Chapter 46 A Little Slap

Chapter 46 A Little Slap
Alina’s POV 

The slap landed before I could think more clearly. My palm connected hard with his cheek within the next second…the sound sharp enough to cut through the chaos. 

Blake staggered back, stunned beyond words as his palm went to his red cheek. The air went visibly tense and awkward. 

Everyone froze…servers, guests, Blake’s friends. Phones rose higher as some tried to capture more of the drama. 

I could already picture the headline the second the tabloids got their hands on this…or worse, the footage.
"Heiress Slaps Fiancé at Luxury Party Over a Server Boy."

How original.
I didn't care. Not even a little.

"Stay the hell away from me," I hissed, glaring at Blake as he stared back at me like I'd completely lost my mind.
And maybe… I have.

I climbed into the ambulance after the stretcher. The doors slammed shut, muffling the outside noise into a distant hum. 

Inside, it smelled of antiseptic and plastic. The paramedics worked fast…checking vitals, cleaning the wound, starting an IV. I stayed right by Kai’s side, clutching his hand like it was my lifeline.

He reached up weakly with his free hand, fingers brushing my cheek. A weak laugh escaped him, turning into a wince. “Why are you crying when I’m the one who’s hurt?”

I hadn’t even realized the tears were falling now, hot tracks down my face. “Why would you do that? You jumped in for that stupid ring, then threw yourself down to catch me… Are you really tired of living? What if you got injured badly?”

“Then you’ll have to take care of me for life, queenie,” he murmured, that smile still fighting through the pain.

“It’s not funny, Kai,” I whispered through a voice cracked. 

I scolded him even as I squeezed his hand tighter, feeling every callus and scar there. 

"I've been through worse than this," he said quietly, though the pain was written all over his face. "I've had broken ribs, knife wounds... gone days without food. Trust me, Alina..." A faint, stubborn smile tugged at his lips as he continued. "This isn't what's going to take me down."

The paramedics gently asked me to move back a little so they could work just then. I shifted but kept watching, heart in my throat, as his eyes fluttered and closed as he slipped unconscious.

"Is he okay?" I demanded, panic surging through me. "He just closed his eyes. Oh my God... is he dead?" I whispered, my heart twisting so painfully I could barely breathe.

One of the paramedics gave me a calm, reassuring smile, as though this was a scene he witnessed every day.

"He's okay," he said. "The sedative is kicking in, so he just fell asleep. His condition is stable."

Only then did I relax…just a little.

The ride to the hospital blurred…flashing city lights through the small windows, the steady beep of monitors, my blood-stained hands trembling in my lap. 

When we arrived, I rushed after them through the bright emergency doors, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of my chest. 

But before I could follow them any farther, a nurse gently stopped me and directed me to the waiting area.
"I’m sorry Miss. you are not allowed to go in there," she said calmly.

The doors swung shut between us before I could even argue with her. And just like that, I was left outside.

I couldn't sit still. My thoughts were spiraling into every horrible possibility imaginable as I paced the waiting room over and over, looking every bit like a man waiting outside the delivery room, praying for good news and terrified of hearing anything else.

Ryder burst in moments later, my bodyguard’s shirt unbuttoned at the top four buttons, hair disheveled like he’d run straight from whatever hole he’d been in all along. 

His eyes found me immediately, scanning for injuries.

Before I knew it, I was hugging him tight, face buried in his chest as fresh tears fell. I didn’t even know how I got to where he was standing.

"Where were you, Ryder?" I sobbed, my voice breaking. "You were supposed to be there, but you weren't. Now Kai's hurt... he's really hurt because of me."

“I’m sorry. I just went to the bathroom briefly and…” he inhaled, cutting himself off. “Stop crying, Alina,” he said gently, rubbing my back. “He’ll be fine. But right now, you have to come with me. Your father wants you home. Now.”

I stepped back, confused, wiping at my eyes. “Why? Kai got hurt trying to save me. Father should be here thanking him, not calling me back.”

Ryder's expression remained carefully neutral…professional, but unyielding.

"Your father has already arranged a generous reward for the young man who saved you. He'll be well taken care of." He paused, watching my reaction. "But videos of what happened have already gone viral. Footage of you... slapping your fiancé has everyone talking."

My stomach tightened as he continued.

"Your father wants you home immediately. He expects you to come back and apologize to Blake Harrington." Ryder's voice hardened slightly. "Blake is already on his way to the estate."

What? Apologize?