Claire didn't want to let go of Gabriel. She couldn't. She knew that it could've been the last time she gets to hold his hand ever again. She knew it could've been the last time that she get to touch him. It could've been the last time she saw him… Claire was near hysterical when paramedics made her move and took over, but even then, one of the paramedics helped her into the ambulance so she could be near. She still managed to hold onto Gabriel's fingertips as they tried to stop the bleeding.
Claire heard glimpses of conversation between paramedics, they were saying something about damage to the axillary artery. Claire looked at them with pure terror, looking then at Gabriel who was beyond pale and unresponsive. As soon as they got into the hospital, Gabriel was rushed into Operating Room whilst the nurses held Claire to stop her from running behind him.
Claire was hysterical, crying and screaming due to heartbreak like she never felt before. A realisation that she shouldn't have ever known. A glimpse of the future which might not have Gabriel in it passed by her. The worst pain she ever felt. And the saddest realisation of how much she loved him and never told him, and that this was all of her fault.
The nurse stung her with a needle unexpectedly, at which Claire panicked further.
"It's a mild sedative." Nurse explained. "It'll help. I promise it'll help." She said. Claire panicked further wondering if the medical staff were there to get her too, paranoid at what they might do to Gabriel.
"NOOO!!! You can't take him from me!" Claire sobbed as she felt her body slow down and her mind become foggy. "Please… no…"
She felt as if she was drifting, feeling hardly any control over her body, numbing on the inside as much as on the outside. She fell to the ground as her muscles gave in. Everything was as if in a haze. She couldn't understand any more of what was happening as her brain didn't seem to be able to compute anything.
She looked down at her hands, trying to move them but they didn't seem to respond. They were covered in Gabriel's blood, just like her clothes. The smears of ruby red on her pale skin made her stop as everything weighed her down. "Please, no…" she whimpered at a nurse who looked at her with worry.
She was sure that they will take her away, that Michael Moore won, but that didn't happen. They helped her into the waiting room and laid her on a sofa there, checking on her from time to time. Claire stared into the space, hearing voices next to her as if they were miles away. The Tv was on with news flashing across. The reporters kept going over her resignation and then it switched.
"Gabriel Moore, a multi-billionaire, the owner and the CEO of Diamond Corporate has been shot. It is still unclear what his condition is." The reporter spoke in her professional tone from the square in front of the company building.
Mark walked into the hospital with Zoe and Gina a few steps behind him.
"What's the update?" He asked the nurse.
"Mr Moore is still in the operating room." Nurse replied. "The girl that arrived with him is in the waiting room. She has been given sedatives and we're awaiting an on-call psychiatrist. She's in shock."
Mark didn't listen to much more as he walked towards the waiting room. Claire lay there, rather unresponsive, still staring blankly.
"Claire!" Gina and Zoe run pushing past Mark. Gina quickly took some tissues out of her handbag, gently wiping the blood off Claire's face and hands. Claire didn't react to them, as her eyes still were wide open and lacked focus. "Oh my God, Claire…" Gina sobbed as she watched her friend in her current state.
"I saw the news and came as soon as." Alex walked into the waiting room almost immediately after them. "Jacque and Matthew are on the way." His eyes landed on Claire. "Is she okay?"
"They gave her sedatives." Mark explained quickly. "She was there when it happened. She was with Gabriel when it happened. Security has said so."
"How's Gabriel?" Alex asked with worry.
"We don't know yet. He is still in the operating room." Mark sat down a few seats to the side of Claire, hiding his face in the palm of his hands.
"Claire…" Alex tried to wave his hand in front of her but he didn't get any feasible response. "How much sedative they gave her?"
"I don't know. They did call for a psychiatrist as she was in shock. We just got here so I don't know much."
"They took him…" Claire said quietly.
"Claire, they are operating on Gabriel now." Gina explained as calmly as she could. "We're all here with you."
But she didn't say much more, still trying to process what happened.
Hours later a doctor came in.
"Is there any relative to Gabriel Moore here?" He asked within the room. Claire sat up with slight difficulty.
"Yes?" She looked at a doctor with a pained look, expecting the worst kind of news.
"What's your relationship with Mr Moore?" Doctor asked.
"I'm his wife." Claire's voice was weak but sedatives started to wear off at last. Even though the room still seemed to spin she started to gain more awareness of the surroundings.
"Wife? I didn't think he had a wife." Doctor mumbled.
"It's Mrs Claire Moore." Mark barked at the doctor. "We can all vouch for her."
"I'm Benjamin Watters, Mr Moore's lawyer and legal representative." Watters walked in and shook the doctor's hand. He picked a document out of his briefcase and passed it to the doctor.
"I see." Doctor spoke. "Mrs Moore, let's go to the consultation room. I would like to discuss Mr Moore's care with you."
Claire looked at him warily but she followed him in.
"Is Gabriel alive?" Claire asked as she sat down.
"Look, Mrs Moore, your husband is currently in a rather critical condition. The bullet almost completely destroyed his axillary artery. We've patched it up the best we could, but the damage is very significant." The doctor sighed. "Your husband suffers from haemorrhagic shock. His blood loss was significant. I understand that you've reacted quickly which did slow it down but he will need a blood transfusion. I need your consent." He passed her a document.
"What are his chances of recovery?" Claire asked quietly afraid of an answer.
