Chapter 41 Between Fear And Care
ARIA'S POV
My eyes slowly open. Even lifting my eyelids feels like it takes all the strength I have. My entire body is filled with a strange kind of pain that doesn’t stay limited to bones or skin, but sinks deep inside. Every breath stings my chest. Everything looks blurred, as if smoke is hanging in front of my eyes.
I gather all my strength and try to open my eyes properly. The bright white light pierces straight into them. It takes a few moments to understand where I am. Gradually, the shapes become clearer machines, lights, white walls. That’s when it hits me… I’m in an emergency room.
I lower my gaze. Both my hands are completely covered in bandages. My fingers barely move. I sense my body my chest, shoulders, legs bandages everywhere. A drip is attached to my hand, liquid slowly flowing into my body. On the bag, the word “blood” is written. I realize I’m being given a blood transfusion.
My heart starts pounding faster. Broken memories begin flashing through my mind the dark road, the pain, falling down… and then nothing.
Suddenly, I feel someone holding my hand.
My entire body stiffens in a jolt. My breath catches in my throat. Panicked, I slowly turn my head to the other side.
A man is sitting right beside me. He’s holding my hand in both of his, resting it against his cheek, asleep. His head is slightly bowed, his face looks exhausted, as if he’s been sitting here for a very long time.
My heartbeat grows even louder.
In fear, I jerk my hand away.
He immediately wakes up. He opens his eyes and straightens up. The moment my gaze falls on his face, my blood runs cold.
It’s… Mr. Jacob.
My throat goes dry. My eyes widen. Fear floods through me all at once. Memories crash into me together the fear of that day, his harsh voice, my helplessness. I start to panic.
“Please… don’t hurt me… don’t do anything to me…” My voice trembles. The words come out broken.
He instantly leans toward me, “No… no… I’m not hurting you,” he says quickly, his voice tense and restless, “Listen to me..”
“Stay away!” I almost start crying. “Stay completely away from me!”
My fear is so deep that I can barely breathe.
Suddenly, he shouts angrily, “Shut up!”
His voice is loud. I go completely silent. My body turns rigid with fear. My eyes drop down.
For a few moments, the only sound in the room is the steady beeping of the machines.
Then his voice softens, “I won’t hurt you,”
he says, “Do you understand? I’m not here to harm you.”
He sits down beside my bed again, keeping a little distance. There’s less anger on his face now, more exhaustion. I slowly start to calm down, though the fear still lingers inside me.
He picks up a glass of water from the side table and moves toward me carefully, “Sit up a little,” he says.
He places his hand behind my back and very gently helps me sit up. Pain shoots through me and a soft groan escapes my lips. He immediately stops, as if he’s made a mistake.
“Slow…” he says softly.
He brings the glass close to my lips, “Drink some water.”
Hesitating, I drink the water from his hand. As it goes down my throat, I feel a little strength returning. I’m stunned not just because he’s here, but because of how carefully he’s behaving.
I look at him and think…
This is the same man who treated me like an animal that day, And today he’s sitting right here, holding my hand. My mind cannot understand this changed face of his.
He looks at me and asks in a low voice, “Are you feeling better now?”
I can’t bring myself to speak. I only give a small nod. Tears are slipping from my eyes, and when I finally speak, my voice comes out broken and shaky, “H… how are you here?”
He replies immediately, “No questions.”
His tone is firm, as if he doesn’t want to discuss it at all. Then, all of a sudden, he asks, “Are you hungry?”
I’m surprised again. I didn’t expect that question at all. I slowly nod yes.
Just then, the door opens and a nurse walks in with a bowl of soup. She hands the soup to him. Without saying anything, he takes it from her. The nurse leaves.
He comes and sits beside my bed. Then he fills a spoon with soup and brings it toward me.
I ask nervously, “Why… why are you doing all this?”
He looks at me sharply and says, “You talk too much. I don’t want to hear a single word from you now. Drink this.”
I fall silent. He has always been rude and short-tempered anyway. Without saying anything, I take the soup.
The moment the soup touches my mouth, I pull back quickly, “Ah… it’s very hot!”
He immediately says, “Sorry.”
Saying only that, he takes another spoonful and gently blows on it, trying to cool it down.
I keep watching him with tear-filled eyes. I don’t understand why he’s doing all this. This is the same man I’m afraid of… yet right now, he’s showing so much care. For the first time in my life, someone is treating me with such gentleness and attention.
After a while, I finish the soup. He gets up himself, brings my medicines, and hands them to me.
“Take these. And now go to sleep.”
I take the medicine, but my heart is still restless, “First tell me… why did you come here?”
He says with irritation and exhaustion, “Oh God!”
I gather some courage and ask again, “Please… tell me.”
He looks at me and says in a cold tone, “I’m not going to give you any answer. Just understand this you’ll stay with me now.”
Hearing this, my eyes widen in shock. My heart starts pounding. Tears begin to fall again.
“No!” I cry, “You’re disgusting. You hurt so much. I won’t stay with you. You’re a bad person.”
He doesn’t say anything. He just keeps looking at me. His silence scares me even more. I shrink inside, afraid that he might get angry at me.
TO BE COUNTINUE...!!!