AUTHOR'S POV

Elsewhere Hotel,
08: 34 pm

" ALICE?"

Xaden turned his head to see everyone arriving back and immediately rushing towards the pool.

Reed withdrew his coat on the way and threw that away. He without any second thought jumped into the pool.

Water splashed out. He swam towards Alice who had already stopped trying. Bubbles were coming out from her mouth to the surface of the water. Her body was about to land on the bottom of the pool but Reed approached her.

He caught her in his arms and swam back up.

He placed her on the edge of the pool and quickly got himself outside too.

" CALL THE AMBULANCE." He shouted without facing Xaden who was standing beside them. His feet were frozen. His mind wasn't processing looking down at Alice's condition.

Reed was tapping his palm on Alice's cheeks in an attempt to wake her but she wasn't responding.

" Alice? ALICE? HEY." He shook her but still, she wasn't breathing.

Reed put his ear on her chest to hear her heartbeat but unfortunately got the silence.

Jane fell to her knees. This was so much for her. First Maxwell now Alice. Her eyes were lifelessly looking at them.

Reed looked back at Alice's pale face and took a quick decision.

He squashed her cheeks in an attempt to part her lips. He brought his mouth over hers and started to blow steadily in it.

He moved back and put his hands over her chest and compressed it. Water started to come out of her mouth with every push. He repeated the process in a rapid motion and continued to give mouth-to-mouth CPR.

A loud cough escaped Alice's lips and she inhaled hungrily. " Alice." Reed breathed out pulling her onto his lap.

Alice's eyes were closed but she was coughing. Reed held her tightly bringing her closer to his chest.

He felt the vibration of their hearts between them. He kissed Alice's head rubbing her back gently.

" Reed." He heard her saying above a whisper in his ear before her head fell back and she lost her consciousness again.

Everyone including Jane was frozen at the sight. Both of their bodies were shivering but there was one person whose soul was.

Xaden.

He was standing there terrified watching them but he didn't even move from his place until the ambulance arrived.

They took Alice to the hospital.

Reed stood all soaked outside the ICU resting his head against the wall while Jane was there sitting numb-minded.

Her tears were continuously falling from her eyes but she did not for once wipe them. She was blankly staring at the ICU door, afraid to her core.

" Jane?" She looked up at Hazel as she came to her with a water bottle. She sat beside her and opened the cap for her.

" I can't lose her." Jane mumbled shaking her head. Her bottom lip trembled. "Alice is my only family." She cried loudly palming her face.

" She'll be alright." Hazel gave her friend hope caressing her back.

Everyone was waiting for the doctor outside the ICU, walking from left to right. Mumbling prayers under their breaths.

Xaden was standing a little away from them looking at their helpless selves, regretting something he has not done.

Reed caught Xaden standing in a corner and walked toward him but Xaden wasn't able to make eye contact with him.

" Reed, I was... I was taking care of her, I swear. She w-was...she was bored so I thought about taking her outside to g-get some...som-some fresh air. I-I didn't know it'll turn out like thi-"

A tight slap jerked his face to another side. " HOW COULD YOU BE SO F*CKING CARELESS". Reed growled.

Xaden's heartbeat dropped. His mouth opened, and the voices around got silent. The person who has never raised his voice at him raised his hand. His heart broke into millions of pieces and he felt the sharp pain it caused.

" We keep on neglecting you being irresponsible. Forgiving your silly acts." Reed glared at him being completely down.

" Reed." Edwin stood between them and pushed Reed gently by his chest to create some distance between him and Xaden.

" Don't defend him this time, Edwin." Reed said giving filthy look to Xaden whose cheek was red due to the slap, the head was still hanging low, eyes holding shame, regression, and sadly... tears.

" He will change, he'll realize his responsibilities soon that's what I've been hearing from Mom all my life." Reed said frustratingly. " YOU AREN'T A KID. DO YOU HEAR ME?" Reed asked showing big eyes.

" Please keep the silence. There are patients." A yard boy interrupted only to get ignored.

" If anything happens to Alice. I won't forgive you. Ever." Saying that Reed left his brothers and went back to the girls.

Hazel saw everything but didn't utter a word.

Edwin turned to face Xaden who didn't even move after getting slapped by Reed.

" Xaden, don't mind him. He's just tensed bec-" Edwin tried to convince Xaden but he walked away. Edwin being aware of him didn't follow him as he knows he needs to be alone for some time.

Xaden found himself hardly breathing. He bit his lower lip and tried to control his tears. Never in his life ever had he felt this bad.

He rushed back to his car where he saw his secretary standing.

" Xaden Sir?" She called concern fully.

" Give me the keys." He said not looking up.

" But-"

" Please." He insisted.

Sen has no other choice except for obeying him.

