Chapter 79 He's dead
CHAPTER 79
He's dead.
The drive felt endless, every red light, every turn, every second stretched longer than it should. Leo’s grip on the steering wheel tightened as his thoughts refused to settle. He wasn’t used to this feeling, this lack of control, this rising tension he couldn’t command into silence. That was all that mattered.
By the time he pulled into the hospital parking lot, he didn’t wait. He stepped out immediately, barely shutting the door behind him before heading straight inside. His pace was fast, and urgent, his eyes scanning everything as if the building itself might give him answers.
The reception area buzzed with quiet activity, but Leo didn’t stop there.
“Excuse me” a nurse tried to get his attention.
“I’m looking for Ruby,” he said quickly. “She was brought in not long ago.”
The nurse checked briefly, then pointed down the corridor.
“Room 214.”
He didn’t wait for anything else.
Jane was standing just outside the room when she saw him approaching. Relief washed over her instantly.
“Leo,” she called softly.
He reached her in seconds. “How is she?” he asked, his voice low but strained.
“She’s still unconscious,” Jane replied. “They said it was a shock.”
Leo closed his eyes briefly, exhaling through tension. Then he opened them again, looking at her “Thank you,” he said sincerely. “For bringing her here.”
Jane shook her head. “I didn’t do much,” she said. “It all happened so fast.”
Leo’s expression hardened slightly. “Tell me everything.”
Jane nodded, her voice steady but heavy as she explained.
“We were leaving the doctor’s office. Everything was fine, he just told her she needed rest. Then the ambulance came in… it was chaotic. Doctors, nurses, everyone rushing.”
Leo listened without interrupting. “And then,” Jane continued, “as they pushed the stretcher past us… she saw the face.”
Leo’s jaw tightened.
“She said it was her dad,” Jane added quietly. “She was sure, Leo. She didn’t hesitate.”
Silence settled between them for a moment. “And then she collapsed,” Jane finished.
Leo nodded slowly, absorbing every word. Without another question, he turned and pushed the door open.
The room was quiet. Ruby lay on the bed, pale and still, the soft sound of the monitor beside her the only indication that she was there alive and breathing.
Leo stepped closer, slower this time. As if moving too quickly might break something. He reached the bed and stopped, he carefully sat beside her, his eyes fixed on her face. She looked, fragile more than he had ever seen her. Fear hit him properly, the kind that sat heavy in his chest, tightening with every second.
“What did you do to yourself…” he murmured under his breath.
His hand reached out, taking hers gently.
It was warm. He held onto it, his thumb brushing lightly against her skin, grounding himself in the reality that she was still here.
“I told you to call me,” he said softly. “You don’t just collapse like that.”
There was no response as he didn’t let go of her hand.
Minutes passed. At some point, his gaze softened, the tension in his face easing just slightly but the fear didn’t leave.
Lurking beneath everything for a brief moment, his eyes closed, his head lowering slightly. And just for that second
He almost lost control because the thought crossed his mind.
What if something worse had happened?
What if he lost her? His grip on her hand tightened instinctively.
“No,” he whispered. “Not happening.” He wasn’t going to let that happen.
After a while, he stood up slowly. There were questions that needed answers.
And he wasn’t going to sit there waiting for them.
The doctor was in his office when Leo entered. He didn’t knock, just pulled the door slowly and badged in.
“Doctor,” he said firmly.
The doctor looked up, slightly surprised by the urgency in his tone.
“Yes?” He looked up twice to be sure he saw well. “Sir, what brings you here? He gestured.
“I’m here for Ruby,” Leo said. “I need to know what’s going on.”
The doctor nodded, gesturing for him to sit.
“Just tell me.”
He studied him briefly before speaking. “She’s stable for now,” he began. “But her condition is more than just physical exhaustion.”
Leo’s expression darkened slightly. “What do you mean?”
“She experienced a severe emotional shock,” the doctor explained. “That triggered a panic response, what we call a panic attack.”
Leo’s brows furrowed. “And?”
The doctor hesitated. “There’s something else you should know.”
Leo felt it before he heard it. “What is it?” he asked.
The doctor exhaled slowly. “The patient who arrived in the ambulance earlier…” he began carefully, “was identified as Mr Anderson.”
Leo’s entire body went still.
“Ruby’s father,” the doctor added.
“What happened to him?” Leo asked, his voice lower now.
“There was an accident,” the doctor said. “A severe one.”
Leo stared at him, waiting. But the look on the doctor’s face said everything before the words came.
“He died immediately.”
The words landed heavily, he stood there processing the words, because suddenly
everything made sense why Ruby reacted the way she did. Why did she collapse? Why did it felt so serious?
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “She saw him,” he said more to himself than to the doctor.
“Yes,” the doctor confirmed. “And that level of shock can be extremely dangerous, especially considering her current state.”
Leo looked up again. “What is the current state?”
The doctor’s expression grew more serious. “The panic attack wasn’t isolated,” he explained. “It triggered an underlying condition in her body, something stress related that has been building over time.”
Leo’s stomach tightened. “What kind of condition?”
“She’s experiencing severe anxiety complications,” the doctor said. “If not managed properly, it can affect her physically, her heart rate, breathing, and overall stability.”
Leo’s mind raced. “And now?” he asked.
“She needs rest,” the doctor said. “But more importantly, she needs emotional support. What she’s about to go through losing a parent, especially like this, can worsen her condition.”
Leo’s jaw clenched. “How bad is it?” he asked quietly.
The doctor didn’t sugarcoat it. “If she doesn’t stabilize emotionally, it could develop into something more serious.”
That was it.
That was the moment everything hit at once.The loss the shock. Leo stood there, silent and speechless. This wasn’t something he could control, this wasn’t some business deal. This was her and she is hurting more than he had ever seen.
Leo exhaled slowly, nodding once.
“I understand,” he said, though his voice was more quiet. But as he turned to leave
one thing was clear.
He wasn’t just scared he was terrified because this time it wasn’t about losing control. It was about the possibility of losing her and that was something he wasn’t ready to face.