I just kept looking at him while he was still sound asleep. I couldn't help but be upset again when I saw the wounds on his face and arms. The doctor said that he also had broken ribs and bones in various parts of his body and it was a miracle that he was still alive. Hector was beaten up badly. There was a trace of agony on his face even though he was fast asleep. Who did this to him?
“Ana, you should rest, too. If you want, I will ask someone here in the hospital to transfer your bed here, so that you can be comfortable.” I heard Leon tell me, so I turned to him and just nodded.
He didn't say a word and left. I looked back at Hector. I bit my lower lip and couldn't control myself anymore. I slowly climbed into bed and lay down next to him. I still wince because of the wound on my shoulder. Before I could finally hug him, I stared at the bandage on his body. I burst into tears and hugged him tightly.
I didn't even know what happened to him. I totally thought he was somewhere else with Ayanna because that’s what Ares told me even that Hans. Why does he look like this? Who did this to him? What happened to him while we were not together? I feel like I could have accepted that Ayanna and he would have been together more than this. Just like what happened to me, I think he was tortured, too. The scars on his body, arms, and thighs were no joke. But even so, it can also be seen in his body that he fought. What the hell is happening here?
For a few more moments, I could only hear sobs in that room even the sound of the machine attached to him. I felt the movement of the hand I was holding, so I was alert and quickly looked up at him. My eyes watered when I saw him staring at me with a small smile on his face.
"H-Hector!" I exclaimed and cried again. “W-what happened? Why… Who did this to you?”
"I-I'm sorry…" he said in his hoarse voice so I was stunned and looked up at him again. His eyes were full of guilt as he looked at me.
“I-I’m sorry I didn’t get to protect you. I'm sorry I was late… again. I'm sorry, Solei. I'm sorry,” he said repeatedly and his eyes finally blinked because of the tears that came out of there.
There was some kind of pain that drew in my heart as I watched him. He was so remorseful that he started to cry like this. Only now have I seen this side of him. I always see him as a cold, stone-hearted man. I don’t know how I’m going to feel but I feel like I’m hurting too.
“I fucking tried to save you. God knows how I fucking tried to escape dad just to save you from that demon-ass fucker, but I failed. When I heard you escaped and were in the hospital, I did everything just to escape, too. I am so thankful that you are safe now. I'm so sorry, baby…” He pleaded with me and hugged me tightly as I felt his repeated kiss on my head.
But that's not what caught my attention - if not what he said about his escape from his dad. What does he mean?
I grabbed his arm around me and tried to look at him. "Your dad did this to you?" I couldn't believe I asked him.
He still hadn’t let go of me and seemed to be resting on my head. I could hear his heart pounding and his heavy breathing.
“I was on my way to Ares' villa the night you vanished when he suddenly called me. He said it was an emergency so I went home, but he locked me up in our warehouse. I tried to escape but his men beat me to death and let everyone know that I left the city with Ayanna, including mom,” he explained to me.
I was stunned when I heard that. I don’t know if I will believe that Don Damien can do this to him. I didn't understand anything so I couldn't speak anymore as I felt Hector's gentle caress on me. I still want to ask him - I still want to ask him a lot but I don’t know how.
Just like Ares said that he is the leader of the Black Lotus Organization which is a big enemy of our family and is also the reason why dad and mom are gone now.
Is that true?
“But don't worry, everything is under my control now. I will make sure they all pay for what happened, especially to you. I heard Ares shot you. Did that idiot do anything else to you?” He asked with a threatening voice.
In an instant, I lost sight of what I wanted to ask him and was replaced by fear. How can I tell him that I miscarried our child because of what happened? How can I tell him that Ares almost raped me?
My eyes bulged as I felt so much nervousness in my heart. I know I need to tell him - he should know about what happened but I'm scared. I was afraid of how he would react. I was afraid that I might be hurt even more by his reaction.
“Hey…” He called me softly and forced me to face him. His wide eyes met mine. That even though his face was full of bruises and wounds, his good-looking face remained.
How can I tell him about our unborn child that died because of his own brother? And how can I tell him about our Amari?
His eyes moved as if examining my whole being. That was even more filled with pleading.
