Sudden Illness

Hugh stepped out of the car, first. He scanned the area, for any threats or persons. When it was clear, he opened the car door, and Lucia stepped out, gracefully. The duo walked to the private elevator, that led to the highest floor, of the company building. 

Lucia brought out a key card, from her bag, and swiped it. The elevator opened, and they both stepped in. Again, Hugh was near Lucia and subtly looked at her. Lucia was tapping her foot, on the floor of the elevator, waiting to get to the top floor.

As they got to the top floor, the elevator creaked open, and Lucia was quick to spot, the five secretaries, working for her grandpa James. It was also not Lucia's first time there, and the secretaries knew better than to comment or stop her, from going into the CEO's office.

The secretaries were three females and two males. One of the two males, working also as grandpa James' assistant. None of them had ever seen Lucia's face. As Lucia and Hugh passed by them, a nosy secretary whispered, "Do you think she's ugly? Why does she use a big mask?" 

Grandpa James' assistant, Lucas, tapped his fingers, on the desk, "I think it is none of your business. There are strict orders, regarding what you say about her, and you know the penalty." Lucas said, sternly, with a serious face. The nosy secretary nodded, sheepishly, afraid to be penalized.

Lucia was about to enter the CEO's office, using her fingerprint, as it was already registered there. She halted, turned back, and gave the nosy secretary, a chilling stare, with her eyes. The nosy secretary, who had her eyes on Lucia, could not help but gulp in fear, shrinking back.

Lucia heard the secretaries' words, and it was not the first time she heard derogatory remarks like that. As Lucia had not been in a public space, for a long time, she had gotten used to moving around, with her bare face. It made her question Hugh earlier, with her gaze.

Lucia finally opened the door, with her fingerprint, and got in, with Hugh, following behind. Lucia looked around the office, that she had gotten used to. It was wide and filled with numerous documents and different books, ranging from business to health care, as grandpa James loved books as well.

There were two sofas, placed opposite each other, which served as a comfortable sitting area. There was a desk, with grandpa James' nameplate on it, which was buried in between stacks of documents, as grandpa James, liked to have his things scattered, to make them easy to locate.

Lucia's gaze, landed on the swivel chair, behind the desk, but grandpa James was not there. Lucia frowned, knowing that grandpa James should be at his desk. Lucia walked behind the desk, and she saw grandpa James, phones, bags, and valuables, indicating that he was right there, in the office.

A heavy cough sounded from the left wing of the large office, and Lucia's head snapped towards the only door there. Lucia walked to the door and knocked on it. A mini-suite, was behind the door, for the CEO's needs and privacy. But grandpa James did not open up.

Lucia continued to knock, and as she knocked, she heard the continuous heavy cough. Lucia's knock turned frantic, and she could not open the door, since the door was locked, from the inside. "Grandpa, are you okay? Please open up, can you?" Lucia said, shakily, worry dripping from her voice.

Hugh stepped forward, and pulled Lucia back, "Step back, I will try to break it." He used his body to shield her from the door. Hugh did not want her to see what he was about to do. Lucia looked at Hugh's back, hoping, that he would be able to break the lock.

Hugh put his hand, on the handle, controlling the pressure he applied on the handle, he yanked the handle, pulling out the entire lock, doing it within seconds. Hugh dropped the damaged lock. Lucia heard the sound of the lock, being pulled out, and saw it drop to the ground.

Lucia did not even wait, for Hugh to step back, she passed by Hugh, by pushing him a little, and got into the suit. There, Lucia saw her grandpa James, writhing in pain, on his bed. She could also see specks of blood, on the white sheet of the bed.

Lucia was momentarily shocked, but she snapped out of her shock when Hugh nudged her forward. Lucia moved hurriedly, towards the wide bed, and took her grandpa James, in her arms, while sitting on the bed. "Call an ambulance," Lucia said to Hugh, with tears, brimming in her eyes.

"On it." Said Hugh, who already had his phone, in his hands. Hugh quickly tapped his phone and called an ambulance. When Hugh was done, he looked at Lucia, and his chest tightened, seeing her tears already spilling from her eyes. Hugh knew, Lucia never allowed her tears to spill.

Grandpa James, was too important to Lucia, for her to still uphold her principle. By now, grandpa James, was already unconscious, in Lucia's arms. Hugh had also run out of the office, to get the ambulance personnel to come up. The secretaries, saw Hugh run out, and they became alert.

The secretaries, were surprised, when Hugh came back up, using the public elevator, with two medical staff, wheeling a stretcher. The secretaries had a bad premonition, and their hearts dropped, to their stomachs, when they saw grandpa James, being wheeled out, into the elevator and down to the first floor. 

The lobby was filled with employees, and Lucia who was following behind grandpa James' wheeled stretcher, didn't care about her identity, being discovered. But Hugh did not think like that, he tried to use his body, to shield Lucia from the eyes of the employees, in any possible way for him.

Lucia watched with red eyes, as grandpa James was wheeled into the ambulance. Hugh was glad and relieved, that she still had her mask on, which was now soaked with her tears, and also because the focus of the employees, was not on Lucia, but on grandpa James, their CEO.

Grandpa James' suit jacket, was quickly discarded, in the ambulance and the necessary precautions and treatments, began. Lucia got into the ambulance, and Hugh followed behind. Lucia's entire focus was on grandpa James, she had many disturbing thoughts, in her head. Lucia subconsciously started to blame herself, for grandpa James' illness.

The illness was sudden to her, and she knew that she had never seen grandpa James so sick and frail. Lucia thought that he was undergoing too much stress, and she should have made efforts, to relieve him of his stress, instead of foolishly refusing his offer, to be CEO.

Hugh looked at Lucia, his chest tightened and his heart ached. He raised his hand, and patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her. Lucia turned to him, now remembering, that Hugh was with her. Lucia looked at Hugh, with teary big doe eyes, enough to tip Hugh over the edge. 

Hugh resolutely pulled Lucia, into his open arms, engulfing her, with his warmth and body. Lucia hugged Hugh back, her hands, tightened into fists, holding his shirt, on the sides. Lucia buried herself in Hugh's embrace, seeking the warmth and comfort she needed, and Hugh hugged her more tightly.

Hugh would not have allowed, Lucia to hug him, like that, if it was two days ago. Now, he felt the spark between them, and he couldn't even stay away from Lucia, and he also could not see her suffering, in pain. Hugh wanted to seek answers, but he could not, now.

Soon, they got to the hospital and grandpa James was wheeled out. Hugh immediately stepped forward, and pushed Lucia behind him, while holding her hands. The hospital was a public space, and they were told to sit in the waiting area. Lucia wanted to fight her way out of Hugh's grip.

Hugh turned to look at Lucia, sensing her struggle to be free. He held her head, between his hands, and said, "Do what your grandpa, would want you to do, now." Hugh said, in a serious tone. Lucia looked at Hugh, for some seconds, before she nodded her head, understandably.

"Stay here. I will be back." Hugh said, and Lucia sat down. Thankfully there were not too many people, in the waiting area. Hugh didn't go far, as he approached one of the medical personnel, his eyes, on Lucia, and told the personnel to give grandpa Hugh, the highest medical care possible.

Hugh let the personnel go, and walked back to Lucia. He sat beside her, and took her hand, in his. Her palm, felt soft, in his hands, and he could not help but rub it. Lucia would have acted coy, but there was something important, for her to focus on.