Chapter 100: Chapter 100

The adrenaline that Geoffrey and Chadwick had as they bring Adira to the hospital haven’t died down yet.

When they saw Adira laying down on the ground, unconscious and with blood on her head, they felt an unfamiliar sensation, a combination of adrenaline that made their body cold and electricity tingled their skin.

As adrenaline hit them, they realized the situation. Adira is in danger.

Chadwick looked at his tainted hands and trembled.

He and Geoffrey are currently waiting outside the operating room where Adira was brought in. It’s been an hour, and yet, they haven’t heard anything about her condition.

Will she live?

Will everything be okay?

They wanted to be positive as much as possible. Yet the terrible shock made them anxious.

Thinking if something would happen to her is not just painful for Chadwick. It takes everything out of him. He was so distraught over her suffering that it made him feel nauseous and lightheaded.

Then guilt came to knock him over.

‘This is because of me. I am the reason why Adira got into an accident.’

If only Adira did not run to save him from a falling object, she wouldn’t be in this situation.

Blaming himself, Chadwick was in terrible shock as he was completely whacked out of sadness and grief echoing inside him.

He feels so helpless that he cannot do anything right now instead of waiting and blaming himself. The anxiety and heartbreak took away his logic, and his composure, and his power, and his rationality. Everything that makes him feel secure, certain and in control is lost. He was just left with feelings; pain, worry, deep cuts, concern, fear, and constant powerlessness.

Still, he prayed.

Him, who did not understand the concept of wanting to take someone’s pain on himself, realized it a bit let when he watched someone he loves goes through a life and death situation.

‘I will do anything. Please make Adira come back to me. Please. I’ll rather die instead!’

Geoffrey watched Chadwick clutch his hands and cried silently while sitting down.

‘The deeper the love, the deeper the pain.’

Geoffrey remembered those words that his mom told him from a long time ago. And based on what he saw to Chadwick, he was convinced how deeply he loves his ex-wife.

You cannot love someone if you feel nothing when they are in pain. You can feel “bad” for someone going through something if you only feel affectionate, infatuated, or guilty towards them. But, you don’t love someone until the idea of them suffering makes you feel sick. Until the idea of them being in danger tears your heart. Until you’d be ready to do anything or take on anything if it means that they could be free from whatever pain they are in.

And that’s what Geoffrey feels too.

Just like Chadwick, he was so desperate to even sell his soul to the devil just to see Adira alive and in good shape.

As Geoffrey gets teary while watching Chadwick break down, he wanted to tap him back. To say that it wasn’t his fault and to stop crying because he believes that Adira will be okay.

But he couldn’t.

Perhaps, this is the cost of too much love.

Even if your brain logically opposed, your heart and your soul remained in deep pain. It is alarming and scary, driving them insane.

Geoffrey’s hand, which would touch his old pal’s shoulder, stopped in the middle. It clenched and retreated.

As both cried in silence while waiting, the door of the operating room opened.

For a moment, the whole world stopped.

They both tilted their heads to the man in gown who is approaching their sides.

Chadwick staggered as he stood up, while Geoffrey walked closer to the doctor.

Their hearts are hammering inside their chest, and they hold their breaths as they wait for the words the doctor will say.

The doctor took of his medical mask and looked at the two men. His eyes first diverted to Geoffrey, then to Chadwick who he believes has the right to know the situation since he’s Adira’s husband.

Trembling, Chadwick asked him, “How is it? What happened to her?”

Breathing out for a second, the doctor detached his lips and uttered, “She’s safe.”

Those words, those very words put the thorns out of their chest.

Chadwick shut his eyes tightly, tears fell while Geoffrey took a sharp breath with his quivering lips.

After delivering the good news, the doctor continued sharing her condition, “The patient had an open injury that broke her scalp because of the blow in her head. It was a concussion after the impact injured her head and that’s why she lost consciousness. However, the loss of function associated with concussion is temporary. We sew the open injury in her head and soon, she will wake up.”

“S-So, Adira is safe, and she did not get another head injuries?” Geoffrey asked.