“I’m so glad you’re safe. I'm so sorry for everything, baby. About what you heard that day in my office, it's true that Ayanna had a miscarriage. The only thing I didn't tell you was about going with her that night on her way home from the hospital. I'm sorry I lied to you, but I want you to know how much I love you truly, Solei. I will never forgive myself if something bad happens to you. I'd kill myself…” He gently said to me and quickly kissed my lips.
It was just shallow but deep. I was even more discouraged because of what he did. I could feel his relief when he saw me before he fainted earlier. I can't destroy that. But I also couldn’t afford not to tell him everything.
“Now tell me what happened. Everything. In detail,” he said and his expression was serious.
I bit my lower lip to suppress my emotions. I took his hand holding my cheek and kissed it along with my tears.
"H-He… almost raped me." My voice broke. I saw how Hector's expression darkened. Terror overtook his face. I closed my eyes tightly.
“A-and I…” I stopped for a minute and burst into tears. I bit my lip again to suppress my loud sob. This is killing me!
“I… I had a… I had a miscarriage, Hector. I didn't know I was pregnant. I miscarried our child. I-I'm sorry!” I declared and burst into tears like there is no tomorrow.
With the intensity of my sobbing, I just sank into his chest and there I shouted all the frustrations, agony, and pain I was feeling. I feel like my heart is burning again with so much pain. I feel like I'm being stabbed again and again. I can not do this. I just want to tear my chest apart and take my heart out of there. I don't want to feel anymore. I don’t want to be hurt anymore but it seems everyone around me intends to consume me and grind me to a fine grind.
I fell asleep crying so much and just woke up in Hector’s hospital bed alone. I would have panicked if Leon hadn't told me right away that Hector had just come out with his assistant. I was worried for a while because of his condition. He's not even well yet.
As soon as the door opened, I almost collapsed when I saw my daughter running towards me. This includes Via and Ulysses.
"Mommy!" She screamed and quickly hugged me tightly.
"Amari, baby," I said and lifted her then hugged her tightly. For a moment, I forgot what awaited me in that room by the time Hector returned.
“Sorry, Ana. She was crying. She really wants to see you. She was so worried and misses you so much,” Via apologized so I just frowned and nodded. Not knowing how to tell them who was there.
"It's okay, Vi," I replied and turned to my daughter who was still hugging me tightly.
“I missed you. I'm sorry mommy has been gone for so long. I'm so sorry, baby,” I whispered to her and kissed her on the head.
“It’s okay, mom. Mama Via said that you're safe and fine now, so it's okay,” she said in her small voice so I smiled. But I immediately lost that smile because of what Ulysses said.
“Did you move rooms? It doesn't seem like the last thing I saw before I left yesterday,” he commented so my chest immediately throbbed.
I saw Leon look at me quickly. Even though I couldn't answer, he followed up with another question that made me feel even more nervous.
“I heard Apollo's also here in the hospital. Have you talked yet? What happened to him? We also saw presses in the lobby downstairs. Right, Via?” He stated and turned to my friend who just nodded at me.
Again, I looked at Leon who was already wrinkled when he looked at me. He had no idea what was going on so maybe that's how he reacted. As I was about to have a heart attack.
Before I could finally answer, the door slammed again so we all looked there except for Amari who remained to hug me. A man I didn't know was thrown out and then Hector who was talking on his cell phone. He even has a crutch.
“I don’t fucking care! Do whatever you can to find that motherfucker and tell me right away! Don't stop!” Hector shouted at the person he was talking to without looking back at us. He looked back out of the room for a moment.
I saw how Via and Ulysses' eyes widened when they turned to look at me. I bit my lower lip as I almost fainted from extreme nervousness.
"We don't know…" Via said and glanced at my daughter.
“I’m fine, Uncle! These bruises are nothing compared to what happened to Solei and to my child. Just do whatever you can to find them and tell me right away to— ”
Hector stopped talking right after he met my gaze. I saw how he looked down at the girl in my arms who was turning in her direction. His forehead furrowed.
"I-I'll call you later," he said and turned off the call, and focused his gaze even more on me.
“What…” He didn't go on because he probably didn't know what to say. Even I didn't know what to say especially when Amari suddenly left me and finally faced him.
My heart almost went out of me as I waited for the next thing to happen. Everyone was silent during those times. Until I finally gasped when I heard what my daughter said.
“Daddy…” I heard her whisper and came down from me.
“Amari…” I called her.
"Daddy?" She kept saying which everyone heard.