The intruder's shoes clicked against the sterile floor as he strode in. When the nurse saw how violently the door was opened, she immediately left the TV screen to take a look at who so had a death wish to come cause trouble here. This was a private hospital, after all. It was not a place for violence.
Moreover, she heard the patient was not so simple. He was apparently the husband of a member of the Beaumont family and they were one of the major shareholders of this hospital. If he complained about the hospital security and how they let just any riff raff in, the director would definitely have her head.
"Who are you?" She shouted, glaring at him. "Can't you see he's resting. Why are you barging in here?"
Then she took a good look at the person who had just come in and was stunned into silence. This was because this person… really didn't look like a troublemaker.
He wore slim black trousers and a loose cream silk shirt, the collar open just enough to look effortless. His hair, dyed a striking shade of smoky violet, caught the light when he moved, every strand styled to perfection. He looked way too charming. The young nurse's heart couldn't help but beat faster seeing his handsome face.
However, once he opened his mouth, the words that came out of it completely destroyed all his charming persona.
He wrinkled his nose and scoffed, "Who are you? You dare to stop someone from the Beaumont family. You must not like your job very much."
The nurse was speechless.
So, he was from the Beaumont family. That means he was a relative although it was hard to tell if he truly came to visit the patient.
She immediately regretted butting into the family drama and was about to apologize. "I'm sorry—"
He did not even look at her. "Get out."
The nurse was embarrassed. But she didn't dare argue and immediately fled the ward, closing the door gently behind her.
The contemptuous look on the young man's face didn't fade however as he looked around the ward. Likewise, the latter shifted slightly in the bed, his lids heavy with sleep but he managed to control them as he examined the young man.
Theo—Lila's cousin.
The Beaumont family's pampered son who was in the entertainment industry. He was well-known for being arrogant, rude, and wreaking havoc in the industry. Elias's mind sifted quickly through Sebastian's old memories and came to one conclusion:
This little brat was not here out of concern.
"Cousin-in-law," Theo drawled, not even bothering to hide the mockery laced in his voice. "I heard you tried to commit suicide. A grown man like you… you're so fragile."
As he spoke, he dragged a chair over and sat down like a little tyrant with his hands on the headrest. That posture looked funny to Elias and reminded him of low-level thugs scamming money out of market women.
He looked up at Theo and asked calmly, "Why are you here?"
Theo looked strangely at him for a second and it was unknown what he was shocked about. But he quickly recovered and laughed humorlessly.
"Brother-in-law, can you not be such a jokestar? You had just one job and that was to clean up the mess troubling me right now. But what? You tried to kill yourself before you even did that." He was clearly furious and glared at Elias. "Can you not tell that I'm here to settle the score with you?"
"Settle the score with me?" Elias almost laughed. Sure enough, this family was really dramatic.
He folded his arms calmly and glanced up at the young man. "How do you plan to do that?"
Theo looked at him strangely once more. Then, he declared so naturally, "Of course, I'm going to report you to grandmother. Our Beaumont family saved you and gave you a home. You eat our food and wear our clothes yet you can't do your job right. Shall we bet whether grandmother will punish you or not?"
It was Elias's turn to look at him strangely.
He remembered from Sebastian's memories how indispensable this character was. When it came to cleaning up scandals, he was really quite talented although the methods used did not really sit well with Elias himself. He had saved them countless times from scandals, otherwise, the Beaumonts would have completely fallen off from this tier of aristocrats years ago.
Yet, they dared to act so arrogant in front of him.
Elias was not really surprised about the fact that there was punishment. After all, who knew how perverted aristocrats were than him?
A memory came to him briefly at that moment and Elias's expression suddenly shifted His gaze hardened, and he looked at Theo coldly. "Punishment?" He sneered. "Do you think we are in the medieval century? Even a prodigal like you is not getting punished to talk less of someone like me. You keep talking about food and clothes like you have given me something so tangible. The problems I've solved in this family, I never even asked for payment.
Such a profitless job, who would do it except for a fool?"
He looked so relaxed and confident as he spoke that Theo was momentarily speechless. But he soon recovered and scoffed.
