Mila froze, her pulse quickening. No matter how much strained her relationship with her father was, the news shook her. Without wasting another moment, she ran to the emergency unit.
Nurses rushed past with charts in their hands. Mila stopped one of them. "Where is my father? How serious is he?"
"He was assaulted. Yes, but not life-threatening. Dr. Jay is attending to him."
Mila breathed a sigh of relief. His condition was not as serious as she imagined.
"He is in trauma room three."
"Thank you."
Mila headed to the room. She pushed the door open. The sight inside made her stop cold.
Leonard lay on the bed. His face was so swollen that she couldn't recognize him.
She had imagined fractured bones, broken ribs, and cuts. But this… It was beyond what she had thought.
His cheeks were puffed, one eye nearly shut from swelling. Dark bruises spread across his jaw. His lips were split, with dried blood stains in the corners. This looked like someone had deliberately used him as a punching bag.
He tried to speak when he saw her, but only a strained groan came out of his throat.
Mila approached the bed, speechless. She glanced at the doctor, who was bandaging the wound near his temple.
"How bad is he?"
"Nothing to worry about," Dr. Jay replied. "Vitals are stable. Mild concussion. Scan shows no internal bleeding." He turned to her once he finished bandaging. "Multiple soft tissue injuries," he added, his tone turning serious. "He has been struck repeatedly."
Mila hummed softly and looked back at her father. She wondered who might have struck him to this point that he was barely recognizable.
"Mila…" Leonard called her; his hand weakly twitched toward her. He wanted to say something, but he could hardly open his mouth.
Her throat tightened. Leonard looked fragile, helpless, nothing like the domineering man she knew.
"You better stay quiet," Mila cautioned him.
He grimaced. "Those bastards." His voice cracked.
Though he struggled to speak and his speech wasn't clear, Mila understood him.
"They hit me."
Mila frowned slightly. "Who are they? Why did they attack you?"
Despite knowing he couldn't speak properly, she was unable to suppress her curiosity.
"I was on my way to the office," he explained slowly, "and accidentally hit a car."
He recalled how the car stopped in the middle of the road all of a sudden. He had stepped on the brake to avoid the collision, but it was too late.
Because of the impact, his head had hit the steering wheel.
"I was already hurt. But those two guys dragged me out of the car and started hitting me." He lifted his hand shakily and touched his swollen face. Pain twisted his features. He almost started crying.
"It was their fault. They stopped suddenly."
Mila watched him quietly. She didn't believe him. Why would someone hit him like this without his mistake? Certainly, he wasn't telling the truth.
At the time, she recalled him slapping her last night. Buried pain from the past resurfaced one after another. She couldn't stop her mind from remembering the day he had brought Camilla and Bianca home, the years of cold indifference.
Countless times, Bianca had framed her, and he punished her without question. The sympathy she had felt moments ago slowly drained away. All that was left was a strange, distant calm.
For years, she had wondered if someone up there would ever see the injustice done to her. It seemed like fate had finally answered and had decided to punish him for his deeds.
She shrugged. "You should file a complaint."
At that, he panicked.
"No." He stopped her instantly before Mila could make a call. He remembered those men threatening him with a gun pressed against his head.
'Dare to go to the police, and you are dead.'
He swallowed as the words echoed in his ears.
"It was my fault."
Mila almost laughed. She had already guessed it. "Fine." She straightened. "The emergency team will take care of you. Your injuries are superficial. You'll recover."
"Wait…" Leonard tried to reach her, but his hand dropped limply.
"I'll come later. Rest now."
Mila didn't look back.
Leonard watched her retreating form, rage shimmering in his heart. He wanted to curse her aloud. But the movements of his lips sent sharp pain across his jaw. He had to swallow the words.
'That ungrateful brat,' he muttered inwardly. 'She actually left.'
"Mr. Vega. You should rest. No more talking." With that caution, Dr. Jay also left.
When Mila returned to her office, she dialed Camilla. It rang twice before being answered.
"What is it?" Camilla's voice was sharp with annoyance.
"Your husband has been admitted to the City General," Mila said coldly. "He has been assaulted on the way to his office."
"What?"
Mila had to pull the phone away from her ear. She huffed and then spoke again, "He is not seriously injured. He'll live. Come here. He is in Trauma care."
She hung up the phone before Camilla could say more.
Several minutes later…
Camilla rushed in, her face pale in alarm. She gasped at the sight of him.
"Oh, God, Leonard! You are…ugly."
Leonard's heart twisted in rage. He wanted to yell at her. Only if he weren't like this, he would have slapped her for what she said.
"How did this happen?" Camilla asked.
"Ca-Car…" He tried to explain. "Two men…hit me…" The words came out slurred and broken.
"Uh?" Camilla couldn't get a word he spoke. She leaned over. "Can you repeat it?"
His annoyance grew. Ignoring the pain, he opened his mouth widely to scold her. But the sting of his jaw almost took his breath away.
Seeing his struggles, Camilla panicked. "Okay. Stop talking. You will worsen your injury."
Leonard's fingers curled weakly around the bedspread, still annoyed.
Later that afternoon…
Bianca appeared at the hospital, her eyes red and puffy as if she had been crying. Ethan followed close behind.
"Papa." Bianca hurried to the bedside. "Oh, my…" She sobbed as she looked at his swollen face.
Leonard slowly sat up. He tried to tell her not to cry, but could barely utter the words.
"I looked into it," said Ethan. "Those two men are notorious. They are involved in various criminal activities – very dangerous."
Leonard's eyes flickered as he recalled the gun pointed at his head. A chill crept down his spine.
"I suggest you don't report the authorities," said Ethan. "These types of people don't hesitate to target the family."
Before Leonard could say anything, Camilla chimed in, "He won't report it." Fear had already settled on her expression. "He is still alive, that's what matters."
"Yes, Papa," Bianca joined. "You should listen to Ethan."
Leonard would never dare to go against those guys' warning. He nodded slowly.
Ethan hesitated for a moment before speaking again. "I know this is not the time to say this. But despite everything, I'm still willing to marry Mila. I think once she calms down, she will understand."
Bianca didn't like the idea. She tried to protest, but her mother tugged at her hand and signaled her to keep quiet.
"I will never marry you."
The voice cut through the room like thunder. Everyone turned and saw Mila coming in.
"And this is my final decision."
Ethan felt uneasy as he faced her unyielding attitude. 'Mila has never been like this,' he said to himself.
She used to cling to him, obey him, and love him blindly. How could she have the heart to end things with him so decisively?
'Impossible.' He didn't believe it. 'She loves me fiercely. She can't live without me.'
A sneer twisted his features as a thought emerged in his head. 'This is her tactic to get me.'
His arrogance returned. "Mila, it's not funny anymore. My patience has limits. Stop this act. Or I'll really break up with you."
"Then do it. I don't want you either."
"You…"
Something inside him twisted. It felt as though she wasn't lying, as if she had already moved on from him.
He had never intended to marry her. But seeing her dismiss him so easily left him uncomfortable.
No matter what, she was his girlfriend, his to own. She had no right to leave him.
He stepped closer to her. "If you keep talking like this, I'll definitely not marry you."
"That's what I want," Mila said with cold determination.