“Well, as of now it is the case,” the doctor answered. “But even if the injury seems minor, we need to still watch her condition to make sure it doesn’t get worse and to check for any new symptoms. Right now, you can’t wait for her to wake up. We will now transfer her to a room.”

Adira was brought to a new room. As soon as she was transferred, Chadwick quickly went inside the room to see her.

When he entered the VIP hospital room, he saw her sleeping on the bed. Her chest elevated up and down, and in rhythm. And even if her head was wrapped with bandage, there’s a peace on her sleeping expression.

All his strength in his knees weakened. Chadwick staggered to the bedside and knelt down.

After him, Geoffrey also entered the room. His feet ceased. From the entrance of the room, he saw Chadwick kneeling in front of the bed while crying out loud.

“Thank you so much. Thank you for staying, thank you,” Chadwick sobbed as he reached for her hand and buried his face there.

Geoffrey wanted to do it.

He also wanted to thank Adira for staying alive while crying beside her. However, he was rooted in his spot while staring at Chadwick.

Somehow, he saw the resemblance of himself to his old pal.

That is the exact reaction when Geoffrey cried beside his mom’s dead body.

His mom was his whole world.

And when the world collapsed, he thought of dying too.

The exact image of him overlapped with Chadwick.

Gritting his teeth with teary eyes, Geoffrey clenched his fists.

He doesn’t like these feelings, emotions of pity and helplessness.

“Ma’am!”

Loud voice snapped v out. He tilted his head and saw Adira’s secretary coming inside together with Chadwick’s secretary.

Hansel was wailing loudly as she dashed inside the room.

“Ma’am!” she sobbed loudly before coming to the other side of the bed. Hansel heard from the doctor that she was in good condition but as soon as she saw her lying down on the bed, unconscious, she burst out. “It is my fault! I should have not left you!”

Neil does not know what to do while watching Hansel wailing out. He kept on telling her before to calm down and not to blame herself. But now, he couldn’t just do anything rather than watching her cry.

Furthermore, he isn’t just worried about Hansel but also about his boss. Neil gander at Chadwick and caught his boss kneeling down beside the bed.

Before Hansel and Neil could see his crying face, Chadwick tilted his head to hide his face. But too late, they already saw his tears.

Hansel and Neil looked at each other before they diverted their eyes back to Chadwick who waswiping his eyes.

All went silent. It pierced inside the spacious room and settled.

Slowly, Chadwick stood up and tried to calm himself.

He fixed his soggy eyes to the floor before breathing in and out.

“Did you contact her father?” he asked to Hansel.

“Yes, Sir. I contacted Sir Falcon,” Hansel answered while suppressing her sobs.

Next, Chadwick tended to his secretary. “Neil.”

“Yes, Sir?” Neil responded right away.

“Make sure this incident won’t leak. No reporter shall hear about this.”

“Yes, Sir. I will make that sure.”

Chadwick turned around in order to see Jun and talk about this. But as soon as he turned his back, he saw the door open again. And behind Geoffrey, an old man appeared.

“Oh?” Neil gasped when Adira’s father came.

Chadwick looked at his ex-father-in-law, and so did Geoffrey.

When Falcon saw his one and only daughter lying down on the bed and unconscious, he just stared with wide open eyes cannot shut, like the whole world is breaking crumble apart around him. He didn’t even shake. Just there, he was in total paralysis. And when he realized that he almost lost his daughter, reality took him.

“Sir!” Hansel shouted when Falcon almost collapsed on the floor.

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How did it happen?

The new buildings in the mall are new! How come a sign from above fell from a newly built building?

Although Adira is now safe, Geoffrey couldn’t help but blame himself. He thinks that this wouldn’t happen if only I took over the project in the mall.

Wanting to know the root of this accident, Geoffrey went out of the hospital to investigate. Geoffrey called his stepfather’s secretary to give him the details of the building project. Then, he gave him the documents and the inventory of the materials. The first thing that Geoffrey noticed is the person who handled the making of the building.

“What is this? Mr. Hamilton was in charged?” Geoffrey asked the secretary.

“Yes, Sir,” the secretary. “He was sent back to the management and was in charge for the new building. He handled all the materials and the workers for the building process.”

“But he was fired by father a long time ago.”

