"Did you get everything?"
Currey glared at his brother. "What do you mean by that? Of course, I did! It’s me we are talking about. How can I mess up a petty task such as wiping out the CCTV footage? Hmpf!"
Murray chuckled as they made their way to the top-most floor.
The two brothers were then relaxed as they could feel Ian’s murderous demeanour and aura reduce gradually with each passing second in a way. However, they still didn’t show themselves. They only hovered in the background and observed the scene.
In the hospital room, Shelby then lay on the bed, peacefully as if she was just asleep. They could find no issues with her except the fact that whatever she had gone through had been too daunting on her nerves and her whole being, and her body had just let go in order to protect itself.
A different doctor hovered around her, trying hard to keep the fact that he was nervous and scared off his person. He also regretted taking over this task. However, it was not like he had any choice in the matter at all.
A little earlier, the head nurse had jumped into the conversation, pushing the original doctor aside.
"I’m sorry, Chairman Thornston; I think he is just tired and needs to get off work. He didn’t mean to stare out of his bounds."
She swiftly pushed the original doctor out and then called in another more senior member. She wisely sent him a message on his cell, stating:
’Whatever you do, do not look directly into the patient’s face!’
’What kind of silly instruction is this?’ The doctor had thought. ’These VVIP patients always come with ridiculous instructions!’ He passed by his colleague, who still looked to be in a daze.
Just as this new doctor entered, his eyes landed on her, and he regretted his actions. Unlike the previous doctor, this one tried his best and was able to avert his gaze, knowing the task that he had to do. Sweat poured off of his person, too. His jitters were just so bad!
The main problematic issue was that Ian never left her side!
The head nurse waited around for a while and then eventually left because she also could not stand to be in the same room as that unusual beauty.
"He sure is lucky to get a girl who looks like that!" A nurse stated calmly just outside the room.
"Hahahaah..... who else can defend against other pursuers of hers? I think only Ian Thornston can handle a femme fatale like she is! He is the lucky one!"
"I think she is lucky to get linked up with Ian! She scored big time with this marriage!"
"Oh really.... Just how lucky is she to be married to a widow with three children?"
The few nurses gathered around and turned to look at the speaker with equal expressions of disbelieve.
"It’s Ian Thornston. Even if he had ten children from a previous marriage, I would still marry him and offer my step-mothering services to all of the children!"
"Scratch that! I would even be a baby mama only!"
The other girls laughed out loud, but their faces depicted their agreement with that statement.
When Shelby came to, the first sight that greeted her was Suzie, whose eyes were puffy red due to her distress and endless crying. She was a bit disoriented, and it took a few moments for everything to come back to her.
"Miss Shelby!" Suzie exclaimed as soon as her eyes landed on Shelby’s clear blue ones. She said it quite loudly, and because of the tone, it was no surprise that a few people, including Geneva and Katie, who hovered in the back with Alex, as well as Gabriel and Ingrid, rushed into the ward, surrounding the large, comfy bed, and almost talking all at once, but one could hear the relief from their voices.
Ava and Rocky were quicker than all, though, and they each took a seat on either side of the bed, holding her hand and asking many questions. It was clear that they all wanted to find out how she was doing, but Shelby’s eyes only sought one person who was not in the room.
Clara was not there, but Shelby did not care about that. She may have been even surprised if her mother had been there.
"What did you go do in that park anyway? They said you slipped... Really? Must we now keep a close eye on you from now on!"
Geneva snapped. However, despite her words, Shelby knew that her mother-in-law meant well.
Geneva’s words struck a chord in her, plunging her back to that time in the park. She had thought that she was really at the end of her life, only to have her saviour! Ian! She had seen him effortlessly tear at those roots that seemed to want to suck the life out of her. If Shelby had any doubts as to what Ian was, this encounter had sealed it!
However, Ian seemed to have already covered it and given her the perfect excuse. Shelby had no idea how she would have explained this to them.
"Mama Shelby, don’t get hurt, okay?" Gabriel used his small size to manoeuvre and sandwich himself between Ava and Shelby. His worry lines made him cute! Gabriel then leaned over and blew softly on some of the bruises on her hands.
"Sissy... Are you okay?"
Shelby managed to smile at her brother, wondering how they all got there but the one person she was looking for.
"Shelby?" Ava also chipped in, noticing that she was looking for him.
Ava’s apartment, a few hours earlier,.....
Ava looked at Rocky in disbelief.
