9 - Hospital save

Kyle’s POV

Years of relentless searching and burning resources finally yielded a fruit.

Ava Delaney was a lot more than meets the eye, but even she wasn’t aware of all the potential she carried. That trip to England confirmed everything.

My investments would finally start to yield fruit. All I needed to do henceforth was play my cards right.

I couldn’t afford any interferences that would cause me any loss, but where did the fire come from?

That’s right! “Fire!” I snapped my eyes open and shot up to a sitting position. A headache assaulted me, followed by the blinding lightening of the room.

Or rather, hospital, given the beeping sound of the heart monitor and the sickening white painting of the wall.

“There was a fire,” I said, recounting from the moment my memory stopped.

I came home to an ambulance and the fire department but they hadn’t seen her. I knew then that she was still inside, and I’d be damned to hell before I let her get a scratch on her skin.

The door opened from the side of my eyes and I turned to the doctor who entered holding a notepad.

“Ava. How is she doing?” I asked.

I’d managed to rescue her. I remembered that far, but did we get out safely?

I was hurting from the tightly wound bandage around my head, and I didn’t even want to think about the possible scenarios from manageable to worst case that could have happened.

“Kyle, you’re awake,” a drowsy voice said to my side.

Much lower.

I lowered my gaze to see her droopy eyes look up at me.

“You’re awake,” she said as they turned glassy.

“Oh Ava,” I breathed a sigh of relief as the doctors started to check my vitals, but Ava sprang to her feet and wrapped her hands around my waist.

“I was so worried. You got hurt because of me and I didn’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t,” she paused with a hiccup.

“Ms. Ava, please,” the following nurse tried to pry her hands from me, but she only strengthened her hold. I could feel her fear and concern.

“It’s okay, Ava,” I smiled and raised my hand with the drip attached to the back. “I’m fine now, so you don’t have to worry anymore,” I said as my fingers combed through her raven black hair.

“I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I was careless and…” she was sobbing, so hard her tears soaked my shirt immediately.

The nurse made another move, but I scolded her with my gaze and requested some time alone.

“Ava, look in my eyes,” I said, but she shook her head on my chest. “I can’t bear to. I almost got you killed when my life a hundred times isn’t even worth half of yours,” she was saying and I chuckled.

“Uhn?” she raised her eyes, now red and still glistening from her tears.

“You got it wrong Ava. Your life is just as important and I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if you had gotten seriously hurt from that. I promised you shelter, secure shelter, and that would have meant breaking my promise.” Her eyes widened and her cheeks puffed in a pout.

She was going to cry again.

“I’m a man of my words, Ava, so believe me when I say I will be fine and you mean a lot more to me than you could ever imagine.” Her hold loosened and I gently pried her hands off before patting them.

“Now let me get treated so we can get out of here much quicker. I hate this place,” I explained.

“Okay,” she sniffled much calmer this time and watched as the doctors resumed their duties, saying we both needed to run some more tests to ensure there was no more smoke in our lungs.

“You’re good for now, but we need to keep you under observation for a few more days,” the doctor said with a bow before turning around to leave.

As soon as he left, Ava reached for my hand, her warm palm holding onto mine from her bed.

“What’s the matter Ava?” I asked as my eyes reached hers. “You look…” I paused to catch an actual reading of her expression.

“It’s nothing,” she gulped and reached for the drip at the back of her palm. “I just want to go home, I hate the hospital and…” her fingers were shaking.

This was more than just hospital hate.

“Tell me the truth Ava,” I said holding onto her wrist and brushing my thumb across her skin in a soothing manner.

Her anxiety bothered me so much and I wanted to take it all away.

“I’m sorry, but we were moved to VIP ward and the medical bills,” she paused to swallow, but I already got the full idea and the source of her worry.

Mere hospital bills worried her, but how could I explain to my damsel in distress that I owned this hospital and the bills, even if I had to pay, were chicken change to me.

“Ava,” I started to explain when the door burst open.

I felt her tense beside me. My eyebrows tensed as I turned around to see my excuse of an assistant.

