Chapter 63

“What are we going to do?” Luca asked, his voice trembling with panic as he stood at the door, his eyes wide with concern. I could see the worry etched on his face, and it snapped me out of my daze.

My heart raced as I hurried to my closet, reaching for my gown to cover myself. I fumbled through the fabric, the cool satin slipping through my fingers, as thoughts raced through my mind about the unpredictable situation we found ourselves in.

"What do you mean? What are we going to do? We are going to drive him to the hospital." I answered him while walking into my closet.

Dan followed behind me, and I wore my black bodycon dress with black sneakers and my black coat. "We're only taking him to the hospital, Emerald; he's not dead yet." I looked at him and rolled my eyes in irritation.

"You know this is the only colour I have in my closet," I said, following behind Dan, who had me worried because he hasn't said a word.

We got into the car, and when we approached the gate, Tyson was on the ground surrounded by our guards while groaning in pain. We got out of the car, and I instantly felt my energy lessen seeing the blood he was losing.

“Careful—careful—”

“There’s blood—”

“Move!” Tyson groaned as they carried him toward the car, one hand pressed uselessly against his chest. Blood seeped through his fingers, dark and spreading across his shirt.

“Tyson, look at me,” I said, grabbing his wrist before they shoved him into the back seat. “Look at me.” His eyes found mine for half a second clouded, unfocused.

“Em…” he breathed out in pain. They laid him across the seat. I climbed in after him without thinking, pulling his head into my lap. My hands were already slick with his blood.

Dan slammed the driver’s door. Luca jumped into the front passenger seat. “Go!” Luca shouted. The tires screeched against the pavement as Dan put the car in drive and floored it.

The car lurched forward violently, slamming my body against the seat. I felt the jarring impact ripple through me as Tyson cried out, his entire frame jerking in response to the sudden movement.

“It’s okay,” I said immediately, though my voice trembled with uncertainty. The words felt hollow, for I knew nothing was truly okay. “It’s okay, you’re fine. Just stay with me.”

He tried to inhale, but only choked on the air, panic evident in his wide eyes. “Don’t—don’t talk,” he gasped, desperation lacing his tone.

“I’m going to talk,” I insisted, my voice shaking despite my attempt to sound steady. “You’re going to listen to me.”

In the front seat, Dan was driving like a man possessed, weaving recklessly through traffic. My heart raced with each sharp turn and hard acceleration; the world outside the windows morphed into a blur.

“Dan, faster!” Luca barked from the passenger seat, his voice laced with urgency.

“I am!” Dan snapped back, his grip on the steering wheel tightening. "Do you wanna fucking drive, Luca?" I shouted, annoyed that he was putting all this pressure on Dan, and he was just sitting there barking orders.

Tyson’s hand found its way to my thigh, his touch weak and trembling. “Hurts,” he whispered, his voice barely audible.

“I know.” Hot, stinging tears spilled from my eyes before I could rein them in. I wiped them away angrily with my sleeve. “I know it hurts. But you don’t get to pass out. Do you hear me?”

His eyelids fluttered, fighting against the encroaching darkness.

“No, no, no.” I gently slapped his cheek, willing him to focus. “Tyson, stay awake. Look at me. Focus on my voice.”

But his breathing was becoming increasingly shallow, each gasp a struggle. I pressed my hand firmly against the wound, ignoring the warmth seeping through my clothes, mingling with my own rising fear.

“You’re not leaving me,” I said fiercely, desperation lacing my words. “You don’t get to leave." The car swerved dangerously as Dan navigated a sharp corner.

“Two minutes!” he shouted, urgency slicing through his voice. Tyson’s head lolled slightly to the side, his energy flickering like a dying flame.

“Tyson.” My voice cracked under the weight of my panic. “You promised me you’d teach the baby how to cheat at cards. Remember? You said you’d be the fun uncle.” I searched his face, desperately seeking a response.

A faint smile ghosted across his lips, a flicker of life in his eyes. “Yeah,” he murmured, his voice barely rising above a whisper. “I did.”

“Then you stay,” I urged, my heart pounding in my chest. “You stay for that. We need you.” You need to stay, what if you're father? You need to stay. I murmured to myself, feeling the desperation of the situation seeping in.

But his grip on my thigh weakened. “No—Tyson, no.” Panic clawed up my throat, fierce and unrelenting. “Open your eyes, open your eyes right now, don’t do this to me.” He didn’t respond.

“Dan!” I screamed, my voice filled with raw fear. “We’re here!” Dan shouted back, the urgency in his tone giving way to a flicker of hope.