Chapter 576

Footsteps echoed ominously, drawing closer to the door.

James knew Melody’s words had her reasons. Even though he was about to be discovered, he couldn’t afford to waste any time. Abandoning any thoughts of escaping through the window, he kept his head down and focused on removing the silver needles from Sid’s arm.

“Who’s there?” The two bodyguards spotted a figure inside the ICU the moment they arrived at the door.

‘So someone really is trying to harm Ken,’ they thought.

James gritted his teeth, quickening his pace. He managed to pull out the last needle just as the bodyguards burst in, wielding iron rods.

But by then, it was already too late for him to escape.

The two bodyguards immediately blocked his way, one in front and one behind. These two were among the most skilled men Sebastian had brought along.

James had anticipated this. If he had to take on these two alone, it would take hundreds of rounds to bring them down. By then,

Sebastian would certainly have returned.

Frustration and self-blame overwhelmed him.

Sebastian, who already disliked Ken, would surely have an even worse opinion of him once he found out James had broken in here.

‘How could I mess up something so simple?’ James thought, feeling a deep sense of guilt.

One of the bodyguards brandished his iron rod, while the other pulled out a handgun, aiming it directly at James’ forehead.

The reason Sebastian felt confident enough to leave only two men to guard this floor was that they were armed. “Don’t move, or we’ll shoot,” the one with the gun warned.

James hadn’t noticed the gun until now. Gunshots would definitely be fatal. Realizing resistance was futile, he forced a nervous smile. “Gentlemen, there’s been a misunderstanding. I’m just here to visit Mr. Quant…”

Meanwhile, Sebastian, who felt he had wasted a valuable half-hour of his life, was already in the elevator, descending rapidly.

He would be there in less than ten seconds.

Back in the ICU, one of the bodyguards tightened his grip on the iron rod, coldly advancing toward James. “Cut the crap. Raise your hands and explain yourself. What are you really here for?”

James instinctively tried to hide the bundle of silver needles behind his back, but the bodyguards noticed the movement.

“What’s that?” The one with the gun immediately sensed something was wrong. His finger tightened on the trigger as he barked, “Drop it on the floor, or I’ll shoot.”

James took a step back instinctively, but this slight movement made the bodyguard think he was about to resist, and he immediately prepared to pull the trigger.

At the critical moment, a slightly hoarse voice suddenly broke the tension. “What do you think you’re doing?”

All three men in the ICU froze, turning in disbelief toward the source of the voice.

On the hospital bed, Sid had somehow opened his eyes.

“Mr. Quant?” The two bodyguards were overjoyed, so much so that they momentarily forgot about James. One of them rubbed his eyes vigorously, while the other pinched his thigh hard, trying to confirm if they were hallucinating.

It didn’t take long for them to realize that Sid was indeed awake.

“Mr. Quant, you’re awake…” they exclaimed.

James had known from the start that their plan was to bring Sid back to consciousness for a brief period, but seeing Sid, who had been in critical condition, suddenly alert and speaking, still left him deeply shocked.

‘She really did it, he thought, awestruck.

Melody’s abilities never failed to astonish him, no matter how prepared he thought he was.

The bodyguards, after their moment of surprise, quickly remembered James’s presence and once again pointed their guns at him. “Mr. Quant, this guy was trying to harm you. But don’t worry. We’ll take care of him right now.”

James snapped back to reality and turned to Sid for help, pleading with his eyes. “Mr. Quant, it’s me.”

Sid recognized James. Although he didn’t understand exactly what had happened, he knew that Sebastian had always disliked Ken, so it wasn’t surprising that his bodyguards had their guns trained on James.

“Stop!” Sid ordered, his voice muffled by the oxygen mask, yet loud enough for everyone to hear. “James is my friend. Put the gun down immediately.”

The two bodyguards exchanged uneasy glances, and one hesitantly spoke up. “But… Mr. Quant, he has something in his hand…”

“Why?” Sid demanded as he ripped off the oxygen mask, his tone serious. “Are you ignoring my orders now? Do you think just because I’m weak, I can’t do anything about it?”

“Of course not,” the two bodyguards stammered, startled by Sid’s fierce response, and quickly shook their heads.

“Then get out of here. And remember that you’re to act like nothing happened. If I hear that you’ve uttered even a word about this to my father, I’ll make sure you regret it,” he added.

“Yes…” they replied, nodding hurriedly before leaving the ICU under the weight of Sid’s intense gaze.

As soon as they were gone, James wasted no time getting to the point. “Mr. Quant, there’s no time to explain everything. Your dad plans to take you back to Insterimond tomorrow, and we won’t be able to stop him. Mr. Swanson is worried that Ulric might try something on the way, so you must stop your dad from taking you. And you need to act quickly. You’ll only be conscious for about ten minutes. Miss Fox used acupuncture to wake you, but after ten minutes, you’ll pass out again.”

“Melody, huh?” Sid nodded, acknowledging the situation. “I understand. But there’s something important I need to tell you. The person who stabbed me was…”

“Mr. Quant,” one of the bodyguards suddenly called from outside.

James’s expression tensed. ‘It’s Sebastian.’

He quickly grabbed Sid’s hand. “Mr. Quant, remember what I told you,” he urged, all the while moving toward the window.

Just as Sebastian was about to enter the ICU, James slipped out of the window, using the air conditioning units to make his descent. In a matter of seconds, his figure disappeared into the night.

Sid bit his lip in frustration. ‘Damn it, I was just about to tell him Janet’s name.’

The next moment, Sebastian stepped inside.

When he saw Sid’s eyes open, he was so overcome with joy that he nearly stumbled. “Sid?”

Struggling to maintain his composure, Sebastian asked, disbelief evident in his voice, “You’re awake?”

Sid nodded.

Sebastian immediately called out, “Quick! Someone get the doctor!”

“Wait.” Sid interrupted him, “No need to call the doctor yet. I have something I need to say to you first.”

“Alright, go ahead,” Sebastian said, nodding eagerly as he rushed to Sid’s bedside.

His usually stern eyes were now misty with emotion.

A man nearing fifty was actually on the verge of tears.

Sid couldn’t help but feel moved. His relationship with his father had been strained for so long that he’d assumed Sebastian cared more about the family business than about him. But now, it seemed that wasn’t entirely true…

Despite his emotions, Sid didn’t forget James’s warning. He spoke firmly. “I heard from your men that you’re planning to take me back to Insterimond tomorrow?”

“Yes. I’ve already arranged for the best surgeon in all of Halcyon. Once you’re there, after some rest, we’ll proceed with the second surgery. After that, you should be on the path to recovery,” Sebastian said.

“Listen to me carefully. I can’t leave Silverlake right now.” Sid stated with conviction.