"The first forty-eight hours are critical. I cannot tell what the outcome will be until we make it through this time."
"If he miraculously survives, will he be able to recover fully?" Claire asked between sobs.
"There is a possibility of your husband being paralysed, or to have impeded upper extremity function, given that he survives." The doctor answered honestly.
"I don't think I should be the one making the decisions on his treatment. His lawyer is just outside."
"According to this document, Mr Moore made you his guardian in matters of his health and well-being." The doctor said as he pointed at the paper that Watters handed to him. Claire signed the consent form and the doctor gave her the document from Watters to read. Gabriel gave her a Lasting Power of Attorney, giving her full responsibility over his health and welfare, and over his property and financial affairs.
"Can I see him?" She asked in almost a whisper.
"Soon, Mrs Moore. He is being moved to ICU and he is being monitored. I'll make sure that a nurse comes out as soon as so you can see him."
Claire nodded. She was left alone in the consultation room staring at the document in front of her, questioning when Gabriel decided to give her a Lasting Power of Attorney. She didn't understand why he would do that.
"Mrs Claire Moore…" Watters walked into the consultation room. "I know that this is not the greatest time but I need you to make a few decisions."
"Yes?" Claire looked up with her reddened eyes.
"You are to make decisions about Diamond Corporate."
"What?!" Claire raised her voice.
"You own half of the company and you have legal power of attorney for Mr Moore's half. At this moment in time, you're solely responsible for the company."
"And what do you want me to do?"
"I need you to take ownership over it and assign the Interim CEO."
"Who did Gabriel want for this job?"
"You." Watters said with a weak smile.
"I've just resigned from Diamond Corporate." Claire said as she looked down in shame.
"Frankly, that's irrelevant. You've resigned from your CDO and head of department roles. The ownership of the company is not a role. And CEO position is not related to your previous roles."
"Who was a preferred replacement before I came to be?"
"No one." Watters stopped smiling. "Mr Moore assigned his preferred replacement only after you came into the picture. Beforehand he said that if anything were to happen he doesn't care if the company ceases to exist."
"I am not in a place to make this decision now." Claire said sternly. "Get someone else to make it."
"Mrs Moore, it is only yourself who is allowed to make those decisions." Watters said with an attitude that was hard to argue against.
"Claire, are you okay?" Alex asked as he found her.
"Mr Watters, this is Alex Best. He is my representative lawyer." Claire introduced them. "And this is Mr Watters, Gabriel's lawyer."
The men shook their hands.
"What's the matter?" Alex asked as he looked at a document in Claire's hand.
"Mrs Moore has been given a Legal Power of Attorney by Mr Moore over all the matters in regards to his health and welfare, and property and financial affairs. As she legally owns half of what Mr Moore owns, she now holds full responsibility over all of the assets, including Diamond Corporate. I require Mrs Moore to decide on appointing an Interim CEO."
"I don't think Claire is in the state of making this decision right now, Mr Watters. I'm sure that it can wait until morning, at the very least." Alex said sternly, placing his hand on Claire's shoulder and squeezing it. He stood behind her as she was still seated, seeing her distress he tried to silently show her that he has her back. "I can represent Claire if she needs me to, and we can meet in the morning to discuss it further." Alex was stern.
"I understand. Here are my contact details and I hope to see you early in the morning. The news has spread through the media like wildfire so we have no time to waste." Mr Watters was stern too. "As per Mr Moore's wishes, the company fully relies upon Mrs Moore and ideally she should be the one taking the charge." He left the room at last. Alex sighed and sat down in the chair that the doctor used barely a few minutes ago.
"I'm guessing this is not something you ever considered and spoke about with Gabriel?" Alex asked carefully.
"Of course not!" Claire started crying again, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "He is turning thirty in two months. I never considered the possibility of him being shot! I never thought that he might die!"
Alex stood up and walked around, hugging Claire tightly.
"He will be fine, you know. He's stubborn as a mule. And with his temper?" Alex scoffed. "He is going to punch death in its face, you'll see." Tears started running down his face as he realised that he didn't believe his own words. "What did the doctor say?"
"Gabriel may need to do a lot of punching to make it through." Claire answered wailing straight after. Alex pulled her in closer, gripping her back as if that was going to shield her from her pain. "His auxiliary artery was damaged by the bullet. He has lost a lot of blood…"
"I gathered." Alex mumbled as he looked at Claire who was still covered in Gabriel's blood.
"I've signed a consent form for blood transfusion."
"That's good." Alex said reassuringly.
"But they don't know if he'll make it. His condition isn't stable. They may have a better idea of where we're standing in the next forty-eight hours. If he makes it that far, of course." Claire continued crying into Alex's shoulder. "He's going to die because of me!"
"Don't be stupid. You shoot him." Alex scowled at her ridiculousness.
"I should've been the one to be there, not him!" Claire continued, letting go off Alex. "I should've been the one on the brink of death! The bullet was intended for me, not Gabriel!"
"What?" Alex raised his eyebrows.
"I should've been in Gabriel's place!"
"No, what you've said earlier. How was the bullet intended for you?"
"Gabriel pushed me out of the way and shielded me from the bullet! The gun was aimed at me!"
"Who would want to kill you?" Alex still looked confused.
"The lawsuit your father is helping with me…" Claire mumbled.
"Fuck." Alex said shortly as he sat back down, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Claire was rocking back and forth, unable to comfort herself.