The thug behind her had positioned the knife,ready to stab but stopped. He looked confusingly at his wrist and Nicolas beside him.
The knife fell from his hand and the tinged sound of the blade alerted Alejandra and the other of his presence. The thug threw his fist at him but Nicolas was quick and got hold of it.
He kicked the thug on the stomach with his right knee and punched him. The thug fell hard on the ground and spat out blood from his mouth. The thug stood up from the ground, positioning his fist to hit Nicolas but missed his target.
Nicolas punched him hard and he fell on top of the shrub nearby. The other was still struggling to get hold of Alejandra's bag. Nicolas pulled him by the shoulder and punched right in his face. The punch came surprisingly and almost threw him off balance. He managed to stand upright and struck back at Nicolas.
Punches came from both sides, neither one of them was giving up nor ready to accept defeat. The thug fell flat on his face and spotted the knife lying close to him. Nicolas looked away from him and went to check on Alejandra.
"Are you okay?" Nicolas asked.
Alejandra nodded and looked at the thug who was already up on his feet. She spotted the knife in his hand.
"Watch out! He has a..."
Before she could finish her sentence,the thug gave Nicolas a cut on his arm. He tried to stab Nicolas with it but Nicolas got hold of his wrist and twisted it. The knife fell from his hand and Nicolas slid it far from his reach with his foot.
The thug groaned in pain and Nicolas punched him on the stomach. He let got his wrist and the thug fell on the floor. This time,his face was upwards.
The thug's face was bruised and he bled from the corner of his lips. He was worn out from the punches and kicks Nicolas gave him.
Nicolas' face was bruised as well. One of the lenses of his glasses was broken and the bridge sat perfectly on his nose, supported by the arm on his right ear. The hinge on the left side was broken and had a bruise on the corner of his eye.
Nicolas left him and went to Alejandra.
"Are you okay?" He repeated.
She nodded and noticed he was bleeding. One of the sleeves of his white shirt was absorbing the blood from the cut.
"You're bleeding. You need medical attention." Alejandra said, concerned about Nicolas.
He looked at his arm and didn't seem to care if he was bleeding or not.
"Come,I'll take you home. It isn't safe for you to be out here alone." Nicolas said.
Before Alejandra could say anything,he got hold of her hand and pulled her to the car. He opened the door and got in. He placed his hand on the cut and saw the blood coming out of it. He moaned inwardly in pain. He turned on the ignition and drove off.
Alejandra couldn't stop looking at Nicolas' bleeding arm. She felt guilty for the injury he sustained because of her. She felt indebted to him for saving her life.
"Why don't we stop over at a hospital so that you can be treated?" Alejandra suggested.
"I don't need a hospital. I'm fine." Nicolas replied airily,with his gaze on the windscreen.
"Your arm is bleeding and you act as if it doesn't bother you. Don't you feel pain?" She asked doubtfully.
"I do!" He replied flatly.
"Then stop over at a hospital or clinic and get wound treated." Alejandra said.
Nicolas turned a deaf ear to what she said and didn't reply.
"Didn't you hear what I said or have you suddenly turned deaf?" She said.
"We are not going to any hospital. I'm perfectly fine and don't need any of your medical advice, okay?" Nicolas sneered.
"You don't have to yell at me. I was only trying to help you but it seems you don't need it. You're not the only one who has had a bad day,you know." Alejandra replied confidently.
They both glanced at each other and looked away. Alejandra exhaled calmly and focused her gaze on the windscreen.
"I'm sorry for the way I shouted. I shouldn't have told you off. I mean,if it wasn't for you,I would have been robbed by thugs and probably be injured like you are." Alejandra said calmly.
"You don't have to apologize. I hate it when people apologize for something that they didn't do." Nicolas replied coldly.
"You are joking, aren't you?" She asked.
"That wasn't a joke!" He replied curtly in a firm voice.
"The least I could do was to say thank you for saving my life and probably advise you to see a doctor about your injury and all you had to say was you hate when people apologize." She said.
"That's clearly not what I said." He said.
