Chapter 108 Shocking hospital call
Axel's POV
Everything felt like a blur in the past two days, time seemed to be at a standstill and nothing made sense to me aside from updates on Lisa's fragile and critical health. I'd been seated for hours in the private waiting lodge of the secluded recovery room I paid for to ensure she was being catered to in the best conditions.
It felt like no time had passed yet time had dragged aimlessly for the last forty-eight hours, I was always on edge whenever the doctor approached me with news, I didn't know how I'd react if I lost her -I'd lose my damn mind, that's for sure.
In over 10 hours, the last news I'd gotten about Lisa was that she was still unconscious and her vitals were unstable. Since then, I'd shuffled between pacing up and down, running my hands through my hair in frustration, feeling like my heart would burst from the scare, and refusing to speak to anyone that dared to tell me I deserved rest-rest? I'll rest when Lisa is awake and stable. Involuntarily my mind drifted to the one scene and had almost driven me crazy again, which was when I watched Lisa take a bullet for me. Her father had just spilled the worst possible shit and she'd stood in front of me like a blockade despite how much he'd warned her to move away.
I wasn't going to let her take a shot for me but when he repositioned the gun such that he'd have shot me in a spot right beneath my shoulder blade that her little body hadn't covered, she jumped in front of me at the very last second as she saw the bullet's redirection and she got hit instead of me.
As she'd dropped to the floor, so did I, and my entire body shivered with anger and pain that I couldn't possibly quantify as I held her bleeding body in my arms. I almost didn't notice that Prince had shot her father before he could get a second chance to shoot me, but I would've torn him from limb to limb if Prince hadn't taken care of him.
With my bloodied fingers, I'd gotten my phone out and watched my hands tremble as I tried to place a call for help. Everything seemed to have been under control around me since Prince had brought in more reinforcement to subdue Volkov's men completely, but my vision was blurred with tears and my entire world was shaken beneath me because Lisa was unconscious.
After I'd gotten Lisa emergency help, I'd gotten the memo Prince sent out that we'd taken over the Volkov's territories and properties but all I cared about was the fact that Lisa was in an emergency ward and I didn't have any idea how I could help.
Even Angel was rushed to the emergency ward because she'd been shot in the knees, for how much of a bitch she'd been to my Lisa, she deserved it but I'd gotten her the help she needed anyways. Lisa's brother was nowhere to be found despite all the chaos that had ensued and we didn't plan to waste any resources searching for him when we'd uprooted the real threat- his father. However, our victory over the Volkovs didn't mean shit to me because I couldn't share it with Lisa. I made the doctors swear that they'd do their absolute best with Lisa and I was ready to ruin their lives if they didn't.
I was helpless, scared, and overwhelmed so being angry at the world was the best I could do to stop myself from breaking down, I needed to be strong for Lisa so she'd pull through. I adjusted in my seat out of frustration and palmed my face to calm myself when a soft tap on my shoulder made me raise my head.
My eyes with that of the nurse tending to Lisa and I immediately rose to my feet in anticipation of what she was yet to tell me.
"Are you Mr. Ivanov? Lisa's husband?" She asked while she studied my face, I knew I looked like a mess.
"Yes, yes. What's wrong? Is she okay?" I rushed out nervously.
"She's finally awake and she's requesting your presence, please follow me." She informed me and my eyes lit in relief, I sucked in air and released it as a weight left my chest.
I ran past the nurse into Lisa's room after I'd caught my breath and I carefully shut the door behind me, her eyes lazily opened when they heard the sound of the door and she smiled at me weakly. I missed her energetic bright smiles that easily mesmerized me but I was so grateful that she'd been able to flash me a dim smile despite what she'd fought through.
I made my way to her and sat beside the bed, she smiled at me a little wider and I felt my heart tighten because I figured that she'd asked for me immediately after she woke up because she must be been worried that I got hit as well or sustained some sort of injury from the fight that broke out.
"I'll never ever leave your side again." I held her hand in both of mine and kissed the tips of her fingers passionately.
"I'm so sorry you had to do that for me, fuck. Please don't scare me like that again. I don't know-"
"I don't know what I'd have done without you either, that's why I preferred to take a bullet for you" She whispered in a cramped tone, but I could hear the sincerity in her voice very clearly.
"I love you so fucking much, I was on the verge of losing my mind, Red." I kissed the base of her palm, I'd not been near her in two days and finally making contact with her calmed my nerves easily.
"I'd never leave you, that's a promise." She raised a brow lazily and smiled, the sweetest smile because it was accompanied by the same promise I'd made earlier.
"I'm staying here with you until you're discharged, I don't give a fuck about anything else," I told her sternly while I held her gaze.
"Nah, baby. You need a change of clothes and a bath, I'm sure you haven't left here since you brought me in." She studied my appearance just as the nurse had, but this time it meant something because Lisa's gaze was unnerving.
"I'll have someone bring me clothes, that'll be enough," I said and looked over at the T-shirt I'd been wearing for the last two days, it definitely looked odd and disheveled.
