Chapter 623

The bodyguard hesitated, then asked, "What do you want us to do, Mr. Ward?"

"Focus on protecting the other shareholders and their families," Caden replied. A heavy silence fell over the car as the gravity of the situation sank in.

When they reached the hospital, Caden briskly entered. Gareth was still in surgery. He waited patiently in the hallway, the surgical light above the operating room remaining stubbornly on. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Dorian, a familiar figure, hurrying down the hall. Dorian averted his gaze upon seeing Caden and quickened his pace. Before he could escape, the bodyguards intercepted him.

"Mr. Moss," the lead bodyguard said firmly, "Mr. Ward wants a word."

Dorian turned, meeting Caden's gaze with a blank expression. Caden stood motionless, his face impassive. With a forced smile, Dorian approached, attempting to maintain the pretense of a concerned friend.

"Caden, when did you get here? I heard things with Alicia are going well. I even heard you're planning to propose. Congratulations."

Caden's eyes remained fixed on Dorian, unwavering. "You seem well-informed."

Dorian's smile tightened. "Didn't you have someone inform Yolanda? You even sent the designer of my wedding ring to her, dropping hints about your proposal plans, knowing it would push her to act rashly."

A flicker of realization crossed Caden's face. The abrupt cancellation of the designer's contract suddenly made sense.

"So, you held a grudge and decided violence was the answer?" Caden asked.

Dorian raised an eyebrow, feigning innocence. "Who exactly is lying in that operating room?"

Caden took a step forward, his tone sharp. "Dorian Moss, you're standing at the gates of hell. Are you still going to play the hypocrite in the face of death?" He had never used Dorian's full name before.

The shift in Caden's demeanor brought a glimmer of satisfaction to Dorian's face. "One shareholder down, and you're already shaken. Caden, being sentimental doesn't suit you."

Caden's fist clenched. He knew he was young—too young, perhaps. His soft heart had led him to repeatedly excuse the Moss family's schemes, paying dearly each time. But youth also carried its own fierce edge. It placed him at a disadvantage, but his inner resolve was formidable.

"If anything happens to Gareth," Caden said, his voice steady and precise, "you won't make it back to Warrington alive."