Facade of Love (Yvette Scott and Idris Young)
Chapter 298

Chapter 298 Cut Off?

A chill ran through me. The Youngs had kept this secret buried for so long. If it came out now... they could be in trouble.

Sir Young had passed away, leaving only Madam Young and Mr. Zachary in the know. If the truth resurfaced, the younger Youngs would likely be clueless.

Like Mom said, after all these years, digging up the past and linking it back to the Youngs would not be easy.

The Youngs were like an old tree with deep roots, untouchable even if the law reached their doorstep. The mining accident from years ago was just that—an accident. The guy in charge back then was not ever the family's head honcho, a fact that seemed to absolve them in the eyes of the community.

I sat there in silence, my thoughts a tangled mess. Over a hundred innocent lives on one side, and Idris on the other-I could not play judge and jury, nor could I pretend to be some detached outsider looking in.

My chest felt tight, so I gazed out the car window, inhaling a lungful of fresh air.

Ensio dropped us off at the station just in time to catch the train to Lake City. After we boarded, he drove off. My mom tried to start a conversation, "Yvette, you and Idris..."

"Mom, I'm really tired. I'm gonna go to sleep. Just nudge me when we reach Lake City, okay?" I was not up for a chat about Idris, so sleep seemed like the best escape from the long ride ahead. Understanding the situation, Mom got the hint, gave a little grunt, and we rode the rest of the way in silence.

The trip from Lorrell to Lake City took a good four hours, and by the time we rolled in, the sun was dipping low. Marcus was there to meet us, and I was anxious about Charlie's condition.

We beelined for the hospital. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side-Charlie was in surgery and not out yet. I did bump into Inch, though. He looked as if he had been through the wringer, with a banged-up face and mud all over his clothes. He must have ran all the way to Lorrell without a break.

Seeing him roughed up but still very much alive, I let out a sigh of relief and asked, "How did you make it back? Everything okay with you?"

He looked at me, his head tilting ever so slightly. "I'm okay. I just wanted to scout the roads nearby, but when I got back, I saw the landslide hit where you and Mr. Yates were. Lucky for me, I spotted the markers he had left, and that was how I found you guys. By then, Mr. Young had shown up too."

Relief washed over me as I realized he was unharmed, and I let out a breath I did not realize I had been holding.

Staring at the ominous red light blinking outside the OR, I turned to Inch. "How's Mr. Yates doing? Is it bad?"

Inch's brow was knotted with worry as he met my gaze. "The docs say it's not looking good. He already had a skin graft fail on him, and he was supposed to heal up before trying again. Chapter 298 Cut Off?

2/2

With all this mess, however, he has been burning up with fever for days, and the old wounds are just getting worse. Muscle atrophy is a real threat now, and... he might even lose a limb."

My body froze, a chill breaking out across my skin. This was way worse than I had imagined. My voice came out raspy, barely a whisper, "Lose a limb..."

Inch gave a solemn nod, his face twisted in agony. "We're just hoping he makes it through. If he loses his leg, he might not be able to cope..."

He trailed off, but I did not need him to finish. I knew exactly what he meant.

The ache that settled in my heart was bitter. If Charlie ended up losing a limb, I would never be able to repay him for everything he has done for me.

Words failed me, and I just moved to the chairs outside the OR, sinking into one with a heavy heart.

Inch took a seat next to me, both of us lost in silence, sitting there in the dimming light, hoping against hope for Charlie's safe return.

It felt like an eternity before my phone rang, cutting through the quiet. It was dark outside by then. I answered, my voice still rough, "Mom, what's going on?"

Mom's voice was laced with concern. "How's your friend? Did you get checked out at the hospital? The doctor at Lorrell said you were good to go, but you need a proper check-up once you're back, or you might still have some bad stuff lingering in your system."

Feeling a bit woozy-perhaps from sitting too long-I nodded and told her over the phone, I'm okay. I'll swing by the doctor's office for a check-up soon."

"Don't wait, do it now. And did you eat anything? I've cooked some food, and I'll bring it over. Just text me where you are, and I'll be right there. I'll even sort out your hospital stay. You need to be under observation for a few more days." Mom did not wait for my reply, rattling off everything before hanging up..