Chapter 5 The Verdict

The hospital room crackled with tension as the doctor concluded Chelsey's examination.

Peeling back the curtain, he braced himself before approaching Trevor, flanked by a nurse.

This hospital belonged to the Morris family, and Trevor, their young boss, held sway over it all. The doctor knew this all too well.

Trevor, a man who had assumed the mantle of leadership in his twenties, commanded respect and exuded an intimidating aura that kept most at arm's length.

Earlier, when he had brought Chelsey in, his expression was as dark.

"Mr. Morris, the examination's done. There are no further injuries. She simply collapsed from sheer exhaustion, both physically and mentally," the doctor reported.

Trevor grunted in acknowledgment, his eyes flashing with an icy glint as he looked at Chelsey's tear-streaked face and the wounds on her neck and hands.

The nurse had diligently tended to her wounds, applying ointment and dressing them with fresh gauze.

Chelsey lay in peaceful slumber, seemingly unperturbed by the drama unfolding around her.

Chelsey was never one to easily let her guard down. She was scarred by a lack of security since childhood. Who could have possibly made her feel safe enough to drift into such a serene sleep?

Hearing the doctor's reassurance, Lyric was eager to whisk Chelsey away, but Killian intervened, his tone grave. "Hold up, Mr. Osborn. Let's not rush things. Mr. Morris hasn't had his say yet."

"What, I need his blessing for Chelsey's affairs?" Lyric retorted, his tone frosty.

"Indeed," Killian replied, his demeanor both respectful and resolute.

Just as Lyric was about to explode with frustration, Killian offered a gentle reminder. "Let's not forget, the World Championships are just around the corner! Do you really want to pick a fight with me now? You know, injured hands won't do you any favors in the competition."

"Is that a threat?"

Lyric's dedication to the upcoming championship was evident from his late-night training sessions. He hungered for that gold medal to validate his skills.

Casting his gloves aside, Lyric declared, "Let me make myself crystal clear. Even if you cripple my hand today, I'm still taking Chelsey with me! Trevor Morris, you're getting engaged in a month. Don't tarnish Chelsey's reputation any further. She..." Lyric's gaze softened as he gestured towards Chelsey's sleeping figure. The sight of her vulnerability stirred a pang of sympathy within him.

"You know how troubled she is. Don't add insult to injury," he continued.

Lyric was acutely aware of Chelsey's affection for Trevor. Ever since she had confided in him about her feelings for Trevor, Lyric couldn't help but feel sorry for her cautious heart.

If it weren't for her unwavering love for Trevor, Lyric could have squared off with him to avenge her.

Killian attempted to intervene once more, but Trevor stepped forward, scooping Chelsey into his arms and holding her close.

Chelsey nestled against his chest, oblivious to the turmoil surrounding her.

Trevor cast a steely gaze in Lyric's direction, his voice cutting through the tension like a sharp blade. "Chelsey is a part of our family, so her affairs are mine to handle."

Lyric was left speechless. His impassioned plea fell on deaf ears.

As Trevor moved to leave with Chelsey, Lyric made one last desperate attempt to appeal to him. "Trevor, you can't..."

"Mr. Osborn, rest assured, Mr. Morris won't harm Miss Howard," Killian interjected, his touch on his wrist seemingly casual but firm enough to thwart any attempts at pursuit.

By the time Lyric managed to free himself from Killian's grasp, Trevor's car had vanished into the night.

Behind him, Killian kept a watchful eye, ready to thwart any further attempts to interfere.

"Damn it!" Lyric muttered, running a hand through his tousled hair as he gazed up at the night sky. "Chelsey, how did you fall for a man like him? Best of luck to you!"

Chelsey awoke in the afternoon the next day. Every inch of her body ached as if she had taken on a heavyweight champ in the boxing ring.

Turning over, she winced in pain.

After a bit of rest, she recalled the events of the previous night. The soreness she felt was a souvenir from repeatedly slamming into the door.

Having survived the ordeal, she let out a long sigh of relief.

Reaching for her phone on the bedside table, she intended to give Lyric a ring. But before she could even punch in the numbers, her phone started buzzing-Lyric was calling.

"Chelsey, are you awake?"

"Yeah," Chelsey responded, her voice still groggy.

"Where are you now?"

"Home. Didn't you bring me back?" Chelsey said, totally thrown off.

There was a pause on the other end, and Lyric mumbled something she couldn't quite catch. "He's got a little conscience, it seems."

Without waiting for her to inquire further, Lyric jumped in, "Feeling hungry? I'm packing up some grub for you. Give me ten minutes."

And with that, he hung up.

No wonder there was so much commotion in the background; Lyric was packing up some food.

Chelsey sat up with her phone in hand, feeling the twinge of pain again, but she pushed through it.

The blanket slipped off, and she realized she was in her pajamas. She paused for a moment.

Even though she and Lyric were tight as siblings, there were lines he wouldn't cross, like dressing her.

Perplexed, she got up and shuffled towards the door.

The vestibule was spotless.

But last night, it was a total disaster.

There was no way Lyric would have tidied things up like this.

As she recalled what Lyric had said on the phone, it suddenly clicked for her.

Trevor must have been the one to bring her back.

Her thoughts started swirling again, and she felt a tickle in her nose.

Last night, she had wanted to ask him what would have happened if Yosef had had his way with her.

Thankfully, she hadn't; it would have been a blow to her pride.

But all that was water under the bridge now. What mattered was that Trevor had wanted to teach her a lesson.

Lyric arrived shortly.

Before moving to Kerton, Chelsey had been a Wyvernville girl through and through. Over the years, she still had a hankering for the local snacks and couldn't shake the memories of her father. So, she paid tribute to him through food.

Lyric had picked up all of Chelsey's favorite treats. Despite her lack of appetite, she forced herself to nibble on a little. Lyric sat beside her, sipping on his water.

As an athlete, he rarely indulged in outside food.

"Yosef Copeland's injury report came back, and it's being chalked up to self-defense," Lyric said, placing a waffle onto her plate.

Chelsey nodded, fully aware of the situation.

"Now that the verdict's out, whatever happens next has nothing to do with you," Lyric said, his eyes gleaming with determination as he set down his bottle.

Chelsey was taken aback for a moment. That look in his eyes meant trouble was brewing. "What's on your mind?"

"Nothin' much. I was thinking of roughing Yosef Copeland up a bit, but with the cops around, I couldn't make a move too brazenly. So, I've got a little something planned. I'll have someone lace his food with a little surprise and make him feel the urge to hit the john while stuck in bed. More than ten times a day. His gut wound will have a field day!" he replied.

Chelsey couldn't contain her laughter at the thought, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. "Make it potent, so he's in agony and on the run!!"

Seeing her laugh, Lyric breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried she would be frightened and bottle it all up, putting herself in harm's way.

He quickly shared some more good news with Chelsey.

"The cops have started digging into him, airing out all his dirty laundry. This scumbag's got a rap sheet longer than a Sunday sermon; chances are, he's looking at over a decade in the slammer!"

The police wouldn't usually bother with someone like Yosef. The Copeland family had sway, and Yosef's folks could bail him out. Chelsey knew this all too well.

"Did you put the cops on his tail?" The Osborn family had more clout than the Copelands.

Lyric shook his head. "I was thinking about it, but someone beat me to the punch."

"Who?" she asked.

Lyric shot her a meaningful look.