Chapter 26 26

Chapter 26 26

RHYS

Something was off. I didn't need anyone to tell the uneasy look Georgia was masking behind a smile. She was up to something. I'd known that about her, even within this short period. I'd found Emily at the point of death a year ago, she was once the daughter of a powerful Mafia lord. She and her twin sister were given a good life, but it all came crumbling down after they got into a property and inheritance dispute with their stepmother, Jannette, who happened to be Vanya's mother.

It was a terrible, heart-wrenching occurrence. Emily and her sister fell out of communication, their lives were ruined, all their father's belongings were taken, and Vanya began to assault Shaniah, getting her pregnant and mentally battered. There was more to the story, a reason why Vanya desperately wanted Emily within his reach. But I never pressed her for answers, as far as I was concerned Vanya was a nightmare, and Emily deserved the chance to put the ugly past behind her.

But my dear, lovely, beautiful wife was able to get all this information within the few months of our marriage. Hell! Georgia was trouble. I didn't want to believe that she'd been leaving the house, but I could swear that Emily never discussed anything about her sister or her life. How Georgia managed to gain all this knowledge was a huge mystery to me.

A lot of the men hated my wife. Amongst others, they hated the fact that I was married to the enemy, and they took it out on me by siding with Vanya. Vanya has tried desperately all his life to hide his scandal with the Collins twins. I can't count the number of people whose lives he'd taken for wanting to divulge his secret and tarnish his precious image. I would hate Georgia to be one of his victims, but this girl wouldn't listen to or take me seriously. I was even more worried for her than I was for myself.

I didn't see Georgia the next morning, and when I knocked on her door, there was no response. She was an early riser, so, I knew that she was deliberately ignoring me. Poor Georgia, there were too many rules to follow, and for all I know, she might be feeling suffocated already.

"Georgia," I drew a long breath. "I just wanted to wish you a great day. I won't be in time for dinner. Don't forget, stay in the house."

I paused and listened for a response, but when there was none I left the house and headed to the garage. I was supposed to head to work, but there was a more important place at that moment. The hospital where Emily and Calvin were taken. I had a few questions for Emily and a new plan to make sure she and my wife were safe.

45 minutes later, I was in the city hospital walking along the glass hallways with the doctor beside me.

"Lady Emily sustained a lot of injuries to the brain." The doctor said. "Not to mention the amount of water that was trapped in her lungs due to the drowning accident."

"That doesn't bode well for her or does it?"

The doctor shook his head.

"I'm not sure what to call it, but she was brought here on time. We'll continue to do our best."

"But what exactly is happening to Emily now? Has she developed a virus or has any primary organ been damaged?"

A cloud fell upon the doctor's face, a distinct gloominess falling onto the atmosphere. My nerves began to twitch with unease but I ignored the feeling and pressed further.

"I don't want you to know that we can get a surgery or a transplant if anything has.."

"Let us wait until she wakes up from the coma." The doctor tapped my shoulders. "My doctors and I are working to ensure Emily's safety."

Without any other questions, I took directions from one of the nurses and headed to Calvin's private ward. Vanya broke the last straw, harming my right-hand man. But dealing with him required tactics, patience and foresight. This was what I needed Georgia to understand: I was just as angry as she was.

Get into the private ward wing, I pushed the door open but I was surprised at what I saw. Calvin was on the bed all right, his arm and neck bound in a cast, but beside him, on one of the chairs was Tiana—Georgia's best friend and fellow reporter. I didn't know what to make of this sight. And just then, Calvin greeted me with a smile.

"You're supposed to be at work." He said after. "I'm not a pregnant woman that needs to be checked on."

"You were bleeding, old man," I replied, settling on the bedroom beside him, right beside his head. "You couldn't even recognise anyone, and you eventually passed out, so you do need to be checked on."

"Oh really?" He chuckled. "I didn't expect that turn of events. I was outnumbered."

"You merely escape death." I insisted. "The doctors had a hard time extracting bullets from every part of your body. It's a miracle you're still alive. Vanya and his men really left you for dead."

"You know," Calvin tried to sit up. "I wasn't expecting them to crash the party and ruin the meeting. I don't even know who informed him."

He was going to delve into the scenario about the syndicate and the meeting, but I threw a glance at Tiana who stood beside him like a statue and gave him the warning sign.

"Oh, this is Tiana," he said, gesturing to her with a smile. "You must have met her, she is Georgia's friend, she learned what happened and came to visit me. I've been asking her to marry me."

"And I have said no countlessly," she rolled her eyes.

It was a shock to hear Calvin in utter despair. He'd never been interested in marriages, children, or unions. Since I've known Calvin, he's only pursued, money, status and power. Women never lasted two weeks with him. And he never seemed to care, he was never lonely. I would have considered joking or trying to get Tiana into bed with dreaming promises, but I had never heard of him mentioning marriage to any woman in his life, no matter how lustful he felt for her.

"What can I do to change your mind Tiana?" he reached to touch her again, but she slapped his hands away. "I already pleaded with you. I'll give you anything. Don't you consider me handsome?"

"Just leave me alone," she slapped his hand again and turned to me. "Hello, Mr Mikalihov." She greeted. "I know you don't like people in my field, but you're my friend's husband and I owe you that respect."

"Of course," I mumbled slowly. "But how did you know what happened at the ball? I don't recall seeing you at the event or did I?"

"No," she shook her head. "It was a coincidence. I came here to have my migraines examined. I just happened to see Calvin wheeled past the hallway. I didn't tell him this, though; he likes to feel like an Alpha, strong male with metal bones."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He giggled. "I do have metal bones."

Hell, it was awkward seeing Calvin act like a hormone-driven teenager. Just look at him giggling like a child. But my suspicions had been assuaged. My mind told me there was more to Tiana's story, and even more to her sudden association with Calvin. I hope it'd better not be what I'm thinking.

I rose from the chair and grabbed my suitcase.

"I have to go now Cal. I'll check on you in the evening. And you Tiana," I felt suspicion crawl under my skin as my eyes met. "Keep this sick man company, I need him back to my service, and your presence seems to be healing him already."

"Yes," he called out. "Tell her to marry me!"

I stepped out of the ward and closed the door behind me, but once again I didn't leave the hospital. Instead, I went to the receptionist and enquired about Tiana's health information. Now this was a very confidential thing. My influence paved the way once again.

"What time did she come in? And what's her last name?"

"Her name is Tiana, I'm not sure I remember her last name. She came into the hospital around 7PM."

"What health issues?"

"She came to lodge complaints about migraines and anaemia."

"Okay," the nurse turned to the computer and scrolled for some minutes, then she turned to me.

"I'm sorry Mr Rhys, but there is no one with that name here. I mean no Miss Tiana."

"What! But she was here."
She turned to the computer again.

"There is no Tiana, but there seems to be one complaint of migraine, and that's under an entirely different name. Taylor Wisconsin."

Bingo!

It was what it was, my mind was right all along.