Chapter 8

Chapter 8 stm. 

Hugo woke up with a groan. His vision was blurry and he could feel his eyes swollen. His head was throbbing too. He licked his dry lips and tried to swallow but his throat was dead parched. 

He tried to move around but his arm was held to stop him from moving around. 

“Don't move sir. You are injured and you have temperature”. He heard a low familiar voice. 

He turned slowly this time and saw Caterina sitting on the chair by his side. She had a thermometer strip in her hand as she removed the towel off his forehead. He instantly missed the coolness on his forehead that was way comforting. 

He saw as she dipped the towel again in water and squeezed extra water out and placed the towel back on his forehead. 

“The doctor had arrived and had examined you. He said you have to take proper bed rest for at least a week and you can eat light food. 

Would you like something to eat sir?” She asked him and for once Hugo was short of words. 

“Water…. Please”. Hugo said in a scratchy tone. Caterina looked at him with wide eyes. Hugo said Please….. she gulped quickly shaking her head and held the glass of juice with a straw. 

Hugo tried to sit up but he was feeling utterly weak at the point. Caterina looked at him as if asking for permission and Hugo nodded his head. 

He knew he was at his worst state but he ignored the nagging feeling for a while. 

Caterina sat beside him on the bed and helped him lean into her. She helped him drink the juice sip by sip and for the very first time in life Hugo was actually grateful for the blessings he had. 

He was amazed that she looked so small as compared to him but she was far stronger than he would give her credit. Caterina helped him sit by placing pillows behind his back and arranged the blanket over his legs. 

“Do you want something to eat? I can ask the chef to make for you.” She asked politely. 

“Not the chef. Can you make soup with bread for me?” He asked and he could swore that he saw he eyes glinting with happiness. 

Was it really that important to her that one word of praise from him made her forget everything. 

“Yes. I will make it for you. It will take fifteen minutes. Are you okay? Do you need anything?” She asked with happiness pouring out of her body. 

“Don't worry. I can survive. Infact why don't you go and get fresh yourself. I can see you have been hoarded here for days. Go get fresh and then make soup for me and eat something yourself too”. Hugo said in a tone she had never heard since she had been kept captive. 

Just one word of kindness had brought tears in her eyes that she managed to blink away and went outside the bedroom to do as per ordered. 

Hugo took a deep breath and released it. He was seriously considering his behavior towards her. She was a maid for him. A bait to get all his money. But what he gathered from the little encounter, she was actually concerned about his health. 

He had just leaned back and closed his eyes when he heard the door opening and closing. 

“Finally someone is awake”. He saw Luca looking all grumpy as he sat on the chair. 

“Yeah and I want to use the toilet”. Hugo said with a smirk. 

“So? You could have told your nurse”. Luca smirked back. 

“Yeah? Would she be able to take my weight and even if she would have, do you think she would have survived the anaconda?” Hugo said with a chuckle that pulled a loud laughter from Luca. 

“Yeah about that. It was your dick that had you almost dead”. Luca stood to help Hugo to go to the toilet but he was all stuck at his place. 

“What do you mean?” He asked in a serious tone. 

“You remember the girl who said Caterina stole her earrings?” Luca told him while he took him to the toilet to relieve himself. 

“Yeah so?” Hugo raised his eyebrows as he stood by the toilet. Though Luca was still holding him, he had his back towards him. 

“She asked her boytoys to revenge you. Turn out to be they belong to Shadows”. Luca told him all details. “I had one of the men who attacked you. She infact had passed the whole layout of this penthouse and office details to them. And they were planning next on it”. 

“The fuck”. Hugo turned to face Luca. 

“Yes, the fuck. I have sent them the message back in the bag. We are going to raid them tonight”. Luca said as Hugo washed his hands and face. 

“I smell gross”. Hugo sniffed himself and made a face. 

“Yeah, I am actually surprised as how Caterina would have bear your stink”. He didn't miss the chance to verbally stab Hugo. 

“What?” 

“She had actually plastered herself by the bedside for three days since I brought you that night. She hasnt left the room except using the washroom”. Luca helped him settle back in the bed and just then they saw Caterina entering the room with a trolly. 

“Ohh.. sir Luca you are here. I can bring your food too”. Caterina asked nervously but Luca waved off. 

“I was here to see Hugo. I am leaving anyway. I don't want you to leave his side okay?” He raised a finger and how Hugo wanted to cut down his finger. 

I mean, Caterina didn't need to be reprimanded. Right. He saw how Caterina nodded her head and stepped aside to let Luca leave. 

“Keep me updated”. Hugo commanded him before he could leave. 

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Hugo was really in a bad mood. A man like him had to forcefully spend days in the bed was more than enough of a torture for him. 

“I said get the fuck out. I don't want any checkup”. Caterina heard him yelling at the doctor and gulped nervously. 

She was scared to enter the bedroom but she couldn't delay it anymore. She knew she had to attend Hugo sooner or later. No doubt he was polite with her but that didn't guarantee his mood at the moment. 

“Why are you sneaking like that?” She jumped at Luca’s voice behind her. 

“Sir. .. I…”. She was about to say something but they both turned to listen to Hugo yelling at the doctor. 

“Let me see”. Luca moved her aside before he entered the bedroom and Caterina was unsure what to do. The best option was to go to the kitchen and prepare food for Hugo, so she did exactly the same. 

But she could still hear him barking at the doctor and now Luca. For once she appreciated her decision of not staying at the door. 

She saw the doctor exiting the penthouse in short while Luca called her inside. 

“Take this blanket and pillows to the couch and place a footrest. From now onwards Hugo will spend his days in the lounge as long as he isn't tired and then you can bring him back to the bedroom. 

He needs a sponge bath daily until his stitches come off. Understood?” He commanded her. 

“You can tell her all in a human tone. No need to go all hulk”. Hugo spoke in a sour tone. Caterina and Luca both turned to look at him. 

One with assessing gaze while the other with gratitude. Although she was still scared of Hugo, Luca was a step farther, mean and commanding. So while she was really thankful to Hugo in her heart for stepping in, she wasn't sure how to react in front of Luca. 

“Caterina you can leave. Make something for me and Luca”. Hugo dismissed her, who nodded and went outside. 

“What?” He took a deep breath and turned towards Luca. He had seen the look he was giving him. 

“Nothing. I don't think I was treating her differently. I have always been commanding and giving her orders, the way you do too, so what now? A little sympathy and nursing has melted you?” Luca wasn't sarcastic or taunting him, but Hugo couldn't take it. 

He knew what he was doing or the change of behavior towards her, but no one had any say in that, not even Luca.

“That's none of your concern. She is bearing all my verbal abuse and taking care of me and you too, without any question or a frown, so this is the least we could do”. Hugo ended the conversation by trying to sit up but he knew Luca won't leave it like that. 

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Tabby