"Do it for me? Go home and get a hot shower, a change of clothes, and some food and you can return" She pleaded, those damn puppy dog eyes again.
"Not today, I wouldn't dare leave your side now. I have a meeting with my dad and Prince tomorrow that I've been pushing back because you hadn't woken up, I'll freshen up before the meeting tomorrow" I finally gave in and a victorious smile crept on her face in response.
"Give me a kiss? I can't get up." She puckered her lips adorably at me and I laughed and obliged to kiss her happily, I thought she'd never ask.
The next day, I made sure I went to my family house two hours earlier than the time the meeting was scheduled for so that I could freshen up and get a change of clothes like I'd promised Lisa. It was so hard to leave her earlier but I managed to get away from her despite how much I'd have preferred to stick around and make meaningless small talk with her.
After I'd freshened up and changed my clothes, I packed a few things that I'd need with me for the next few days and made my way to my father's home office where the meeting was meant to be held.
They'd already begun discussing and I noticed that Roman was being his normal overbearing self by simply being present, especially since I knew that he wasn't meant to be part of the meeting. The major reason we'd gathered was to discuss what we'd do with the properties and territories we'd amassed as spoils from the Volkovs.
"Yes, Axel. Prince thinks that you should have the final say about the division of the territories while he'll handle the redistribution of the properties after our Lawyer looks over them. Any thoughts?" My father asked as soon as I took my seat.
"I'd be lying if I said I had any interest in the territories or properties at the moment. I'd rather focus on Lisa's recovery, that's my only priority until she's back on her feet like usual" I replied honestly, nothing appealed to me other than her well-being.
"That's understandable then, so let's move to other concerns. We're unsure of what to do with his younger daughter, Tricia. She has no mafia training background, so she can't join the mafia." He rubbed his chin as though he was just giving it more thought.
As I heard Tricia's case being mentioned, my ears perked up instantly because I knew how much she meant to Lisa. "Roman or Prince, would either of you like to take her as your wife?" My father asked them after a few minutes of silence passed without a plausible suggestion.
"Yeah, I'll take her. She seems so innocent and untouched, I'd love to own her virgin cunt and be the first to tear into it." Came the most rotten and misogynistic response that human being could
muster from Roman's lips.
My skin crawled with irritation as he'd referred to Tricia as a piece of ass and I saw my father's face fall in disappointment as well. However, the reaction that made me wonder was Prince's anger which he struggled to keep under wraps, his hands were fisted so tightly at his sides that his knuckles appeared white.
As soon as I noticed how fierce he'd gotten because of an overwhelming urge to protect Tricia, I knew she'd be much better off with him than anyone else. I stepped closer to Prince and rubbed his back softly for a few seconds and then he nodded at me knowingly before unwrapping his fists. Those gentle taps were my way of assuring him that I'd take care of things.
"Don't you ever speak that way of any woman, talk less of my sister-in-law. You weren't even meant to be a part of this meeting, observe quietly henceforth" I addressed Roman angrily, I'd usually ignore his unseemly attitude but he'd pissed off Prince too.
"And Dad, Roman's definitely proven that he's unfit to cater to a woman the right way so if Prince wouldn't marry her, I'd rather take care of her with Lisa." I quickly added before Roman could get any
whining in after I'd told him off.
"Hmmm. Prince? You heard him, would you be interested in marrying Tricia?" My father asked and turned his attention to Prince, as did I.
I noticed how his pupils had widened and the words he tried to push out seemed to fail him. In fact, he looked so awed as if he was in a complete state of shock.
He looked like he couldn't believe this was happening which made me wonder just what he thought about Tricia. I've seen him stare at her unabashedly during the wedding as if he was obsessed with her and I've made it a point of duty to ask him what's up but with everything that had happened, I didn't get the chance to ask him.
And now this. Prince was the most laid back and impassive person I know but like how he couldn't control his expression when he saw Tricia at the wedding, he couldn't control his happiness right
now. He seemed so thrilled and elated.
Was he so elated and taken aback by the idea of marrying Tricia? I watched him gather himself quickly so he could respond to my father's request.
"Yes, boss. I'd be honored to" He could barely hide his smile that beamed after he responded and I took peace in knowing that Tricia would be in the best hands, Prince's.
"Okay, then it's settled!" My father concluded heartily and tipped his glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose slightly.
As soon as we'd concluded on the question of Tricia's marriage, Roman's disgusting whining filled the room, and I glared at him irritably. My father seemed to have mastered the act of ignoring
Roman in situations such as this because he simply faced the files on his table like nothing bothered him.
I'd wanted to put him in his place but I was interrupted by my phone which buzzed in my pocket, and I quickly excused myself to take the call when I noticed that it was from the hospital.
"Hello? Is my wife okay?" I asked nervously.
"Am I onto Mr. Ivanov?" Came a shrill tone, instead of a direct answer to my question.
"Yes. Is my wife Lisa okay?!" I raised my voice slightly this time as my patience thinned.
"Your wife has disappeared from the hospital and we've been unable to find her, but we've put out a police report wh-
I ended the call and my entire body went numb.