“Mason,” I called his name, to calm my little damsel and to also make him cautious.

He straightened up and cleared his throat as he closed the door gently behind himself.

However the moment the door was closed, he walked briskly towards my bedside and when I thought he had something to say to me as his boss, he passed me and only stopped when he was by Ava’s bedside.

“Ms. Delaney,” he wailed, revealing a gift hamper I didn’t notice he was holding until he placed it in front of her.

Ava relaxed and took the basket. “I love apples, thank you so much,” she beamed and I relaxed, but kept my stern expression on Mason’s forehead as he pretended to not notice that I was there.

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” he beamed as he sat.

Silence ensued and when I thought he would finally acknowledge me, Mason buried his face in his palm before crying out.

“I was so worried about you! We… I thought you’d blown up and oh…” he paused to cry but his over-dramatized actions made me wonder if it was just an act or if they were real tears.

I rolled my eyes and was about to turn around, fed up with whatever he was up to, when he sprang to his feet and ran up to my side, cupping my hands in his like someone about to beg for a favour.

“Boss,” he started as I cocked my right eyebrow at him.

“What? You finally noticed your boss who pays your salary and ensures you’re able to afford your lifestyle?” I asked and his fondling of my fingers froze.

“Gah!” he exclaimed, eyes wide, mouth agape.

“Hmph,” I shook him off and folded my hands across my chest until Ava chuckled beside me. “I didn’t know you could look so cute and petty at the same time.”

My eyes widened.

Cute? No one had ever called me that word, no, not even when I was younger.

More masculine words like handsome and sophisticated have always been used to describe me.

With my forehead furrowed in a frown, Mason joined and the both of them laughed.

Thanks to Ava being the instigator, he could keep his bonus for the month.

When it was calm, he spoke first. “Boss, we have feedback from the investigation,” he said.

“Go on,” I nudged, but he cast a quick glance behind him.

“She’s no stranger and you don’t have to keep anything from her, not when she’s a victim of the situation,” I said loud enough for her to hear, hating how manipulative I sounded, but satisfied when she gasped to acknowledge.

“Okay boss,” Mason saluted and gave a briefing.

My former maid, whose position was being replaced by Ava, had out of spite left the gas turned on to cause the explosion.

“But we suspect Ms. Jane had something to do with it,” Mason continued, and I gave his words the benefit of a doubt.

Jane had indeed recommended that maid in particular, so if she acted on orders, then Jane had to have been the one giving the orders.

“What did she say?” I asked.

“She denied everything and the maid wouldn’t admit it either although we are still tracing the large transaction that occurred in her account earlier today,” he said.

I scoffed.

“She’ll slip soon, keep investigating,” I said before turning to Ava.

“You see, it wasn’t your fault at all,” I said knowing she still carried the guilt of the whole incident.

“But…” she started and I didn’t interrupt so she could complete her sentence. After a few breaths, she continued, “how could someone orchestrate a murder just out of spite and jealousy. It… it doesn’t make sense,” she palmed her face.

“Does human life mean nothing to them? What if… what if we…”

“Nothing would happen to you again, Ava. I’ll ensure you have security guards following you from the best company. Their defense is impenetrable and only God could penetrate them,” I said, indirectly giving the command to Mason.

“I’ll excuse myself,” he said as he took his leave.

“I’m sorry for bringing you all this trouble.”

“It’s nothing Ava. It’s really not your fault,” I said in hopes that she wouldn’t let this weigh her down too much.

“But… I don’t think I can handle the eyes on me 24 seven.” She looked at me and I reached for her, my heart hurting as I thought about the one million ways I could ease her worries.

“You rest and let me worry about that,” I offered a smile as she rested her head on her pillow.

“Please don’t leave when I fall asleep,” she said. The corner of her eyes wet with tears when she softly yawned.

“Oops,” I heard Mason say from the other side of the door.

“Okay, I won’t leave,” I promised, followed by his receding steps.

For now, I would stay by her side and reassure her even as she sleeps.