Chapter 59

Alexander held Margaret's hand tightly, his voice a soft, soothing murmur. "Everything will be fine. You're safe now. We'll get you to a hospital and ensure you're alright." Alexander kissed her on her head.

Margaret's eyes fluttered, a faint smile touching her lips before her strength seemed to ebb away. "Alexander..." she whispered, her voice barely audible, and then her eyes closed, her body going limp.

"Margaret? Margaret!" Alexander's voice rose in alarm. "Stay with me, please!"

The sound of sirens grew louder, and moments later, the ambulance arrived, screeching to a halt at the alley's entrance. Paramedics rushed over with a stretcher, their equipment in hand.

"She's fainted! Please, hurry!" Alexander shouted.

The paramedics gently but quickly moved Margaret onto the stretcher, checking her vital signs. "Sir, we need to get her to the hospital immediately. You can follow in your car."

"No, I am her husband," Alexander insisted, his eyes fierce with determination. " I'm not leaving her; I need to be with her." Alexander used one hand to hold Margaret while pressing his other hand to his chest. The paramedics glanced at him, concerned about his stress, but they had to attend to Margaret first. "Alright, but you'll need to stay out of the way and let us do our job." The paramedics said.

Alexander climbed into the ambulance, holding Margaret's hand as they secured her onto the stretcher. He squeezed her hand, his eyes never leaving her face.

"I'm right here, Margaret. I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, hoping she could hear him.

The ambulance screeched to a halt outside the emergency room of Riverside General Hospital. Paramedics rushed Margaret inside on a stretcher, with Alexander trailing closely behind. Nurses and doctors quickly surrounded Margaret.

Alexander hovered anxiously at the entrance, watching as medical staff assessed Margaret's condition, hooking her up to monitors and starting to evaluate her condition. Alexander stood just outside the room, watching through the glass window as they worked tirelessly to stabilize her.

A nurse approached Alexander, her expression gentle but firm. "Sir, We've got her; you'll need to wait outside while we stabilize her. We'll run tests and do everything we can to help her."

Alexander nodded, his throat tight with emotion. "Please, take care of her. She's.... everything to me." He reluctantly stepped back from the treatment room. He paced the corridor outside; every passing minute felt like an eternity.

At some point, the weight of the day's events hit him like a wave. He couldn't shake the image of Margaret lying unconscious in the dumpster, pale and fragile. The fear he felt at that moment, the relief, the uncertainty—all of it crashed down on him. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks as he blamed himself.

"I should have answered the call. Margaret wouldn't be in this position," Alexander muttered to himself, his voice thick with anguish and regret.

Suddenly, a gentle tap on his shoulder startled Alexander. He raised his head, eyes red and swollen from crying, to see Theodore standing there, a mixture of concern and relief on his face.

Alexander stood up slowly, turning away from Theodore to wipe his tears. When he faced him again, Theodore stepped forward and hugged him tightly. Alexander hesitated momentarily, then allowed himself to lean into the embrace.

"We found her already. That's the most important thing," Theodore said softly.

After the comforting hug from Theodore, Alexander gradually composed himself. They stepped back from each other awkwardly.

"Mrs. Ellen called. She's already on her way from Vancouver," Theodore said softly, reassuring.

Alexander nodded gratefully. "Thank you."

Theodore glanced at his watch. "I must head to Battery Park to address the volunteers assisting the search. Please take care of yourself, Alexander."

Alexander nodded again. Theodore left Alexander in the hospital corridor as he made his way to the battery park. Alexander stood close to Margaret's room, anxiously awaiting any updates from the medical staff.

Meanwhile, outside, the search efforts continued, unaware that Margaret had already been discovered. Volunteers and search teams combed through Battery Park and its surroundings, their determination driving them forward despite the chill in the air.

Then, suddenly, a voice pierced through the air, "She's been found!" The words echoed across the park, spreading like wildfire among the searchers. Cheers erupted, and shouts of joy filled the air as the news spread rapidly from person to person.

Anxiously awaiting news, Sandra felt a heavy weight lift from her chest at the confirmation. She took a deep breath, finally able to exhale the tension that had gripped her since Margaret's disappearance. Tears welled up in her eyes.

As the crowd gathered together, forming a circle of jubilation and relief, Theodore arrived at Battery Park. Stepping out, he was greeted with applause and cheers. Sandra stood at the back, clapping vigorously with red hands from the intensity of her emotions. She smiled through her tears.

Theodore raised his hands, signaling for quiet as he prepared to address the gathered volunteers and supporters. "Thank you all so much for coming out today," he began, his voice steady yet filled with emotion. "Your dedication and efforts have been incredible."

He paused, scanning the faces before him, gratitude evident in his expression. "The Alfreds are deeply grateful for every one of you. Your commitment to finding Margaret has been nothing short of remarkable."

As Theodore spoke, Sandra quietly slipped away from the gathering; he noticed someone in the back of the crowd who looked familiar, a figure leaving hastily. He furrowed his brow momentarily, recognizing Sandra, but he had to finish addressing the public.

While Alexander was still sat there, his mind drifting between hope and despair. Every passing second felt like an eternity until a doctor emerged from the treatment room.

Alexander jumped to his feet, his heart in his throat. "How is she? Is Margaret okay?"

The doctor smiled gently, a glimmer of reassurance in his eyes. " We managed to stabilize her condition. She's resting."

Relief flooded through Alexander, leaving him momentarily speechless. He nodded, his eyes moist with tears of gratitude and his voice barely a whisper. "Thank you... thank you so much."

The doctor nodded in acknowledgment, then continued, "We've performed some tests and examinations. Margaret did suffer some minor injuries and had symptoms of hypothermia from exposure to the cold outside."

Alexander's brow furrowed with concern, but he listened intently as the doctor outlined the next steps. "We'd like to keep her under observation for a while longer. She'll need some time to recover fully. We're setting up a room for her now."

" So, Can I go see her?" Alexander asked, hoping the doctor would stop talking so he could see Margaret.

The doctor smiled kindly. "Yes, of course. But we need to perform a rape kit and examine her."