CHAPTER 47: Big Responsibility

Atilla's POV.

I feel like my chest is going to explode with nervousness when I finally step out of that room. I couldn't believe that I would be seeing him again so soon after returning from Australia. But what I couldn't believe more was the impact of our meeting. Thankfully, I managed to compose myself well enough that he wouldn't think that I was still affected by him.

"Stop it, Atilla; you shouldn't be feeling anything towards that person." I scolded myself, but no matter how hard I tried to remind myself, the strange beating of my heart from our encounter wouldn't stop.

Just then, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket, and I answered it when I saw that it was Ang calling.

"Hi!" I forced a smile as I answered the call.

"Hi babe, why do you sound out of breath?" He asked, and I suddenly fell silent because I could still feel my heart racing from my encounter with Ram. I took a deep breath before I spoke again.

"Oh, nothing, I just walked a long way," I explained, hoping he wouldn't notice that I was lying.

"Okay then, rest for a while. By the way, how's your brother?" He asked, concern evident in his voice. I couldn't help but smile because I knew his concern was genuine. He and Henry had been friends even before we met.

I walked towards a taxi stand, and luckily, a taxi had just dropped off a passenger at the hospital. After getting in the taxi, I continued to talk to Ang.

"He had a head operation, and he needs to wake up within the time frame given by the doctor, or he'll need another operation. The doctor recommended that the operation be done in the US," I said, my worry about my brother returning.

"Stay strong, Hon. I wish I were there to help ease your worries," he said, which managed to make me smile.

"Me too, I wish you were here. By the way, how's your brother? What happened?" I suddenly remembered the reason for his sudden departure.

I heard him take a deep breath before he spoke.

"I'm still trying to convince him not to marry that girl," he said, which made me even more curious about what was happening with his brother.

"Why do you say that? Don't you trust your brother's judgment?" I asked.

"I trust him with everything else but this one. That woman is a gold digger, and I will not let my brother fall into her trap," he said firmly.

We talked a little longer about his younger brother and the gold digger he was planning to marry before he said goodbye.

"Okay, I need to go now. I miss you so much. I love you, Atilla," he said affectionately.

"Miss you... I...love you too," I hesitantly replied, feeling guilty for saying it.

If earlier I wanted to rest my mind from exhaustion and sleepiness, now it continued to think about someone I shouldn't be thinking about.

"Stop it, Atilla!" I exclaimed in frustration as I entered my room in Henry and Ellaine's mansion.

No matter how much I remind myself that I shouldn't think about him, those thoughts still manage to stick in my mind.

I was extremely surprised when I saw Ram again. He seemed to have become even more handsome in the past two years and looked like things had gone well for him.

When we saw each other earlier, I could feel him staring at me, and I tried not to let on that I was affected by his presence, but it wasn't easy to act like his presence in the room meant nothing to me.

Finally, I felt my eyelids become heavy, and I fell asleep a few minutes later.

It felt like I had just fallen asleep when the ringing on the phone woke me up. I looked at the clock on the wall and realized I had barely slept for an hour. I answered the phone with my eyes still closed.

"Hello?" My voice was hoarse from interrupted sleep, but I woke up instantly when I heard Ellaine's voice crying.

"Atilla, I need you here..." she couldn't finish what she was saying and broke down completely.

"Ellaine, what happened?" I kept calling her name, but she couldn't speak coherently, so Ram took over the call.

"Henry had a seizure and needs to be taken to the US for a new operation," Ram explained.

I felt my chest tighten with fear at what I heard, and I quickly dressed and had one of Henry's drivers take me back to the hospital. When I arrived, Henry was being prepared to be transported to the airport, where his private plane was waiting to take him straight to the US.

"Thank God you made it, Atilla," Ellaine greeted me, her eyes red from crying.

"I don't have my things yet, but if we need to leave, I'm ready," I said, but I was confused by her gesture of shaking her head.

"We need to leave really soon, Atilla, but you need to stay here," she said sadly, which only made my mind even more chaotic because I didn't expect her to ask for something that I couldn't do, especially when it came to my brother's welfare.

"I don't understand, Elaine. Why don't you want me to come? Henry needs our support, and you and I are the only ones he has," I asked, confused.

"Believe me, Atilla, I want you to be there with your brother, but you're needed here because you're the only one Henry trusts to manage his businesses," she explained.

"But... I don't think I can handle all of Henry's businesses alone. Yes, I had experience managing one of Henry's businesses, but it's different from what you want me to handle," I replied, shaking my head.

I wasn't convinced by what she was saying because, if I had a choice, I would prefer to be with Henry. Maybe this was how Henry felt when I had an accident when I was younger because of what I did to save Ram.

"Believe me, Atilla, Henry trusts you so much, and if you knew how often he talked about you in the past two years, you would understand," she continued to persuade me.

"I don't know, Elaine. I'm still not convinced that I can handle the huge responsibility that you're entrusting to me," I'm still not convinced, but I understand what she's saying.

"You need to have more faith in yourself, Atilla. You accomplished so much in the past two years, and besides, someone will help you manage the business," she replied with a smile.

"Who will help me?" I asked, even though I already had a feeling about who would assist me in running Henry's businesses.

And right on cue, the person who would supposedly assist me arrived.

"The ambulance that will take you and Henry is ready, Ellaine," I heard Ram say from behind me.

I didn't understand some of Ellaine's words, and after five minutes, Henry was already inside the ambulance.

I remained quiet while looking at the departing ambulance where my brother was.

"You need to get better, Henry," I whispered to the air while continuing to watch the ambulance disappear from my sight.

"Atilla..." I heard Ram call from my side.

"Well, it seems that the two of us will manage Henry's businesses, so I hope we can work together," I forced a smile as I waited for him to reach my waiting hand.

Although hesitant, Ram eventually reached out his hand.

I did my best to ignore the spark that I was feeling as our hands touched, thinking about Ang and my love for him.

I didn't know I was holding my breath until he finally let go of my hand, and it took me a great deal of effort not to avoid his gaze, I didn't want him to think that he could still affect me, just like before.