Nnadia looked out her balcony window wondering how Joey was doing in the hospital. She was really worried since she's had no contact with them. Leon comes up from behind her and wraps his arms around her waist. He kisses her tenderly on the shoulders. She moves somewhat uncomfortable because she has her mind on her sisters.
"Something wrong?" he asked.
"I want to visit Joey in the hospital." She says sadly. "But it's hard." She says realizing the Wong brothers probably have people around protecting her emergency room.
Leon smiled. "Joey's okay." He told her confidently.
"How do you know?" she asked puzzled.
"I knew you'd be worried for her so I got you this." He said handing her a remote control..
She looked at it puzzled then walked over to the TV and turned it on. To her astonishment the screen showed Joey's hospital room with Joey laying in the bed. Stephen and Nic sat besides her with a few of Ekin's men guarding the hospital room. Nnadia watched the TV for 10 minutes with tears in her eyes.
"Thank you." she said reaching for Leon's hands and kissing them softly. Then she looked at him and asked, "How'd you get this?" She continued to watch the tape sitting on the sofa in front of it.
Leon sat on the edge of the sofa arm as she laid her head on his lap above her. "I had the hospital mechanic install a microchip surveillance camera in the room." He informed her.
At times like this she couldn't help falling more in love with Leon. The things he did for her were always so sweet and caring. He gave her a life she could only have in her dreams. He knew what she wanted before she even asked. She looked up at him happily.
Suddenly, Hawick Lau who was Leon's loyal follower came rushing in. Nnadia and Leon were startled. "Has something happened?"? Leon asked standing up from the sofa arm.
Nnadia held onto Leon's hands afraid that something happened to her sisters. The number one thing Nnadia had in her heart was always her sisters. Actually all the sisters did. After everything they've been through together their bond was very special.
Hawick looks at Nnadia unable to speak. He doesn't know how to say it without her getting up to strangle him. Leon notices him looking at Nnadia and realizes it's about her sisters. "Let's go into my office to talk." He says to avoid Nnadia going hysterical. Leon starts to walk out and Hawick waits for him.
But Nadia is smarter than that. "If it's about my sisters I want to hear it!" she demands.
Leon halts in his steps and realizes he should let her know too. "Go ahead and tell us what just happened." Leon orders Hawick and steps closer to Nnadia just in case the news is too terrible to bear.
Hawick looks around the room for a second and then blurts out, "Alex and Francis abducted Kristy and Ada to kill Louis and Ekin. But the Wong brothers arrived in time to save them Only problems is...." he hesitated for a moment before continuing. "During the battle Alex and Francis wounded Ada and Kristy. They're in critical condition right now." He said quickly.
Nnadia didn't say anything nor did she go crazy. All she did was fall back onto the sofa. Leon walked closer to her then bent down to say something comforting, but before he could say anything she threw her arms around him hugging him tightly, now all three of her sisters were in the hospital. She couldn't keep her promise to them; she couldn't give them a better life. She closed her eyes thinking she had failed.
Leon embraced her in his arms. Then after a brief moment he looked to Hawick and said, "Prepare the car, we're going to the hospital." Hawick nodded and immediately went to prepare everything.
Nnadia looked at Leon hesitantly. Her eyes became huge. She didn't know what she was thinking. She was confused not able to sort her emotions. If she showed up now, everything she has done would be wasted. If she didn't go to the hospital she'd regret it forever if anything happened to her sisters. She didn't resist Leon and let him led her to the closet. Confusion and fatigue swept over as her, her emotions were mixed.
Leon grabbed a coat and put it gently on her. "It's cold at the hospital." he said and without asking her he lifted her up to carry her to the car. Nnadia hugged him as to thank him for reading her mind for understanding how she felt and for doing all this for her.
Leon placed her into the backseat and got in after her. They headed out to the hospital. He looked over at her and her eyes were not the same he had looked into three years ago. There was nothing left to her eyes; the sparkle in them faded. He looked at her face which was pale with anxiety. Her body was thinner and more fragile than before. The toll her life and revenge had cost her gave him this feeling of guilt and anguish because he had helped her..
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
Meanwhile... Louis and Ekin had carried Ada and Kristy to the hospital emergency room. The doctors and nurses took them into the emergency room. Ekin was in ignoring his cell phone in the Eiffel Tower because he was busy with all the action going on. Now that things were calmer he checked to find out Jerry had called him more than 20 times so he quickly called Jerry back.
* : * : * BEGIN PHONE CALL * : * : *
"Why did you call?" Ekin asked
"Stephen confirmed it was Leon behind the attack on Jordan's mansion." Jerry informed him.
"How did he do it?" Ekin asked pacing back and forth around the hospital while Louis was anxiously waiting for the doctors to come out.
"He bribed Nicky, Chris, Marco, and Steven Ma (Nnadia's fake boyfriend), Shu-Qi and Stephen so it looked like Simon, Francis and Alex were the attackers. Then we would go after them instead of him." Jerry explains.