"What difference does it make? They both mean the same thing. But your ego won't let you see it. Look mister, I didn't ask for your help. I didn't ask you to save me only to belittle me at the end. It would've been best if those thugs had taken my bag than you saving me. Otherwise,I wouldn't have wasted my appreciation on a narcissist like you." She said angrily, pissed off by his attitude,
"You know what? Stop the car! I want to get out!"
She quickly unstrapped her.
"No!" Nicolas replied coolly and locked the door from the controls on his door.
"Why? I said I want to get out!" Alejandra said vehemently.
"This isn't your stop. We haven't arrived at your building yet." Nicolas said as he turned on the indicator and took a right turn.
"H-how did you know where I live?" Alejandra asked surprisingly,
"Do you want to sell me off? Are you a kidnapper? I want to get out."
Alejandra tried to opened the door but discovered it was locked.
"Why did you lock the door?" She asked curiously,
"You really are a kidnapper. Oh no, Alejandra! How did you get yourself into this mess? I should have let those thugs rob me instead."
Nicolas rolled his eyes and listened to the nonsense she was saying.
"Where are you taking me? Probably to a wealthy Don,am I right? Or maybe to sell me off to an organ trafficker and have either of my organs removed? Or worse! You plan on using me as your s*x slave?" Alejandra said quickly,
"I'll have to call the police."
She unzipped her handbag and brought out her phone. She unlocked it with her finger print and dialled the police.
"What are you doing?" Nicolas asked as he glanced at her dialling the digits.
"I'm calling the police." Alejandra blurted and tapped the call icon.
"And why would you do that?" He asked and furrowed his brow.
"To tell them you're a trafficker and I'm about to be sold to one of your rich clients abroad." She said, holding the phone close to her ear and waited for it to get connected,
"Hello? Is this the police?"
"Give me that!" Nicolas said flatly,collecting the phone from her using one of his hands.
He ended the call and kept it in the cup holder on the driver's door.
"Why did you do that?" Alejandra asked but Nicolas didn't reply.
"Give me back my phone!"
"No! Not until you get home!" Nicolas replied airily.
Alejandra hmphed and folded her arms. Nicolas arrived at her block of flats and parked in front of the entrance.
"We are here!" Nicolas said as he switched it from drive to park,
"You can get out,now!"
Alejandra looked at the building through the window on the passenger door. He unlocked the door through the controls.
Alejandra quickly opened the door and got out of the car. She was about to slam the door when Nicolas stretched out her phone,
"Your phone!"
She collected it and banged the door.
"You call the police now and tell him your 'kidnapper' dropped you off at your building." Nicolas said sarcastically.
Alejandra rolled her eyes and went into the lobby.
Nicolas shook his head and put it in drive. He drove away from her building and straight home. The gate-keeper saw his headlights through the wrought iron gate and opened it before Nicolas could sound his horn. Nicolas drove towards the entrance and parked his car beside the garden's entrance.
He carried his briefcase and used his injured arm to close the door. He had forgotten about the injury and moaned in pain.
He walked to the front door and rang the doorbell. One of the maids answered the door and greeted him, which he didn't respond to. He climbed the stairs and went straight to his room.
He tossed his suitcase and jacket on the bed and went to the bathroom. He went to the shower cubicle, turned on the mixer tap and set the running water to warm and had his bath.
Nicolas came out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. His hair was slightly dried and still dripped. He managed to slip into his top and trousers. He moaned in pain and dabbed his cut. He was bleeding again.
"Where have you been?" Patricia asked as she came into his room unannounced.
"I had a matter to attend to." Nicolas replied, backing her.
"Was the matter that urgent that you didn't bother to call home? I've been worried. Do you know what the time is? It's half past eleven, almost midnight. I called your office and was told that you had left hours ago. Only for you to return this late at night." Patricia said, rising her voice at him,
"Is this how you plan to take care of yourself and my grandson?"
A drop of blood slid from Nicolas' elbow to the floor. It caught Patricia's attention and she walked to where he stood to see it closely. The lights were on and she saw the blood clearly.
"Blood?" Patricia muttered in shock.
