Chapter 710
“Excuse us, we’ve got some things to take care of,” Finley said politely as he bid farewell.
Sienna nodded, saying, “Goodbye, Officer Wood.”
She watched Finley and the other officer walk away before collecting herself and heading toward the ICU ward. She saw Shelly and Daniel seated together on a bench outside the ICU. It was an unexpectedly peaceful scene. Yet, Sienna felt completely puzzled.
What was happening?
Sienna paused to consider. Shelly hadn’t met Daniel before, so she probably didn’t realize he was her ex-boyfriend. That must be it.
Sienna regained her composure and walked over. She politely greeted, “Captain Morrison, hello.”
Daniel glanced up at Sienna. After a few days of being apart, she appeared weary and thinner. Shelly was startled, her gaze fixed on Sienna.
After exchanging brief hellos with Daniel, Sienna turned to Shelly. “Mom, is Felix awake?”
Shelly gestured toward the room beyond the glass. “He is, but his vital signs are unstable, so he can’t be moved out of the ICU yet.”
“Did Felix mention seeing poppies up in the mountains?” Sienna asked.
Shelly clenched her fist, showing her frustration. “Drugs are still a big problem here. Hills encircle us, and not far off lie the mountains that serve as the border with the neighboring country. “Drug lords like to target small, remote places like ours because they think they can operate without getting caught.”
After speaking, Shelly looked at Daniel, anxiously stroking his arm. “Captain Morrison, please be careful. These drug lords are ruthless and will stop at nothing.”
Daniel nodded gently. “Thank you for your concern, Mrs. Lawson. I’ll be sure to stay vigilant.”
Sienna was once again taken aback.
But then she reconsidered. Shelly didn’t have anything against anti-drug officers. She just wished that Sienna wouldn’t end up marrying a policeman someday.
With a gentle sigh, Shelly said to Sienna, “There’s not much happening here. You can head back to manage the corner store. I’d like to stay by Felix’s side and chat with Captain Morrison. You go on ahead.”
Sienna hesitantly looked back at Daniel. A strong emotion seemed to flicker in both their eyes in that brief exchange of glances. Her heart raced with a mixture of sadness and pain.
After a few days of not seeing him, she came to the stark realization of just how much she had missed him.
Yet, in this moment of meeting him face to face, she couldn’t summon any reason to utter another word or steal one more glance at him.
“I guess I should head back,” Sienna said with a heavy heart before leaving.
Daniel felt a strong impulse to rise from his seat, his muscles tensing with the urge. But he fought against it. He clenched his fists to restrain himself.
He couldn’t tear his eyes away from Sienna as she walked away. His stare was filled with longing and unspoken words.
With her experience in matters of
the heart Shelly naturally
empathized with the emotions of young people. She understood everything, yet couldn’t shake the feeling of helplessness.
“Captain Morrison, you’ve seen what happened to Felix. These drug lords are ruthless. They’re capable of anything, and their methods are inhumane,” Shelly remarked.
Daniel knew firsthand the horrors of dealing with drug lords. To him, they weren’t even human.
“Mrs. Lawson, I promise to ensure Felix’s safety. I won’t let anything happen to him again,” Daniel reassured her.
Feeling resigned, Shelly asked, “If I don’t approve of you and Sienna being together, will you resent me?”