Chapter 34: Chapter 34

Author’s POV

Present...

The door of the Emergency room opened and doctor came out.

Chase who had been sitting in the same position and hadn’t even lifted his head once to look around since Cara was taken inside the operation theatre, finally looked up when he heard the door of the emergency room opening.

He instantly got up on his feet and rushed towards the doctor. He wanted to ask doctor about Cara’s condition but it was as if he lost his voice.

He couldn’t even bring himself to utter a single word out of his mouth. The lump in his throat was so hard to swallow.

John saw Chase struggling to speak, so he came forward to help his friend and asked, “How is she doctor?”

Chase’s heart was going crazy in his chest. He was staring at the doctor expectantly hoping to hear a good news.

Because if the doctor said otherwise, he didn’t know how he is going to take it. How he is going to bear the pain if something happe…

Chase shook his head to remove those thoughts.

“I am sorry but I wanted to know who is the guardian of the patient. Keeping the patient’s safety in mind, we can share the details about the patient’s condition only with her guardian, as it’s a police case” doctor explained the hospital’s policy.

At that Chase instantly responded without wasting a single second, “It’s me doctor. I am her guardian”. Doctor recognized Chase and didn’t ask further questions.

“Okay, So about Ms. Cara, she is out of danger Mr. Adams.” Doctor said and finally the heavy weight was lifted off of Chase’s chest but the pain was still there.

“The bullet didn’t damage any vital parts. She lost blood but because you guys brought her here on time, she didn’t lost much of it to put her in a critical situation. So you don’t have to worry”.

Chase and his friends sighed in relief hearing doctor’s words. Frank came behind his son and reached to pat him on his back in a comforting way.

“Can.. can I see her” Chase asked as once again his emotions started overwhelming him.

“She is still unconscious because of anesthesia. But one of you can stay beside her after we transfer her to general ward” doctor said with a professional smile.

“Thank you doctor” Chase said with a nod.

Frank also thanked the doctor. After giving a final nod, doctor made his way towards his office.

Chase saw nurses bringing Cara out of the emergency room. His concerned gaze fell on her unconscious state.

Her face looked so pale. Even though this state of hers was making him sad but still his heart was finally relieved and was thankful to know that she is out of danger.

‘Thank you Cara for being okay'.

***

Chase was sitting on a chair beside Cara’s bed. He was holding her left hand in both of his hands.

It’s been a while since she was transferred to this private room. She was transferred here last night and it’s already around seven in the morning.

She hasn’t gained consciousness yet, which was making Chase anxious but nurse said that she was okay and was just sleeping because of all the medicines.

His friends and Frank told him to go back to his apartment and take a little rest, as the last night was a very long and tough for him.

They assured him that they would be with Cara and will call him as soon as she gains consciousness.

But Chase refused all of their words. He was not ready to leave Cara’s side. Sleeping or taking rest was not even the last thing in his mind at the moment. He just wanted his Cara to wake up.

He said his heart won’t feel relaxed until he sees her waking up and talk to him. And if he is not feeling relaxed then he won’t be able to rest his body anyways.

Tears were still glistening his gray eyes which were fixed on Cara’s sleeping face.

His mind was still wandering around the incident that took place few hours ago. He knows this terrible night is going to leave a permanent mark in Cara’s already scarred heart, instilling another fear in her mind.

She had already faced the worse in her life because of his good for nothing step father, who abused a little kid for his satisfaction.

And now this whole incident happened. ‘All of this is because of me' this is what he is thinking and has been blaming himself for it.

“I am sorry” he whispered in a barely audible and trembling voice.

The scene where Law was molesting her in front of his eyes started playing in his head and he felt his heart squeezing in pain.

He remembers how she didn’t even hesitate before agreeing to that stupid condition of Albert and let Law do anything to herself, and all of it was for his sake.

He is constantly wondering if he was in her place, would he have agreed to such a thing for her sake?

Probably yes.

But still her getting hurt because of him is not settling well with him.

He brought her hand which he was holding to his lips placing a soft kiss on the back of her palm. He closed his eyes and once again tears started rolling down on his face.

“I am really sorry Cara” he whispered again and anyone who heard his voice right now could tell that he was in so much pain.

He felt Cara’s hold on his hand tightening and he instantly looked up and his gray orbs met with her blue ones.

“Why… why are you apologizing… when it’s not even your fault?” she asked in her low and hoarse voice but Chase heard her.

“Cara…” her name left his lips in a whisper finally being able to breath properly.

“Let me… let me call the doctor” he said and moved to get up on his feet, but Cara just held his hand even more tightly making him stop and look down at her.

“No need… I am okay” she whispered again.

“But…” he started but she cut him off. “Don’t go… Be with me” she whispered tapping at the empty space beside her on the bed.

And the way she said those words, there was not a chance that Chase would go against them. He sat down on the bed beside her, again taking her hand in his.

“Are you okay?” she asked him with a smile but Chase didn’t miss the hint of concern in her tone.

“Oh my god Cara. You scared the hell out of me” Chase sighed out as he reached to cup the side of her face with his free hand. His touch was so soft as if he was scared of hurting her.

Cara gave him a small smile and whispered, “Then I think I should be the one apologizing” she said cheekily and it brought a smile to his lips.

“You just know how to make me smile in the oddest situations, don’t you?” he asked as a lone tear rolled down on his face and fell on her arm. A roller coaster of emotions was going on inside him.

“I do?” she asked with a smile of her own. She pulled her hand out of his hold and reached to wipe his tears.

“Yes, you do” he paused and covered her hand which was resting on his cheek with his big one.

