Alpha's replacement bride is destined mate-Chapter 86 The Shooting

Almost at the same instant, Prince Adam rushed upon her like lightning and, without a moment’s hesitation, threw her to the ground. The bullet whizzed past Emily’s shoulder, and a searing pain shot through her in an instant.

The taxi driver immediately fled the scene in his car after firing two shots in rapid succession. At that moment, the security guard standing outside the Capitol heard the gunshots and rushed over, only to receive Prince Adam’s urgent command, "Stop that taxi!"

"Yes, Your Highness." The security guard promptly pulled out his walkie-talkie and called for backup. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

"Emily, are you okay?" Prince Adam looked down at Emily’s body, only to see a trail of blood running down her shoulder where the bullet had grazed her.

"Dammit, you’re hurt." Prince Adam carefully lifted Emily up, moving as gently as if she were a fragile piece of porcelain. "Let’s get inside."

As they returned to the Capitol, they were greeted by a staff member with a puzzled expression on his face. Before he could inquire about the commotion, he heard Prince Adam command, "Sound the alarm and bring the first aid kit to my office."

"Yes, Your Highness." The clerk scurried to comply. Immediately after the alarm sounded, its shrill tone echoed through the Capitol, instantly putting the entire building on high alert.

Prince Adam soon returned to his office with Emily. Once inside, he sat Emily down and immediately assessed her injuries. His eyes were focused and composed, unfazed by the chaos of the moment.

Then, Prince Adam calmly retrieved the bandages and cotton balls from the first aid kit and began treating Emily’s wound. His movements were gentle and skilled, as if he had performed such tasks countless times before.

"Thankfully, the bullet didn’t penetrate your skin, just a bruise." Prince Adam gently dabbed Emily’s wound with an alcohol-soaked cotton ball while saying, "Since I don’t know if there are any other assailants lurking nearby, I’ll need to take you back to safety, just in case."

"Does it hurt?" Prince Adam asked with concern.

"It’s not too bad," Emily replied, watching as Prince Adam meticulously cut away the fabric of her dress around the wound and skillfully applied hemostatic gauze.

"Did you happen to see the attacker’s face?" Prince Adam asked, tossing the blood-stained cotton ball into the trash.

Emily tried to recall the shooting in her mind, but all she could remember was that the taxi driver had a black cap covering his face, making it impossible for her to discern his features.

"I don’t remember what the attacker looked like," Emily shook her head.

"Have you had any recent disputes with anyone?" Prince Adam’s questioning was as meticulous as that of an interrogator.

"The only person I can think of who might want me dead is my stepmother."

It seemed clear that Emily was deeply suspicious. Prince Adam pondered, "But we won’t know the truth until we apprehend the attacker."

Unsure if the security guards would succeed in capturing the assailant, Emily couldn’t help but feel a tinge of anxiety. The fact that the attacker had come prepared suggested they had a means of escape.

But how had the attackers known she was in the Capitol? Her location had been compromised, and someone was undoubtedly stalking her.

"I didn’t expect Katherine to accuse you of murder," Prince Adam frowned slightly, then after a moment of contemplation, concluded, "All the evidence now points to her as the one who wants you dead."

"So you don’t believe the accusations Katherine made against me either, do you?" Emily asked.

Prince Adam shook his head. "I don’t believe you would murder your stepmother."

"Why?" Emily was curious. Thanks to Katherine’s skillful manipulation, many people on the internet had mixed opinions about Emily’s alleged crime, with some believing she was the villain who had murdered her stepmother under the sway of public sentiment.

"It’s just a gut feeling," Prince Adam said, giving Emily a meaningful look.

Prince Adam’s gaze made Emily feel slightly embarrassed, and she averted her eyes by bowing her head. That’s when Emily’s phone rang, displaying the caller ID: "The Greatest Husband."

"Emily, where are you?" Klaus’s voice boomed from the other end of the phone. "What’s going on? Why haven’t you come back yet?"

"Actually, there’s been a problem," Emily hesitated, her mind racing on how to break the news of her injury to Klaus without worrying him too much.

"What happened? Tell me."

"I was shot outside the Capitol building, but don’t worry, it’s just a bruise on my shoulder," Emily said softly, though her words did little to calm the agitation on the other end of the line, where a low growl could be heard.

