Chapter 380: Dawn At Zenith

Located at the heart of the city stood a tall, prestigious structure known as Zenith Hospital.

Although it was a medical facility, the interior was no less opulent than a five-star hotel. After all, it was the number one hospital in Astoria, equipped with advanced medical technology, five-star facilities for its patients, and some of the finest doctors in the country.

Yet despite their expertise, the midnight emergency was beyond anything the medical staff had ever seen.

On the VIP floor, that grim reality was written plainly on the faces of everyone who had gathered for one man.

Alec Ross.

It had been three hours since he had been taken into the operating theatre, and the moon had long since faded, giving way to the rising sun over the city.

Everyone’s eyes were heavy with exhaustion, yet not a single person had attempted to rest.

All they could do was wait.

According to the household staff, Alec had arrived home in a foul mood and locked himself in his study. After a late dinner, he called it an early night, instructing the butler to bring a bottle to his room.

Three hours later, Nina discovered him, and the scene was horrifying beyond words.

Alec’s left leg was completely shattered and torn to shreds, as if crushed by an impossible force.

Even the doctors were at a loss to determine what could have caused such horrific injuries. With the sheer amount of blood lost, Alec would have been dead had he been found even a few minutes later.

Nina Ross was a sobbing wreck as she leaned into Portia, who held her tightly.

Nearby, Aliana sat holding Jade, whose eyes were filled with a turbulent mix of worry, guilt, and grief.

Jade had not shed a single tear since hearing about her father, but a dark cloud of regret hung heavily over her, making her question every choice she had made.

Was she too harsh on him? What if she never got to speak to him again? Was that bitter confrontation at the Vanderbilt Estate the last time she would ever see her father alive?

Such grim questions swirled relentlessly in her mind, though she could not bring herself to speak them aloud.

Just then, a hand reached toward her, holding two warm paper cups.

Slowly, Jade lifted her head and found Cillian looking down at her, his eyes filled with quiet tenderness.

When she did not immediately reach for the drink, he spoke in a low voice. "Go on, take it. Morning is already here. Something warm will help you."

Watching Cillian’s surprisingly thoughtful gesture, a small, subtle smile touched the corner of Aliana’s lips.

Jade accepted the cup, her voice barely above a whisper. "Thank you."

"You’re welcome," Cillian replied softly before offering the second cup to Aliana. "This one is for you, sister-in-law."

Aliana’s smile widened slightly. "Thank you, Cillian." She took a small sip of the hot liquid before looking up at him. "Any word from the doctors yet?"

Cillian let out a quiet sigh before taking a seat on the other side of Jade. "I asked a nurse who stepped out a while ago," he replied. "She said the surgeons should be coming out soon."

"I see," Aliana said softly.

She glanced up at her husband, who was leaning against the wall opposite her with his gaze fixed on something in the distance.

Following his line of sight, she saw him staring intently at Owen, who stood silently beside Nina.

Looking back at Gavriel, she wondered what could be going through his mind for him to be staring so intently at Owen.

Before she could dwell on it, Alester walked over to Gavriel’s side. "How are you doing, Gavriel?"

Gavriel’s eyes met his father-in-law. "I am well. And yourself?"

"As well as can be expected," Alester replied with a small nod. His eyes drifted over to Aliana, who was currently talking to Nigel, who had just stepped into the waiting area. "Has she been doing better?"

Gavriel’s eyes settled on his wife, and he remained silent for a moment. He had to ask himself whether she really had been doing better, or whether she had simply become better at hiding everything she was carrying in her heart.

"As you can see," was all he could manage to say.

It had been weeks since Alester had last seen Aliana in person... not since she had fled the Vanderbilt Estate after learning the truth about the cult and their family curse. Though they had spoken briefly over the phone a couple of days later, Alester knew better than to push for a meeting, understanding that his daughter would come around on her own terms.

Just then, the doors to the operating theatre finally slid open, and the surgical team stepped out into the hallway.

Nina, Owen, and Jade instantly rose to their feet and rushed toward them.

"Doctor! How is he? How is my husband?!" Nina asked, her voice trembling with panic.

The doctor went silent for a moment with deep frown lines etched on his forehead. "Mrs. Ross, we all did the best we could, considering the condition he was brought in. Although we were able to close the wound on his leg... I’m afraid that is all we were able to do."

"W-What do you mean?" Nina’s voice trembled, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks.

"We saved his life, Mrs. Ross. However, we were unable to salvage his left leg. Additionally, due to extreme blood loss, he has slipped into a deep coma."

"No..." Nina stumbled backwards, her knees giving out before Owen caught her by the shoulders.

"Mom!" Both Jade and Owen called out in worry.

Nina gripped her son’s arm and asked, "W-When will he wake up?"

The doctor saw the intense distress on the woman’s face and hesitated, debating whether he should answer her directly or pull her children aside instead.

Seeing his hesitation, Nina pressed, "What is it? Just tell me!"

Releasing a heavy sigh, the doctor replied, "I am afraid we cannot give you a definite answer. In a situation like this, it entirely depends on the patient. He could wake up in two days, or in two months. Stay strong, Mrs. Ross. We truly did everything we could. He will be placed in intensive care under close observation for the next twenty-four hours."

Nina sobbed harder, clinging to Owen before asking, "Can we... can we see him? Please..."

"Immediate family only," the doctor agreed gently. "And you must view him through the glass partition. His immune system is compromised, and he cannot risk exposure to infection."

Nina nodded fervently. A nurse stepped forward and led the mother, along with her two children, down the corridor toward the observation room.

Meanwhile, Aliana stayed behind in the waiting hall with Cillian, Portia, Alester, Gavriel, and Nigel.

Just then, James, Alester’s assistant, walked up to him and leaned in close to murmur in a low voice, "Sir, the police have arrived. They were informed that this case is being treated as an attempted murder."

"Oh dear God. Nina is in a terrible state right now," Portia said anxiously.

Alester’s brow creased as he murmured, "The family is in no condition to answer questions right now. I’ll go and hold the police off until they have gathered themselves."

He turned to leave, but James’s next words halted him in his tracks.

"Sir, there is something else you need to know before you go," James said gravely.

Alester turned back to his assistant. "What is it, James?"