CHAPTER 6

Ruby's POV

“No... No, Julian!” I screamed, my voice breaking with fear.

I ran as fast as I could to where he lay, collapsing beside him. Grabbing his hand, I felt the warmth of his blood, and my heart shattered. He was bleeding so much, his body limp and lifeless.

Seeing him like this was horrifying. Panic surged through me. I didn’t know what to do, how to save him.

“Please... Please stay with me!” I cried, my voice trembling with desperation.

Tears streamed down my face, and I couldn’t stop them. I sobbed uncontrollably, not caring who saw me.

All I knew was that I couldn’t lose him,not like this. My eyes scanned around, searching for help, but the crowd of people just stood there, watching from a distance. No one came closer.

“Help! Please, someone call an ambulance! Do something, please!” I screamed, my voice cracking with terror.

I looked down at Julian. His eyes were fluttering shut, and his body was motionless.

He wasn’t gripping my hand anymore, and his chest barely moved. Fear gripped me like a vice, squeezing the breath out of me.

“I should have been the one, not you,” I whispered through my tears.

The pain of seeing someone else take a bullet for me was unbearable. It had happened before.

First Hannah, who was now crippled because of me, and now Julian. But this... this was worse. Julian’s condition was far more serious.

I kept tapping Julian’s face, begging him to stay awake, to hold on just a little longer. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling.

“Please, Julian, stay with me,” I whispered, my voice cracking.

Finally, someone had called an ambulance, and within minutes, it arrived. It felt like forever, but in less than five minutes, they were there.

They rushed to him, lifting him onto a stretcher. I quickly climbed into the ambulance with them, refusing to leave his side.

Inside, the doctors worked frantically, their hands moving quickly as they tried to stop the bleeding.

Julian was still losing so much blood, and I could barely breathe from the fear.

“He’s still bleeding,” I choked out, my tears blurring my vision.

One of the doctors pressed a clean cloth over his wound, trying to control the bleeding.

They moved with such urgency, their faces focused, not wasting a second as they treated him. I felt so helpless, just watching, praying they could save him.

“He’s going to make it, right?” I asked, my voice trembling as I held onto hope.

“We’re doing our best,” one of the doctors replied, but their words didn’t comfort me.

I couldn’t stop the flood of memories rushing through my mind. I remembered everything,how we met, the day of my wedding, and how he had agreed to join me in seeking revenge.

We had been through so much together, and now, because of me, he was lying here, fighting for his life.

A deep sense of regret washed over me. Why did I ever let Julian join me? If I hadn’t dragged him into this, he could’ve been living a peaceful life. He wouldn’t be here, fighting for his life because of me.

Soon, we reached the hospital. I jumped out of the ambulance, watching helplessly as they rushed him inside. The stretcher moved fast, doctors surrounding him, but I couldn’t stop calling out his name.

“Julian! Julian, please stay awake!” I screamed, my voice cracking with fear as I followed them into the hospital.

They pushed the stretcher into the emergency room, but a nurse stopped me at the door.

I wasn’t allowed inside. My heart pounded in my chest, and the tension felt unbearable.

“Arghhh!” I panicked, overwhelmed by the fear that gripped me.

I placed my hands on my head, pacing in frustration, feeling like I was about to break.

My whole body trembled with fear and anxiety. I couldn’t stop myself,I collapsed to the ground, sobbing uncontrollably.

“What if I lose him? What if he doesn’t make it?” My mind raced with terrifying thoughts.

“No... he has to survive. He can’t leave me behind.”

Tears poured down my face as I waited, my heart heavy with dread.

“Please…” I whispered through my sobs, barely able to speak.

Hours passed, and I was still waiting, my mind racing with worry. The hospital was so quiet, but the heavy silence made everything feel worse.

I kept glancing at the door, hoping for any news from the doctors. But there was nothing. My legs ached from sitting for so long, and my heart felt like it was about to burst.

Suddenly, I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. I looked up, expecting it to be one of the doctors, but it wasn’t. It was the cleaner.

“Please, sit down,” he said, his voice soft.

