Chapter 33 Fractures & Bandages

Both Ayden and Bryan were waiting outside the ER, while the doctor was checking on her. Bryan was pacing while Ayden was standing still, staring at the room continuously. Mom called several times and wanted to come there but Bryan resisted.

Bryan wanted to confront his brother, but stayed silent. Eve was in a condition, he had normally seen their enemies in. Even if she was their enemy, Ayden had no right to do so.

He felt guilty for not being able to help Eve. Both of them waited eagerly for the doctor to come out.

“How’s she?” Both of them asked in unison when the doctor came out.

“She is still unconscious. The injuries on her body are taken care of. Now, we’re waiting for the test results.” The doctor was about to say more when Ayden cut her off.

“What test results?”

“To check for internal bleeding and fractures.” The doctor replied.

“Will she be fine?” Bryan asked.

“She is badly injured, I’ll only tell after the results.” She replied, straightly.

Now, it was Ayden’s turn to stand frozen. After the doctor left, Bryan had no reason to stop. He pulled Ayden by his collar and confronted him.

“Are you happy now? This was what you wanted. You tried to fucking kill her!” No words came out of Ayden’s mouth.

“Remember the day that girl saved your life. In this way you have repaid her favour?”

“You know what, you would’ve killed her that day only!” He shouted at him and walked away.

Bryan was very angry at him and he wasn’t wrong. Even he was angry at himself. The way his brother treated Eve was no less than that of a ruthless monster.

Even though she did wrong according to him, still he shouldn’t have behaved like that. Bryan was right, he was going to kill her today. And now, he was guilty of what he did to her.

As morning turned to night, Ayden grew even more worried. It was so long and she was still unconscious. He didn’t know when she’d open her eyes but he was sure about one thing that if something happened to her, he would never be able to forgive himself.

He never cared about her feelings and imposed his views on her. Now that she was in a condition like this and that too, because of him he realised how important she has become for him. Just thinking that something might happen to her was enough to make him frightened.

Both of them went to see the doctor. The doctor was looking into some reports and didn’t look at them. They sat down on the chairs and waited for the doctor to say something.

“She is still unconscious but will wake up after some time. The bruises and other external injuries will heal with time. She fractured several bones all over her body and that’s alarming. It will take quite some time to heal completely.”

Ayden’s face turned pale after hearing that. Although he was relieved that she was fine and will wake up anytime soon, the news that she got multiple fractures scared him.

“Can you tell us in detail about the fractures?” Bryan asked the doctor only to make Ayden feel more guilty.

“Her left shoulder is dislocated. She has fractured bones in two of her toes in the left foot and right hand index finger. Also, her back is severely injured but fortunately there aren’t any fractures.”

Ayden stood up and walked outside while Bryan was still with the doctor asking about other things.

Eve’s eyes opened suddenly and she looked here and there. She didn’t realise why she was in the hospital. It was as if she forgot everything. The nurse saw her and went outside to call the doctor.

But after a second, she recalled everything and tears came out of her eyes. She wanted to believe that everything she suffered from the past few months was a bad nightmare and when she woke up, she’d be fine.

But the reality was harsh. She was still with that monster.

The doctor came immediately and looked at the girl lying on the bed. Even though she couldn’t do anything to report them, the injuries on her made her furious.

The doctor checked her vitals and then caressed the part of her face that wasn’t bruised. She felt pity for her. Eve was in tears but all the doctor could do was to tell her that everything’s going to be okay.

“I…I want to… sit.” She whispered in pain.

“No, you shouldn’t. Take a rest, it will help you to get better quickly.” The doctor advised.

She didn’t listen to her and tried to get up on her own. The doctor signalled the nurse and she helped her.

Eve cried because of the pain. Her body trembled because of the injuries. She looked away when the doctor gave her an injection and continuously looked there.

“You can meet her.” The doctor said to Bryan giving them permission to meet her after some time.

It was late at night when both the brothers entered the room where she was in. She was looking away at the adjacent wall. Bryan walked towards her, maintaining a proper distance from her while Ayden stood at the door. He could see one side of her face from there. She was covered in bandages.

“Eve, are you fine?” Bryan asked, his voice taking her back in reality.

She didn’t say anything but looked at him. His face fell once he saw her. The black eye and her bruised cheek made her look pitiable. Also there were several small cuts on her face and lips.