Rocky still looked innocent and repeated his words: "... isn’t that because you are my future wife? Couples should share everything...."
"Couples? Who are you a couple with?"
Rocky looked her straight in the eye, making Ava uncomfortable.
She narrowed her eyes at him and him hard with her bare palm, wincing as a result.
Then he said something that made her roll her eyes.
"Is your hand okay?" He asked with the utmost concern.
Obviously, her hand was not okay. Rocky’s body and muscles were firm as a rock! However, Ava would literally die before she accepted that fact.
She continued hitting him till Rocky dashed out of her reach, heaving.
"My wife is very feisty!"
Ava dropped her hand and shook her head, glaring at him.
"Okayyyyyy!!!!" Rocky raised his hands up high and added, "I mean, my future wife is feisty!"
"What the hell? Rocky?"
With his still intact, innocent expression, he asked, "Is that making you fall harder in love with me?"
Ava gave up, looking at him across the room then. Just then, his phone rung and he picked it up, on loudspeaker:
"Hello, Mr Rockwell Wendover,"
"I am your assigned personal banker from T-Vino Island Bank."
"Personal banker? I don’t have anyone like that. I think you called the wrong number."
He exchanged glances with Ava and made to hang up, but then,
"It’s not a wrong number, Sir. You have been upgraded to tier II in our bank, and as such, a personal banker like me would be at your service to assist you with anything you may need...."
Rocky’s mouth hung open before realization dawned on him.
"Ermmm... Mr Banker, I will call you back."
Rocky hung up and immediately dialled Ian’s number. However, it was Currey who picked up. In no time, the banking stuff was forgotten, and they both sped to the hospital.
The same was true for Geneva and the people in the estate as well. Currey had been their source of information. If it had been left with Ian, they would never have known it!
Shelby lay there and allowed them to fuss around her. She had never been that cared for by anyone in her life, and that thought alone made her eyes well up with tears.
"Step back from my wife!"
They all stopped and turned to Ian.
He had only stepped out briefly, only to come to meet all of them crowded around her.
Noticing that her eyes welling up with tears, Ian signalled Currey to drive them all out.
He walked up to her and swiftly gathered her into his arms, holding onto her tightly.
Outside the room, Geneva peered into the small transparent window about the size of a palm that was on the door. She smiled and stepped back, not paying attention to any of the children, the sniffing Suzie or even the worried brother and friend. To Geneva, Shelby was okay; her son was out and in the arms of the woman she had chosen. With that, nothing could be better than that in her life!
Her husband, Alex, shook his head as if privy to her thoughts. They had all had a shake from the supposed accident. However, seeing Shelby, Alex could not shake off the feeling that his son had not told them everything.
’Anyway, he knows what he is doing...’
"I thought you were gone ...." Ian began, his voice cracking up.
’...just like her!’ He added the last part in his head, not trusting that it was prudent to say them out loud. However, his core had been shaken so badly that he was still not himself at that moment.
He hugged her so tight, but Shelby just felt reassured. She was not stifled at all.
Ian pushed her back and started examining her wounds. They were not deep, but she was physically bruised all over. He did not ask her anything, as her shadow guardian had already briefed him. It had taken all of his restraint not to have crushed that thing to death. However, Ian knew that there was a bigger threat out there for his Elfin, and that was more important than crushing this shadow bodyguard.
However, that did not mean that Murray would go scott-free. He unknowingly increased the strength of his hold on her as his mind revisited the issue.
Ian let go as if he had been stung!
"Are you okay? I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?"
Shelby shook her head, indicating that she was okay.
Ian pushed down her hospital gown, showing more bruises. She had been unconscious for several hours, heightening his anxiety. It was already nighttime. When she had been unconscious, everyone had stayed away from him for obvious reasons. Even Ian’s parents thought it weird with his attachment to her.
Ian took her hands and kissed the reddened swellings gently. He did the same with the ones on her arms, kissing his way up to her neck, then her cheeks. Ian’s eyes tinged again; the grey irises paled out just as he kissed her soft lips. He pulled her gently closer and lightened the kiss, his mouth barely brushing up over hers but still driving her crazy with his kissing antics.
"We are in the hospital, Ian..." She whispered.
"I know!" However, he made no move to stop; he pushed her slightly on the bed, and Shelby’s heart raced, thinking of what was to come while nervously glancing at the door.
Thank you so much to all for your votes and comments! I hope we can keep it up ^_^
Support the author by reading only on NovelHub :) ~Uploaded only on NovelHub by Loctovia ~