Lucian lay motionless in the ICU. Safe for the occasional soft beep from the machines, it was deathly quiet. It was as if his mind remained trapped in that dilapidated residential building.When he threw that lighter, there was no absolute certainty whether he'd live or die. But, he knew it was his only chance at survival.Manufacturing self-made explosives, hostage-taking, and illegal fundraising—each count was enough to keep Kyros in prison for several years. There were also the deaths of Jean Jacquez and his bodyguards to consider. Though he hadn't directly caused their deaths, there was no chance of him washing his hands clean of his involvement.Kyros wanted Lucian to join him in death. But the longer it dragged on, the less favorable his circumstances became.They were on the third floor and the self-built home stood a little over 30 feet. Falling from that height wouldn't kill him unless he were incredibly unlucky. However, there were protective railings around the house
Calista wasn't allowed inside. All she could do was watch through the glass. She could not even utter a word as everyone seemed busy. She didn't want to end up disturbing the doctor's rescue efforts."Why are you just standing there, Calista?"It was Paul's voice. Someone approached soon after and joined her in watching the goings-on inside. Seeing the medical staff pacing about, he frowned and asked, "What's going on?""I don't know."Calista sighed in relief when she saw him. Then, she glanced behind to see Cade who had arrived late. She thought he seemed to be in a much better mood since the last time she saw him despite his expression remaining unchanged."He'll be fine. Don't worry," Paul said.Calista thought he was trying to comfort her. She forced a smile and nodded only for Paul to continue, "He's the pettiest guy I know. He's not going to let you be taken away by another man. He'll still crawl back from the depths of hell even if the grim reaper comes for him."
Timothy intentionally provoked her."Go ahead. I don't mind.""I think you're just talking out of your ass."Yara stared at the man who was well within striking distance. Her voice grew softer with every word. A man who could bring others to heel in the courtroom had no trouble overwhelming her with his presence alone. Yara pushed him back."Can you back off?"There was still distance between them while she was still sitting down. But now that she had gotten to her feet, there was barely any space between them. She could barely catch her breath. The last thing she wanted was for her breath to brush his face. Timothy raised a brow."Does standing close affect your ability to speak?""Yeah, what if you …"Her words trailed off under his intense gaze before she backpedaled."What if my breath stinks? I don't want to be a bother, sir."Timothy lowered himself and inched closer. It was as if he wanted to kiss her. Puffs of air caressed her cheeks. Startled, Yara stared at him
Calista remained silent as she waited for Lucian to continue. She had a hunch that his question carried no good intentions. Lucian shifted to the edge of the bed to create space for her to lie down."Come here."The beds in public hospitals were three feet wide. Accommodating someone as tall as Lucian was hard enough as it was. There was hardly any space for him when he lay flat in bed. Moreover, they were in a hospital. The nurses could enter to make their rounds at any time. Calista didn't want to be caught in his bed. It would be embarrassing to be reprimanded for occupying a patient's bed. Having just woken up, the man's voice was still husky."Aren't you tired?""I can't just sleep here even if I am tired …”A nurse walked in without warning right after."We need to check you for your temperature, Mr. Northwood."Calista stepped aside as she stifled a yawn. She hadn't slept much last night because she was worried about Lucian. Now that she knew that he was fine, she cou
Yara grew more livid with every word. Was Timothy some kind of donkey that refused to listen to reason? No matter how she protested, he was adamant about not allowing her to leave. Although she had protested very hard, it failed.Amid their stalemate, she ended up spending the night on the couch in his office. If she was going to suffer, she wasn't going to make the arrangement pleasant for either of them. Since the office had no separate break rooms, she took up the only three-person couch. With nowhere for the man to sleep, he spent the night going through documents.Yara could barely hide her triumphant expression as she watched Timothy. If it was a fight he wanted, she was going to beat him at his game.The man remained unperturbed. Safe for the faint circles around his under eyes, no one would've been able to tell that he had stayed up all night. He was speaking to Lucian about the Lancaster Group's illegal fundraising activities. With how lively he seemed, he didn't look
Lucian had to define their relationship while Calista still cared about him. It'll save him unnecessary complications. However, some things could only be said in a specific circumstance. It would be hard to bring up a topic once the moment passed.Calista was made uncomfortable by Lucian's gaze. Her eyes darted around the ward to meet two curious stares from the bed next to theirs.They were in a double-bed ward. The patient in the adjacent bed was a girl roughly 19 years old. The girl there to accompany her was close in age. She looked away in embarrassment as soon as she realized she had been caught eavesdropping. Lucian was at a loss for words. It was now utterly impossible for their conversation to continue.His expression screamed how unhappy he was as he began mindlessly scrolling his phone for news. He vented all his grievances on the screen. The forceful and vigorous swipes could've easily shattered the screen. The news of Kyros kidnapping him and triggering explosives
Lucian's severe expression worried Calista. She set the container aside and pulled the curtains shut."What's wrong? Does your leg hurt?"He suffered from a broken leg. His left calf was in a particularly severe state. It was a comminuted fracture that put him in a cast. A few of his ribs were cracked too."Yeah," he replied.When Calista reached out to touch it, it was hard to the touch. She wasn't a professional. She was unsure if the pain was normal after surgery."I'll call for a doctor to check on you …"She reached for the call bell by his bedside. But, before she could touch it, Lucian grabbed her by her waist. He rested his palm against her lower back and pulled her close.She was worried about accidentally falling on him and making his injuries worse. So, when she noticed what Lucian was trying to do, she went along with it and sat down at the edge of the bed. The man held her by her wrist rather than her hand. Calista had welts on her hand. They weren't deep and had
Calista stared at him and blinked slowly. Lucian had tubes inserted when he was wheeled into the ICU yesterday. It was only after she signed the papers today that he was transferred to a regular ward. He had been unconscious then. When he woke up, the nurses only came in to measure his temperature and blood pressure. Lucian hadn't shown any signs that he needed the restroom. So, she didn't pay much attention to it.When had the catheter been removed?Seeing her confusion, Lucian openly admitted, "It was when you went downstairs to get takeout."Calista was at a loss for words.Selena was unaware of what was going on between the two. All she knew was that Lucian needed to go to the bathroom. She had asked about his condition at the nurse's station moments ago. He had a moderate concussion, fractures in both legs, rib fractures, and mild internal injuries. Each of these conditions frightened her.She had no experience in taking care of severely injured patients. What was she s