Chapter 63 Chapter Sixty-three

Chapter 63 Chapter Sixty-three
CHAPTER 63

The emergency department was a blur of bright lights, hurried footsteps, and clipped medical jargon.
Damian hated every second of it.

He sat in a private waiting room outside the examination suite, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. The expensive suit he'd worn to the gala was stained with rainwater and dirt from the ballroom floor where Aria had fallen.

For the first time in years, he looked exhausted.

The image of Aria hitting the marble floor, the possibility of losing her. The possibility of losing their child. It all kept replaying in his head.

A few feet away, his head of security stood near the door, speaking quietly into his earpiece. Security had completely taken over the hospital wing. Guards occupied every entrance and hallways.
Nobody got near Aria without clearance.

Yet despite all of that, Damian still felt helpless.

The door opened suddenly and Damian stood up immediately. A doctor emerged holding a tablet.

"Mr. Cross?"

"How is she?"

"She's okay."

The tension in the room shifted immediately. Several guards exchanged glances.

"Aria is fine?" Damian asked to confirm.

"Yes," The doctor said, nodding. "She's bruised and shaken. Her side took some impact, but there are no fractures, no internal bleeding, and no serious injuries."

A wave of relief hit him so hard he nearly sat back down.
But there was still one question.

The doctor seemed to recognize it immediately. His smile widened slightly. "And the baby is perfectly fine."

"The pregnancy is stable," the doctor continued. "We performed multiple scans. There's no indication of trauma-related complications. No signs of distress. No damage."

For a moment, Damian couldn't speak.
The pressure that had been crushing his chest for hours finally loosened. The baby was safe, Aria was safe.

The doctor continued explaining test results, monitoring recommendations, and precautionary measures. Damian heard almost none of it.

The doctor finally paused. "You can see her now."

Damian nodded immediately. "Thank you."

The sincerity in his voice surprised even him. The doctor offered a polite nod before leaving. The second he disappeared, his head of bodyguards spoke.

"Sir."

Damian looked at him.

"The attack investigation is underway."

Damian's expression hardened instantly. "Later."

His guard blinked.

"Sir?"

"Later." The answer was final. Nothing else mattered right now.

Damian turned and walked toward Aria's room. Aria was sitting upright in the hospital bed.

A blanket covered her legs and her hair was slightly messy. There was a bruise beginning to form along her arm. And she'd never looked more beautiful to him. She looked up when he entered.

"You're okay."

Damian almost laughed. "That's what I should be saying."

A small smile appeared on her lips. The first one he'd seen since the gala. It eased something inside him.
He crossed the room quickly and sat beside her bed.

"The doctor talked to you?"

Damian nodded.

She swallowed. "And?"

His gaze softened. "The baby's okay."

A shaky breath escaped her. "Oh, thank God. I thought..."

She couldn't finish. Damian knew exactly what she meant.

"I know." His hand covered hers.

"What happened after?"

Damian's expression darkened slightly.

"The attack."

"They followed us all the way here?"

"Almost."

Aria frowned. "Who?"

Damian hesitated.

"Damian."

His jaw tightened. "Leonard."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"He contacted me during the attack."

Shock crossed her face.

"But why?"

Damian looked away briefly. "I'll handle it."

Aria stared at him. "You always say that."

His eyes returned to hers. "Because I always do."

Normally she would've argued. Tonight she didn't, because she was too tired. Instead, she reached for his hand and squeezed it. The simple gesture surprised him. More than any dramatic declaration ever could.

"You look exhausted."

Damian almost laughed. "I am."

"Have you slept?"

"No."

"Eaten?"

"No."

She rolled her eyes.

"Idiot."

A genuine smile appeared on his face. Aria noticed and smiled back.
Then a gentle knock on the door interrupted the moment. His head of bodyguards entered. His expression immediately apologetic.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir."

Damian's smile vanished. "What?"

"Mrs. Cross has visitors."

"Visitors?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

Before he could answer, the door opened again. Evelyn stepped inside first, followed by Ms. Fletcher and Lucy behind.
The moment Aria saw them, her eyes widened. Ms. Fletcher and Lucy looked like they'd been crying. Evelyn looked equally shaken.
They crossed the room immediately.
Lucy hugged her and pulled away to look at her face, saying nothing and just sobbing.
And before Aria could say anything, Ms. Fletcher pulled her into a hug.

"My girl."

Aria froze. The emotion in the older woman's voice was unmistakable.

"I was so scared."

The room became quiet. Evelyn wiped discreetly at her eyes. Even Damian looked surprised.

Ms. Fletcher pulled back slightly.

"You frightened us."

Aria's own eyes began filling with tears again.

For all their recent conflict, all the secrets and all the pain, the affection had always been real.
And suddenly, sitting in that hospital bed surrounded by people who genuinely cared whether she lived or died, Aria realized something.

She wasn't alone anymore.

And as Damian's hand found hers beneath the blanket once again, holding tightly without a word, she found herself believing that maybe, just maybe, they would survive what came next together.