I nodded numbly and sank into the chair, but my mind was still racing. I couldn’t shake the feeling of dread, the thought of losing Julian hanging over me like a dark cloud.

My eyes stayed glued to the door, hoping for something, anything that would tell me he was going to be okay.

“Ruby?”

My heart skipped a beat. The voice was familiar, but in my panic, I couldn’t place it right away.

I slowly turned around, my heart racing, and there she was. Hannah. She sat in a wheelchair, her face worn but steady.

Seeing her like that made my heart ache even more. My tears flowed freely as I sank back down into the chair, feeling completely helpless.

Hannah wheeled herself over to me, her eyes filled with concern. She gently tapped my back, a small gesture, but it felt like a lifeline.

“I’m a mess,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have involved him. He wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for me.”

I couldn’t stop the guilt from drowning me. The weight of it felt unbearable, and I wasn’t sure how to cope with the thought that Julian might not make it, all because I dragged him into this nightmare.

Hannah’s voice was soft, but firm. “He will be fine. You need to calm down, Ruby. You can’t let this consume you.”

Her words were like a small thread of hope in the chaos. She stayed by my side for hours, talking softly to me, keeping me company.

Her presence gave me a tiny bit of relief, like a safety net when I felt like I might fall apart. For the first time in a while, I felt a little less anxious, a little less alone.

But soon, it was time for Hannah to leave. She needed her medication, and I watched her slowly roll away, a part of me still clinging to the comfort she gave me.

Not even five minutes had passed since Hannah left, I stood up from where I was sitting.

I moved back and forth, pacing nervously, my mind racing, my body trembling with panic.

My hands clenched, my stomach twisted in knots, and I couldn’t stop moving. The fear of not knowing what was happening to Julian was overwhelming.

Dr. Smith came out of the room, his face serious and heavy. He walked straight toward me, and as he tapped my shoulder, I felt a wave of dread rush over me. My heart skipped a beat.

“Mrs. Ruby?” He said softly. “I’m Dr. Smith. We’re doing everything we can.”

His words didn’t bring me the comfort I had hoped for. His face was long and filled with worry, and I could see the burden in his eyes.

“Will he be okay? Please... you have to save him!” I cried, grabbing his arm in desperation. My voice was choked with fear and tears.

Dr. Smith took a deep breath, his eyes sad as he looked down at me. “Ruby, his injuries are severe. He said.“…his chances are slim.” Then he went back in.

The pain in his voice made the words even harder to bear. I felt like the ground was falling away beneath me.

“No… no, this can’t be happening!” I gasped, my heart breaking as I tried to process the crushing news.

The reality of it all hit me like a wave, and I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My body trembled uncontrollably, and I couldn’t stop the tears from pouring down my face.

Hours passed. I walked around the waiting area, unable to sit still. Anxiety clawed at me, growing stronger with every minute.

My mind raced with thoughts of Julian,what if I never saw him again? What if I lost him forever?

Finally, the emergency room door sign stopped flashing "Operation in Progress.".

My heart hammered in my chest as I stood frozen in place, staring at the door, my hands trembling.

Dr. Smith slowly walked out of the emergency room, his face grim, his steps heavy. As he came closer to me, he stopped and stared at me, his eyes filled with sorrow.

For a moment, there was a painful silence between us, the kind that made my heart race with fear.

“He’s alive, right?” I stammered, my voice barely above a whisper.

My chest tightened with every word. “Please… don’t tell me the opposite.”

I searched his eyes, hoping to see any sign of good news. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t think straight. My entire body shook with fear.

Dr. Smith took a deep breath, his gaze soft but filled with sadness. “We tried everything possible,” he said, his voice heavy.

I shook my head, not wanting to accept what I already feared. “I know you tried, doctor, but please, how is Julian? Please… just tell me!” I begged, my voice breaking as I stepped closer to him.

My chest was tight, like it was being crushed, and I couldn’t stop the tears from spilling over.

Dr. Smith’s eyes dropped, and his lips parted. My heart sank before he even said it. “Julian… is dead. I’m so sorry.”