Chapter 101: Chapter 101

Kael

I had a basic understanding of first aid and was aware of the recommendation not to touch a person in that situation, but the word "victim" made me shudder.

"He's her boyfriend," I heard Maira explain to someone.

The voices seemed to come from afar as I gently stroked Sarah's face, begging her to wake up. My hands trembled as I called out to her, desperate to see any sign of response.

"Sarah, please, wake up. Look at me, my love," my voice came out in a desperate whisper.

"Please keep your distance!" the firm voice of a woman repeated, now closer. "I'm a nurse, and I've already called an ambulance."

Maira was by my side, looking worried at the scene. She touched my arm to try to calm me down, and I took a deep breath before turning to her and trying to explain the situation. She nodded understandingly, and soon Enrico approached, his concerned gaze fixed on Sarah.

"I was just worried about Sarah, Maira," my voice came out in a tense whisper. "I don't want to leave her alone."

The ambulance sirens echoed in the air. I swallowed hard and took a few steps back, allowing the medical team to care for Sarah in the proper way.

I stood there, watching as they examined her and placed her on a stretcher. I heard voices around me, and the questions they asked me, but my mind was completely focused on Sarah. I saw her being taken into the ambulance, and only then did I realize I was trembling uncontrollably.

When the paramedic mentioned the possibility of a companion, Bianchi stepped forward, claiming the role of boyfriend.

"I'm going with her too," my voice was firm, and I kept my gaze fixed on Bianchi, defiant.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly annoyed by my insistence.

"But I'm the boyfriend! She doesn't even want to see you in front of her," Bianchi threw at me.

"But it will be me she sees as soon as she wakes up!"

The tension in the air was palpable, but I knew we needed to stay calm and let the professionals do their job. I felt powerless, watching her being taken away, but I was determined to accompany her, even if it meant facing Bianchi. We stared at each other as adversaries at that moment.

"Not now," the nurse intervened, with an expression that made it clear she wouldn't tolerate any more arguments in this critical moment.

I had no intention of giving up staying by Sarah's side, no matter what happened.

The paramedics paid no attention to us as we argued, and when I finally saw the ambulance door close, all the stress with Bianchi dissipated, and my focus was once again on Sarah. I ran toward the departing vehicle, disregarding the silly argument.

"How could they leave without a companion?" my voice was filled with indignation, my level of frustration rising.

"As you were arguing like children, her sister identified herself, and she went with the girl," the woman who identified herself as the nurse informed us.

"Maira?" I exclaimed, incredulous that she had left me there without even informing me.

I let out a frustrated sigh, completely bewildered now.

"We can take a taxi and go to the hospital," Bianchi suggested. "Let's go!"

Still irritated by the situation, I reluctantly agreed. It was time to act, regardless of my anger toward him. Both of us headed to the emergency room where they were taking Sarah, with Bianchi indicating that it was the nearest hospital to our location.

We arrived quickly at the hospital, where we found Maira, who informed us that a team of doctors was already taking care of Sarah. I stayed there, waiting anxiously for any news.

"I tried to contact Rachel to inform her about the accident, but I believe she's still asleep. It's 6 a.m. in Seattle, after all," Maira shared.

"I see no reason to notify Rachel! She doesn't care at all about her sister," I said, frustrated.

"But she's her sister, and she needs to know what's happening," Bianchi argued. "What she does with the information is her problem."

My eyes narrowed in irritation because it was clear that Bianchi harbored a strong attraction to Rachel, even though he was in a relationship with Sarah. The situation was pathetic and deeply infuriated me.

"We only found out about the accident just now!" Hillary, Sarah's friend, entered the waiting room and commented. "How is she?"

She was accompanied by Fiori, both dressed in gala attire, indicating that they had also been at the event. I hadn't noticed them before.

I didn't respond to Hillary's question because I felt like a caged lion in that cramped waiting room, surrounded by people, when all I wanted was to be with Sarah, ensuring she was okay.

"We don't have precise information yet," Maira explained. "We only know she's in the operating room and has suffered some fractures."

"Oh my God!" Hillary exclaimed, bringing her hand to her mouth in shock.

Endless hours passed until a doctor finally approached us. His face was serious, and my stomach tightened in anticipation. The expression on everyone's faces in that waiting room was one of great apprehension and expectation for the words that would follow.

The doctor then explained that Sarah was in critical condition, but they were doing their best to stabilize her. My relief was temporary, as I soon realized that there was something more the doctor wanted to tell me.

"She underwent a complex surgery and is currently in an induced coma. The situation is delicate, and we still can't predict the outcome. We are conducting all the necessary tests and closely monitoring her condition."

The doctor's words seemed to echo in my ears. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt as if I were in a nightmare from which I couldn't wake up. Sarah was in danger, and there was nothing I could do but wait and pray for her recovery.

Enrico

I could never have anticipated that the night would end this way, with Sarah in an operating room, and all of us waiting for news in a bland hospital waiting room. The most that had crossed my mind was that she would make amends with Graham, and I would be sidelined without my fake girlfriend and subjected to jokes from my teammate, Bruno Garcia.

Either way, I had decided it was best to keep an eye on the situation, after all, I genuinely liked Sarah. She had become a good friend, and I was willing to help her if her conversation with Graham didn't have the outcome she hoped for. I never imagined it would end like this.

After hours of uncertainty waiting in the hospital waiting room, a doctor finally came to where we were, bringing news about my friend's current health condition. However, the news was not encouraging.

"When will she wake up?" Kael asked anxiously.

"We cannot determine with precision how long it will take to fully withdraw the sedation, sir," the doctor explained, though he seemed calm, I noticed a certain discomfort in his expression, which left me apprehensive. "Miss Mitchell suffered a compression of the spinal cord, and we need to wait to assess her response after the surgery to decompress the area. Only then can we better understand her clinical condition."

"Is this spinal cord compression related to her neck, doctor?" I asked, already fearing the answer.

"I'm sorry to inform you that it is. There is a direct relationship between the spinal cord and the cervical spine," the doctor confirmed my suspicions. "This compression can even affect the transmission of nerve impulses to the lower limbs."

"Does this mean Sarah may lose the ability to walk? Is that what you're telling us?" Kael's anguish became more evident.

"Unfortunately, there is a considerable possibility that Miss Mitchell may face a condition of paraplegia."