He was signaling to her that Oscar and Dannis were at their eleven o''clock and that he needed her cooperation.


    Yvonne knew that if she helped him, she would be admitting she was, in fact, Yvonne.


    However, Bet gave her no time to hesitate, shoving the gun directly into her hands.


    Yvonne gripped the weapon, her trembling fingertips tracing a few words onto Bet''s palm: *Your wound.*


    "It won''t kill me," Bet replied, squeezing her hand and lowering his voice. He then drew his backup pistol and began moving toward the eleven o''clock position.


    Even after all these years, their old rapport felt ingrained in their bones, allowing them to coordinate perfectly.


    When the lights in the warehouse flickered back on, Oscar, Dannis, and their entire crew had been subdued.


    Sandra had also been rescued.


    After so long in the darkness, the sudden burst of light was agonizingly bright, stinging Yvonne''s eyes.


    She forced them open, and the first thing she saw was Bet, kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily. Arge, dark stain of blood was spreading across his chest and abdomen.


    "Bet!" Yvonne''s lips trembled, but no sound came out, as if she had lost her voice.


    She rushed to his side, reaching out for him, but a team of paramedics hurried over, creating a barrier between them.


    "Mr. Thompson, hang in there." The medical team swiftly and efficiently lifted Bet onto a stretcher. The ambnce then sped away, its siren wailing.


    Yvonne copsed onto the rough cement floor, arge pool of Bet''s blood staining the ground in front of her.


    "Yvonne," Sandra said, rushing over and draping her coat over Yvonne''s shoulders.


    "Mr. Thompson will be okay. I''ll go


    with you to the hospital. Let''s go to


    the hospital right now Sandraforted her, helping Yvonne her feet.


    By the time they arrived, Bet had already been taken into surgery.


    Outside the operating room, the entire Thompson family had gathered, along with Ynda and Mrs. Walker.


    Yvonne and Sandra didn''t dare get too close, standing at a careful distance to wait. But the Thompson family still spotted them.


    Emma already knew that Bet had been grievously injured while saving Yvonne, his life now hanging in the bnce.


    A surge of fury overcame her. She strode over to Yvonne, raising her hand to strike.


    With her training, Yvonne could have easily dodged the blow, but she didn''t move. In the end, however, Emma''s p nevernded. Sandra caught her wrist.


    Emma red at Yvonne, her eyes filled with a predatory rage.


    "Emma," Frank said, walking over. He put an arm around his wife''s shoulders, patting her reassuringly before turning his gaze to Yvonne.


    His look was deep and sharp, a mixture of assessment and displeasure. "Ms.


    Jones, I presume. I''m afraid you''re not wee here."


    Yvonne lowered her head, silent. She couldn''t meet Frank''s eyes. The man before her was no longer the warm, kind elder she once knew.


    Frank had ordered her to leave, but Sandra knew Yvonne wouldn''t go Steeling herself, she stood in front of Yvonne and said, "Mr. Thompson, a hospital is a public ce. You hav no right to order us away."


    As the wealthiest man in Istra, Frank had probably not been defied in a long time. He shot Sandra a cold look and was about to respond. when the doors to the operating room swung open.


    The lead surgeon was the first to emerge.