Chapter 25: DR.MIKE

I opened my eyes slightly, but the light in the room had me closing it back up as it was way too bright for me. I pushed myself up in a sitting position before opening my eyes again as they adjusted to the light in the room.

Where am I? I remember boarding Xender’s car before passing out. I felt a little relaxed when I knew Xender might be the one who brought me here. Pushing myself off the bed, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me as I was forced back to the bed.

The door of the room came open, and I saw Xender and another guy in a white lab coat rushing towards me. I couldn't focus my eyes on one particular thing.

Everything was spinning in my eyes. When Xender came close to me, he looked down at me before calling out my name.

“Alda, Alda Are you okay?” He asked. But his voice sounded so distant. I shook my head in an attempt to clear my vision and hearing, but it became worse.

“Where am I?” I asked in the quickest voice.

“You are at the hospital.”

“How on earth did I end up here? I have to go; my parents would be worried.” I said. I got back on my feet but failed to take a step before I fell back like a log of wood.

Xender caught me before I could fall. He laid me back on the bed as I tried to keep myself awake, but my eyelids became so heavy for me.

“Hey, stop fighting it; the drugs you took are still very active in your system.”

“I'm scared; I don't want to die,” I said to him in the weakest voice.

“You are not going to die; I'm here.”

“Please don't go anywhere; stay by my side,” I said to him, grabbing hold of his hand as tightly as I could.

“I'm not going anywhere.” That was the last thing I heard him say before I gave in to my body.

Xender’s POV

“She will be fine, right?”

“She will be okay. She just woke up with the idea that she was still around her husband. The trauma she got from whatever her husband is doing to her is beginning to affect her.” Mike said as he rested his hand on my shoulder, trying to comfort me.

“I just want her to be okay.” I stared at her hand that was holding onto mine, and a wave of sadness washed over me. Even though she had passed out, her grip on my hand was still very tight.

“I think you should tell her parents about what's happening to their daughter. They deserve to know that the man they entrusted their daughter to is slowly killing her emotionally and physically draining her.” Mike said.

“I know, but she is so against letting her parents know about it. I will try to convince her when she wakes up.”

“I just can't imagine what she must have been going through.” I let out a sigh as I stared at her sleeping face. 

“Let's just wait until she wakes up. You can go back to attending to your patients; I will stay here with her until she wakes up. Thank you, Mike.”

“It's okay; just call me if you notice anything abnormal with her. I will ask her a few questions that will decide if she needs a therapist or not.”

"Okay,” I replied, before he patted my shoulder and left. Alda let out a little cry, and that had me rushing to her side immediately.

“Don't go; please don't leave me.” She pleaded as she tightened her grip on my hand.

“I'm not going anywhere,” I said to her, and I started stroking her hair gently. That happened to calm her down a little as she relaxed her tensed body.

I continued stroking her hair until I was sure she was comfortable. I sat on the seat that was placed close to her bed. I rested my head against the bed, as I was also beginning to feel tired.

Alda's POV

I woke up feeling a lot better than before. I pushed myself into a sitting position before noticing a sleeping Xender besides me. He was holding onto my hand despite being in a deep sleep. I must have tried the poor man out.

I rested my back against the pillow I managed to place behind me as I watched Xender sleep. He must have hated me. I only appear around him, causing him one trouble or the other.

Despite misjudging him from the start, I have come to realise that he is a very nice guy. He might have looked all tough on the outside, but on the inside he is a softy.

I sighed out in pain as the picture of Seth strangling me kept appearing in my head. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to get rid of it, but it was just there, hunting me.

“Alda, are you okay?” On hearing Xender’s voice, my eyes came open. The first thing I noticed was the concern in his voice and eyes. I stared at him without saying a word. 

“Talk to me; are you in pain?”

“My heart hurts; it hurts so bad that I keep feeling like it's going to burst.” I said to him as a sob escaped my lips. I wasn't expecting him to pull me in for a hug. But when he did, I buried my face in his chest and cried my eyes out.

Xender patted my back as he stroked my hair, trying to calm me down, but I just wanted to let it out so my heart could feel less heavy. I didn't know how long I was in Xender’s arms crying, but I just loved how his actions calmed me down.

“Alda, are you okay?” He asked when he noticed that my sob had died down. I just nodded my head before pulling away from him. I couldn't look him in the eyes because of how embarrassed I was.

“Thank you, Xender, and I'm sorry if I caused you any trouble.”

“I wasn't complaining, but can you tell me what happened? I know Seth was the one who did this to you, right?” He asked. I could only nod and avert his glance at me.

“Tell me what happened, Alda. I can't help you if I don't know the whole story. Please look up at me." I looked up at him, and his beautiful grey eyes were filled with sadness.

“He attacked me after I confronted him about bringing a woman home in my absence. I don't really know where it all went wrong. He used to be a very sweet guy, but now, I just don't know.” I said, letting him know everything. 

Things I never told my parents—here I am pouring my heart out to a stranger.

“Hey, it's okay, but you have to understand that the people we love can change, but it's not always our fault. Sometimes they change because they want to.

The least we can do is reach out to them and try to see the reason for their new behaviours, then try helping them. But if they insist on remaining in their new part, we let them go.

It's obvious Seth has made up his mind to remain a jerk, but you, on the other side, also need to make your own decisions. Do you want to continue on this part? Are you willing to wait until Seth finds his way back to you?

You know it's under probability; what if he never finds his way? Are you willing to handle the trauma that comes with having to live with an abusive husband or a toxic marriage?”

Xender’s words made me think about my life and how I wanted it to go. When I married Seth, I thought we were going to live happily with our kids.

I thought we were going to overcome every obstacle together like every other person does in their marriage, but after today, I figured out that I might have married a stranger.

“Thank you, Xender, for your kind words and for everything. You must hate me by now since I keep appearing in your life.”

“I don't hate you, Alda. We are business partners, and apart from that, I think we are already friends. So I am looking out for a friend.” I smiled up at him before wiping out the tears from my face.

“Thank you.” I wishpered to him. Just then a knock came at the door as a doctor, who I assumed to be about the same age as Xender, walked in.

“I'm sorry to interrupt the little interaction, but I need to check up on my patient.” He said this to Xender.

“And it took you so long to do that,” Xender replied to him. The way they casually talked to each other, I could tell they were close friends, or maybe brothers.

“Don't mind him; he is super annoying. I will advise you to be careful around him; as a doctor, I'm telling you to stay away from Xender; he is not going to be good for your health." He said it in a joking manner, and that had me giggling.

“Alda, meet Dr. Mike, a very good friend of mine.” Xender said, introducing him to me.

“It's nice to meet you. I am Alda,” I said with a smile on my face. Mike took my hand in his as he bowed slightly.

“Mi lady, it's really nice to meet a very beautiful woman like you. I don't ever want to see tears on that beautiful face of yours again, okay?”

"Okay,” I replied as I tried to hold back the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes. How can two strangers be the ones to warm up my heart like this?

"Mike, stop bugging her; she needs some space.” Xender said this to him and received a glare from Mike in return.

“I am her doctor, not a bug.” Mike said this before he turned, facing me.

“Alda, you don't mind if I ask you a few questions?” He said that, but Xender immediately placed his hand on Mike's shoulder. Mike looked up at him, and he shook his head.

“Okay, let's just wait until your test results are out, but I want you to know that I might be asking you some personal questions.”

“Thank you, Dr. Mike.”

“You are welcome, dear. Xender, please take good care of her.”

“I will. Just call me once the results are out.” 

“Sure thing.” Dr. Mike discharged me as Xender, and I left the hospital.