Marrying My Father's Enemy-Chapter 29: The Shooter

Chapter 29: The Shooter

Bang!

The sound of a gunshot shattered the alley’s drama; it echoed off the walls like thunder.

The gang froze, widened their eyes, their heads snapped toward the hooded person standing at the mouth of the alley.

Liam raised his arm, gun pointed skyward. His face was hidden beneath a deep hood, giving his features in shadow.

"Get away from her," he growled.

Vanesa narrowed her eyes, hands clenched at her sides. "Who do you think you are? You don’t know who you’re messing with."

Liam didn’t flinch. He took a step forward but kept his face hidden. "Get. Away. From her. Now."

Vanesa hesitated, looking to her friends, but they were already backing away, nervous.

The two men who had been holding Eira looked at each other, unsure.

Liam leveled the gun at them; even underneath the hoodie, one could feel his cold and glaring eyes.

"I’m not going to say it again," he warned them in a hard voice. "Run. Now."

That was enough.

The men let go of Eira, releasing her roughly so she slumped to the ground.

One by one, they began to back off. Vanesa hesitated for a split second longer, glaring at the hooded man.

"Fucking bastard!" But when Liam took another step forward, she finally turned, "asshole, burn," muttering curses as she retreated; her friends scattered after her.

As soon as they were gone, Liam ran to Eira’s side and knelt down.

Her face was bruised, and she was clutching

herself, shaking.

Her jeans were ripped, and her body bore the marks of the brutal treatment she had endured.

"Eira..." he said softly, trying to keep his voice calm. "It’s me... Liam."

Eira’s eyes opened. She blinked, trying to focus on his face. "Liam?" she whispered in a weak voice that seemed more like a whisper. "Is it really you?"

"Yes, it’s me," he replied, gently taking her hand. "Let’s get you out of here. I’m taking you to the hospital."

"No... no hospital..." Eira started, her voice was trembling, but Liam shook his head.

"No arguments," he said simply. "You need help, Eira."

Liam slipped an arm around her shoulders, helping her to stand.

She winced as she put weight on her legs, and he quickly adjusted, practically carrying her as they moved toward his car parked nearby.

Once they were inside, he started the engine and drove quickly but carefully, glancing at her every few seconds.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "They... they really hurt you."

Eira’s hands trembled as she touched her bruised cheek. "I’ll be okay," she replied, though her voice was shaky. "Thank you... for saving me."

Liam gripped the steering wheel tighter. "I should have been there sooner," he muttered. "I should have known Vanesa would go this far."

Eira managed a faint smile, trying to reassure him. "You... you were there when it mattered. That’s enough."

They drove in silence for a moment before Liam spoke again. "You don’t deserve this, Eira. None of it. I don’t know what Vanesa told them, but... you’re not alone in this, alright? I know Callian is in a coma..."

Eira nodded, swallowing back tears.

Liam glanced over at her. "I believe in you," he stated.

They arrived at the hospital a few minutes later, and Liam quickly got out, helping Eira out of the car.

She leaned heavily against him, her knees buckled slightly, but he held her straight.

Inside, a nurse took one look at Eira and rushed them into a private room.

The doctors quickly began examining her injuries, and Liam left the ward, letting them work in peace.

After a while, the doctor came out and looked at him. "You’re family?"

Liam hesitated for a second, then nodded. "Yes. I’m her... half-brother."

The doctor nodded. "She’s been through a lot. She’ll need rest, and we’ll need to keep her here for a while. But I think she’ll be okay, given time."

"Will she be okay?"

"Her injuries seem bad; was it an assault?" the doctor asked.

"We can say so..."

The doctor gave him a side-eye.

"No! It wasn’t me who assaulted her."

The doctor pressed his lips. "Then would you like to involve the police?"

Liam wasn’t sure of what he was going to do yet, but he needed to stay on Eira’s good side so he could get his benefits later on.

"No. The police could involve the press, and she’s a famous person."

"Is she the daughter of a celebrity?"

"No."

"I see. Well, she will need a lot of rest. Meanwhile, would you like to fill some papers on her behalf?"

"Yes, of course."

As Liam sat in the doctor’s office, filling out the paperwork, he came across a section about blood type.

He raised an eyebrow.

He, Eira, and their father, Henry, all shared the same blood type: O-positive.

But something didn’t quite add up... "Interesting..."

He remembered that Vanesa had a different blood type—A-negative.

The memory came rushing back.

When he was a child and needed a blood transfusion, Vanesa’s blood hadn’t been a match, so she couldn’t donate.

Stranger still, both Henry and Beatrice had refused to give him blood, giving vague reasons.

The thought nagged at him, becoming more than a simple memory.

What if there was a deeper reason? What if Vanesa wasn’t actually Henry’s daughter?

The possibility struck him, the memories he had long left. "Why?" It was unquestionable.

Why hadn’t he noticed this sooner? Could there be a hidden family story he’d never been told?

Liam felt questions bubbling up—questions about family and their reasons... secrets that might hurt Henry more than Eira was going to...

"If I’d share this with her, I’m sure she would leave something to me... she wouldn’t let her own brother suffer..."

"Is everything okay?" the doctor asked.

"Yes... what are the chances of—" he cut himself off, realizing that at this moment he couldn’t trust anyone.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no. What is the payment method here?"

"The hospital only accepts card payments."

Liam swallowed, remembering that the money he had left for rent wasn’t enough as well, and now that he saved Eira, she might let him stay with her while Callian was dying.

"Good. When can my sister be released?"

As the doctor was about to answer, a nurse rushed into his office. "Doctor Steel, the patient has a second-stage cancer—"

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