Chapter 136: Paralysis

Marco

The sharp scent of antiseptic filled the air. White lights. White walls. White pillows. White sheets. I felt like I was drowning in the sterile silence of the hospital room as I sat beside Ashlyn, still holding her hand. My eyes stayed on her peaceful face, which now had a hint of color. Thank God she was safe. But even that relief couldn’t lift the heavy weight pressing on my chest.

My heart was still racing, as if it hadn’t caught up with the calm that surrounded me. I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry. But instead, I stayed silent, forcing myself to be strong for her.

A soft creak broke the stillness. The door opened, and in came Sandro, his face grim, as if he were carrying the weight of something he didn’t want to say. I stood up immediately.

“How is everything?” I asked, my nerves instantly on edge.

He nodded, his eyes tired and heavy. “Ismael’s dead,” he said bluntly.

My chest tightened as his words sank in. Yes, I hated him. Yes, he nearly took my life. But I never imagined that this would be how it would end for him.

“He was dead on arrival,” Sandro continued. “The gunshot wound to his chest was deep. The doctors couldn’t do anything to save him.”

I couldn’t speak. I didn’t know whether to feel relief… or pity. Honestly, I was confused, more confused than I had ever been in my life.

“How’s Ashlyn?” he asked, turning his gaze toward my wife.

“She passed out from the chloroform… but the doctor said she’s stable now. Just resting,” I answered quietly. “Apparently, she was suffering from overfatigue, too. Maybe it’s from everything that’s happened recently, and from the things I finally told her.”

He let out a long sigh, a mixture of guilt and gratitude in his eyes.

“Thank you for being there. If you hadn’t shown up, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me… or to Ashlyn. I was such a fool for not thinking things through, for not being prepared.”

“It’s nothing,” he said, shaking his head. “Honestly, Andy’s the one who pushed me to go. You’re lucky to have him.”

A small smile flickered on my lips, and I nodded in agreement.

“I have to go now. They’re expecting me back at the station,” he said after a short pause.

“Wait, what about Ashley?” I asked. I couldn’t ignore her. I knew Ashlyn would ask as soon as she woke up, and I wanted to be ready with an answer.

“She’s still in the emergency room. I don’t have any updates yet, but I already told the nurse to inform you right away if anything happens,” he replied.

“Thanks again,” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Anytime. I’ll keep in touch.” He gave me a reassuring nod and a pat on the back before walking out of the room.

As soon as he left, I turned back to Ashlyn… just in time to see her eyes slowly flutter open.

“Sweet…” I whispered, my voice trembling with relief. Our eyes met, and immediately, I saw the panic and worry swimming in hers.

“Ashley, where is she?” she asked in a hoarse whisper.

“Hey… hey, relax,” I said gently, brushing her hair back.

“Where am I?”

“You’re in the hospital.”

“Ashley?” she asked again, urgency rising in her voice.

“She’s here too. The doctors are checking on her.”

“What happened? Why is she being checked?” she asked, her tone rising with worry. I swallowed hard. This was the question I dreaded. But I couldn’t lie to her. She deserved the truth.

She tried to sit up, and I quickly supported her, adjusting the pillows behind her back as she leaned into me. Once she was comfortable, I told her everything. How it all happened, down to the last terrifying moment.

Her tears came fast, soaking her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that her own twin had betrayed her, had betrayed both of us. And yet… There was a strange calm in her expression, like a part of her had always known that Ashley would be willing to die for me.

“She loves you so much,” she whispered. “I know that.”

“Sweet… please don’t cry anymore,” I said, pulling her into a hug. My heart shattered at the sight of her like this. She didn’t deserve any of this pain.

By God’s grace, Ashlyn eventually calmed down. We sat there in silence, clinging to each other, our breaths falling into a steady rhythm.

A few hours passed. Then came a knock. The door opened, revealing a doctor in a white coat, holding a clipboard. He was older, experienced, you could tell just by the way he carried himself. I stood up quickly.

“Mr. Marco Montecillo?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s me,” I replied immediately.

“This is about Ms. Ashley Ruiz,” he began.

“What happened to her?” Ashlyn asked before I could. “I’m her twin.”

The doctor turned to her and took a deep breath before speaking.

“Ms. Ruiz is now in stable condition. Thanks to the swift response from the emergency team, we were able to save her life. However…” He paused. “I need to inform you of a serious complication from her injury.”

My brows furrowed. I turned to Ashlyn and saw the fear already setting in on her face.

“Due to a deep stab wound to the lower back, near the T10 vertebra, Ms. Ruiz suffered a traumatic spinal cord injury. While her life was saved, the damage to her spinal cord has led to partial to complete paralysis from the waist down.”

The room froze.

I couldn’t move. Couldn’t speak. It felt like time had stopped.

“Doctor… what do you mean?” Ashlyn asked, her voice cracking.

He explained gently, “The spinal cord is like a superhighway for messages from the brain to the rest of the body. In Ashley’s case, the part of the spine that controls the lower body was severely injured. This means… Likely, she won’t be able to walk again.”

It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on my head. I sank down onto the edge of Ashlyn’s bed, holding my head in my hands. I couldn’t process it.

“Is there a chance?” Ashlyn asked, her voice rising. “Medication? Therapy? Anything?”

“We’ll do everything we can,” the doctor assured. “Physical therapy, rehabilitation, and even possible surgeries. But I want to be honest with you. The chances of her walking again are low. Our priority now is to help her regain upper body strength and keep her as healthy as possible.”

I looked at Ashlyn. Her expression said everything: fear, heartbreak, helplessness. All for her sister.

The doctor glanced at his notes. “We’ll be monitoring her closely for the next 24 hours. Once she wakes up and is ready, we’ll explain everything to her.”

I nodded, though I barely felt my body. When the doctor left, Ashlyn broke down into silent tears. Her shoulders trembled, but no sound escaped her lips. Only the tears fell, again and again.

I couldn’t take it. I couldn’t even look at her without feeling like I was falling apart inside.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “Sweet, I’m so sorry. This happened because she tried to save me.”

Ashlyn didn’t say a word. She just pulled me into her arms and held me tight. She didn’t blame me, but somehow, that made it hurt even more.