Trapped in a Secret Marriage with a Dangerous Billionaire - Chapter 85

Chapter 85: Thrown Into Unexpected Mourning

The waiter levelled his gaze at Aurora and aimed once more, but the sound of hurried footsteps outside the study door broke his focus. Swearing under his breath, he retreated into the shadows before slipping out the door.

“Stay with me,” Aurora whispered, her voice trembling, as she held Adam close. She pressed his wound, desperate to keep him conscious.

Two bodyguards rushed into the study, their faces grim as they assessed the scene. One knelt beside Adam, checking for a pulse, while the other swiftly pulled out his phone to call an ambulance.

Aurora looked up at them, her voice trembling. “Is he…is my father going to be okay?”

The bodyguard’s silence spoke volumes. He couldn’t meet her eyes, only shaking his head as he continued to check Adam’s vitals, the bleakness in his expression confirming Aurora’s worst fears.

Meanwhile, panic rippled through the few remaining guests in the hall as distant gunshots echoed from the main house. Olivia, with wide eyes, looked at her mother, clutching her arm. “Mom, what’s happening?” she whispered, her voice laced with fear.

Stella’s gaze was just as alarmed, though she kept her tone even, masking her rising dread. “I don’t know. Let’s see,” she replied, leading Olivia and the others toward the source of the disturbance. Owen followed, his face etched with confusion and concern.

At the same time, Xander and Asher’s car was just exiting the Swift estate when the sounds of gunfire reached them. They exchanged a tense look, and Xander immediately instructed his driver to turn around. “Back to the house, now,” he ordered, while Asher pulled out his phone, quickly dialling the police.

As their car approached, they saw the Swift family’s black-suited bodyguards rushing toward the main building. Xander’s heart sank, an unsettling sense of dread forming in his stomach.

—

Several minutes later, flashing red and blue lights filled the driveway as an ambulance and four police vehicles pulled up outside the Swift mansion. Officers moved swiftly to secure the area, blocking any attempts by guests to leave.

In the hallway, paramedics emerged from the study, carrying Adam’s body on a stretcher, a white cloth draped over him. Aurora was left kneeling in a bloodstained dress, her hands and arms smeared with crimson red, trembling as she gazed at the spot where she’d last held her father.

Xander spotted her from across the room. Without a second thought, he crossed the distance, kneeling beside her in the pool of blood. Gently, he lifted her, guiding her to a nearby couch, not caring about the blood that now stained his suit. He held her close, his embrace firm yet tender as she buried her face against his chest.

“M-My dad…Xander,” she sobbed, clutching his jacket. “He’s…he’s gone. That waiter, he…he killed him.” Her voice was choked, barely audible through the tears that streamed down her face.

Xander stroked her back, his own expression shadowed with grief as he whispered reassurances, though he knew nothing he said could ease her pain. He tightened his hold on her, his heart breaking as he felt her shaking in his arms uncontrollably.

Across the hall, Stella froze as she caught sight of Adam’s lifeless form on the stretcher. Her eyes widened, her face paling in shock. “Adam, no! No! This can’t be happening!” She sank to her knees, reaching out as if she could pull him back, her cries filling the air. “My husband!”

Servants rushed forward, holding her back as she struggled against them, her sobs mingling with the disbelieving murmurs of the household staff. Meanwhile, Olivia’s face turned ashen. The weight of realization hit her like a blow, and she fainted on the spot.

A nearby guest caught her, and she was swiftly carried out by two attendants, while Stephanie, her face wet with tears, followed the paramedics outside, her hand clasped over her mouth to stifle her cries.

Once the scene had calmed, Xander guided a still-shaken Aurora to the sitting room where the remaining family members waited with the police. The detective offered her a sombre nod, his tone gentle. “Miss Aurora, I’m deeply sorry for your loss. Could you…could you tell us what happened?”

Taking a deep, unsteady breath, Aurora struggled to collect herself. With Xander’s steady hand on her back, she began to recount the events, her voice breaking as she described how the waiter had aimed his gun at her and how Adam had shielded her, taking the bullets meant for her. “My dad died…saving me,” she finished, her words dissolving into a fresh wave of grief.

Stella’s head snapped up, her face streaked with tears, anger flickering in her gaze. “You killed him!” she shouted, rising to her feet, her voice filled with venom. “After everything he did for you—!”

“Ma’am,” the detective interjected firmly, glancing at her with a stern look. “Please, quiet down.”

Xander’s jaw clenched, his hand continuing to rub Aurora’s back in quiet support as he levelled a fierce glare at Stella, who shrank back under his icy stare.

Just then, another officer entered the room, approaching the detective with urgency. “Sir, we’ve apprehended the suspect. He was trying to escape.”

The detective’s expression turned grim. “Bring him in.”

Moments later, the waiter was dragged into the sitting room by two officers. His head hung low, his uniform stained with sweat and dirt from his attempted flight. Stella’s eyes darkened with rage, and before anyone could react, she lunged forward, clawing at him, her fists striking his chest as she screamed, “Why did you kill my husband? Tell me!”

The officers quickly restrained her, pulling her back. The detective took a steadying breath, then turned to Aurora. “Miss Aurora, can you confirm—is this the man who attacked you and your father?”

Aurora’s eyes locked onto the waiter, her face going pale, but she nodded. “Yes. He…he’s the one.”

The detective gave a curt nod. “Take him away.” He turned to two other officers nearby. “Escort the remaining guests out, and take the catering staff to the station for questioning.”

Finally, the detective approached Stephanie, who had been watching in silence, her face streaked with grief. “Ma’am, please accept our condolences,” he said, his voice gentle. “We’ll need you to come to the station tomorrow with your lawyer and the rest of the family to make a formal statement.”

Stephanie nodded, barely finding her voice. “Please…keep the cause of his death private. For our family’s dignity and reputation.”

“We’ll do our best,” the detective promised. “But I can’t guarantee others won’t speak.”

She nodded, understanding the limitations, and watched in silence as the police filed out, leaving behind a shattered family.