27. Shadow of the Past

The bright lights of the emergency room flashed before my eyes, and the surrounding chaos became a distant buzz. I was aware of nurses and doctors rushing past me; their faces filled with concern and determination. As I was strapped onto the stretcher, I tried moving my fingers and toes, convincing myself I was still intact. The pain coursing through my body responded to my silent query.

"Isabella! Isabella, can you hear me?" A voice pierced my foggy consciousness. Leo. His voice was ragged, filled with anger and desperation.

I tried to respond, but a mask was placed over my mouth and nose, and I could feel my consciousness slipping away. Just before the darkness claimed me, I caught a glimpse of Leo's face. His eyes were reddened, and his jaw was clenched tight. He looked like a man on the verge of breaking.

Pushing through the hospital staff, he tried to get closer to me. "Don't take her away from me! Isabella, stay with me!" His voice cracked on the last word.

A doctor stepped in front of him, attempting to hold him back. "Sir, we need space to work. Please, for her sake, let us do our job."

Leo's fists clenched, and for a moment I thought he might lash out. The veins in his neck bulged prominently. "If this is your job, then do it right! She needs to be okay. She has to be," he grumbled, each word a mix between a threat and a plea.

As the doctor and nurses whisked me away, I heard Leo's voice one last time, a whisper that tugged at my heart. "Please, Bella. Fight. Don't leave me alone here."

And then, the world went black…

Leo stood in front of the operating room door, unaware of how long he had been there. The concept of time was meaningless to him; with each second, the thought of Isabella on the table inside made his heart constrict further. His arms tightly wrapped around himself, fists clenched, his eyes cold and fixed on the red "In Surgery" light above the door.

When he lost focus, he heard approaching footsteps. Three of his men stood beside him. When his gaze shifted to them, he noticed their worried exchanges.

"Boss," said the eldest, his voice trembling slightly. "Is there still no news?"

Leo simply shook his head, his face devoid of emotion.

Another man spoke, pain evident on his face: "This is our fault. We should have protected Bella. We apologize."

As Leo heard the man's words, his face flushed with anger and he couldn't contain his rage. Suddenly, he swiftly turned and landed a solid punch on one of his men. The man staggered backward and fell to the floor.

"You should have protected her!" Leo shouted. "That was your only job. Your only job!"

The other men stood in shock, exchanging worried glances. Leo's anger, especially when it came to Isabella's safety, was well known.

The man on the floor slowly got up, blood dripping from his lip. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice broken.

Leo closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I just... I just want her to be okay," he said with a melancholy tone.

The men bowed their heads in regret. The wait outside the operating room continued. Everyone was hoping for good news.

Leo leaned against the cold hospital corridor wall, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. All he could think of was Isabella. The moment he saw her in his restaurant, something had changed. He couldn't take his eyes off her and couldn't deny the strange attraction. He remembered the moment he first saw her: Isabella, gracefully seated at a table, looking at a menu. Her hair fell in soft waves over her shoulders, and when her shimmering eyes lifted from the menu, they met his. For a few seconds, the entire world had stopped.

In just a week, only seven days, he had grown so profoundly attached to this woman. This wasn't something Leo was accustomed to. He usually kept his emotions in check and didn't trust people easily. But everything was different with Isabella. Every moment with her ignited a new emotion inside him.

In the car, with her, he could no longer suppress his feelings. The electrifying sensation of touching Isabella, every contact of their skins, enveloped his entire body. Her scent, the softness of her skin, everything combined into a whole. At that moment, all worries, all fears vanished for Leo. There was only Isabella. Her breath, her lips, her body...

In a week, they had captured the spark of a love that might take years for some to find. Now, at this critical moment when Isabella's life was in danger, Leo understood even more what these feelings meant. This sudden and profound attachment showed how important she was to him. He wanted her to survive. He wanted to get to know her more, spend more time with her. The fear of losing her was causing an indescribable pain inside him.

Leaning against the cold white wall of the corridor, Leo gave one of his men a sharp look. "Have you found out who ran her off the road?" he asked, his voice filled with controlled rage.

The man quickly nodded, "No, Leo. The attacker or attackers left the scene very quickly. However, we are mobilizing all our resources to find this person or persons."

The veins on Leo's forehead became prominent, "What about the security cameras? Have you accessed the camera recordings? There are many businesses and residences on that road. Maybe one of them recorded this person."

The man took a deep breath before replying, "Yes, we are gathering all the camera footage. Our investigation team is currently scanning these recordings. We will inform you as soon as possible, Boss."

Leo's face became stoic, his emotions evident. "This was definitely intentional," he said thoughtfully. "I'm sure someone wanted to harm Bella. I won't stop until I find the person who did this to her."

The man quietly lowered his head. Leo's anger and determination were evident to all. They would do whatever it took to uncover the truth behind this incident.

When his phone began to ring, he retrieved it from the inside pocket of his jacket and checked the caller ID. He didn't recognize the number. Frowning in tension, he answered the call.

"This is just the beginning, De Luca. If you don't want your beloved woman to get hurt, be more careful about who you confront in the future," said the voice on the phone.