As if hesitating, the secretary bit his lower lip before looking back at Geoffrey.

“Sir, when you were gone, miss Isa was in charge of handling in internal affairs in the corporation.”

Yes.

She is the only heir so it is natural for her to work for father’s business.

“Mr. Hamilton went back to Isa and he asked her to take him again,” he continued the report.

“And Isa took him in again?”

“Sadly, I tried to stop her, but she didn’t listen.”

Isa.

Isa.

It is always her.

‘Mr. Hamilton was caught corrupting in the company and that’s why father fired him from the position. Yet, my stepsister took him in again? Can’t she use her head? It is obvious that Hamilton corrupted the materials and that’s why there’s an accident today. That sh*t,’ Geoffrey thought inside his head.

Geoffrey tightly shut my eyes, and then, he vividly recalled the time when Adira fell unconscious and with blood on her head. Suddenly, molten anger rolled through me. It stirred through Geoffrey, making his whole-body tingle in fire. The madness shot through his sanity, it nearly consumed his system as I grit my teeth.

From before and even now, it was always Isa who endangered Adira’s life. Even though that this time, it wasn’t her purpose, but she needs to know the result of her selfishness.

After verifying the cause of the accident, Geoffrey went back to the house.

“Young master Geoffrey,” the head maid greeted as soon as he walked in.

“Where is Isa?”

“She is in her room and…”

Geoffrey didn’t hear the next words as he picked up his pace towards her room. He doesn’t want to waste a time.

Once he arrived in front of her room, Geoffrey opened it with a bang.

There she is.

Sitting on the bed.

When she tilted her head, she looked at him with a smile as if she found the last ray of her hope.

‘I guess you still have the guts to smile at me.’

“Brother. You came,” Isa uttered. “Did you come because you are w…”

“Why did you do it?”

“Huh?” she stuttered.

Geoffrey went inside the room, and she stood up and faced him.

“W-What do you mean?”

“I heard that you brought Mr. Hamilton back to the company.”

Her eyes went down on the ground, and she gaped. “Ahhh, about that.”

“Why did you do that? Father fired him and you brought him back?”

“Well, he looks like he’s regretting it, and he promised to take care of the company. So, I give him second chance to…”

“YOU’RE WRONG!” he shouted.

Her shoulder flinched as she looked back at him with terror clawed in her gaze.

“You… just did not care of anything else besides getting me and Chadwick at the palm of your hands. You focused too much on yourself, and your selfishness hurt other people. Don’t you know that?”

Tears prickled at the corner of her eyes. She seems still cannot understand what he was talking about.

Quivering, Isa said, “You are right. I was selfish. I did not care about anything; the company, my wealth and other people, except you! You were the only one matter to me.”

“And look what happened? You put Adira’s life in danger again!”

Her eyes widened. She scowled. “Adira? Something happened to her?”

“Because you put Hamilton in charge of the building, the materials which were used are all of low quality. Guess what? He corrupted again. And whose fault at that?”

Geoffrey pointed at her.

“You.”

She stepped back.

“Are… are you blaming me because Adira was hurt?” she asked.

Geoffrey shook his head. “Even if it wasn’t Adira, someone would get hurt. And I will blame you.”

She bit her lower lip and then shouted, “But…! This wouldn’t have happened if you stayed here and helped me! You went away and I had no choice but to follow you!”

“I went away because of you!” he rebuked, catching his breath.

Her mouth opened, then closed, as if she couldn’t find any reason to refute.

“You had many choices. But… you did not change, Isa. You chose to be selfish.”

All of a sudden, her eyes turned lifeless. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she looked at his as if she has no answer anymore.

“Please, do something better in the future. Something that does not include obsessing over selfish affection.”

Geoffrey turned around and exited her room.

As soon as he got out, he breathed, sweeping his hair upward.

Geoffrey knew that leashing out his anger to her wasn’t the best thing. But she needs it.

He thought that making her face the results would solve the problem somehow.

‘However… I didn’t know that someday, I will regret pushing my stepsister away this much.’

Kring~ Kring~

Geoffrey picked up my phone and answered the call.

“Yes?”

[“Sir. Miss Adira woke up.”]