Chapter 174


    Ultimately, Sylvie chose to give Lena the benefit of the doubt.


    ...


    Sitting in the café, Josefina watched as Oliver ordered a spread of five desserts and fresh fruit juice


    for her.


    "You know, they say sweets can lift your spirits. Give them a try," Oliver suggested with a smile.


    Ignoring the array of treats before her, Josefina voiced her concern, "Oliver, since you knew Lena


    set this up, why did youe? What if there''s more to it? What if someone''s plotting against you?"


    Had Oliver not considered these consequences?


    He looked at her, her face etched with worry, and chuckled.


    "What''s so funny?"


    "Josie, you care about me."


    She cast her gaze downward, muttering, "I don''t."


    "Josie, you were at the equestrian center. How could I not show up? What if you were in danger?


    Even if I were in danger, I needed to be there to protect you."


    Oliver''s arrogance shone through as he proimed, "There''s yet to be a hitman who can get by me


    that easily!"


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    Josefina looked up at him as he shed a roguish grin. "So you see, Josie, I''m quite capable of


    keeping you safe."


    Taking a sip of the juice, she collected her thoughts and said, "Oliver, let''s go check on Lena at the


    hospital." It was the right thing to do, after all. Hattie and Garrett would surely be at the hospital, too.


    What if Lena tried to spin the story against them?


    "Let''s go together," Oliver offered.


    ...


    At the hospital.


    Hattie and Garrett, upon receiving the call, rushed over in a frenzy.


    "Oh, Lena, what happened to you? These injuries are severe!" Hattie''s heart ached.


    Garrett surveyed the surroundings. "Where''s Josie? Lena, is she hurt too?"


    The girls had been together. Lena was hurt badly, and Garrett feared Josefina was as well.


    Lena''s bitterness towards Josefina and now Garrett intensified. She blurted out, "She... she left with


    Oliver..."


    After speaking, Lena wiped away a tear. Despite her tearful eyes, Lena managed a smile, "I''m d


    it''s not my sister who''s hurt. You guys would be beside yourselves with worry. I can bear these


    wounds alone."


    Hattie took her hand, tenderly saying, "Silly girl, what are you talking about? You''re my daughter,


    too. Your father and I are just as worried about you."


    Garrett added, "I worry about all my children."


    At that moment, Oliver and Josefina arrived at the entrance of the room. Oliver knocked, and


    Josefina stepped inside.


    Seeing Josefina unharmed, Hattie and Garrett exhaled in relief. "Josie, thank goodness you''re okay.


    You had us scared to death," Hattie admitted, shaken.


    Josefina managed a stiff smile. "I was pretty scared myself at the time."


    Oliver chimed in, "Sir, ma''am, it was quite a dangerous situation. If I hadn''t arrived in time, Josie,


    delicate as she is, might have been thrown off her horse."


    Hattie and Garrett''s faces mirrored each other''s concern for Josefina. Hattie held Josefina''s hand.


    Her eyes welled up as she insisted, "Josie, no more horse riding for you. It''s too dangerous."


    Garrett expressed his gratitude, "Oliver, thank you for saving my precious girl."


    "You''re too kind," Oliver replied modestly. "Lena invited Josie to ride, but her horse seemed to go


    mad and ran wild."


    Oliver left it at that, nting a seed of doubt in Hattie and Garrett''s minds. Was there something


    amiss with the horses at the equestrian center?