Bryan looked at Ayden who was also looking at her in shock. All of a sudden, Eve glanced at Ayden and her breathing became heavy. She was angry.

“STAY…AWAY FROM ME! GET OUT!” She screamed at him.

Ayden walked towards her in order to comfort her, but she got scared now. She screamed even more loudly telling him to stop. Then, she put both of her hands on her face and looked down, trying to ignore his presence.

“Don’t come…don’t come closer!” Her whole body trembled in fear. All she could think of was how brutally he tortured her.

Ayden left the room, looking at her one last time. She was very scared and was covering her face with her hands.

“He is gone, Eve. Don’t worry, he will not come here.” He assured her and she looked up slowly, looking at the place where he was before. When she was finally sure that he left, she looked at Bryan with tear filled eyes.

“Do you want something?” He asked, walking a little closer to her.

“No.” She replied.

“I’m sorry, Eve.” Bryan said what he was actually feeling. The condition she was in was all his brother’s fault but he also felt bad for not able to help her.

She didn’t speak. After some time when he was walking away from the room, Eve spoke.

“Can… you ask Laura.. to come?”

“She is on her way.” Bryan replied. And then, he walked away. Ayden was standing outside. Bryan glared at him for a second and then went to the doctor’s room to ask about her discharge from the hospital.

Laura came after some time with a man, crying all the way to the hospital. She entered the room where Eve was. Once she saw her, a shiver ran down her spine.

She immediately ran towards her and hugged her lightly. Eve cried in her arms and then slept like this only. Laura made her lie down on the bed while she sat next to her.

Caressing her hair, she felt immense sadness for her. She is such a nice girl and her only friend. The thought that Ayden did that to her, made her blood boil in anger.

The next day, Eve was discharged from the hospital. It was made sure by Bryan that Eve doesn’t see Ayden. They reached home while Bryan helped her to sit on the wheelchair.

Mom was eagerly waiting to see her and when she did, it broke her heart. She started crying, looking at her when Bryan came and held her.

Mom already shouted at Ayden for torturing her like that. She was ashamed and guilty for what Ayden did to her. She was unable to look her in the eyes.

Eve said nothing after coming from the hospital. She started hyperventilating when she entered her room. All the memories came back in front of her eyes.

Laura came and hugged her, caressing her back softly. With a lot of courage, she went inside the room which looked fine now. It was as if nothing happened there.

Laura helped her to get off from the wheelchair and she laid down. She stayed there for the whole time. She was served food in the room. It was night time and she slept because of the medication effects but kept on waking up because of the pain.

At midnight, Ayden came inside the room. Laura saw him entering and stopped him from coming to her.

He didn’t see her the whole day and was now missing her. He knew he did wrong but there was no way it could be changed. All they could do was to move on from that.

“Leave this room.” He ordered Laura.

“I’m told to not leave this room. Please sir, you should go.” Laura said in a calm tone, even though she wanted to shout at him.

“I don’t like to repeat myself.” Ayden said, totally annoyed. With one final angry look, Laura was forced to leave the room.

He locked the room and laid beside Eve, looking at her. The moonlight from outside shone on her face. Her beautiful face was bruised and swollen.

She groaned in her sleep and her eyes opened. Ayden kept on staring at her. She rubbed her eyes from the right hand and then looked at her side.

It was him. She was alone in the room with him, the thought made her shake like a leaf.

“No……” she shouted, looking at him.

He moved closer to her and hugged her gently, while she was shivering in fear.

“Don’t move. You’ll hurt yourself.” He said, caressing her back lightly.

“I…. I’m already.. hurt.” She whispered, which he heard. It made him sad.

He drew back from her and looked at her face and she looked away in order to avoid any eye contact.

“Please… don’t hit me! Don’t.” She uttered in fear.

“I will not hit you, baby. Don’t be scared. Sleep.” Again, he moved closer to her and kissed her forehead. Caressing her back, he didn’t leave her side.

‘Just this night, Ayden. And then I’ll never see your face again.’ She thought before closing her eyes.

She thought of Grace and felt sad. She wanted to take the little girl with her. But it wasn’t possible. Even if Freya didn’t take care of her, she was relieved by the fact that Grace had his father who loved her unconditionally.

She was waking up again and again because of the discomfort due to the injuries. Every time she woke up, Ayden caressed her back lightly to show how caring of a husband he was. That’s what he always did.

First, slap a person’s cheek and then caress it to justify it. The only difference being that he did a lot more than just slapping.