"Dave Raven?" Julian called tentatively, his voice both probing and doubtful. For so reason, there shouldn’t be any connection between Dave Raven and Davis Allen.
Davis nodded lightly, his hand still stretched forward. He was certain he wasn’t being rude nor trying to ignore him, but the shock had been far heavier than expected.
Julian stepped forward, accepting the handshake. "Are you really Dave Raven?" he asked again, needing to clear his doubt.
"Julian, you don’t have to look so shocked. It’s nothing but a re na," Davis tried to pacify.
At that mont, he had no luxury of arguing about nas or their origin, nor was he ready to explain the reason behind his dual identity.
Julian took a deep breath. "It’s nice eting you. My father must be really happy to see we finally t."
"I t him a few days ago," Davis answered, his gaze darting toward the closed yet transparent door. "Let see her."
Julian gave a slight nod and stepped back.
Davis stepped closer to the glass door, his warm and gentle gaze fell on the lady on the bed. "Where is the doctor?" He asked no one in particular.
"I will call him over," the guard said as he left and headed towards the Dean’s office.
Julian lingered behind Davis. He wanted to see Jessica first; he had only gone to the Dean’s office to ask about her condition and get a clear report of her situation.
More than that, he had hoped to fly her back to Country Z both for personal and dical reasons.
But with Davis suddenly in the picture, that possibility had crumbled unless later diagnosis proved otherwise.
"Sir, the Dean is here." The guard’s voice cut through the silence and tension that was tightening around Davis.
"Can I go in?" Davis asked, not once retracting his gaze from the frail woman on the bed.
It was as though everyone present was just a backdrop to the mont. His fist clenched briefly. It was clear he was fighting to hold himself together.
"You can go in," the Dean answered, pushing open the door. "But only two family mbers at a ti."
Davis stepped into the ICU in long strides. The sterile fragrance of antiseptic, the warm and piercing white light of the ICU was not even noticed by him as he entered. Julian walked in behind him.
With the lady on the bed now in clear view, Davis found himself rooted at a spot, his feet refusing to move forward.
Both n’s hearts thumped hard and painfully, their throats tightening around unspoken words.
Julian’s fists clenched at his side as he took in her familiar features, he had sketched by himself and had co to morize over the years, now pale, weakened, almost unrecognizable and most of all... lying motionless.
Davis forced himself forward, dragging his feet to her bedside. Each step tightened his chest until he thought it might split open.
As he took in the sight before him, he found himself losing his breath.
Her head was bound in bandages, an oxygen mask strapped over her nose. Machines beeped rhythmically, tubes and wires connecting her frail body to life.
Her fra frail and weak under the bed cover, her skin ghostly pale due to blood loss was in stark contrast to the vibrant, full, and breathtaking beautiful woman he left behind.
He tried to speak, but his lips quivered, unable to form any word as they dissolved in the swell of emotion. His reddened eyes stung as tears blurred his vision threatening to fall.
Finally, he sank to his knees beside her, his trembling hands lifting her limp palm as if it were made of porcelain. Her skin was warm, but weaker than he rembered. It was so unlike her usual touch.
His tears fell freely.
Jessica’s body temperature had always been peculiar, warr than most. It had taken him years to get used to it. But never...never had it felt this faint.
And even in their worst monts of life and death, she had not felt this level of warmness.
"Ba...be... Wi..fe," he whispered, his voice breaking. "Can you open your eyes? I’m back from the summit.
Didn’t you promise to wait for ? Didn’t you promise you’d be safe?" His voice cracked at every word.
His hand trembled as he brushed the bandage on her head gently and softly as if handling an expensive porcelain doll that breaks at the slightest.
"Doctor, did she hit her head?" he asked hoarsely, though his gaze never left her.
Inwardly, he cursed himself silently blaming himself for the mishap.
Maybe he shouldn’t have left. Maybe he shouldn’t have trusted fate.
"Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to the summit." He muttered "Maybe I shouldn’t have tried so hard to understand your point of view. But then... wouldn’t that an I was selfish? And isn’t that the opposite of understanding?"
The doctor sighed, pulling him from his spiral. "It was a gash, sothing pierced her forehead and it was a bit deep, but thank God no object was logged inside." the doctor answered.
"Babe...It must have hurt a lot."
His head whipped toward the doctor. "When is she expected to wake up?"
The doctor’s face fell grim. He shook his head slowly and ominously. Davis’ heart lurched as it fell deep into his stomach.
"I am sorry, I can’t really say. She endured too much. She slipped into unconsciousness before labor, and even through surgery, there were no signs of recovery."
Davis’s throat tightened. "Doctor, I hope you’re not saying..a."
"There’s a ninety-five percent chance, given the stress on her brain. But ultimately... it depends on her will..."
""No," Davis cut him off, his voice raw. "You’re wrong. She can’t keep sleeping."
He bent close to her again, speaking softly, frantically, as if sheer words could tether her soul. Julian stood nearby, helpless, watching the cold, commanding man from minutes ago unravel completely.
Julian reached out, but Davis shoved him off.
Quietly, Julian tried another approach. "Davis, aren’t you going to ask about the child she was carrying before the accident?"
Slowly, Davis lifted his head, his eyes glazed. "When she lies like this... should I still care?"
Julian’s chest tightened. "Dave, grieving this way won’t solve anything. Why don’t you take a breath... and see the children?"
"Children?" Davis echoed bitterly, a mocking smile tugging at his lips. "What is the essence of children when..."
"Don’t say that!" Julian snapped. "She fought to protect them. The driver gave his life to save them. The least you can do is honor that."
Julian steadied his tone. "See the children. Then decide what cos next. My sister wouldn’t want to wake up to find you destroyed."
"Can I?" Davis asked faintly.
Julian nodded.
Davis turned back to Jessica, brushing her cheek gently. "Babe, did you hear that? There were two..." His voice broke.
He closed his eyes briefly, pulling himself together.
Julian was right...it wasn’t ti to collapse. It is not really ti to grieve over an incident that has happened; rather, it is ti to make every villain involved in the sche pay the price.
Slowly, Davis rose. He placed her hand carefully on her stomach, gave her cheek one last caress, and whispered a silent vow.
He turned and walked out with Julian. At the door, he paused, casting one final, heavy glance at the woman lying unconscious, then shut the door behind him.
The guard stepped forward imdiately. "Sir, I’m sorry. It was my negligence."
Davis shook his head, patting the man’s shoulder. "Don’t bla yourself. She always found ways to slip past bodyguards. That habit was exploited."
"Any lead on the culprits?"
"Our n captured the truck driver. The car tailing her is already in Julian’s n’s custody."
Davis’s expression hardened, a cold smirk forming. "Good. Now, I want you to do sothing for ."
"At your service."
Julian, a few steps away, gave him a thumbs up and subtle nod of approval. Despite his grief, seeing him spring into action was quite comndable.
As the guard left, Davis turned sharply to Julian. "You always had n watching her. What did you find?"
Julian lifted his brows. "Dave, you can’t be serious. No one could truly track her. She was a mystery...always slipping past my n. That was her strength."
"Wait, how do you know my n were with her?" Julian asked.
"I have always tried to identify the group until now.."
"So, what to do now?" Julian asked.
Davis’s lips curved faintly. "Then I’ll start with the last person who called her." His brow furrowed in thought.
"Why do you say that?" Julian asked.
"She should’ve been at Allen Group at the ti of the accident. If she left, then sothing or soone drew her out."
"Couldn’t it have been a eting?"
"No. I confird her itinerary. She told herself...her eting was at the Group."
"So, what now?"
"To play the final leg of this ga." Davis smirked with a tinge of finality.
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