Let Me Go, Mr. Howard Chapter 155

A roaring engine cut off Scarlett's response, followed by insistent honking that sliced through the tension.

When Scarlett spotted the approaching vehicle, her eyes brightened with instant relief. 

Ian's group, however, paled in collective horror. The SUV barreling toward them showed no signs of slowing—its hood aimed directly at them like a battering ram.

"What the hell? RUN!" someone shouted, and the once-unified crowd scattered in panic.

Those caught on uneven terrain scrambled away on all fours, faces planted in dust as they barely escaped the vehicle's path. 

As people fled in all directions, the SUV finally skidded to a dramatic halt, dust billowing around it.

Before the cloud could settle, the driver's door was kicked open from inside. A tall man in a black tactical jacket emerged, chewing gum with casual menace.

"Mr. Parker!" Scarlett called out.

Teddy glanced at her briefly before locking eyes with Ian, who approached while cursing under his breath.

"You son of a—" Ian's words died in his throat as Teddy grabbed his face with one hand and delivered a savage kick. The man crumpled instantly, all fight gone from his body.

The display of brutality, combined with Teddy's imposing size, scattered what remained of the crowd. No one dared approach. 

With methodical calm, Teddy pulled wet wipes from the car and meticulously cleaned his hands before walking toward Scarlett.

His eyes immediately went to her swollen ankle. Crouching down, he examined it from different angles without touching. "This needs a hospital," he stated flatly.

Those simple words sent anxiety coursing through Scarlett. Hospital meant medication questions, which would reveal her pregnancy...

She clutched her skirt. "I'm not going."

Lily gave her no chance to refuse, efficiently scooping her up and carrying her to the SUV.

"I can't—" Scarlett tried to explain, but Lily cut her off.

"Ms. Seymour, a sprained ankle is serious. We can't delay treatment." As she spoke, Lily positioned her carefully, elevating the injured foot slightly above heart level.

Scarlett found the position strange and looked up, accidentally meeting Lily's eyes.

Noticing her anxiety, Lily smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, this helps reduce swelling."

---

They reached Evercrest Memorial Hospital quickly—a place where Scarlett could now casually greet the nurses as familiar faces. 

A nurse arranged pillows to elevate her injured leg and applied an ice pack with exceptional gentleness.

"Relax, Ms. Seymour. It's just a sprain—nothing serious," she assured her.

While the staff had always been professional, Scarlett couldn't help feeling they were being unusually attentive this time. 

After getting her settled, Lily left to retrieve Scarlett's car, leaving Teddy standing guard in the room.

He'd been there only a few minutes when footsteps approached from the hallway. When the door opened, Teddy immediately stood at attention. "Mr. Howard."

Sebastian waved him off, and Teddy promptly exited, closing the door behind him.

Scarlett blinked in surprise, not expecting Sebastian to come for something so minor. He first examined her swollen ankle, his brow furrowing before meeting her eyes.

"Can't you stay out of trouble for once?" Though his tone was even, his words struck a nerve.

Scarlett bit her lip, fighting back a sudden wave of emotion as she turned away, eyes glistening.

Sebastian's frown deepened. He pulled up a chair beside her. "I misspoke. Don't cry—it's... it's not good for your injury."

His awkward delivery couldn't hide his sincerity, which Scarlett found strangely out of character. 

She turned back to him, face a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. "Are you really Sebastian?"

His laugh was half-exasperation as he took her hand and brought it to his face. "Here, look—feel for yourself."

Scarlett pulled her hand back, pressing her lips together. Perhaps because of her injury putting her in a bad mood, she didn't let his apology diffuse her anger. Instead, it gave her the courage to stand her ground.

"It was that man's fault," she insisted.

Sebastian nodded, clearly already briefed by Teddy. "I know. I'll have someone handle it."

Scarlett sniffled, suddenly curious. "How will you handle it?"

"I'll tell you after it's done." Sebastian pulled out a tissue, avoiding her outstretched hand to place it directly against her nose.

The gesture was so unexpected that Scarlett pulled away, embarrassed. "I can do it myself."

His movements were stiff and unnatural, as if he'd learned the behavior somewhere but hadn't mastered it. He didn't insist, simply placing the tissue in her palm.

After composing herself, Scarlett asked, "Why did you come here anyway?"

Sebastian had just taken out his tablet when he heard her question. He looked up. "Does my being here make you unhappy?"

"I'm happy... I guess." Scarlett answered instinctively, then quickly added the qualifier.

Sebastian didn't seem to notice her hesitation. Lowering his gaze to his screen where a notification was flashing, his eyebrow arched. "Your sprain couldn't have come at a worse time."

"Why?" Scarlett noticed his tablet had no protective case—clearly his work device. She frowned. "What, worried about your project getting delayed? Don't worry—"

"I'm not concerned about that. The project won't suffer without you." Sebastian cut her off, his eyes lingering on her injured leg. "Just focus on healing."

He tapped on a flashing avatar. Scarlett caught glimpses of the messages:

[Where is Scar living now?]

[Weren't you going to introduce me at the Howard Manor? When is that happening?]

The sender's urgency was palpable, but Sebastian responded unhurriedly:

[In a few days. Get your affairs in order first. Make sure everything with the Seymour Group is handled properly. Don't leave any loose ends.]

Absorbed in his reply, Sebastian didn't notice Scarlett turning away, tears streaming down her face. Only when he finished did he look up and realize something was wrong.

He set the tablet aside and leaned closer, noticing her reddened eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Caught crying, Scarlett quickly raised her hand to cover her eyes, but Sebastian pulled it away.

"Is your foot hurting?" Completely missing that his words had caused her tears, Sebastian wiped them away and examined her ice-packed foot. 

The ankle was so swollen that after one glance, he immediately called for a doctor.