When they heard the sound of the gunshot, they froze for a moment, when they came to, the police had arrested the goons and Eros was lying on the floor unconscious.
They hurried him to the hospital, thankfully he was out of danger and now he rested on his bed.
"The doctor said he's fine, stop worrying." Ryouma pacified his wife. "I got him here, I feel partly responsible for his condition." Teresa shook her head.
"Anyone could've been shot, just think of it of him paying his debt." He patted her back. "that aside, you need to rest, let's go home."
"Let's contact his family first, let's wait until someone comes for him." Teresa refused to go.
Just then they heard footsteps from behind, turning back they saw few men escorting a man at the center who had been walking puffing the cigars as if he owned the hospital.
He then stopped in front of Teresa, "Thank you for worrying about him," he took her hand and was about to plant a kiss on the back of her hand, Ryouma swatted his hands away and stood in between them glaring at the man.
"My apologies, Mr. Carlton." His eyes were still on Teresa as he chuckled, he wasn't a bit sorry about it.
Rihito and Rina had just arrived, they enquired about Eros to Aaron who also happened to be staring at the stranger dumbfounded, that's when they took notice of the man.
He then turned his gaze to Rihito, "Ah, even the young master is here." He gave a curt bow. "And you must be Rina, I assume." He smiled at her.
"And who might you be?" Teresa managed to ask him.
"You can call me Gerald, young lady." He introduced himself, "I'm a little short of time, we can't have the helipad be occupied for long, that'd be unfair to other patients." He looked through the glass inside the room where Eros had been sleeping. "If you'll excuse me." He then entered the room. A few minutes later, he came out with Eros in his arms, he was still sleeping? Teresa tilted her head, "We can't send Eros with some stranger." She whispered to her husband and the man answered, "Trust me I mean no harm, just taking back what's mine."
"But-" Rina tried to speak, as if reading her mind he answered her unasked question, "We'll only be delayed if he was conscious so I put him to sleep for few more hours." He then turned to Rihito, "Give your grandfather my regards," saying this he walked off as they looked on.
"Who was he?" Teresa asked looking at Rihito, "he called you young master," she added.
"I met him once when I was a kid, he helped Grandy find me." He nodded at Rina. "Someone I wouldn't want to know." He shrugged.
"Wow, Eros would be fine, right?" Teresa asked with concern.
"Enough of you having worried over another man, worry about yourself more." Ryouma scolded her, "Now that he's gone, shall we go too?"
******
A few days later, everyone gathered at Grandy's place for celebrating Rihito's return.
The girls made a circle cornering Rina, "So..." Teresa looked on.
"So?" Rina blinked in confusion.
"When are you getting married for real?" Teresa asked.
"Oh, hmm... I don't know." She shrugged.
"You don't know? Didn't he propose to you?"
"Marriage or not, as long as I get to be with him, anything's fine." Rina smiled. "I'd marry him whenever he wants, even if it's tomorrow, I won't mind."
Teresa sighed and then went to look for Rihito, "Psst." She called him out in secret, "come here."
Rihito followed her into a room and the door shut behind him, Grandy and Granny were already inside waiting for him.
"What's going on?" He looked at them nervously.
"Before anything," Teresa smiled at him then threw a punch on his face, "finally! My hands were itching badly!" She exclaimed.
"I won't complain. I deserve it." Rihito nodded.
"Good that you know, now sit there." She ordered him.
"There's more?" He sighed as he took his seat.
"Are you all good now?" Granny looked at him fondly.
"Yes, my dear granny, sorry that I had you all worried." He lowered his gaze.
"You won't repeat this?" Grandy narrowed his eyes at him.
"Of course not, Grandy. Didn't you hear his love confession for Rina, the way he threatened his mother." Teresa smiled remembering, Rihito's head shot up at the information, "We had the room tapped," Teresa answered him, "We needed to know what your next step would be, so.... you know." She smiled cheekily.
"Grandy, are you sure she's not your long lost granddaughter? She could be my real sister for all I know, I don't see how you guys are unrelated." Rihito shook his head.
"I won't mind being related." Teresa shrugged, "But sadly we're not."
"Did you propose to her?" Grandy cleared his throat.
"Sorry?" Rihito cocked his head to the side.
"My dear grandson, the stunt that you've pulled, a fake marriage-" Before Grandy uttered another word, Rihito glared at him, "Excuse me, Grandy, I don't think you get to complain about that, you of all people lied to me about granny's brain tumor."
"All that acting went to waste as we only got a fake marriage," Grandy said sulkily.
"But it was not really a waste, was it? In the end, you got him where you wanted," Granny rolled her eyes.
"When will we get to witness your real marriage?" Grandy asked folding his arms against his chest.
"Ah, hmm..." Rihito scratched his head.
"You do plan to get married right?" Granny asked him.
"Of course." Rihito nodded. "But you know how messed up this is, we've had a lot of things going on, we haven't had our right start, I've done wrong things and hurt her, I want to rectify them all. It'll all take some time and I don't wanna rush things."
"Hmm, that's so sweet." Teresa smiled at him, "but can I have one tiny request," Teresa gestured with her thumb and index finger. "either you guys marry asap like within a month or just wait until a year please?"
"Why a year?" Grandy was the one who raised a question.
"Come on grand, think of a girl's sentiments, it's my bff's real wedding, I'd want to look good, I'm already starting to swell up, after a month I doubt any of my dresses will even fit me," Teresa answered him.
"Very good, a month, it is then." Grandy looked at Rihito. Now he got an excuse to have them married asap, "You're having a wedding in a month, I'll see the arrangements done, you can deal with yours." Saying this Grandy walked out of the room.
*******