Chapter 187
Henry's face turned grim. He reached back to touch the back of his head and pulled his hand away, only to find it covered in blood.
Victoria went pale at the sight. Her gaze darted from Henry to Jayce and back again as she stammered, "How... how did it come to this?"
Henry glanced at her, took a deep breath, and pushed down the anger surging within him. "Call Delia. Tell her to bring his medicine. He's having an episode."
Victoria nodded quickly. "Alright."
Her hands trembled as she fumbled with her phone. It took her a while to finally dial Delia's number. When she explained what happened, Delia gasped and promised to come right away.
Victoria wanted to check on Jayce, but the memory of his wild, uncontrollable behavior moments ago froze her in place. She couldn't muster the courage to approach him.
Meanwhile, Henry unscrewed a bottle of liquor, tilting it back to gulp down most of its contents. He slammed the bottle down, veins bulging along his arms as a few drops of alcohol slid down his jaw. The rough, reckless energy he exuded was almost palpable.
His eyes fixed darkly on Jayce, who was still sprawled on the floor.
Henry thought, "Fighting? Jayce never stood a chance against me. I didn't even go all out just now. Yeah, of course, I didn't. I just wanted to teach him a lesson. But I never imagined he'd try to kill me!"
It had been years since Henry had seen Jayce in such an unhinged, feral state. Pressing his fingers to his temples, Henry winced at the splitting pain in his head.
Victoria, uneasy as she watched the blood trickle down from the back of Henry's head, quickly sent a message to Evie, asking if she had a first aid kit.
Evie arrived not long after. The moment she stepped into the room and took in the scene, her eyes widened in shock. Holding the first aid kit tightly, she approached Victoria cautiously and whispered, "Did someone... die?"
Victoria shook her head. "No, but there was a fight." Taking the kit from Evie, she walked toward Henry and said, "Let me patch you up."
Henry gave Victoria a sidelong glance and taunted. "Weren't you just defending him? Shouldn't you go check if he's dead?"
Victoria's grip on the first aid kit tightened, but he wasn't wrong. Jayce hadn't moved an inch, and that worried her. She turned abruptly and made her way toward him.
At the sight, Henry's expression turned even grimmer, and he grabbed her arm firmly. "You'd do what I said? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Victoria argued. "But something seems off about him."
Henry responded, "You're right about that. He's in a state of mental instability. Anyone who gets close to him will be attacked."
Victoria's eyes widened in shock as she pondered, "I just thought Jayce was depressed. I didn't realize it could escalate like this. His condition must be really serious."
Henry's raspy voice cut through her thoughts. "Weren't you going to patch me up?"
Snapping out of it, Victoria moved behind him to check the wound on the back of his head. It wasn't large, but she worried there might be tiny shards of glass embedded. After a quick disinfection, she frowned. "You still need to go to the hospital."
Henry, however, asked, "Are you going with me?"
Victoria shook her head. "You're perfectly capable of going by yourself."
But Henry held his head and closed his eyes dramatically. "But I feel so dizzy..."
Victoria stood there, completely caught off guard. Meanwhile, Evie looked on, wide–eyed, as if unable to believe how quickly his demeanor had changed.
Just then, the door to the private room flew open, and Delia burst in like a whirlwind. When she saw Jayce lying on the floor, she let out a gasp and rushed to him.
Victoria's heart leaped into her throat. She watched in horror as Jayce, who had been eerily still until now, suddenly sprang to life. He tackled Delia to the ground and wrapped his hands tightly around her neck.
Victoria covered her mouth in shock, instinctively stepping back a few paces. Jayce's sudden movement had taken Delia by surprise, and his hand was already around her throat, leaving her expression twisted in agony.
"Mr. Caldwell..." She managed to choke out, trying desperately to pull Jayce back to his senses. But his eyes remained bloodshot, a dangerous mix of excitement and menace gleaming in them.
As Delia's breath grew faint, Victoria knew she couldn't hesitate. She darted forward, grabbing Jayce's arm in an attempt to pull him away. "Mr. Caldwell!"
Henry's expression darkened when he saw the scene unfold. Striding toward them, he called out sharply, "Victoria!" Just as he was about to intervene, Jayce slowly turned his head to look at Victoria.
Jayce's grip then slackened almost immediately. The ferocity in his crimson eyes began to fade, replaced by a haze of confusion. He blinked, glancing around as though waking from a dream. When he saw Delia collapse on the floor and gasp for air, his face drained of all color.
Victoria had been nervous herself, but seeing that he had regained his composure, she said, "Mr. Caldwell, you need to rest. Let us take you back so you can get some sleep..."
Jayce turned his pale face toward her and met her eyes, he must had scared her, but the words caught in his throat.
He pondered bitterly, "Do I even need to ask? Who wouldn't be terrified of me like this? I even hurt Delia, the one closest to me. Of course, Victoria is afraid..."
While Jayce stood there, lost in his thoughts, a faint sting pricked his arm. Lowering his gaze, he saw Delia injecting something into him with a steady hand.
Delia's face was just as pale, but she managed a weak smile. "It's okay now, Mr. Caldwell. Everything's fine. Don't be afraid."
As the medication entered his system, Jayce gradually calmed down. Then, his head grew heavy, and in less than two minutes, he had fallen asleep. Delia quickly caught him and turned to Victoria. "I'm so sorry, Mrs. Harrison."
Victoria shook her head. "It's fine. I'll have someone send you both back."
Delia nodded, her voice slightly hoarse as she replied, "Thank you."
Honestly, she didn't need to intervene. Just moments ago, she had seen that as soon as Victoria touched Jayce, he miraculously calmed down. It was something that had never happened before.
Jayce rarely had episodes, and when he did, he always required medical intervention. But now, he didn't need it. As long as Victoria was there, it was enough. That realization stung. A bitter ache spread through Delia's heart.
Henry then lifted Jayce and supported his limp body as they left the private room. A car was already waiting outside the door, and he carefully placed Jayce inside.
Delia quickly added. "Mr. Harrison, Mrs. Harrison, I'll take Mr. Caldwell straight back to Caldwell Manor."
Henry gave a slight nod. "Take care of him."
"I will," Delia replied. Then, she got into the car, and it drove away.
Victoria felt the knot in her stomach slowly ease, but she still couldn't resist asking, "Delia will be okay, right?"
Henry half–closed his eyes and glanced at her. "Victoria, for his sake—and your own—keep your distance from him."
Victoria lowered her gaze slightly and didn't respond. Henry, however, grabbed her by the back of her neck, pulling her closer. His eyes, now edged with a cold sharpness, locked onto hers. "Did you hear me?"