---- Chapter 157 The officer looked at Liam with a grim expression. "What was inside? Do we need to call the bomb squad?" Liam shook his head. "It's a dead rat." A simple reply instantly broke the tension. Patients, staff, and even the police themselves all let out a collective breath. A few officers went in to confirm, and after checking the box, they carried it out with gloves, nodding that Liam had been telling the truth. "What the hell were you thinking ?" one officer barked.

"We told you to get out. Why didn't you follow instructions ? And you even opened the box without authorization!" Liam lowered his head slightly but didn't argue. Wendy glanced over at him, her heart stirring with a complex emotion. "Thad some training back in Ochor on situations like this," Liam finally said. "I didn't mean to cause concern-I just wanted to identify the contents before Dr. Hendrix had to make a call about evacuating the building." The officer frowned.

"Training or not, that was reckless. If that had been a pressure -triggered device, you both would've been dead!" ---- Liam stayed quiet, but Wendy spoke up. "Thank you for your concern, officer. But Dr. Harrison isn't the type to act carelessly," she said, her voice steady. "His judgment turned out to be right, and that probably spared the hospital a full- scale evacuation." The officer turned a stern eye on her. "Oh, so now you're defending him?

Weren't you the one who practically tackled him to keep him away from the box?" Wendy flushed red, momentarily speechless. Liam couldn't help but laugh. With the threat eliminated , the officers didn't press further and instead began investigating the incident. Wendy sat down ina chair, visibly drained, while Liam stayed close, gently holding her cold hand to comfort her. "Don't worry," he said softly. "The police will handle it.

Once they catch Freddy, this'll be over." With his other hand, he gave her back a few reassuring pats. Wendy nodded. "I know. I know it wasn't really dangerous , but I..." Her voice caught , and she couldn't finish the sentence. The fear hadn't come from the rat -that part was harmless. But the image of Freddy storming into her office and throwing that box on her desk replayed in her mind like a nightmare she couldn't shut off. ---- Liam opened his arms and pulled her into his embrace.

"Don't think about it anymore," he whispered. For a moment, all of Wendy's defenses collapsed. Her vulnerability and helplessness spilled into that quiet, safe space Liam created for her. She clutched the fabric of his shirt and buried her face into his chest, slowly beginning to calm down. But just a short distance away, someone was lurking in the shadows. They raised a phone, aimed, and snapped a few photos of the two of them in that intimate moment.

By 10:00 pm, they were finally done giving their statements at the police station. "Freddy's whereabouts are still unknown," one officer informed them. "But we'll assign a patrol detail for the next 72 hours to ensure Dr. Sanders' safety." The officer handed the statement over for Wendy to sign, a hint of regret in his voice as he spoke. She pressed her lips together , pushing down the fear in her chest. "Thank you," she said quietly. A female officer patted her shoulder gently.

"We understand how frightening this must be. But don't worry. We'll find him as soon as we can." Wendy gave a faint nod of appreciation. ---- By the time they left the station, it was already past 10:30 pm. Liam draped his coat over her shoulders. "Are you hungry? Do you want to grab something to eat?" She shook her head. "Not really. Let's just go home." Her gaze swept the area, the lingering fear still flickering behind them. Liam sawit.

His heart ached a little as he reached out and gently took her hand. "Okay. I'll take you home."