Chapter 14

RICHARD’S POV

The hospital’s lights were shining so brightly as I rushed inside, Kenneth groaning softly in my arms. My heart was pounding. Everything about the night felt surreal…like a bad dream I couldn’t wake up from. Nurses spotted us from across the room and rushed toward me with a stretcher.

“Over here!” one of them shouted, motioning for me to place him down.

I carefully laid Kenneth on the stretcher, my hands trembling. “He’s been shot,” I said quickly, my voice hoarse. “Please, do something. Save him.”

The nurses nodded without hesitation, immediately wheeling Kenneth down the hall toward the operating room. I followed closely behind, but they stopped me at the double doors.

“You can’t go any further,” a nurse informed me firmly. “We’ll take it from here.”

I froze in place, watching helplessly as they disappeared into the operating room. Through the small glass window, I could see them transferring Kenneth to a surgical table. The doctors and nurses surrounded him, already pulling on gloves and masks.

My chest felt tight as I turned away from the doors. I began pacing back and forth in the hallway, running a hand through my hair. My mind was racing. How did this happen? How could anyone target Kenneth, especially on such an important day?

As I paced outside the hospital theatre, my mind drifted back to the ride to the hospital. Kenneth had been fighting to stay conscious, his breaths shallow and weak. His shirt was soaked with blood, and I kept pressing the fabric against his wound, begging him to hold on.

“It’s going to be okay, Mr. Kenneth,” I had said, though my own voice was shaky. “We’ll be there soon. Just stay with me.”

But then he began murmuring, his voice so faint that I had to lean closer to hear him. “It was… my nephew…” he whispered, his words slurring.

“Your nephew?” I repeated, confused. “What do you mean? Who?”

Before he could say more, he let out a sharp gasp and collapsed completely, his body going limp in the seat beside me.

Now, standing outside the theatre, the memory wouldn’t leave me. My nephew? Was Kenneth trying to tell me who was behind the attack? Could he have meant Jacob? The thought made my stomach churn.

I shook my head, running a hand through my hair. “What are you trying to tell me, Kenneth?” I muttered under my breath.

I stopped in front of the glass window again, unable to tear my eyes away from the scene inside. The surgical lights illuminated Kenneth’s pale face as the team worked tirelessly.

The doctors were shouting instructions to each other, their hands moving quickly. Sweat dripped down their foreheads, despite the air-conditioned room.

“Come on,” I whispered under my breath. “You’ve got to pull through, Kenneth.”

The thought of losing him was unbearable…not just for me, but for Tamara and her family. I couldn’t help but wonder who would want to harm him. Kenneth was powerful, yes, but he wasn’t reckless. He had enemies, of course, but this… this was something else.

I resumed pacing, my shoes echoing loudly in the quiet hallway. My thoughts were a whirlwind of frustration and fear.

After what felt like an eternity, I heard hurried footsteps behind me. Turning around, I saw Mrs. Johnson, Tamara, Mr. Jacob, and a few other guests from the engagement party rushing toward me. Their faces were etched with worry, and Mrs. Johnson was already in tears.

“Where is he?!” Mrs. Johnson cried, clutching my arm. “Richard, where’s my husband?”

“He’s in surgery,” I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. “The doctors are doing everything they can.”

Tamara was sobbing uncontrollably, her hands covering her face. She looked so small and fragile, and it broke my heart to see her like this.

“This is all my fault,” she whispered between sobs. “If it weren’t for me… If it weren’t for this stupid engagement party…”

“No, don’t say that,” I said firmly, moving closer to her. I placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “This is not your fault, Tamara. You couldn’t have known this would happen.”

She shook her head violently, tears streaming down her cheeks. “But it happened because of me. I’m cursed. I’ve always been cursed!”

“Stop it,” I said gently but firmly. “You’re not cursed. Kenneth is strong, and he’s going to pull through. You’ll see.”

Tamara buried her face in her hands again, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly. She needed to feel safe, and I was determined to be her anchor in this storm.

Mrs. Johnson, meanwhile, was pacing just as I had been earlier. Her sobs echoed in the hallway as she wrung her hands together. “Why would someone do this to Kenneth?” she cried. “Who would want to kill him?''

The room was tense as the doctor stepped forward, raising his hands slightly to calm everyone down. “Please, everyone, calm down,” he said in a composed yet firm tone. His words immediately silenced the murmurs and sobs in the hallway.

“Mr. Kenneth is out of danger,” the doctor began, his eyes scanning the worried faces around him. A collective sigh swept through the room, but he wasn’t done. “It was close. The bullet hit dangerously near his heart, but it didn’t penetrate it. He was lucky…very lucky. The shock and blood loss nearly cost him his life, but we’ve stabilized him.”

Mrs. Johnson let out a trembling sigh of relief, clutching her chest. “Thank God,” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

“He’ll need time and, most importantly, prayers to fully recover,” the doctor added. His tone was sincere, and I could tell he had done everything humanly possible. “For now, he’s stable, but the recovery process will require close monitoring.”

Tamara clung to me, still shaking as she fought back tears. “Can we see him?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor nodded. “You can, but only for a short while. Please, no noise. He needs absolute rest.” With that, he turned and walked away, leaving us standing there, a mixture of relief and exhaustion in the air.

We didn’t waste time. Mrs. Johnson led the way, and we all filed into the room where Kenneth lay.