Chapter 18

But as my eyelashes fluttered closed, Jasper's shout went unanswered. He could only hold me tightly as my limp body continued to slide down. I glanced over at the gun barrel that had struck me and the man holding the pistol. It must have been Christian, one of his accomplices. Christian raised the silenced pistol, aiming it at Jasper once more. But in the next moment, he saw Jasper's bloodshot eyes. It happened too quickly. Before Christian could even pull the trigger, Jasper's knife was already buried in his throat. A single, fatal blow. Jasper pulled out the knife, but not satisfied, he drove it into Christian’s heart. When he pulled it out again, blood spurted in a spray. Jasper exhaled, moving toward Christian's lifeless body to take the handgun from his hand, then turned back toward me. He picked me up, forcing himself to calm down as he carefully assessed my wound. Luckily, it wasn't near my heart. It was below my collarbone. Even so, he realized his hands were shaking. His breath quickened, his gaze fixed on my increasingly pale face and vacant eyes. He gently slapped my cheek and murmured, "Don’t sleep, I’m taking you home now." The pain was unbearable, and my mind was growing foggy, but I managed a faint response. Jasper pulled out his phone and quickly dialed his men in Sundarica, giving orders to dispatch the security team and have The Hawthorne Family's private doctor rush over as quickly as possible. He ripped open his shirt and used it to bandage me as best as he could. He adjusted the car seat so I could lie down. Sitting on the other side, he propped up my head with one hand and wrapped his arm around me. He leaned down, his lips gently kissing my forehead as he whispered, "Don't sleep... don’t be scared... I won’t make you pay that fifty million..." "We’ll be alright, okay?" "I haven’t even shown you that house yet..." "You know, you love watching the sunrise, right? We could plant sunflowers there, how about it?" "Don’t sleep... talk to me..." "When you wake up, I’ll forget all the past..." Over and over, he kissed my forehead and comforted me. I was getting frustrated with him, the pain overwhelming, and my consciousness slipping away, but his constant whispers in my ear kept me from falling asleep. I weakly nodded, and he quickly shielded me, saying, "Don’t move, don’t move, be good..." Ten minutes. A long ten minutes for Jasper. But for me, those were the happiest ten minutes. I really liked him. Even though he had mocked me and cheated on me just a month after our marriage... I still, really liked him. No... maybe, I loved him? When I saw him in danger, I instinctively wanted to protect him, even pushing him away in the process. At that time, I hadn’t thought much about it. I just wanted him to be safe. Finally, when I couldn’t hold on any longer, The Hawthorne Family’s security team, along with the doctor and nurses, arrived from Sundarica. I sank into darkness. Before my eyes closed, the last thing I saw was his anxious face. I parted my lips slightly, and what I wanted to say was, "Don’t furrow your brow, it doesn’t look good." Jasper's POV "Doctor! She..." I saw Arabella close her eyes and urgently shouted at the doctor. A nurse was helping me check my vitals, attempting to wipe me down with a wet towel, but I waved her off. The doctor placed an oxygen mask on Arabella and explained, "She fainted due to the pain. Quick, get her to the hospital. The conditions here are inadequate for surgery." "Alright, you go ahead with Group A. Group B, stay behind, we'll join you shortly." I waved my hand, signaling Group A to escort Arabella and the rescue team. Group B started securing the scene. "It’s Crimson Veil Syndicate’s assassin. This organization has a global reach; they take on any job with a bounty," reported Dominic, leader of Group B, after examining the two bodies on the ground. Group B members were methodically clearing the area. "Do they have a presence in Astonia City?" I wiped myself with a wet towel, asking. "Yes," Dominic stood up and replied respectfully. "Find out. This organization is massive, and bringing them down completely would be difficult. We need to identify the person behind this, the one trying to kill us." I squinted. "Start by investigating Charlotte and Alexander. I want answers within two days." "Understood!" "Let’s go, to the hospital." I turned and got into the vehicle with the security team, sitting in the back seat and closing my eyes to rest. I should have been exhausted. But I couldn’t sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw her pale face, her terrified expression, the scent of her when she threw herself at me without hesitation. Her dazed look. And the warmth of her blood that I had touched. I couldn’t deny it, I was scared. I clenched my fists tightly, gritting my teeth in restraint. At the Hospital I waited outside the operating room, with Dominic and two bodyguards by my side. I was exhausted, my face pale and my eyes bloodshot. I had been waiting for four hours. The operating room light went out, and the door opened. Dr. Cameron Taylor emerged, his eyes weary, followed by a nurse pushing a stretcher. "Dr. Cameron Taylor! How is she?" I quickly approached and asked. Dr. Cameron blinked slowly and nodded. "It’s not serious. The wound is far from the heart, but you’ll need to be careful with post-operative care to prevent any long-term issues. Also, the patient has low blood sugar and is very weak. She’ll need proper care and recovery." I nodded. "Thank you. I will." Turning my gaze to Arabella, still wearing the oxygen mask, I sighed in relief. In the Hospital Room I had two bodyguards posted outside the door while I sat by Arabella’s bedside, quietly watching her. She was still here with me. It felt so right. I extended my hand, slowly and steadily, intertwining my fingers with hers, one by one, as if we would never be apart. But... I bit my lip. Low blood sugar? This foolish woman—how does she take care of herself? When we were together before, she never had these bizarre symptoms. She’s really... I shook my head and sighed helplessly. It’s alright. I’ll take care of her. I’ll bring her back to health. I leaned down, placing a soft and gentle kiss on her forehead. Once she’s better, I’ll take her to watch the sunrise.