Chapter 26
Raven's POV
The hospital waiting room was quiet, but the tension hanging in the air was suffocating. Mason paced back and forth, stopping every few minutes to stare at the door that led to where his father lay. He hadn’t sat down at all since we arrived, and he looked more disheveled than I had ever seen. His hands moved restlessly, running through his hair which was messy in a way that made him look sexier somehow.
Shaking my head to regain my composure, I watched him from the bench where I sat, holding Julie tightly as I tried to soothe her. Although I looked fine on the outside, I was just trying to keep myself together and take care of everyone else, but I trembling with fear on the inside. I had never witnessed something like this, this was the first time I saw someone close to me fighting for their lives. Even if Charles and I barely knew each other, I saw my father in him. The whole thing terrified me.
Julie had cried herself hoarse, her tear-streaked face resting against my side. "Raven... I don't want anything to happen to my dad. I... I'm scared." She sobbed.
I didn't know how to respond. I’d never known what it was like to have a father, but I've always imagined what my life would have been like if I had my dad in it. I tried to think about what I would want to hear if it was my dad fighting for his life.
"Nothing’s gonna happen to him, Julie. We have to think positively and stay strong, so when he wakes up, he won't be worried." It was the best response I could come up with but I’m pretty sure I was trying to convince myself rather than just Julie.
"I'm sure he'll be okay," I whispered, silently praying I was right. I looked at Mason, and I wanted so badly to go to him, to hug him, and offer him the comfort he needed. But he was trying so hard to stay strong, and I didn't want to disrupt that. His father was still being treated, and all we could do was wait.
A few agonizing hours later, the doctor finally came out. Everyone jumped to their feet, I held Julie’s hand, seeing how tense she was. I wanted to hold Mason’s hand, too, but with the tension in his shoulders, I don’t think he would have felt any comfort at the moment.
"Mason," the doctor began, his tone professional but kind. "Your father has Brugada syndrome, it's a genetic disorder. It causes abnormal heart rhythms, which can be life-threatening. His heart is extremely weak, and he cannot handle any kind of shock or stress. I explained this to him, the last time he was here. We’ve stabilized him for now, but we need to keep him here for more observation."
Mason stood still, frozen as he absorbed the news like a blow to the gut. His expression was unreadable, but for a moment, there was a flash of guilt on his face. "How long has he known about this?" Mason asked.
"It's been a week since he found out," the doctor replied.
A week? I thought, glancing at Mason. The shock on his face was unmistakable. The realization hit him hard, his father had kept this from everyone. Mason's hands clenched into fists. He turned to Margaret who was standing at a distance, crying her eyes out. "This is all your fault. Are you happy now? Trust me, if anything goes wrong with my dad, I'll kill you myself."
I had never seen Mason this upset before. He was like a different person as he pulled Margaret's forearm. "Get out of my sight this instant, and don't ever show up in front of me, ever."
I watched him closely, wanting to reach out but unsure if he’d accept the comfort.
\~~~~
Night finally came but Charles still hadn't woken up. Mason had gone out to get some food for Julie and me. I stayed by Julie’s side till she finally fell asleep after crying the whole time. I can’t imagine what it would be like for her after she had discovered her life had been full of lies.
I also tried to keep my distance from Justin. He dared to flirt with me earlier when I had gone to the bathroom. He kept winking and making kissy faces at me. I pretended not to notice, but his shameless behavior disgusted me. I just hoped Mason hadn’t noticed, it was the last thing anyone needed while sitting in silence and waiting for Charles to wake up.
I couldn't believe how Justin could be so heartless when his uncle was in the hospital. And here he was, trying to seduce his cousin’s wife.
I sighed, frustrated but unwilling to let him ruin the night any further. I needed coffee to stay awake, so I quietly left the waiting area and made my way toward the small café down the hall. As I approached, I heard a commotion at the front desk. A woman was arguing with the nurse, her voice rising with outrage.
"How many times do I have to say this? I'm Mason Barrett’s fiancée," the lady insisted. "His father is my future father-in-law, and I flew from France to see him."
The sound of her voice annoyed me. I looked closely, and sure enough, standing at the desk was none other than Candice, Mason’s ex-fiancée.
The nurse looked bemused. "I'm sorry, but I don't know anything about Mr. Barrett having a fiancée. His wife is already here."
Candice’s face twisted in confusion. "Wife?" She spat. "You must be mistaken. I am his fiancée. Mason doesn’t have a wife yet."
I stood frozen, unsure whether I should step in, or just let her continue making a fool of herself. But she looked like a troublemaker, and Mason didn't need this drama right now. He was already dealing with so much, and the last thing he needed was Candice throwing a tantrum in the hospital.
I straightened my back, stepping into view.
"Excuse me," I said, my voice calm but firm. "What are you doing here?"
“Mrs Barrett, I’m sorry to bother you. This woman is here to see Mr Barrett, she says she’s his fiancee,” the nurse said, looking frazzled.
“It’s okay, I know who she is.”
Candice turned toward me, her eyes narrowing in disdain.
"And who the hell are you?"
"I'm Mason's wife," I replied, holding my ground. "You have some nerve coming here, Mason doesn’t need this right now. So I'll ask you again, what are you doing here?"
She chuckled, her laugh dripping with scorn. "Did you say wife? Please. You must be delusional. Mason and I are getting married soon. Stop going around, spreading lies."