Melissa sat beside the hospital bed the whole night watching over Lisa. Waiting for the sedative drug to wear off. When Lisa passed out from shock and intense pain, Melissa was worried about her. She was afraid of losing her, but the surgery was successful.
They removed the bullet and though it slightly missed her heart; the doctor assured them she would recover in a few days. It caused no major damage.
"Don't wake her up." With her eyes closed, Melissa heard the hushed voices.
Slightly opening her eyes, she found herself lying on the visitor's bed.
She very well remembered sitting beside Lisa's bed before falling asleep. As she got up, she saw Mark and Robert in the room charting with Lisa.
"Lisa, you are awake. How do you feel? Did you call.....?" Anxious Melissa inquired, rushing to Lisa's side.
"Calm down. The doctor already examined her. How are you feeling?" Mark held her hand before she got to Lisa. Pulling her into his arms, he examined her. "Tell me, did you get hurt?" He questioned, caressing her cheeks.
"No, I'm fine." She smiled at him. "I'm glad you're here." She said, falling into his embrace.
"Sorry, I was not there to protect you." Kissing her forehead, he held her tightly to his chest.
"Ahem!" As the two started kissing, Robert cleared his throat. Reminding them they had company. "I suggest you two get a room." He teased them, glancing at Lisa. Who shyly looked away.
The police found the vehicle used to get away touched to ashes miles from the city. They reported it stolen a few days before and though the owner gave a picture of the persons involved in the attack; they apprehended no one. After taking statements from Lisa and everyone at the venue, they formally opened an investigation.
"Never do that. I thought I lost you." Melissa strongly warned Lisa when Mark and Robert left the room.
"Melissa, you are like a sister to me. I did what you would have done for me. Ouch!" She winced when Melissa hugged her.
"Sorry! You are such a crybaby yet you're taking bullets for me." She poked her hand making them both laugh.
"I love you. I'll take a bullet for you again if I have to."
"Oh Lisa, I love you too." Melissa sniffed hugging Lisa again. "I'm so sorry you got hurt because of me."
"You like her." Standing outside the door, Mark glanced at Robert as they watched the two women laugh in tears.
"Who? Me, like Lisa? No, I'm just glad your wife is okay. You're the one who asked me to come along, anyway." Robert scratched his head looking away.
"I saw the way you looked at her just now. Don't tell me you admire my wife." Mark taunted him to admit his feelings for Lisa.
"Come on, man. Stop messing with me. I know what you're trying to do."
After a week they discharged Lisa and Melissa took her to the Villa. She took full responsibility, promising Lisa's parents that she would look after her when they insisted on going back home to the province with her. Convincing them, Betty stayed in the city to make sure the two were safe.
....
Leaving the courthouse, Melissa came face to face with Jessica and her godmother.
They arraigned Mr Steven in court for the mentioning of the case. His family had tried several times to meet Melissa, but her security always stopped them.
"Are you okay?" Mark asked her when she stopped looking at Mr. Steven as the police escorted him to the transport vehicle.
"Melissa, Melissa, please hear me out." Her godmother called from behind, rushing towards them.
"Lydia, stay away from my niece. Your family has done enough." Betty stopped her standing before Melissa protectively.
"I only want her to talk to Steven, Betty. He will explain everything that happened. Please visit him once. That's all I request of you." Mr Stevens' wife pleaded, but Melissa left without a word.
Watching from a distance, Diana sneered as she walked away without meeting her family.
….
Her godmother kept calling and texting, urging her to meet Mr Steven until she decided to.
"Thank you for visiting me." Mr. Steven said, sitting before Melissa in the visitor's room with a warden standing by the door.
"I have one question, please answer me truthfully." She spoke, staring at him.
"Do ask."
"Did you have my parents killed to cover your tracks?" Melissa asked, leaning forward on the table.
"I'm sorry for everything I put you through, but I would never kill. Your father was very kind to offer me a job after the scandal at my former job. I would never hurt them."
"Then why did you run the company down? Didn't you hurt them by doing so?" She asked, raising her hands.
"I was only protecting my family. They threatened to kill Diana and my whole family if I didn't traffic their goods. Please believe me." He said, remembering the phone call.
He could hear Diana screaming for help over the phone as those men tortured her. "When your father started investigating my office, they asked me to do all I could to run the company down. I talked Mr Crack into convincing your father to take a loan for business expansion. And with Crack's help, I redirected all the money to my account. Which I used to establish my transport company." He explained, looking at his hands ashamed when he saw the pain in Melissa's eyes.
"You stole from my dad, yet you say someone ordered you? Stop lying. The evidence shows clearly what you did." She said, slapping the table hard, making the warden walk towards them.
"Yes, I defrauded your father. Only because someone ordered me to. Please trust me, Melissa. I only did that to protect my family."
"Who ordered you?" She asked, furrowing her eyebrows.