Chapter 2

It was around midnight when Javier finally went looking for his phone. Despite Clarabelle’s wish for her brother not to touch anything related to work, he still needed to check his emails, and the only way to do that was through his phone. Especially since his sneaky little sister had insisted that he’d left his laptop at the office two days before the honeymoon. 

“Damn, where did I put it?” he mumbled to himself as he scanned through his living room. It wasn’t on the table or any surface that he could see, so he started digging through the pillows. Five minutes later he managed to find his missing phone and was just about to unlock the aforementioned phone when it suddenly rang out of nowhere startling him. His immediate reaction in his sleepy state was to reject the call. 

It was from Draven. He was about to call his brother back when his phone rang again. This time it was from his oldest brother, Thornton. Something must have happened if his siblings were calling him in the middle of the night like this. Javier quickly answered the phone on the first ring. “Yes?” 

“Finally you picked it up,” said Thornton with a loud sigh. “You gotta get your ass here fast, Javier. She’s in critical condition right now.” 

His heart suddenly was beating faster and faster with every passing second. “Who?” he asked in a scared voice that he almost didn’t recognize as his own. 

“Have you not been reading our many texts?!” chastised Thornton impatiently and then as if he’d just realized that his brother had just gone back from his honeymoon, he quickly apologized. “I’m sorry. I forgot you just got back here. You must be really tired. I just don’t want to believe that this is happening right now.” He let out a long, exasperated sigh. 

“It’s okay. Don’t worry about it,” said Javier, trying to assure his brother. “Who’s in critical condition? I’ll get there as soon as I can.” 

“It’s Clara,” said Thornton in a heartbroken voice. “She was in a multi cars collision. She was just driving home after dinner with Autumn. I can’t believe this is happening!” 

“How’s she doing? Was Autumn in the car with her? Is your daughter okay?” Javier started pacing his spacious living room nervously. This was his worst nightmare coming true once again. First, it had happened to Ella and now to his little sister. 

“Autumn’s okay. His boyfriend picked her up.” There was an evident relief in Thornton’s voice. Clearly, Tyler had finally done something right. Thornton had not been a fan of the relationship from the beginning. “I can’t say the same about Clarabelle,” he added with a dejected tone. “You should come here as soon as you can, Javier. She’s in the operating room and the doctor said that she might need a blood transfusion. You and the twins are the only people who share the same blood type and are eligible. I can’t ask Mom.” 

“Yeah, I’ll be on my way soon,” said Javier as he basically skipped a few stairs one at a time to reach his bedroom upstairs. “Ella is still sleeping. I’ll leave her a note before I leave.” He cut off the connection and tossed his phone on the mattress softly, not to wake Ella up. Then he quickly went to the dressing room and grabbed a pair of jeans and a white long sleeves T-shirt. 

He went back to the bed to grab his phone when Ella stirred in her sleep before eventually opening her eyes and staring at him. 

“What’re you doing?” She glanced at the bedside table and frowned when she saw the clock. “It’s only fifteen minutes past midnight.” Then all of a sudden, she pushed herself up and sat. Her long dark hair was disheveled from sleep but her eyes were wide awake.

“Are you going to plan another surprise?” Ella blinked away her sleepiness and moved toward him. At a closer distance and with the help of the bathroom light, she could see him clearly and was able to discern the worry in his baby blue eyes. “You look incredibly serious. What’s wrong?” 

Javier wasn’t sure whether telling Ella about what had happened to Clarabelle was such a good idea or not. She was clearly exhausted and in need of sleep. But he’d learned his lesson and that it would be best to tell her the truth rather than hide it from her. “Clara had an accident,” he finally said after a minute of silence. “Tony just called. I’m going to go to the hospital now. She’s in the operation room and he said she might need a blood transfusion.” 

Immediately without any delay, Ella tossed the bedcover aside and jumped off the bed. “Oh gosh! I’m coming with you.” 

“You’re still tired. You need sleep,” said Javier. His hand reached out and stopped her from walking toward the dressing room. “It’s okay. You don’t have to come. I’ll update you in the morning.” 

“There’s no way I’m not coming with you,” said Ella. She put her hand on top of his and slowly peeled his hand off her. “Jiev, I know Clarabelle is technically your sister but I consider her to be mine as well. I won’t be able to go back to sleep and rest. Not when I know she’s in the operation room.” She went into the dressing room and said, “I’ll be quick.”

True to her words, Ella was out in less than five minutes and soon they were both on their way to the hospital. While Javier was driving, Ella had his phone and was texting Tony and Draven. “There are so many texts and missed calls,” she mentioned. Her voice was laced with guilt. “She’s been in the operation room for two hours.” 

Javier took one hand off the wheel and reached out to her. He held her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Hey, don’t feel bad. She’s gonna be okay.” 

“I know,” replied Ella, her hand squeezing his in return. “You shouldn’t feel bad too,” she added as if she knew how he truly felt. 

As soon as they arrived at Ballard General Hospital, he tossed his key to the valet and rushed to where Thornton and the rest of their family were. The waiting room was flooded with Summers siblings and their wives. Even Declan’s pregnant wife, Qingshan, was also present. 

“You brought your pregnant wife?!” said Javier to Declan in a hushed tone when his younger brother approached him. 

“She insisted and when my wife insists on something, there’s no way anyone could change her mind,” his brother answered with a sigh. “And just for the record, you’re the seventh person to say that to me.” Declan turned to Ella for a moment before fixing his gaze back on his brother. “Why did you bring your wife? Aren’t you still on your honeymoon?” 

Before Javier said anything, Ella smiled and said, “I insisted too.” 

Declan returned her smile. “Clara will be so happy when she knows all of us are here for her.” 

Javier nodded and let his eyes scan the room. He saw Ava, Thornton’s wife, sleeping in one corner. Her head was resting on his oldest brother’s shoulder. Ava was a famous newscaster in the States and she often had to wake up really early and go to the TV station and yet here she was, waiting and worrying for Clarabelle just like the rest of them.

“Where’s Draven?” asked Javier, noticing that Declan’s twin unusually wasn’t there with them. 

“He went to get his blood drawn,” answered Declan. He looked past Javier’s shoulder and nudged with his chin to where Declan was coming from. “There he is. Seemingly made a friend along the way.” Declan was not surprised by Draven’s ability to charm anyone, especially females. His brother was gifted in that area. It was almost like a rite of passage. There was simply no living being that could resist Draven’s charm. Although right now, Declan might begin to think that his best friend, Hélène might be an exception. Based on their latest phone call, she didn’t seem to find his brother charming. 

Javier and Ella turned around to see Draven walking towards them with a familiar nurse striding along beside him. 

Ella frowned. “I feel like I know her.” She narrowed her eyes to see clearer. There was something familiar about that nurse and yet she couldn’t exactly pinpoint where she’d met her. 

“You gotta be shitting me!” cussed Javier under his breath as he recognized immediately who that nurse was. It only took one glance at his second oldest brother, Piers, and seeing Piers’s mouth flattened to know that his brother was just as unhappy as he was with her presence.