After giving details of the situation to Rachel Bowman, Iris Bowman did exactly as her sister said.
She began speaking to the unconscious Tyler Harper while putting just the right amount of pressure on the wound.
Between the time she stepped out of the car to scream her lungs out, then called her sister and returned, only a minute had passed. Iris could only hope that everything would go as Rachel said.
Rachel had advised her sister to speak with Tyler without treating him as an unconscious person, as he may still be conscious of everything happening around him at the moment.
The only problem with the situation was that Iris couldn't think of any conversation at the moment. She couldn't even imagine the fate that would befall her and her little sister, should anything go wrong.
"Please don't die on me… I need you to stay alive, Tyler Harper. Whatever you need to do… I need you to stay alive."
Iris was so emotional that she began trembling once again. However, this time, it was more violent than earlier. She couldn't control her tears anymore, and she let them flow freely down her flawless cheeks.
As Iris spoke to the unconscious Tyler, she would never have imagined that her words spoken from the depths of her heart gave him the urge to fight and stay alive. Her touch also awakened something dormant in his body for the longest time.
Before she could rest her chaotic heart, "What the heck!" She couldn't believe that he truly heard everything she said.
He tried tightening his grip on her hand, but failed woefully. He was too weak to even move his hand. However, Iris felt his effort, and her joy knew no bounds.
Tyler could feel the emotions in Iris' voice as she spoke. Even in his groggy state, he couldn't quite understand why the lady who seemed so fearless while checking him out earlier would be so scared that he was unconscious in her car.
If Tyler could wish for anything in this world, it would be to wipe the tears of the lady who was towering over him at the moment. He only wished to see her smile, even though he knew absolutely nothing about her, nor did he have the luxury of seeing her face at the moment.
"Rachel," Iris held her sister's hand as soon as she spotted her getting down from her car. Being one of the youngest doctors, Iris couldn't be more proud of her sister.
Her emotions were all over the place, as she struggled to juxtapose the image before her with what she saw on that fateful day.
When they finally arrived in Rachel's villa, there was no long talk, as Rachel wasted no time and started working immediately, relying on her sister for assistance whenever necessary.
"Please be safe. Please! Please! Please!" Iris prayed fervently.
The entire operation went smoothly, much to the joy and relief of Iris, who couldn't help admiring her sister's skills more. She truly missed Rachel, and wouldn't dare to stay away from her sister in this lifetime. She just saved both their lives.
"Come with me, Iris. We need to talk." Rachel spoke emotionlessly after she finished stitching up Tyler's abdomen and dressing his wound. The two walked out of the bedroom where Tyler lay.
"I miss you so much, Rachel. You can't imagine." Iris threw herself into her sister's arms and trembled as she closed her eyes to breathe in her scent.
It calmed her nerves after a while, but she noticed Rachel didn't return her hug. Meanwhile, she had no reason to be angry with her sister. The sudden closeness would bother even her if she were in her sister's shoes.
"What's going on?"
Rachel's voice was still emotionless, as this Iris seemed suspicious. She couldn't understand why the same person who had never returned her calls or messages for the past three months would behave like this after she got into trouble. She had a bitter taste in her mouth and chose not to dwell on her train of thoughts, for her sanity.
"What's going on, Iris? You know I need to report this, don't you?" Rachel asked in a business-like voice, only to feel a teardrop on her shoulders. She quickly broke the hug and probed,
"What the heck is going on, Iris? You never ask for help, but you called me. Iris, of all the people to call, you reached out to me. What is this?"
Iris' tears further scared Rachel, as her brave front faltered, and she asked in a calmer tone, "Are you in trouble?"
With a bitter smile, Iris shook her head and asked off-topic, "How is he?"
"He's out of danger. For now. He bled a lot. But he should pull through. Who's he?" Rachel answered her sister when she realized she had no plans to respond to her questions.
"I'll answer all your questions if I could. But, please, can you not ask any more? I don't want to lie to you." Iris still had tears in her eyes, when she assured her sister, "As long as he survives, we're fine."
Rachel didn't know what to say, so she moved to the sitting room and switched on the television while holding a glass of water.
Their father gifted this villa to Rachel when she gained admission to medical school. It was also the same place where Iris found her lying in a pool of her own blood. In her past life, she couldn't save Rachel, and neither did she know who abused and killed her sister. However, she would do anything to keep her safe in this lifetime.
"I'm calling off the engagement between Iris Bowman and myself." Malcolm slurred the words as if he had no control of his tongue.
He then continued, "No one wants to deal with an irresponsible and cheating partner who doesn't give a hoot about how they feel. My fiance prefers other dicks and coke to me. How the fuck am I supposed to feel, huh?" As he spoke further, he had tearstains on his face, making him look vulnerable.
The familiar voice that attracted them to the television screen quickly interrupted the awkward silence in the room.
Malcolm Miller's treacherous face appeared on the television screen. He was in a club; seemed drunk, surrounded by loud music and a bunch of strippers. However, no one would blame him if they felt he was a troubled man who resorted to alcohol just to get over his fiance's betrayal.
"Son of a bitch!" Iris spat in anger as she gripped the doorframe. She had this scary look that Rachel understood perfectly.
This stunt Malcolm just pulled could cause the Bowman Corporation to suffer some losses, as Malcolm always presented himself as the perfect fiance.
His assertions would give an arsenal to the hyenas that were already waiting to tear Iris to shreds.
Iris was the only one who knew that Malcolm was betting on the success of the board meeting, so he pulled this stunt to throw off everyone from his case.
Only she understood the real reason he did it, but he was in for the shock of his life.
What baffled her was the timing of the event. In her past life, Malcolm didn't do a press conference until the day they ordered a hit on her.
'Is he planning to kill me tonight? Is that the reason for this charade?' Iris was boiling with rage.
"Petra, get me everything you have on the bastard. Find another job if I don't get a beep in five minutes." Iris ended the call and held her phone tightly as she awaited the person's message.
"Someone is about to be roasted. Finally!"
Rachel mouthed, overjoyed at the prospect of Iris not only breaking up with Malcolm Miller but also teaching him a bitter lesson to boot. To her, it was a dream come true.