Xander Yang was watching the interview of the CEO of Life Hospitals Group on the television as he waited for Bernard's arrival together with his fiancee.
He was so excited to meet Deyna Song who had captured the very aloof heart of his cousin. Bernard was so loyal to his childhood love Arya Tan. It was an unrequited crush that he believed had lasted too long.
Bernard was like a brother to him. Like him, he had a rare disease, but Bernard's condition was more grave. The doctors called it hemophilia. Since childhood, Bernard was often kept behind closed doors to prevent him from getting injured.
He often visited him abroad where his Uncle tried all kinds of possible treatments to get Bernard healed. Xander was happy that he had returned home and found a woman, who Bernard mentioned, was a great doctor and was in the process of improving his condition.
Xander grinned mischievously because he was very excited to tease his cousin by asking his fiancee to help him treat his unexplainable disease too. He laughed out loud at the thought of Bernard's angry face.
Then he sniggered when he heard how Lyndon Chu answered numerous questions from the interviewer.
The Chus had totally taken over Life Hospitals Group after Old Master Han died. He had seriously fallen ill when his only family member - his granddaughter - was pronounced dead, after a decaying body, which was identified by authorities as Yera Han, was found in a nearby river where her kidnappers had presumably kept her.
He was not sure about the details of the investigation since it was not his place to meddle in others' affairs.
But it was such an unfortunate event, and he felt really sorry for the Han Family.
"Look at all those smiles," he whispered irritably.
The Chu's were even trying hard to compete with him. They copied most of their hospital's programs from the programs that his hospital had implemented. So different from when the Han Family was in charge of the Life Hospitals Group before.
"At least, the Han Family had their originality," he murmured scornfully.
His thoughts were interrupted when the helper said that the dinner was ready. He looked at the clock. It was already past seven and Bernard hadn't arrived yet. He was never late whenever the two of them met.
Then his phone rang.
"What? Where?" He burst out and jumped off the sofa to rush towards his car, he even forgot to wear slippers.
"Bro, hang in there!" He murmured as he rushed to the nearest hospital where Bernard and his fiancee were taken.
Xander's heart was beating like a drum as his body shook frantically.
'Oh God, please save them,' he kept chanting as he drove. Bernard must not be injured. Those were the words that kept playing in his mind.
His cousin couldn't afford any kind of injury.
He ran inside and immediately dialed his assistant's number as he looked where Bernard and his fiancee were taken.
Both were inside the operating room.
"Go and immediately inform the doctors that Bernard has hemophilia!" He instructed the nurse who obeyed immediately.
"What happened?!" He was shouting as agony took over him. One of the hospital staff explained the situation.
Senior Cooper arrived at the hospital with Assistant Ron and saw how his nephew was waiting outside the operating room, barefoot.
Xander saw him and stood up. The operation was taking so long.
"They are operating on Bernard right now. His fiancee was transferred to the recovery room. The doctor said that she was not hurt badly, except for a mild head injury. The result did not show anything to be alarmed with. Uncle, Dr. Su said that Bernard is not in good shape," Xander said, as he burst out crying.
Senior Cooper hugged him. His tears had started to fall from his eyes too. He knew that the moment Bernard had a cut on him, or worse, was injured like this, his life would be at risk. That was why he had always tried very hard to protect him by hiding him from the world and locking him up.
"Oh please, Nerrie," Senior Cooper muttered in distress. He was begging his late wife not to take Bernard yet. He had recently had a dream of Bernard getting married happily, but then his wife was also present in that dream.
Was this some kind of premonition? He shook his head as he patted Xander's back.
He was delighted that Bernard had finally managed to live a normal life with the person he loved, but then how come something like this happened?
He felt a stinging pain in his heart.
...…..
When Deyna woke up, the first thing she did was to ask for Bernard.
She got out of her bed inside the recovery room, still feeling dizzy.
"Where is Bernard?" She asked.
"Ma'am, he's still in the operating room right now," said a nurse, who quickly caught her when she was about to fall down.
"Please, go back to your bed. You are still in shock," said the doctor in charge, but no one could stop her when she bolted toward the operating room.
She did not care about anything else as she walked staggeringly straight up to the door.
"Oh my God, Deyna. Why are you here?" Mr. Cooper gasped when he saw Deyna buzz the door of the operating room. She looked very pale due to concussion in her head.
"Father, please let me in. I will save Bernard. I can save him, let me in," she pleaded desperately. She was becoming hysterical when no one came to open the door for her. She kept buzzing the door while simultaneously knocking on the glass door.
"Open up!" She shouted with her body still shaking.
Xander held her when she was about to fall.
And then the door opened. The doctor shook his head.
"I'm sorry, Dr. Yang, Senior Cooper. We tried our best, but the bleeding was too extensive, the internal bleeding had already damaged his organs and tissues…" the doctor was not done talking when Deyna dashed inside to look for Bernard.
"No, it can't be! I'm the best surgeon in the world, and I can save him!" She shouted frantically as she ran and looked for Bernard.
She found Bernard's lifeless body in the operating room, already all cleaned up by the other doctors. Xander followed her closely.
"Hon, please wake up!" She shouted as she checked Bernard's pulse. Her eyes were clouded with tears.
She cried hard as she kissed Bernard's cheek. She knew at that moment that she was too late. She couldn't bring him back anymore. There was no more life left in Bernard's body, not even a single beat...
Then she passed out.
Xander caught her falling body when a doctor approached quickly to check on her.
"She just passed out," the doctor said.
But she got startled as she looked at her face closely. She was shocked by the face before her and called out, "Dr. Yera Han!"