Taking the car keys Xaden pulled out his card from his pocket and hand that to her. " Take care of the bills. The code is 2403." He said getting inside the car.

" Okay, Xaden Sir." Sen replied politely noticing how he was trying to hold his tears.

The car spun around Sen taking a u-turn before it got disappeared from her sight within a beat.

" Be safe." She mumbled feeling bad for him.

As she went inside the hospital with the card in her hand, she saw a doctor taking off his mask. Everyone stood up. " How's her condition now?" Jane asked wiping her tears and waiting desperately for the doctor to speak.

" Don't worry. She's out of danger now. She'll get her consciousness soon." The doctor said causing everything to breathe in relief.

" Can we see her?" Reed asked.

" Sure, but please go one by one. Do not suffocate her." The doctor advised looking at each of them." Any of her family members here?" The doctor asked thinking they all probably are friends because of looking almost the same age.

" I'm her sister." Jane stepped forward.

" I've something to talk about the patient in private. Please follow." The doctor said politely.

" Is it something serious?" Jane asked. Her voice came out low as she gulped.

The doctor only nodded before continuing to walk toward his cabin. Taking off his blue surgical gloves followed by Jane.

Washing his hand in a side sink the doctor sat on the chair wiping his hands with the help of a napkin. He wore his reading glasses and finally spoke.

" What's your name?". The doctor asked.

" Jane Caddel." She answered sitting not so comfortably on her chair.

" So Miss. Caddel The thing is... Giving CPR saved her life but the reason she was losing her consciousness, again and again is because of the panic attacks she was having. As per the reports she has lost her eyesight. That was the main cause. Being unable to see numbed her mind. She thought she won't make it and sadly it turn out like this." He sighed continuing his words after a moment of pause. "I advise you to not perform any surgery for her eyes or she has chances to lose her eyesight forever. The chances are low to be able to get her surgery done without any harm to her life. There's no doubt that she's healthy but the veins from the brain are connected to the eyes. Be careful with every decision you take regarding her eyesight. It could get critical." The doctor explained.

" T-That means we should give up on-"

The doctor understood what she was afraid to say. " Look... I have a doctor in my contact. He's an eye specialist. I'll explain about your sister's condition to him. Maybe we'll get some positive responses. Let's hope for the best." The doctor offered his help.

" Thank you so much, doctor." Jane wiped her tears forcing herself to smile. She wrote down her mobile number on the doctor's notepad before leaving the cabin.

She went back towards the ICU with a huge crowd of thoughts in her head. There she saw everyone standing outside the ICU except for Reed as they gave him the chance to meet Alice.

Jane peeked inside from the small glass window to see Alice lying unconscious with an oxygen mask covering half of her face. She was surrounded by machines.

Reed was having Alice's palm between his big once. His forehead was resting on it. His eyes were closed. His hair was a mess and he was still soaked with water.

He lifted his head as a nurse went inside. He kissed the back side of Alice's palm gently before putting it back on her stomach and giving them privacy.

As soon as he stepped outside he saw Jane whose eyes were all red due to crying. She stared at him but he wasn't able to hold eye contact with her because it was him who made her believe that Xaden would take good care of Alice but ended up like this within a few hours.

" Reed?" They heard Edwin's voice and faced him to see him coming towards them with a file and some medications. " Go back to the hotel and dry yourself. It's getting cold.  I'll stay here for tonight with Jane." He added handing the things to Jane who went inside the ICU.

" I'm alright." Reed shook his head. " I'll stay-"

" Edwin's right." Ian interrupted. " You should go and change." He added.

" Call me if she needs anything. Don't worry about the timing." Reed said getting Edwin's nods in response.

As they went back to the hotel they found it silent as it was past two in the morning.

Xaden was in his room when he heard them coming.

He opened his room's door to see Edwin going towards his room. He was curious to ask about Alice even though he called Sen multiple to ask the same but wasn't getting satisfied even while she was saying that Alice is out of danger.

He roamed in his room restless before deciding to go to Hazel's room.

He collected his whole courage and went there. The door was open ajar. His knuckles were about to hit the door but the thing he set his eyes on freeze his hand along with his body.

Ian was inside hugging Hazel. He was caressing Hazel's back gently mumbling consoling words. Soon they broke the hug and Ian cupped her face. He wiped her tears off using his thumbs.

He asked something lowly in response. She nodded and looked up into his eyes.

They stayed there like that for a while until Ian's hand slid down from her cheek to her neck. He slightly pulled her forward and gently attached their lips.

Xaden was about to dash inside to break his face but his feet refused to move when he found Hazel closing her eyes and kissing him back.

• Just because I carry it all so well doesn't mean it's not heavy.

Chapter Published On: 26 February 2023.

My hobi's going to join the military soon. I'm gonna miss him terribly. 😭 They took ARMY's moon first now taking our sun too. Please... they are so cruel 😭.