Arabel's POV
If I didn't know better, I would have believed it the moment the words rolled out of Eve's mouth.
“Richard and I are married in secret. I have the evidence in case you have your doubts,” she announce confidently, making Ashley's jaws drop.
But I am not moved. Nor intimidated.
“What rubbish are you spewing? Richard cannot marry a wh*re like you!” Mother retorts sharply, making me think she wants to believe what she is saying.
“Ouch!” Eve pretends to feel hurt by her words. “Well, he is married to that wh*re now.”
Eve turns slowly and leaves our presence with the doctor, leaving us helpless. Mother curses loudly and begins to make some calls while I stand rigid.
Obviously, Eve recognizes me. Eve recognizes me not just now, but also when we were in the elevator an hour ago. That leaves us with one thing: this is planned.
This is all planned.
The reaction from me. And Richard's determination to chase after me and explain everything to me.
Perhaps she is also responsible for the accident. If she isn't, how did she manage to be at the accident scene?
At first, I thought it was Alex's doing, but now I believe it is more of Eve's than Alex's.
Instead of sitting down and thinking of a solution, like the others who are already whispering possible solutions to each other, I walk towards the way the doctor and Eve took.
I am supposed to allow her to sign the papers so they can proceed with whatever treatment is needed to heal Richard, but I am not assured this is even right.
We don't know what treatment it is or what damage it can do to him. Why, then, should a stranger sign that?
I'm sure my mother will call her lawyer, so that increases my confidence to barge into the doctor's office.
Eve shoots to her feet.
“This woman is not married to the patient. You have to let his mother sign it instead of her. If you don't do that, then I am afraid the police are already on their way to arrest you, and our lawyer is on his way too. If you insist on having a stranger sign on his behalf, you will reveal what she gave you, or what she promised you.”
My threat gets to him as he blinks a few times.
“What the hell…” Eve shouts, but I cut her short with a slap.
“One more word from you, and I will give you another,” I exclaim loudly, my heart racing. “You think you can waltz your way into his life again after what you did? You not only shattered our marriage, but you also caused him pain by sleeping with his best friend, didn't you? Well, I let you have him the first time, but I won't let you have him this time. Not even an inch away from him will you be. I have enough connections to ensure you stay behind bars for impersonation and attempted murder because I am so sure you planned this whole thing. In case you think I can't do that, imagine what will happen since I already have the dashcam of Richard's car.”
Her eyes widen.
I don't have any evidence, but I will get it.
“Richard is mine!” I yell, almost spitting into her face. When I turn back to the doctor, he is indecisive about who to help.
I grab the papers from him and read the content to realize how critical his situation is. When I am done, tears are already threatening to spill down my eyes again, but I force them back.
This hospital can't be trusted. No one here can be trusted. We have to do something, or they will kill him. Make him bedridden forever.
I grab the pen, too; fear runs through my body before rushing out.
“Caleb, call the police. Let's get Richard out of here this minute!” Panic strikes their faces, and Caleb rushes to meet me halfway.
“What is happening?” He demands with furrowed brows.
I can barely breathe now. Not out of breath, but because of the panic coursing through me. We need to save him.
“Just call the police, please,” I plead, breaking down.
Quickly, he gets to action, moving out. Mother continues to make calls until I heard her mention her lawyer's name. Ashley is pacing to and fro while I stand there with tears streaming down my eyes.
When my mother sees the paper in my hand, she drops the call and takes it from me, going through it.
She does not sign it either.
Before I know it, the sound of sirens fill the air, and Caleb comes back in.
“The ambulance is also here, let's transport him to the company's hospital," Mother mentions, making me nod in agreement.
My mind won't be at rest if he is still here. We can't even sign the paper because the terms are ambiguous.
Thankful for Caleb's presence, I sigh in relief and watch him make the police arrest both the doctor and Eve, who keeps struggling and shouting that she was married to Richard.
In your dreams, I thought within me.
It was only in her dreams that Richard would marry her.
When the ambulance leaves with Richard, who is still unconscious, Mother, Ashley, and I follow them in Caleb's car.
Thirty minutes later, we get to the hospital, and he is rushed into the ICU once more, making fear grip me.
As regret forms a jagged rock in my stomach, it twists into knots. My heart keeps slamming against my ribcage in force, preventing me from sitting still.
I shiver at the thought of what the doctor and Eve would have done to Richard behind our backs.
Grateful for the turn of events, I concentrate my mind on muttering words of prayer for Richard's survival. Eve will rot in jail if anything happens to him.
Remembering that I spoke about the dashcam in Richard's car, I rush to Caleb, who is on a call.
"Caleb, you need to retrieve the dashcam from Richard's car. This is the evidence we will use against Eve. She was at the scene of the accident, which is why she came in here with Richard.”
Caleb's brow furrows in confusion. “But we don't know where the accident happened.”
The knot in my throat pulls tighter upon realization.
Shit!
"We can ask either Eve or the doctor, but you and I know they won't tell us.We probably need to convince the police to assist us in obtaining the information from them.” He suggests.
“True,” I agree. "There's no sign of the guy who called me. He would have been of great help.”
“Let me go to the police. I will be right back,” he informs me before moving close to peck his wife and going out.
Hugging my body to myself, we wait.
Mother is sitting on the reception chair, deep in thought. Ashley is also sitting next to her, looking pale with worry, while I am pacing to and fro with the unsettling feeling inside of me.
My eyes have dried up. I have exhausted all my tears.
I can only hope and pray for the best. A second chance.
At love and life.
The doctor who treated me the other day when I lost consciousness in Richard’s office appears. From his expression, I can't tell if everything is fine or not, so I trot towards him, suddenly feeling weak.
“Doctor,” Mother is on her heels too. “How is he? What is happening? Is he going to be fine?”
“Mrs. Giodano,” the doctor regards her with a nod.
“Is he okay, Doctor?” The doctor turns to me, a flicker of recognition darting across his expression.
Ashley is beside me, but silent.
“Is he okay?”
“Is he okay?”
Mother and I chorus simultaneously with impatience.
When he shakes his head, I almost lose my balance until he announces. “I'm afraid he is in a coma.”
“What?!”