She removed his hand from his arm and saw he was bleeding.
"Blood!"
"You're bleeding! How did you get hurt?" Patricia asked worriedly and faced him.
She saw his face was bruised and his glasses were broken.
"Wh-who did this to you?" Patricia asked eagerly.
"No one! I'm fine!" Nicolas replied coolly and took two steps forward.
"What do you mean no one? You're clearly hurt and you're saying you're fine?" Patricia asked, concerned about her son's health,
"Come! We are going to the hospital!"
"I don't need a hospital! I'm fine!" Nicolas replied coolly without looking at her.
"I'm not in the mood for your stubbornness right now. You're badly injured and need medical attention." Patricia said, almost breaking down.
"I'm fine! It's just a minor cut!" Nicolas said plainly.
"Look, young man! I'm your mother and know an injury when I see one." She said.
"But you're no doctor to tell if my injury is serious or not." He snapped, this time, looking at her.
"Fine! If you won't go to the hospital,I'll have the hospital come to you." Patricia said and unlocked the phone she was holding.
Nicolas watched her dial a number and rolled his eyes.
"Hello? Doctor Salvador?" Patricia said once the call connected,
"Could you please come over to my house? It's an emergency."
"Okay! See you in five minutes!" She said and hung up.
She turned to her side and looked at Nicolas. He knew it was hopeless dragging words with her.
"Where is the first aid kit?" Patricia asked.
"It's in the cabinet in the bathroom." Nicolas replied airily.
She walked to the bathroom and turned on the lights. She opened the cabinet and searched for the kit. She found it and took it. She went over to Nicolas' bed and sat down. She opened it and brought out a packet of cottonwood and a bottle of antiseptic.
"Don't just stand there! Sit,so that I can try to stop the bleeding." Patricia said as she tore the packet open.
Nicolas heaved and sat beside her. He watched her pour a little antiseptic on the cotton wool.
"Hold still! It might sting you a little!" Patricia said before using the cotton wool.
Nicolas bit his lip as felt the stingy reaction when the cotton wool came in contact with his skin. He moaned inwardly.
"Hold still and don't move!" Patricia said as she discarded the used cotton wool and brought out another.
She cleaned the blood on his skin and managed to stop the bleeding.
Dr. Salvador,their family doctor,arrived at their house minutes later and was in Nicolas' room. Nicolas laid in his bed while the doctor sat in front of him and examined him. He pointed a small torch at Nicolas' eyes to check if he had suffered any concussion or damaged his pupil. He dressed Nicolas' cut.
He placed his stethoscope on his heart and monitored the rhythm of Nicolas' heartbeat. He removed the stethoscope and gave his diagnosis.
"Well Mrs Patricia, it looks like everything is fine. Luckily,the cut wasn't that deep, otherwise he would have to come to the hospital and have it stitched. All he needs now is some rest,a new pair of glasses and to avoid hurting himself." Doctor Salvador said to Patricia and looked at Nicolas,
"You need to take care of yourself, Nicolas."
He put his stethoscope in his doctor's bag and stood up from the bed. He picked up his bag.
"I'll have his new pair of glasses delivered tomorrow morning." Doctor Salvador added.
"Thank you, Doctor! Valeria, please see the off doctor to the door." Patricia said, standing close to the bedside table.
Valeria nodded and waited for Dr. Salvador.
"I'll be on my way, now. Goodnight!" Doctor Salvador said and walked to the door.
Valeria followed behind him. Nicolas covered himself with a blanket and looked at his mother.
"You heard the doctor. I'm fine. Now,go back to your room and sleep. I don't want you to watch over me as if I were still a child." He said plainly.
"Do you mind explaining how you got hurt?" Patricia asked vehemently.
"Not right now! I'm tired and I need to sleep. Besides, you heard what the doctor said. I need to rest." He said.
"Fine! But don't think I'll let this one slide. You have some explaining to do in the morning." Patricia said and left the room.
"No one of this would have happened if you wouldn't have stopped pressuring me to get remarried." Nicolas muttered.
He was too tired to walk to the switch and clapped his hands twice. The lights automatically went off.