Phoebe Faulkner hesitated for a moment but answered the phone anyway.
The moment the call connected, Howard Lynch's furious voice roared from the other end. "Phoebe Faulkner, I must have been blind to not realize what a vicious woman you are! Do you know Dawn is pregnant?! And you still pushed her down the stairs! Let me tell you, if anything happens to Dawn or the baby in her belly, I'll…"
"You're not just blind, you're a complete moron! Howard Lynch, the biggest mistake of my life was meeting you, foolishly believing your sweet talk, and getting engaged to you!"
Phoebe Faulkner abruptly hung up, lowering her head and clenching her hands.
'After what happened to her family, Howard Lynch had been her only support. But it was that very support that had dealt her the cruelest blow when she was at her most isolated and helpless—he'd gotten together with her best friend from college, and now they were having a baby!'
Jace Lennox watched the young woman, her head bowed and her fingernails digging into her palms. After a moment of silence, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his embrace, letting her rest against his chest.
After some time, Phoebe Faulkner composed herself. She shifted uncomfortably and murmured, "Thank you." Then, she pulled away from Jace Lennox's arms and sat up straight.
"Sir…"
"Jace Lennox."
Phoebe Faulkner froze at his words, then lowered her head. "Mr. Lennox, I'm sorry you had to see that. And thank you… for the shoulder. Could you please do me a favor and take me to the nearest hospital?"
"You want to see that woman?" Jace Lennox asked, glancing up at Phoebe.
Phoebe lowered her gaze.
"To the nearest hospital."
"Yes, sir."
The driver quickly drove Phoebe Faulkner and Jace Lennox to the hospital closest to the cafe. Upon arrival, Phoebe thanked Jace Lennox and hurried inside. She ran to the front desk and asked the nurse, "Excuse me, Nurse. About half an hour ago, did you admit a patient named Dawn O'Connell?"
"Dawn O'Connell?" The nurse checked the admission records. "Yes. She's in surgery on the third floor."
"Thank you."
Phoebe went upstairs, making a beeline for the operating room where Dawn O'Connell was.
She had just reached the third floor when she saw Howard Lynch pacing anxiously outside the operating room.
Just as he turned, Howard Lynch saw Phoebe hurrying toward him.
The moment he saw Phoebe, Howard Lynch lost control. He charged toward her and raised his hand for a slap. "What are you doing here? Don't you think you've made Dawn miserable enough? Let me tell you…"
A loud SMACK! echoed through the hall, leaving Phoebe stunned. She had never imagined that Howard would actually hit her. If a strong, powerful arm hadn't pulled her into an embrace the very next second, putting distance between her and Howard, she might have been hit again.
"Who are you? You…" Howard tried to strike again, but his hand was caught in midair.
He looked up to see an impossibly handsome, cold-faced man standing before him, shielding Phoebe completely within his arms. The sight of the other man's protective stance sent a surge of rage through Howard. He tried to yank his hand back, but the man opposite him felt like an immovable mountain, the pressure so immense he could barely breathe, let alone break free.