Chapter 209

Carl was rushed out of the wedding hall immediately.

The sound of sirens filled the air as the ambulance sped away from the Wyndham estate, carrying Carl inside, fighting to stay alive. Blood had soaked his clothes, and the medics worked fast, trying to keep him stable as the vehicle drove toward the hospital.

Another ambulance followed closely behind.

This one carried Stephen Winthrope.

The old man lay motionless on the stretcher, his eyes Lifeless. Even before the ambulance doors were shut, the officers already knew he would not survive. Still, protocol had to be followed.

Inside the hall, chaos slowly began to settle.

Delphine sat alone on the podium, her wedding dress spread around her like a bitter joke. Tears streamed endlessly down her face. Her body shook as she cried loudly, not caring who was watching anymore.

Her parents stood nearby, unable to lift their heads.

Shame wrapped around them Like a heavy blanket.

They had come to the wedding with pride, believing their daughter was about to become part of a powerful family.

Instead, they were exposed before the world as conspirators.Police officers stepped forward.

Without hesitation, they placed Delphine in handcuffs.

Her sobs grew louder as she realized this was not a dream.

Her parents were arrested too.

They did not resist. There was nothing teft to say.

Everything was over.

***

Outside the Wyndham family estate, the situation was just as tense.

The entrance was filled with journalists and camera crews. Microphones were raised, cameras flashing nonstop as reporters shouted questions into the air.

“What really happened inside?”

“Was it true that the bride’s family were criminals?”

“Is Carl Wyndham alive?”

But the guards stood firm. No one was allowed inside.

Security was tight as more guests began to leave the estate, their faces pale with shock. Every vehicle was carefully searched before it was allowed to pass through the gates.

The Wyndham estate had become a fortress.At the Wyndham hospital, fear filled everyone’s mind.

Family members and close friends gathered outside the operating theatre, waiting. No one sat comfortably. No one spoke freely. Every second felt like an hour.

Gladys sat in the lounge area, her hands tightly clasped together. Her lips moved silently as she prayed. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying.

Diana sat beside her, holding her hand gently.

“He will be fine,” Diana said softly, even though her own heart was pounding. “Carl is strong. He will survive this.”

Gladys nodded, but her eyes remained closed.

John stood in the corridor, pacing back and forth.

No matter how many times people told him to sit down, he couldn’t.

His heart was restless.

His mind was filled with guilt.

He had already lost one son without even getting the chance to say goodbye. He had never met him. Never held him in his hands. And he never protected him.

He could not lose Carl too.

He blamed himself with every step he took.

He had chosen to protect one child over another. He had made decisions that put his family in danger.

“What kind of father does that?” he asked himself silently.

Regret crushed his chest.

Peter and Ben tried to talk to him, but John barely heard them. His ears were tuned only to the theatre doors.

That was when Stone appeared.

He walked into the corridor quietly, but his presence was impossible to ignore.

His hair was messy, his jacket missing. For the first time, he looked less like a cold security chief and more like a man who had just survived a battlefield.

Only his white shirt and black trousers remained, his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing tense forearms.

John noticed him immediately as he walked in.

His face softened a little, though worry still clouded his eyes.

“How is he?” Stone asked calmly.

“We don’t know yet,” John replied honestly. Then he paused. “And Stephen?”

Stone exhaled slowly.

“He didn’t make it,” he said. “I’m sorry. He’s dead.”John did not react with shock.

He had expected it.

Part of him wanted Stephen to suffer for everything he had done. But justice had chosen a different path.

“The police have arrested all his men,” Stone continued. “A few escaped, but they’re being hunted.”

– John nodded.

“And Delphine?” he asked.

“She and her parents are behind bars,” Stone replied.”

They won’t be getting out anytime soon.”

John said nothing more.

Just then, the theatre doors opened.

Two nurses wheeled Carl out on a stretcher.

His face was pale, his body still, machines attached to him.

John rushed forward, his heart breaking at the sight of his son.

Before he could speak, a familiar voice stopped him.

“Mr Wyndham.”

Doctor Matt approached, still dressed in his surgical scrubs.John met him halfway.

“How is my son?” he asked, his voice shaking.

Peter, Ben, and Stone stepped closer.

“He is very lucky,” Doctor Matt said calmly. “The bullet hit his chest, but it did not damage any vital organs. It didn’t go deep.”

Relief washed over everyone instantly.

“He lost a lot of blood,” the doctor continued. “But we found a matching blood type in time. He is stable now.

He’s been moved to the intensive care unit.”

John closed his eyes.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely. “Thank you so much.”

“You should rest,” Doctor Matt advised, squeezing John’s shoulder gently. “This has been a long day.”

John walked into the lounge room.

Gladys and Diana stood up immediately.

They searched his face desperately.

“Our son is fine,” John said with a smile. “He’s no longer in danger.”

Gladys broke down completely.

John wrapped his arms around her tightly.”It’s over,” he whispered. “Everything is over. Our family is safe now.”

Diana couldn’t stop smiling.

For the first time in a long while, hope filled her heart.

Finally, her daughter would come home.

No more hiding. No more fear.

“What about Stephen?” Diana asked.

“He didn’t survive,

,” John replied quietly. “But his men are in custody.”

“And Delphine?” Gladys asked.

“She and her parents have been arrested,” John said. “The law will take it from here.”

They all relaxed slightly, still shaken, but calmer.

That was when Stone rushed into the room.

“Mr Wyndham,” he called urgently.

John frowned.

“What is it?” he asked.

“Someone is here to see you,” Stone said-and smiled.

Stone never smiled. That alone said everything. Then he stepped aside.A familiar figure walked in.

Gladys and Diana gasped.

John froze. He couldn’t speak.

Tears filled his eyes.

This wasn’t possible.

This had to be a miracle.