"Just a bruise on your shoulder? Emily, if anyone ever harms you in any way, I’ll fucking cut off their hand." Klaus was furious. "Tell me, where are you now?"

"I’m inside the Capitol building."

"Stay there and wait for me." Klaus hung up.

Emily put down her phone and, upon looking up, met Prince Adam’s gaze. He smiled and asked, "Alpha Klaus?"

"Yes, it’s him," Emily said with an embarrassed chuckle.

"He cares about you," Prince Adam said softly, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes.

Emily nodded helplessly, unsure of how to respond. After that, they said nothing more, and the air seemed to freeze, a heavy silence descending upon them. The oppressive quiet was shattered by the sudden ringing of the office telephone. Prince Adam answered it.

"Alpha Klaus is here to pick you up. He’s downstairs," Prince Adam said, hanging up and turning to Emily. "I’ll escort you down."

As Emily stood up, Prince Adam picked up his white coat from the couch and draped it over her shoulders. "Your clothes are stained with blood. Wear my coat."

"Thank you," Emily said.

Prince Adam accompanied Emily downstairs, where the alarm had been sounded and order had been restored to the Capitol.

By now, Klaus was standing outside the building, statuesque and silent, dressed in a black shirt. His demeanor was aloof and cold, his eyes dark and brooding as he watched Emily approach, Prince Adam by her side. There seemed to be a raging tempest hidden within those eyes, making one shiver.

Klaus didn’t utter a word but silently opened the car door. Once Emily was inside, he drove her swiftly back to the hotel. The atmosphere inside the car was oppressive and tense, Klaus’s knuckles turning slightly white as he gripped the steering wheel.

As soon as they arrived at their hotel room, Klaus immediately removed Emily’s coat and said in a low, concerned voice, "Let me see where you’re hurt."

"It’s just a bruise. Prince Adam already took care of the wound for me," Emily explained.

"He touched you?" There was a hint of displeasure in Klaus ’s tone, and a gleam of jealousy in his eyes.

"Klaus, Prince Adam was just helping me with my wounds," Emily said, her tone full of helplessness. She could feel the strong undertone of jealousy in Klaus ’s voice.

"If you had asked me to go with you, none of this would have happened."

"Now is not the time to discuss this," Emily interrupted him with a slight frown. There was a hint of exhaustion and helplessness in her eyes. "Katherine bribed the staff of Congress, and she wanted to stop me from filing a lawsuit. Thankfully, it was Prince Adam who came to my aid. As I was about to leave the Capitol building, a taxi driver attacked me, and if it hadn’t been for Prince Adam’s timely appearance to save me, I might have died."

"Oh, it’s Prince Adam again. He’s such a savior," Klaus sneered, his tone filled with jealousy and discontent.

"Klaus, I don’t want to argue with you," Emily sighed, rubbing her temples gently. "I want to rest for a while."

Emily said this as she turned to go back to her bedroom, closing the door firmly behind her. Klaus was left alone in the drawing room, sitting sullenly on the sofa, his dark green eyes blazing with anger as they stared at the white door.

Emily lay in bed, her thoughts racing. She closed her eyes wearily and tried to gather her thoughts. She didn’t know how long it took, but she eventually fell asleep. When she awoke, the sky outside the window was ablaze with the setting sun. The brilliant colors were like a dreamy painting, but they couldn’t dispel the gloom in her heart. Just then, the bedroom door opened, and footsteps were heard.

"Hey, are you awake?" Klaus came to the bedside.

"Yes." After a good night’s sleep, Emily woke up to find Klaus no longer angry but speaking to her in a calm tone.

"Just now, the royal representative from the South called me. He asked me to tell you that the Court of Congress has formally accepted your application for litigation, and this time, the presiding judge is King James."

"What? King James is going to hear my case himself?" Emily sat up in surprise, a look of disbelief on her face. However, her movement accidentally agitated the wound, and a sharp pain shot through her instantly, causing her to bite her lower lip involuntarily.

"The court session will be at 9 a.m. in three days," Klaus said, noticing Emily’s discomfort. He couldn’t help but take her in his arms.

Emily sank back into Klaus ’s arms, her mind full of thoughts. The fact that King James was going to preside over her case certainly gave her a glimmer of hope. Very well, Katherine, we’ll see you in three days.