The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 911

Josiah's heart plummeted, as if it had been plunged into a freezing abyss. The icy chill seeped into his bones. He closed his eyes in sheer exhaustion, and when he opened them again, every trace of warmth was gone, replaced by a hollow, endless disappointment.

"Zeus," he said. His voice was unsettlingly calm, yet it cut far deeper than any of his previous screaming fits. "At a time like this, is that really all you can think about? Is that all you care about?"

"Dad is in the emergency room right now, fighting for his life. We don't even know if he's going to make it. If he doesn't pull through today, you are his accomplice!"

Without giving Zeus another second to make excuses, Josiah viciously ended the call.

The hospital corridor was dead quiet, save for Zadie's muffled sobbing and the faint, rhythmic beeping of the life-support machines through the doors.

Josiah stared blankly at the closed doors of the ER. His mother's crying pierced his eardrums like needles. His mind was racing, flashing violently between the trending photos of Clive and Zeus's shameless attempts to dodge the blame.

An uncontrollable wave of dread crawled up his spine.

Josiah abruptly shot up from the cold plastic waiting chair. The sudden movement startled Zadie into silence; she looked up at him with wide, frightened eyes.

He didn't offer a word of comfort. His legs felt stiff as he quickly strode over to the window at the far end of the hallway.

Outside, the city was painted with false, glittering neon lights, but not a single beam could reach the pitch-black corners of his mind. He dialed his phone again.

This time, it wasn't Zeus. It was Clive.

The phone rang for an agonizingly long time before it connected. Clive's panicked, timid voice drifted through the speaker.

"...Josiah?"

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