72-Congratulations
Sarah’s pov (1 Week Later)
It had been exactly one week since the blast. A gas cylinder blasted in Ice cream Heaven. Ashley Walters was still in a coma, but
doctors were very positive about her recovery.
Her friends‘ eyes had swelled up due to excessive crying. Aniya, who used to be her orphanage friend, and Evelyne who was
her employer at Ice cream Heaven. She luckily survived the attack because according to her statement to the police, she went
out to buy mayonnaise as that night they kind of fell
short on it.
Ashley Walters! A girl who changed my life forever was now lying there with a lifeless body on that hospital bed.
Three days back she was on a ventilator but later, she started responding to the medicines. I still remember Shella was the one
who woke me up when she saw the news of the blast on TV.
Without bothering to change my clothes or look for Justin, I straight away went to the hospital. Justin had already advised the
medical staff to take care of her. He was ready to move her to some other country if needed for advanced medical facilities.
I hardly went back home for relaxing or taking my sleep. Every time I used to shut my eyelids, Ashley Walters young face used to
pop up before my eyes.
She could be my rival and I could be her enemy. But I was a human too. I was not evil. I was not selfish enough to leave the girl
dying just like that.
“Coffee!” A coffee cup before my eyes brought me back to the hospital corridor with a strong smell of
disinfectant.
“Thanks, Marwick!” Along with me, my brother had been there like a rock. When I did not want to go home, he used to force me
and promise me that he will stay there for Ashley’s sake.
Like me, he was also very disturbed..
“She is such a sweet girl, Sarah. Don’t worry. She will be alright. All healthy. Laughing like before.” I did not respond to him and
took a sip of my hot black coffee.
“May I ask you something?” he was still observing me.
“Don’t, Marw! Just don’t.” The tears started slipping down my cheeks, “I know you are just wondering why I am so worried for
that freakin girl. The answer is... I Don’t Know! I don’t know Marw!”
Circling his arm around me, he tugged my head under his chin, “Shh. She will be fine. Doctors are quite hopeful.”
I did not know for how long we stayed like that.
“You should go home. I can ask Keith to drop you,” I quickly lifted my head from his chest and wiped my face.
“I am good. I don’t want to go home now.”
used to send me home for a shower and sleep.
All I used to do was stay awake and panic. What if something happened to that girl? Was it happening due to my hatred towards
her? Was it my negative energy towards her?
I was busy thinking when I felt chaos in the corridor.
A few doctors and nurses were running inside Ashley’s room.
I held my brother’s arm, “Marwick!”
Aniya and Evelyne were also looking at the doctors rushing to her room.
“What exactly is going on here?” Marwick asked in a no–nonsense tone, “Can someone please explain us?”
A nurse who was rushing inside stopped for an instant, “the girl had got consciousness.”
With that, she went inside. With a sinking heart, I tightly gripped my brother’s wrist. He immediately
covered my hand with his other one.
“Is
is she awake?” her friend Evelyne asked me with a ray of hope in her eyes.
Both Marwick and I nodded at her.
“Mr. Deluca!” the head doctor who came out of the room called.
“He is not here.” I quickly went to him, “We... we are her family. How is she?”
“Good news is her scans are satisfactory. She responded to our queries. Her vision is perfect. Her headaches are natural but
would get better with time. She was lucky that she landed on a pile of soft
sand otherwise her prior concussion could have gotten a lot worse.”
“Can we meet her?” For some reason, I was crying along with Aniya and Evelyne.
“One by one!” he smiled, “Don’t take too long. No need to let her know any such thing that might give her
stress.”
“You can go first,” I turned to Evelyne, “Just don’t... discuss anything else...” I finished awkwardly.
After they came back with smiling faces, I looked back towards Marwick. He nodded his head in encouragement and pushed me
inside.
She was occupied with tubes and machines. There were beeps and buzzing sounds.
She must have felt my presence because she opened her eyes and then fluttered them close, “Hey!” I called her softly.
She just smiled and I did not know why tears again started falling down my eyes.
She was the one in the hospital bed all injured... not able to move. Yet just look at her face. All brave and all happy.
Here I was at my weakest. Not able to control my tears.
Justin was popular among business gurus for having an instinct about people just by looking at their faces. I think now I was
realizing why he fell for her.
think she drifted to sleep.Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm
After sitting there for a few more minutes, I tried getting up when her hold around my hand tightened.
“I will be back soon, Ashley.” I told her softly, “you just take your rest.”
She must have understood me because her grip around my hand loosened.
When I came out, I planned to go home and change. Maybe now I might get my long–awaited sleep.
On our drive back home, we both were quiet, “Marwick?”
“Hmm?” He responded while driving.
“Can you find an apartment for me?” he turned his face to look at me. There were questions in his eyes, “I
need to move out of Deluca’s mansion.”
“No kidding!”
“I am serious. That’s the best I can do! For the time being, I can live with Shella and Nadia.”
Thankfully, he did not ask me any more questions. And I was in no position to answer any of it.
Once we reached home, the first thing I did was pack my bags. Something I must have something a long time back.
It was not an easy decision to give up on Justin Deluca but not anymore. I had accepted my defeat. I didn’t think, my love for him
would ever diminish.
However, now i didn’t want to run after a man who was just a silhouette to me. Keith was right. I would buy a new apartment,
would take time to pack up my business, and then fly to my hometown. All of it should not take more than a year.
I guess it was time to say goodbye to Justin Deluca and the Deluca mansion. This was the right time. Once she would be back,
Justin and Ashley could start a new life together.
After packing my luggage, I fell on the bed with my face down and started crying hiding my face under the pillow.
Oh, Justin. I will miss you. It was never about that girl, Justin. It was about you. I am stepping back because you fell for her. And
all I wanted from my life was to see you happy. I don’t think I will ever be able to love someone else.
I didn’t know when I dozed off and how long I slept. I woke up with my phone ringing. With my eyes still closed, my hand fished
for my phone and found it under my pillow.
“Hello!” I said in a sleepy voice.
“Sarah? Where are you?” The voice sounded familiar.
“Who is this?” I moved away my hair from my half–opened eyes and sat up.
“Hey, it’s me Shella. Did you hear about it? Congratulations girl. You have won! Justin is yours!”
Frowning to myself I looked at my phone again, “Shella! Wh... what do you mean?” I tried rubbing sleep off my eyes. I hoped she
was not drunk or something.
“I just talked to Alex.” She said excitedly.
“Alex? Who Alex?” I scratched my head and tried to stifle a yawn.
“Oh, Sarah! Wake up, girl. I am talking about Alex. Justin’s assistant. He just told me what Justin is going
to do.”
“Ok.” I sighed, “What is he going to do?”
“Justin just asked Alex to prepare the Divorce decree. He is divorcing Ashley Walters.“