"Payment? If it weren't for our Beaumont family, who knows what dumpster you'd have ended up in? But you're so arrogant as if you didn't get any benefits from us."
Theo was really beginning to get furious. This cousin in law of his had always been submissive and he only came here to talk some sense into him so he could get on his job as soon as possible. But who knew what strange medicine he took? He was being so talkative.
Elias's lips curved in a mocking smile. "Benefit? What benefit did I get?"
"You even married my cousin. What benefit didn't you get?" Theo sneered. "What a profiteer!"
It was fine if Theo hadn't mentioned this point that bothered Elias the most.
This Sebastian had been utterly blindsided. He was married to Lila, but there was no real connection between them and she could divorce him at any time. He never received a salary for his scandal cleaning job except that he was promoted to a team leader position when they married and that was only a meagre salary after all. It could barely cater for the expenses he needed to keep his face as the husband of a Beaumont member. At most, he scraped money by padding expenses for problems he helped solve, but even that wasn't hidden from the matriarch. They could cut him off whenever they wanted. So what benefit?
He had even thought of clinging tighter to the Beaumonts to win favor by drawing closer to the family members. But he had underestimated their ruthlessness. No matter how he jumped, they would never let him inherit a thing, or let him rise beyond the token "team leader" position they gave him.
In fact, Elias blamed Sebastian. He was too greedy and wanted to be recognized by such a family that he agreed to such an unfair deal as marrying Lila. If he had left their crutches and seeked out greener pastures for himself, he wouldn't be in such dire straits.
He looked at Theo who was still jumping around in front of him and couldn't help but scoff.
But before he could speak, Theo's voice suddenly rang out from the TV screen. Both men turned their gazes there and Theo's face immediately went ashen.
It was a live broadcast and the scenery was clearly outside the hospital gates, with several reporters gathered. On the broadcast, Theo smiled warmly at the cameras, declaring how loving he and his brother-in-law were, that he had rushed to visit Elias in the hospital, and that their family bond was proof the accusations of tyranny were false.
If one didn't know, they would really be fooled by his vivid description.
Theo's face darkened instantly. His face flushed now that Elias was seeing him so passionately describing how good his relationship with his brother-in-law was. He stormed over and switched the TV off with a snap.
Elias chuckled. "I didn't know you were this affectionate toward me."
Theo's ears burned when he heard that and he snapped. "If you hadn't gone and pulled that suicide stunt, delaying my window to solve the scandal, would I be forced to do this kind of thing? Cut the crap and tell me how you plan to fix it!"
But to his surprise, Elias just stared at him like he had just heard the greatest joke ever. He leaned back, eyes narrowing in mock surprise. "When did I ever say I'd clean up your mess?"
Theo's fury spiked. "You…"
He nearly cursed, but Elias cut him off smoothly. "The doctor says I should rest more. I'm thinking of going on vacation, actually. You'll have to solve this one yourself."
Theo was shocked at the attitude. Was his cousin-in-law really not afraid of anything after jumping to his death?
He knew not doing anything was going against grandmother yet he still acted so arrogantly. Theo wanted to see how grandmother would make him pay. But now, he had to pull this nonsense when it was his turn.
This mess was truly too big for him to handle and he couldn't help but be anxious.
His face twisted and he threatened. "Do you think Grandmother will approve of that?"
Elias only laughed. "We'll see. After all, everything you flaunt comes from the Beaumont finances and even that little bar of yours that loses the group millions. Yet you have the face to call me a profiteer? I'm not interested in helping. Let's see which one of she finds more indispensable."
Theo finally lost his cool. He realized that Sebastian really had no intention of cleaning the mess and he paced a few times. He had no choice but to leave for now.
But his pride wouldn't let him leave like that so on his way out he turned and sneered,
"Don't be too arrogant. I heard Lila wants to divorce you. Let's see if you still have a place in our family after that!" He flung the words like a curse and stormed out arrogantly.
The ward fell quiet once more.
Elias sank back against the pillows, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. This family was such a big train wreck.
But, he had no choice but to cling to them for now to get what he wanted.
A faint curl of a smile touched his lips. Theo would surely run to the matriarch to complain. That was fine. In fact, it was useful.