He turned his face a little to place a soft kiss on the palm of her hand as he continued, “You make me feel all the emotions that I never thought I would ever feel”.

“I think I know what emotions you are talking about” she whispered knowing too well what he meant.

They have never once said that they love each other, not even the words ‘I like you’ were exchanged between them. They have never expressed their feelings using words.

But isn’t there a saying that ‘actions speak louder than words’.

And for them their actions were enough to know how they feel about one another.

“It’s because you have always been good in reading my eyes and my unsaid words” he whispered leaning forward until his face was just an inch away from hers.

“And I am sure it’s obvious, my eyes clearly tell what I feel about you” It made her heart flutter in her chest.

“I know” she whispered back.

With these words he pressed his lips against hers in a feather light kiss. She smiled more against his lips.

“Oh god Cara…” the door of the room opened and a very concerned voice of Sapphire was heard.

Chase pulled away from the kiss and whispered for only Cara to hear, “Doesn’t she has the best timing in the whole world?”

The sarcasm in his tone didn’t go unnoticed by Cara and it made her let out a small giggle.

“Oh god Cara, why are you letting me see you in this condition?” Sapphire complained with tears in her eyes as she sat down on the chair, Chase was sitting on earlier.

“I am okay Saph” Cara said with a smile when her friend leaned forward to give her a hug.

Chase got up from the bed and walked towards his friends who entered the room after Sapphire.

“How is she feeling?” John asked in hushed tone.

Chase nodded his head, “She is okay”.

“Of course she is. Didn’t you see him giving her a special treatment with his mouth?” George said to John, teasing Chase, at the same time taking few steps away from him knowing too well his words will definitely earn him a punch from his friend.

But to his surprise Chase didn’t look annoyed by his comment. Instead he saw a ghost of a smile appear on his friend’s lips as Chase turned around to look at Cara whose face was flushed at George’s comment and a small shy smile was adorning her lips.

“Hmm, it seems like the case to me too” John joined in teasing and George and Sapphire burst out laughing.

After talking with Cara for a while about her health and making a little more fun of the couple in order to lift everyone’s mood, all three of the guys left the room to leave the girls so that they can talk with one another.

“You made me worried, you know?” Sapphire said when they were left alone in the room as tears started stinging the back of her eyes again.

For past few days Sapphire was not in the town as she was visiting her grand parents in the city. But she used to call Cara everyday to catch up on things, saying that she misses her. In just few months they have become like a best friends who have known each other for years.

Last night Sapphire was trying to call Cara but she was not answering the call. It shocked her a little because she knew Cara never does that.

She tried calling her multiple times but got no response at all. So she decided to call Chase, hoping he would answer the call and she will be able to talk with Cara.

But when he also didn’t respond she started getting a little anxious. She also tried calling George and John and when she couldn’t reach any of them she knew that there was something wrong.

Her worries were increasing with each second and by this morning it reached to a level where she just decided to return back to the town and check up on Cara.

She was on her way to Chase’s apartment when she got a call from George and he told her everything.

Sapphire just made a u turn and reached here without wasting a single minute.

“I know. I am sorry” Cara replied feeling bad.

“Don’t be. As long as you are safe and okay, I am fine” Sapphire said taking her hand in hers.

There was a silence for a while when Sapphire decided to speak again, “I heard from George about what happened last night”. She started hesitantly.

“I heard what Law did…” she paused to look at her friend whose body literally shivered at the mention of that name and she decided to drop the topic.

“I am sorry Cara. I didn’t want to remind you any of that. It’s just… I was shocked that Albert put such a condition in front of you and more shocking thing was that you accepted the condition” Sapphire expressed.

“How did you know about that? Did Chase told you?” Cara asked with a frown. No one but the people who were present at the scene know about this. So Sapphire could have found out only if Chase told her or his friends about it.

Sapphire shook his head. “Actually George did. He told me that when Chase went to the warehouse, he had radio transmitter, the thing we call bugging device, on him. So that everyone could hear what was going on. That’s how I and everyone else know” she explained.

“Oh” Cara nodded her head. “If they heard what I did for him then they must have also heard what he did for me” she said.

Sapphire frowned. “What do you mean?”

Cara sighed before continuing, “Before giving me that condition Albert did the same with Chase” she paused remembering that painful scene. “He told Chase to get beaten up by four of his men. He told him that he can’t fight back or dodge their hits and if he did it then Law would take off…” again even thinking about it made her shudder.

“that he would remove a piece of cloth off of my body every time he resist against his men. And you know what, without a single word he accepted the condition. He didn’t care that they could beat him to death, he didn’t care about himself, not at all and let them beat him for my sake. So how could I not accept such a condition for him?”

Fresh tears formed in Cara’s eyes as she talked about it. Sapphire herself was teary eyed at her words.

“Now I understand and I am really proud of you Cara. Also I am very happy to know that finally you have someone in your life who is always there to protect you, to do anything for your sake and love you unconditionally” she said with a big smile on her face.

Sapphire knew how Cara has spent almost all of her life alone, without anyone being beside her, to support her, to protect her. So seeing Chase being there for Cara whenever she needed someone to lean on, makes her happy.

The word Love caused butterflies to dance in Cara’s belly and a smile formed on her lips.

Sapphire noticed the smile on her friend’s face and couldn’t help to let her own lips form into a smile.

“You love him, don’t you?” she asked and Cara’s eyes slightly widened.

Before she could react to her friend in any way or say anything, the door of the room opened and walked in a man with gray eyes who has captured her heart in a tight grip.

Her blue orbs met with his gray ones and a beautiful smile formed on his lips. At that moment her heart excitedly pounded in her chest and a voice whispered inside her,

‘Yes Cara, you love him’.