The blaring siren of the ambulance seemed to punctuate the chaos unraveling around them. Lia sat in the back, holding Ryan's hand tightly, her heart pounding like a war drum against her chest. The world outside blurred into streaks of color as they rushed through the night, but all her focus was on Ryan, whose once vibrant face now appeared pale and lined with pain. His eyes fluttered open briefly, meeting hers.
"Lia…" he whispered, his voice a rasp, barely audible over the din of the ambulance.
"Shh, don't talk," she urged, her voice trembling. Tears streamed down her cheeks, mingling with the blood that had splattered onto her night wear. The soft fabric—once comforting and familiar—was now an agonizing reminder of the horrific events that just occurred earlier.She could hardly comprehend the weight of blood on her hands, yet she couldn't let go. "Just hold on. You're going to be okay. You have to be okay."
He squeezed her hand weakly in response, and in that gesture, she felt a tether, a connection to this man whom she just started to know,But as fear wrapped around her heart, another thought sprung forth like a dark shadow creeping in.
**Jason.**
The name echoed in her mind, chilling her to the bone. His brother had always been a figure of jealousy, constantly overshadowed by Ryan's successes and charisma. What if he was involved? What if he had schemed all of this? A tremor coursed through her, not just from fear but from the rising knowledge that this moment, this helplessness, was unprecedented in her life. She had never faced anything so terrible like this.
As the ambulance swung to a halt, the paramedics quickly moved into action, wheeling Ryan away on a stretcher. Lia jumped to her feet, following closely, her heart racing with every step. A scurry of medical staff formed a wall of professionalism around her, but it did little to shield her from the dread deep in her gut.
They transported him through long, stark corridors,The lights above flickered, harsh and unrelenting, mirroring the chaos of her thoughts. She felt lost, not knowing who to call. Ryan's father was still recovering from his own health issues, and his brother… she shuddered at the thought.
"Lia! Is there anyone you want us to notify?" a nurse paused momentarily in the frenzy, her eyes filled with compassion.
"Um…" Lia fumbled for an answer. "His dad is in the other hospital. I can't call his brother…" Jason's face loomed before her, shrouded in suspicion and resentment, and she couldn't shake the feeling that contacting him was a mistake. As uncertainty gnawed at her, Ryan's life hung in the balance.
"No, please don't inform anyone" Lia replied softly.
The nurse nodded, understanding the hesitation in her voice. "We'll take care of everything for now. You need to stay strong for him."
Lia's resolve bolstered momentarily, but the tightness in her chest remained. They finally reached the surgical room, and as they prepared to roll Ryan inside, she clung desperately to his hand.
"Please Ryan stay strong!" she cried, her voice breaking. "You need to fight. I need you to fight, Ryan!"
A doctor stepped forward, his white coat contrasting sharply with the dark reality of the situation. "I'm Dr. Henry. Ryan is gravely injured. We're going to do everything we can, but he needs to go into surgery immediately."
Tears streamed down Lia's face as she felt her heart sink. "What if he doesn't make it?" Panic surged, and her voice rose, a desperate plea laced with anguish. "Please, I need you to save him!"
" Ma'am we will do our best," he assured her, somberly. "He's stable, but time is critical. Right now, you need to trust us."
"Please, please do everything you can! Don't let him die!" The raw emotion spilled over, choking her words. She wanted to collapse, to let her pain consume her, but she couldn't. Not now.
As they prepared to wheel Ryan into surgery, Ryan held onto Lia hands firmly not wanting to let go.
They rolled him away, and Lia was left standing in the emptiness of the fluorescent-lit hallway, knowing that in that moment, her world had changed. She sank to the floor, her back against the cold, sterile wall. The tears poured from her eyes, a mix of fear, uncertainty, and a burgeoning anger at how fate had twisted her life so cruelly.
For the next few agonizing hours, she waited. Each tick of the clock echoed, drumming a painful rhythm of uncertainty. Wringing her hands and wiping her tears, her mind racing in a chaos of thoughts.
Lia had contemplated reaching out to Jason, but she couldn't because she knew clearly Jason might use the situation to his advantage.Jason was a wild card, and she couldn't shake the instinct that he might twist any information she gave him into a weapon against Ryan. The risk was too great.
Her fingers ran through her hair, pulling it back in a futile attempt to regain some composure amid the chaos swirling inside her head. It was exhausting to think about how the dynamics of family could turn dark and twisted, how Jason's envy could morph into something sinister. The thought of Jason being somehow involved gnawed at her, but she couldn't afford to let it consume her.
"What if he wasn't involved in it"Lia thought
In her distress, Lia leaned her head back against the wall she could feel her eyelids growing heavy as exhaustion settled over her.
Before she knew it, she had drifted into a shallow slumber, her thoughts finally quieting. A brief escape from the tumult of emotions that had plagued her since the night before.
A gentle voice roused her from her troubled dreams, and Lia creased her brows as she slowly opened her eyes, groggy and disoriented. Light streamed through the large windows, brightening the sterile white walls of the hospital room.
"Hello, ma'am. Please wake up," came the nurse's soft,tone.
Lia focused on the nurse, blinking away the remnants of sleep. The familiarity of the surroundings provided little comfort as her first thoughts raced back to Ryan. She sat up straight, heart pounding with urgency, and grabbed the nurse's hand, desperation hanging in her voice. "Please! How is he doing? Did the surgery went well last night?"
The nurse's gentle smile eased some of Lia's worries as she nodded. "He's stable. The surgery was successful, and thankfully, none of his internal organs were damaged. It may take him some time to wake up, but he's going to be okay."
Relief washed over Lia like a tidal wave, her pulse calming as she sank back into the chair, letting her body relax for the first time in hours. "Thank you. Thank you so much!" she breathed, closing her eyes once again, this time leaning back with a sense of peace flooding her soul.
The nurse continued to stand beside her, filling the silence with reassurances. "Just be patient with him. He needs time to regain his strength. If you'd like, I can show you to the waiting area, and you can take a break in more comfortable surroundings."
But Lia shook her head slightly, wanting to remain close. "No, I want to be here when he wakes up," she replied, determination hardening her resolve.
The nurse's eyes softened with understanding, and she excused herself to monitor Ryan's progress, leaving Lia wrapped in her own thoughts once more.
Exhaling sharply she got up walking out,the nurse might be right after all,she really needed some fresh air.
"How did he end up being stabbed outside? Series of questions popped through her mind.
"I'll just have to wait till he wakes up,we have