Surrounded

Hugh drove into the hospital's grounds. He hurriedly got out of the car, with the small bag in his hand. His cap was still on, but before he could get into the lobby. He was surrounded by reporters. They had grown in number and how did they recognize him?

"Damn it." Hugh muttered under his breath. He hurriedly dropped his head down and used the bag in his hand to cover his face. His cap was of great use now. The reporters weren't able to capture his face clearly. He knew he had worsened the situation by doing that.

Hugh could have easily maneuvered his way out, using his inhumane skills. If he did that, he would draw more trouble for himself and Lucia. As Hugh tried to get out of there, he heard one of the reporters ask loudly, "Mr. Roy, what is the situation with CEO James?"

"Are you trying to cover up the CEO's death?" Another reporter asked. Hugh was getting frustrated, he thanked his stars when he saw that the security guards were trying to keep the reporters away. "Mr. Roy?" Hugh snorted in his heart. Who had given them that piece of false information?

"How are you acquainted with CEO James? Mr. Roy." Another reporter asked. By now, Hugh had almost gotten out of the angry reporters' trap. He started wondering if it was Lucas who tipped off the reporters. Lucas had been the only one in close proximity with both him and Lucia.

Hugh caught sight of Lucas who was at the entrance of the hospital. He raised his brows in intrigue, but Hugh caught sight of someone else behind Lucas. He frowned, but the person had immediately disappeared after observing the commotion for some seconds. Hugh finally got free from the reporters.

He rushed towards the hospital's lobby. The reporters were still trying to follow Hugh. Had the news of grandpa James' supposed death blown up so much? As Hugh passed by Lucas he said, in a cold tone, "Follow me." Lucas heard Hugh, he wanted to ignore him and stand back.

Hugh picked up with his ears that Lucas didn't make any effort to follow him. He turned to look at Lucas. Hugh didn't seem like a normal person or bodyguard at that point. He was oppressive and regal. He was also angry due to what he had experienced that day.

Lucas shivered as he looked at Hugh. He felt the familiar oppressive aura he felt earlier, in the ward. This time, Hugh's eyes didn't turn blue, it was normal, and he controlled it. Lucas wanted to move but he couldn't. Cold sweat dripped down his back, and fear gripped his heart.

'Am I paralyzed?' Lucas asked himself. He would have come to that conclusion if his legs weren't shaking. Hugh noticed his discomfort, he turned to walk toward the elevator. He believed that Lucas had got his message. Hugh didn't think that Lucas would be wary and suspicious of him now.

Lucas who had been trying to move his legs stumbled forward. Hugh had withdrawn his oppressive aura quickly and Lucas' body and mental state weren't ready for that. The reason why he stumbled forward. He was glad that he regained his body 'movement' but he was also curious about Hugh.

Lucas quickly followed after Hugh. He was still trying to make sense of what just happened. He had met several influential people who tried to oppress people with their auras. He knew that CEO James indulged in it sometimes. But, Hugh's oppressive aura was too intense. Lucas was so scared.

He didn't want to get into the same elevator as Hugh. On the other hand, Hugh had ordered Lucas to follow him. There was only one elevator available, and Lucas had to resign to his fate. As they both got into the elevator, Lucas moved away from Hugh a good distance.

Lucas scolded himself inwardly. An assistant of the reputable CEO James was cowering before an unknown man. Lucas would never like CEO James to know about it. But he did not know that his CEO would understand the 'predicament' he was in. Lucas blamed his bad luck for that day.

For a reason, the elevator was moving slowly. Or that was what Lucas thought. He heard Hugh ask, "Who tipped off the reporters, huh?" Hugh asked in a tone that gave no room for lies. Lucas' brain was blank at first. He didn't know how to reply to Hugh's question.

Then he reasoned Hugh's question, 'Does he suspect me?' Lucas asked himself. His eyes widened in horror and he shook his head hurriedly, "It wasn't me... I..i." He desperately tried to explain himself. Lucas was disoriented and he cursed Hugh silently in his mind.

"Oh..." Hugh said and arched a brow. He was amused at how Lucas tried to explain himself. He had finally cleared his doubt about Lucas. Hugh wondered who the person behind Lucas was. Hugh scrunched his brows and asked, "Did any shareholder seem suspicious today?" Lucas was a bit surprised.

All the shareholders were suspicious today. The way they tried to get hold of the CEO was alarming. Lucas was about to shake his head in the negative when he remembered something. "A shareholder seemed suspicious. He disappeared for a while and then reappeared again." Lucas said. Hugh urged him with his hand to go on.

Just then, they heard the familiar sound of the elevator ring out. Hugh signaled Lucas to keep quiet as they both stepped out of the elevator. They walked to Lucia's resting ward. Immediately Hugh opened the door, and Lucia rushed to him. She hugged him tightly, which caught Hugh off guard.

"I saw the news. Are you okay?" Lucia broke the hug and looked at Hugh worriedly. Hugh noticed the TV on the wall, which was broadcasting live, how the reporters trapped him. Lucas on the other hand wondered what was going on between the two. He cleared his throat, subtly.

Lucia stood on her toes and looked above Hugh's shoulder. She noticed that Lucas was behind. She immediately detached herself from Hugh, in embarrassment. Hugh on the other hand didn't like how Lucia hurriedly separated herself from him. But he could understand why she did that. He would not complain.

Lucia quickly composed herself and she walked back to the bed. She took the remote control and lowered the volume of the TV. "Do you have what I asked you to do?" Lucia asked as Hugh came to stand beside her. She noticed that Lucas had nothing in his hands.

Lucas shook his head. He was about to explain when Hugh said, "He has something to tell you." Lucas' eyes popped out, in wonder. 'What is he talking about?' He asked himself. "Explain to her about the suspicious shareholder you noticed, earlier." Hugh said, his voice sounding like an order.

Lucas quickly nodded his head, "The shareholders all seem suspicious today. There was this one who disappeared and reappeared later. He did not seem suspicious or weird to me because he was on neutral ground. He sat quietly and observed the others, and he was always picking up secretive calls." Lucas explained slowly.

Lucia was a bit surprised at this. She understood why the shareholders were suspicious, it was because of the shares her grandpa James held. But why was Hugh insisting on it? 'Is it because he was suddenly cornered by reporters?' Lucia thought. The whole thing didn't add up to her.

She looked at Hugh with a questionable gaze. Hugh noticed her question, he hadn't told her about the reporters that were lurking around. "The news about your grandpa's supposed death has gone viral. Reporters have been around the hospital, apart from the shareholders. I brought some disguise for you, from home."

"I didn't get to explain to you because...ehm.." Hugh omitted that part. Lucia understood him, but she tried not to laugh. "I had my disguise ready." Hugh pointed at his cap and coat. "Nobody should have been able to recognize me, since my face wasn't clear on the viral photos."

Lucia nodded. She could vaguely understand what Hugh was implying. She didn't know the news had gone viral since she wasn't with her phone. She only got to know through the live broadcast on TV. She also didn't stop to observe where Hugh was at the time, through the television.

"No one has been in close contact with us except Lucas and the hospital's staff. I suspected Lucas had tipped the reporters off. I doubted that when I saw a suspicious man behind Lucas." Hugh said and Lucas who had been too quiet, frowned in disapproval because Hugh suspected him.

Lucia raised her brows. She was a bit amazed at Hugh's critical thinking. She couldn't help but ask, "Why did you suspect the man and Lucas? You didn't suspect the hospital's staff?" She turned to Lucas and asked, "Can you describe the suspicious shareholder you talked about, earlier?" Lucia said.