Ekin nods as he speaks into the receiver. "Makes sense but what about Steven and Shi-Qi? Weren't they having an affair behind Nnadia's back? I remember seeing them together at my casino one time." Ekin asked confused and scared of the answer.
"Stephen wasn't sure but he guessed that Shi-Qi was used for you to fall for Nnadia and become too preoccupied or something from thinking rationally an logically. That way you couldn't concentrate on him being the prepertrator." Jerry replied.
"Could Leon be responsible for the attack on my mansion too?" Ekin asked angrily. Thinking of Nnadia's death made him angry even though he wasn't sure about the corpse.
"I don't know, but it's a high possibility." Jerry replied.
"Okay anything else?" Ekin asked.
"Nope, that's all I have." Jerry replies.
"Okay I'll talk to you later, bye." Ekin says.
"Bye." Jerry says also.
* : * : * END PHONE CALL * : * : *
Ekin hung up the phone with Jerry and explained everything he knew to Louis. Louis listened but he was also still very concerned and preoccupied waiting for a doctor to come out of the emergency room. Minutes later two doctors come out of the emergency room. "Who are the family members of Kristy Lai and Ada Lai?" one of them asked.
Louis immediately stood up running to them. "I'm Ada's boyfriend." He said anxiously.
"I'm their brother-in-law." Ekin announced with much concern in his eyes. He was concerned he didn't keep his promise to Nnadia about keeping her sisters alive and well.
"I'm Dr. Ruth and this is Dr. Lim." The first doctor explained. Ekin and Louis nodded.
"Follow me to our office." Doctor Lim asked them as the two doctors lead the way.
"How about the girls?" Ekin asked.
"They're being transferred to a recovery room as we speak, please follow us." Dr. Lim said escorting them to his office.
As soon as they arrived into a large office shared by many doctors, they each took a seat opposite to the doctors. The doctors sat down solemnly showing Ekin and Louis unpleasant news was coming their way. "Both girls have been heavily wounded. They have survived the operation and getting the bullets out but..." Doctor Ruth explained with hesitation. After being a doctor so long, he still hesitated with bad news to family members of patients.
"BUT WHAT!"? Louis asked leaning over the desk pulling onto Doctor Ruth's shirt collar.
Ekin pulled his brother off. "Sorry, please continue." He asked wanting to know the rest of the situation. Louis let Doctor Ruth go and apologized.
"It's okay.' Doctor Ruth replied. "Both girls are in a coma. We don't know when they would wake up." He said as they looked at him worriedly. "Please be prepared if they never wake up." He finished softly.
Ekin's eyes widened. Louis shook his head. "What are you saying?" he asked even though he understood what Doctor Ruth told him.
Doctor Lim looked at him firmly. "We were able to save them from dying but we can't keep them living." He responded.
Ekin nodded, "I understand." he said and held firmly onto Louis who looked like he wanted to kill someone. Ekin was also very concerned and sadden by the situation but he knew he had to keep himself together.
Louis was blaming himself for not saving Ada and Kristy in time. He hated himself because they tried to save him. He wanted the person in the coma to be him not them. He was upset at himself for ruining the lives of two women.
"Kristy is in a very crucial moment." Dr. Ruth informed them. "If she doesn't live past tonight she won't make it." He informed them.
Ekin closed his eyes. A hint of sadness came over him for Nnadia's sake. He couldn't keep his promise to her.
"It's up to her will power to live, that's if she has any." Doctor Ruth finished. Louis was speechless. He didn't know what to say. Grief and sorrow took over any emotions he had left.
"You're Ada's boyfriend, right?" Doctor Lim asked knowing he was because he announced it earlier. Louis nodded his head unable to say a word. He still hated himself for everything that just happened. "She was shot many times in the back and one of the bullets hit her spine." Doctor Lim informed. Louis knew more dreadful news was coming his way. He leaned forward eager to listen.
Doctor Lim shook his head and let out a deep sigh. "Ada's probability of waking is higher than Kristy's but due to the spine injury, she could become disabled from the waist down or become totally immobile when she wakes up." He informed Louis.
Ekin felt his heart beat slower. He treated them like his own sisters since he loved Nnadia so much. He took a deep breath and tried to stay calm.
Louis fell back against his chair. The news struck him too close to his heart. He stood up without saying anything to the doctors or Ekin. Ekin noticed and follows him as he thanked the doctors.
" No problem, call us if you need anything." Doctor Ruth said.
"We'll be following their case." Doctor Lim informed them.
"Thanks again." Ekin said before disappearing out of the office completely.
