The fans were visibly agitated, hurling curses at Ella with increasing venom. The insults were as harsh as they could muster, and one particularly enraged male fan threw a soda can in her direction.
Though it missed Ella, it inspired a wave of copycats among the more deranged fans, who began flinging whatever they had in their hands toward her.
Mia, furious, shouted back at them, while Luke positioned himself protectively on Ella’s left side.
Mia stood in front of Ella, with Lucas on her right. The barrage of soda cans, drink bottles, and other objects hit Mia, the bodyguards, and Luke instead of Ella.
Luke, who had never engaged in fandom culture back in Country W, found himself utterly repelled by this kind of blind hysteria. This, however, was his first encounter with a situation that made his blood boil with anger.
Ella stood coldly, observing the frenzied crowd surging toward her from all directions. Even as panicked airport security rushed over, she was surrounded and shielded by her protectors, remaining unscathed.
Yet, the sheer number of fans and the chaos of the crowd made it impossible to ignore the mounting pressure. She feared she might be trampled or shoved to the ground if this continued.
Ella’s temples throbbed, and her face darkened further.
Luke turned to glance at her, noticing her pale complexion and worsening condition. Alarmed, he shouted, "Stop it right now! All of you, stop immediately!"
But his words only fueled the fans’ frenzy.
"Shut up, you rich man’s lapdog!"
"Simping, huh? Is that woman so special to you? Filthy scum!"
The fans pressed even closer. Although Lucas had already called the police, he knew they couldn’t arrive immediately.
"What now? If this goes on, you’re going to get crushed!" Lucas’s face turned ashen with rage. "If anyone dares harm my daughter, I swear I won’t let them get away with it!"
Ella felt a wave of dizziness; the air had grown stifling, and her legs nearly gave out beneath her. Luke grabbed her arm to steady her. "Unbelievable. A swarm of ignorant pests!"
Seething, Luke pulled out the handgun he carried for emergencies, raised it into the air, and fired a warning shot. His voice thundered with fury, "Everyone shut up! Stop this madness right now, or I’ll shoot every last one of you!"
Ella’s face turned pale with fear. Would the gunshot affect her baby?
But the shot served its purpose. The fans froze in shock, their anger evaporating into stunned silence. Moments later, they scattered in panic. Some fled the scene screaming, while others crawled and scrambled out of the airport, utterly terrified.
As the unruly mob dispersed, Luke exhaled in relief. Mia quickly supported Ella, asking anxiously, "Ella, are you alright?"
Ella shook her head weakly. "I’m fine, just tired. The long flight really wore me out."
"Take her home immediately!" Lucas commanded, his face grim. He glanced at Luke, his expression softening with approval. Luke’s decisive action had undoubtedly saved Ella and her unborn child.
"Luke, find out who orchestrated this chaos and how our travel details were leaked! Someone is clearly targeting Ella!" Lucas’s voice was cold and resolute, his anger palpable.
"Understood, Father. I’ll handle it," Luke replied icily.
Just then, the police arrived. Seeing Lucas, the officer in charge greeted him respectfully. However, prioritizing Ella’s health, they skipped detailed explanations and swiftly escorted her to her seaside villa.
Eric was busy selecting invitations when he received a call from Lucas informing him that Ella had returned to the country. He was simultaneously surprised and overjoyed.
However, upon hearing that Ella had nearly been attacked by Tiffany’s fans, he became furious.
Eric rushed back to the villa, and as soon as he entered, he saw Ella lying on the sofa, her face pale and drawn.
He hurried to her side and saw the doctor administering an IV. "Ella, what’s wrong?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
Ella opened her eyes and, upon seeing Eric’s worried face, smiled faintly. "I’m fine, just a little dizzy. The doctor said my blood sugar was low, so they’re replenishing my nutrients."
Hearing her speak clearly, Eric sighed in relief, tightly holding her hand.
"You should’ve let me know you were coming back! It’s obvious those fans of Tiffany’s were incited by someone. Wherever you go, you must be extra careful," Eric said, a slight tone of reproach in his voice.
Luke scoffed, crossing his arms. "You didn’t even know your wife was returning? That’s pretty pathetic."
Ignoring Luke, Eric turned to Lucas. "Father-in-law, I’ll leave this matter to you."
Lucas shook his head. "It’s fine. This was an unexpected incident. I didn’t realize Ella hadn’t informed you, so I overlooked things. Luckily, Luke acted quickly and fired a warning shot to scare off the fans."
Eric cast a deep glance at Luke, who sat with a dark expression, but managed to offer a sincere, "Thank you, Mr. Anderson."
"Ella is my sister. It’s what I should do," Luke replied coolly.
"Help Ella back to her room so she can rest," Lucas suggested, his face still marked with worry. Ella’s condition was far too fragile for his liking.
Eric supported Ella upstairs, with Mia holding the IV bag. Once back in the master bedroom, Ella lay down, her face pale and her expression troubled.
"Eric..." she murmured.
Eric kissed her hand immediately. "I’m here, love. Do you need anything? Water? Food?"
"I... I want an orange," she said softly. Her mouth felt too dry, and she craved something sour.
"Got it. I’ll have someone get it right away," Eric said, turning to Mia.
Mia rolled her eyes. "I’m directionally challenged, don’t you know that?"
"Can’t you ask one of the bodyguards outside to buy it? Mia, has your brain turned to mush?" Eric snapped.
Mia pouted and begrudgingly left. Ella’s pale face lit up with a faint smile. "Why do you scold her so much? Mia’s great at everything except finding her way."
Eric gripped her hand tightly. "Let’s not talk about her. Ella, are you sure you’re feeling okay?"
He couldn’t shake the worry that the earlier incident might have harmed the baby.
Ella shook her head. She couldn’t understand it either—she’d never been frail before, so why did pregnancy suddenly make her feel so vulnerable?
Eric began massaging her temples and hands, knowing how exhausting a long-haul flight was, let alone for a pregnant woman.
Ella closed her eyes, her long, curled lashes trembling slightly. Eventually, she reopened them, gazing at Eric.
His perfectly chiseled face softened with a gentle smile. "What’s wrong? Craving something else?" he asked tenderly.
Ella clutched his hand tightly, her eyes filled with concern. "Why would Tiffany’s fans target me so suddenly? Tell me the truth—are they seeking justice for Tiffany, or... is there a bigger secret involved?"