Looking at Gloria, Patrick asked, "Why did you tear up the check?"
"It was just a piece of paper." Gloria's voice was calm. She didn't seem to have any emotion.
Gloria's despair was hidden under her calm appearance.
She gave up everything, including her dignity, in exchange for the check. However, she failed to redeem her freedom. At this precise moment, she felt despair. She was exhausted.
Christine drove quickly to Black Thorn Pack's hospital. Sean was already waiting for them there.
He quickly gave Gloria a checkup.
"You're lucky," Sean said. "But you won't get so lucky next time. You don't have a wolf anymore, and you suffer from wolf poison from before. Don't you know that you can't drink?"
Sean then left the ward and went to the corridor. Patrick was smoking there.
Sean walked up to Patrick and asked, "What happened this time?"
Patrick didn't answer. He just lowered his head and smoked.
Sean was used to such a cold attitude from Patrick, the Alpha of his pack.
Sean continued, "I heard about the deal. You said you would set her free once she came up with a million dollars in a month. So, will you let her go?"
"No way," Patrick suddenly said.
Sean was surprised since Patrick was so moody. He nudged Patrick with his elbow and said, "Have you noticed that you always freak out whenever it concerns her?"
Patrick furrowed his brows and said, "If you have something to say, just say it. Don't beat around the bush."
Sean cleared his throat. "I think you care too much about Gloria. This is so unlike you. Patrick, you are a very smart person. Haven't you noticed that you're not yourself now?"
Sean was sure that Patrick could perceive the change in his mentality.
After Sean finished speaking, Patrick fell silent.
Sean said anxiously, "Come on. Your silence means you feel the same way. Aren't you going to refute me?"
"Is she alright?" Patrick suddenly asked.
Sean looked at Patrick strangely, but he still replied, "She's lucky. She didn't drink much. However, it shouldn't happen again. It's just that the injuries on her knees are a bit tricky."
The cuts on Gloria's knees were not deep. Yet she didn't have a wolf, so she couldn't heal herself. Also, there were some injuries on her knees from the old days, which made her injuries somehow serious.
Patrick's eyes turned colder. He put out the cigarette, nodded slightly, turned around, and pushed the door into the ward.
Sean wanted to follow him. With a bang, he shut the door mercilessly in front of him.
Stroking his nose, Sean thought, 'No biggie. So what if you don't let me in today? I'll get inside tomorrow. I'll get inside every day! I'll live in the ward.
This is so unfair!' He did not linger. Instead, he turned around and left.
Patrick walked into the ward, looked at Gloria, and asked, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
Gloria didn't react. Her expression remained the same.
Patrick waited for a while and realized that Gloria had no intention of answering him. He felt a little irritated.
He said angrily, "You knelt, just because they told you to? Gloria, how many people did you kneel to for the sake of money?"
Gloria still did not say a word.
"Tell me! If I hadn't shown up in time, would you finish that bottle of wine? Doesn't your life mean something to you?" Patrick got furious.
He thought, 'I can't believe it. She traded her life for money!
It's not the first time!
The same thing happened when she was drowning in that container last time.
Since when is her life so cheap?
Since when does her life mean nothing to her?
How can she be so calm?'
Gloria placed her hands under the quilt. She listened to Patrick's questions, clenching her hands.
Yet Patrick had no idea how she felt. He continued to blame her.
He said, "Gloria, do you think you'll always be so lucky? Tell me! What would you do if I didn't show up just now?"
His last sentence enraged Gloria.
Gloria raised her head abruptly and gazed at Patrick as if he was her sworn enemy.
"Do you think I am grateful for that? Do you think I need you to show up?" She was trembling with anger. She looked at Patrick and said, "Patrick, who made me the way I am now? If not for your request, why would I toss my dignity for money? Mr. Hammond, I will never be grateful to you!"
She thought, 'If I am guilty, I deserve to end up like this!
But I did nothing wrong! And you, Patrick, you never listened to my explanation! Not even for a second!
I still remember Lanny's words when he was questioning me in the room of Fittro Club!
His words prove what kind of person Gabrielle was!'
For the first time, there was hatred in her eyes as she looked at Patrick.
She thought, 'Patrick, if you had spent more time, if you had chosen to believe me, if... No! There's no if! The fact is the fact! I was in prison for three years, though I did nothing wrong!'
Patrick was surprised to see hatred in her eyes. He had never seen such emotions in her eyes over the years, whether she was proud or humble!
But today, he saw hatred in her eyes!
"She hates us." Leo's voice sounded in Patrick's mind.
Then Patrick felt pain spread through his body. It started from his heart and spread to his limbs.
Patrick found it difficult to breathe.
He thought, 'Gloria can only love me. How can she hate me?'
Patrick tried to ignore the pain and looked at Gloria calmly.
Suddenly, Gloria sneered and said, "Mr. Hammond, Gabrielle was not that innocent!"
"Are you still denying it till now?" Patrick asked.
The glimmer of hope that had just appeared in Gloria's eyes faded away. She knew it. Patrick didn't believe her. He never believed her.
In others' eyes, her explanation was just an excuse. After realizing that, Gloria said to herself, "Save it. Stop explaining."