The two doctors looked at each other shaking their heads, even as experienced doctors, this case was far too complex, two sisters in an infinite coma at the same time. If one wakes up, she'd be paralyzed while the other, might not make it through the night. This was one of their saddest cases and they were determined to work harder with it.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
Annie looked at Frankie sleeping on the sofa across from her bed. She really didn't know who this man was and she couldn't remember who she was. Even though she'd admit he was handsome and she loved his interaction with her, she couldn't remember anything so she couldn't accept him. She only knew her name was Annie because she saw her name on the medical bracelet. As for her last name, her parents, and her friends she forgot everything. She looked around the hospital. It was so cold and scary.
She only had one set of clothing, so she changed into it then looked at Frankie who was still asleep. He must have been tired she thought to herself. She took the blanket to cover him as she left the room to sneak out of the place. She walked into the elevator to see Stephen staring at her. He had come from two floors above her which was where Joey's room was.
"What do you want!" she yelled at him.
"When did you recover?" Stephen asked not knowing she recovered from her coma.
"What's it to you!" she asked with an attitude.
Stephen looked at her with anger because she was still the same Annie, overly proud and confident. He hated her for abducting Joey as a hostage. "You better not do anything else to Joey or I'll kill you." he said threatening her thinking she was after revenge for Simon because he didn?t know she had amnesia.
"What the hell are you talking about?" she asked puzzled.
Stephen took out a gun pointing it at her head. He wanted to protect Joey and he blamed Annie for Joey's situation. He hated her for using Joey as her hostage.
"What the hell are you doing?" Annie asked somewhat afraid but still arrogantly. The life Simon gave her before allowed for her mischievous behaviors so when she recovered from her coma she had the spoiled arrogant attitude with people because the only thing she remembered was that her life was wild and crazy but she didn't know why.
"Making sure you follow your father." Stephen said dragging her out of the elevator once they reached the ground floor. He kept the gun hidden in her back so security wouldn't notice. She kept quiet because she was somewhat afraid.
Meanwhile Frankie had woken up and didn't see Annie. He looked around for her and when he didn't see her realized she must have snuck away because that's something she would have done. He knew her very well, so he ran to security asking if they saw her leaving. There he saw Stephen with Annie and freaked.
~ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ^ * ~
In the meantime Nnadia and Leon arrived at the hospital. Hawick parked 100 feet away from the hospital so Nbadia could think about entering or not. Nbadia looked nervously at it. Leon patted her on the back. "It's okay. Let's go." He said.
Nbadia nodded but as they were getting out of the car Louis had ran out of the hospital. Ekin followed closely behind him. Nnadia immediately backed into the car. She hasn't seen Ekin since she faked her death and even though she knew she might bump into him she still felt awkwardness when she saw him.
Leon looked at her reaction then followed her back into the car which was tinted all around. Hawick sat back in the driver's seat also. They were somewhat away from Ekin and Louis who didn't notice them because they were caught up in the situation of Ada and Kristy. Even if they were not, they couldn't see who was in the car 100 feet away from them because it was dark and the car was tinted.
"Where the hell are you going?" Ekin pulled on Louis trying to get him to calm down. Louis didn't answer him but shoved him away. Ekin was taken back. The have never fought in their lives yet now Louis was mad enough to shove him away. "What?s happened to you?" Ekin questioned.
Louis glared at him. "Don't you know what has happened!" he yell so loud Nnadia and Leon could hear him. "Ada and Kristy are in a coma! They might never wake up!" he yelled furiously at Ekin.
Nnadia's heart practically stopped and jumped out of her body. Tears came from her eyes as she listened to Louis. Leon pulled her closer to him. She cried unto his shirt.
Louis was still screaming. "It's my fault! If she wasn't trying to save me, Ada would be fine! If Kristy wasn't trying to help me, she?d be fine!" he yelled breaking down into tears.
Ekin pulled his brother together. "It's not your fault! They'll be okay!'"he yelled trying to get Louis calmed down.
"How could you say it wasn't my fault? It was entirely my fault!" Louis yelled shoving Ekin from him as if he wanted to fight with someone.
"Only person to blame is Alex, Francis or Marco, not you." Ekin said with reassurance.
"Why can't you tell yourself that about Ah-So (Nnadia)? Was it your fault or the attacker's fault?" Louis asked not to blame Ekin for Nnadia's death but just to find more excuses to blame himself for Kristy and Ada.
Nnadia looked back at them when she heard Louis mentioning her. Even though she has been listening to them yelling at each other she kept herself embraced in Leon's arms in fright about her sisters' conditions.
Ekin took a deep breath. "Nnadia died for me so it was my fault." He replied hating himself and finally understanding how Louis felt. "I will never forget Nnadia. And till the day I die, I will always cherish her. Because of this I have dedicated my life to keeping my promise to her." He replied placing an arm on Louis's shoulders. "So if you love Ada and care about Kristy, let's go take care of them for the women we love and care for." He advised.
Nnadia heard these words and was stunned. Her heart was tied her emotions even more confused. She wanted to hate Ekin but at the moment couldn't. Leon heard these words and was afraid Nnadia would drift away even further from him than she already had.
Copyright © Nov. 2, 2003
IiI Sorrow IiI
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