lancaster’s men," I said in a low voice.

Zeke nodded. "Stay home as much as you can."

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Another homicide," Zeke said, glancing around. "I came to check on the situation. The victim isn’t dead yet, they’re still trying to save them in the ER. It’s obvious the killer isn’t a professional. They panicked during the attack, didn’t make sure the victim was dead, and just scattered that spice before running off."

I nodded. "So this time, as long as the victim wakes up, they’ll be able to identify the killer, right?"

"The killer was caught on camera. The police have already gone to make the arrest. I suspect there’s someone masterminding all of this. With this victim surviving, it might force the mastermind out into the open," Zeke said quietly. "Look."

He showed me what he’d found. "This person was also searching for a child. Their son, eighteen years old, has been missing for three years."

I stared at Zeke, stunned. "So in both homicides, the common thread... is that the killers are parents who lost their children and were driven to a dead end."

’The perpetrators are victims, too.’

"Did the children all disappear at the same time?" I asked. ’I wondered if the children’s disappearances were also connected to the mastermind.’

"They didn’t disappear at the same time, but they have one thing in common. All the missing kids had... issues, in this department." Zeke pointed to his head.

"Developmentally disabled, or...?" I asked, shocked.

"Asperger’s syndrome," Zeke said, glancing from side to side. "The so-called ’genius disease.’ They say kids with this condition are favored by God—they’re either geniuses or severely intellectually disabled."

’Two extremes.’

I took a deep breath and looked at Zeke. "Asperger’s syndrome..."

Suddenly, my head felt like it was about to split open.

’All the missing children were diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.’

’In my parents’ diary, it said I was also a "problem child" diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.’

’But that can’t be right... Other than being a bit of a loner, I’m not a genius, nor am I intellectually disabled.’

’I feel like I’m just a normal person. As normal as they come.’

"Asher and Charlie also have the so-called genius disease," Zeke said, sitting beside me with a sense of resignation. "These geniuses aren’t like us. They’re very lonely. No one can understand them, yet they display extraordinary talent in certain areas—art, mathematics, finance, chemistry, physics... you name it."

My hands and feet went cold. An inexplicable, terrifying thought surfaced in my mind.

’Is it possible that someone is exploiting these so-called child geniuses?’

’And behind it all... is there an even greater conspiracy at play?’

"The person who was attacked this time, what kind of business were they in?" I asked quietly.

"Also based abroad. Said they were in the health supplement business," Zeke sneered. "I’m guessing they were the head of a pyramid scheme."