Seeing Dominic panicking from Colton’s call, Nathan immediately looked at Benjamin for help, and he rushed to them before hugging his brother from behind.
“Brother, don’t panic. At least hear what he is saying. I am sure something is wrong,” Benjamin tried to comfort Dominic and looked at Nathan to talk over the phone.
“What do you mean someone took her? Was it her family?” Nathan tried to keep his cool.
Seeing his son’s hands trembling like this was breaking his heart.
Dominic sat on the ground with his eyes closed to control his emotions. Right now wasn’t the time to panic. If he panicked right now, he might lose Aaliyah forever. He told himself again and again.
“No, sir. Someone else took her. She isn’t here anymore, and Mr. Matthew doesn’t know anything about it. He said he would kill all of us if something happened to Miss Aaliyah -” Colton couldn’t complete his sentence.
“I will do it first. If something happened to Aaliyah, I would kill everyone guarding her when she was being taken away,” Dominic roared before he took the phone and ended the call.
He leaned on the car before taking a deep breath.
“Dad, I am going to the hospital to look for Aaliyah. Meanwhile, I want you to alert the search team and see if any of our rivals have the guts to do something like this. If anyone calls, inform me immediately,” Dominic said before he sat inside his car.
“Son, drive safely, please,” Nathan looked at Dominic, and the latter hummed before starting the car and accelerating away.
“Dad, Aaliyah will be alright, right? Many people’s hopes will break if something happens to her,” Sandra asked Nathan.
“We can only pray for that, Sandra. Let’s just hope for the best,” Nathan prayed in his heart.
After 35 minutes of driving, Dominic reached the hospital.
“Sir, I was just away for -”
*Slap*
Dominic’s slap on Colton echoed in the corridor, and Dimitri and Bryce immediately turned to the source of the voice.
“Dominic,”
“One thing. I just told you to do one thing. Stay in the room with Aaliyah, and keep an eye on everyone who arrives. There was a washroom in the room too. What was so urgent that you had to leave the room for so long that someone kidnapped her?” Dominic asked Colton, and the latter immediately bowed, knowing all too well that it was his fault.
“I am sorry, boss. I heard some screaming and commotion downstairs, and I thought someone might need help, so I just went to -” Colton stopped when he saw the dark look in Dominic’s eyes. It looked like if Colton spoke one more word, Dominic won’t think twice before shooting him dead.
“Where were you guys?” Dominic asked Dimitri and Bryce.
“We went for lunch,” Dimitri’s gaze was hard, and Dominic nodded.
“One time. Just one time I leave Aaliyah’s side, and you guys create a perfect opportunity for anyone to come in and take her away,” Dominic ran his hand through his hair before entering the room to see if he could get any clue on who might’ve done this crime and invited his death.
As Dominic looked around, he saw something unusual, and his eyes darkened further.
“That bas*ard drank her chocolate shake too!” Dominic roared, and Dimitri and Bryce entered the room.
“What do I do? There is no clue. Where should I look?” Dominic ruffled his hair in frustration before sitting on the ground.
Later in the evening ~~~
At Aaliyah’s house, Katherine walked to Laura in hopes to talk to her.
“Mom,” Katherine started before looking at Lily, who nodded at her in encouragement.
“Mom, can you give me a minute?” Katherine stepped forward with a nervous look.
It’s been two months since they had a decent conversation, and Katherine was nervous if her mother would even respond to her.
“What do you want?” Laura’s voice was neutral, void of emotions, and Katherine gulped again.
“My company is organizing the Paris Week event, and they have made me the showstopper. I… ” Katherine looked at Lily, who nodded back at her in encouragement to continue speaking.
“I was hoping you could come to the show? I would really love that. This is a big event -”
“I don’t have time,” Laura said before walking ahead, and Katherine’s eyes brimmed with tears before she took a deep breath and put on a fake smile.
“Mom, at least hear out the date. Maybe you will get the time to at least stop by and -”
“I said I don’t have time. How hard is it to get this thing through your skull?” Laura raised her voice, and Katherine shook in shock.
Even Lily felt bad for Katherine. This was the first time in two months they were having a conversation, and this was how Laura was speaking to her daughter.
“Laura, this is no way to talk to your daughter. We all know you are a senior surgeon and are busy with your schedule, but you can take out a little time for your elder daughter. What use is this schedule and everything if you can’t keep your family happy?” Lily asked, and Laura paused in her steps before continuing to place the plates on the table like she didn’t hear any of it.
“It’s because she hates me,” Katherine whispered, making Laura pause again, but she didn’t let that affect her.
“She doesn’t hate you, my girl. What’s wrong with you, Laura? You are breaking your daughter’s heart,” Lily stood from her place.
“I don’t think I am answerable to anyone. I don’t have the time, and I think I made that clear in the first attempt. If she can’t understand simple English, then I don’t know what to say anymore. Maybe she isn’t fit to be the show stopper,” Laura’s words pierced Katherine’s heart, and the little smile Katherine was able to muster to talk to her mother, immediately dropped.
“Why are you being like this, Mom? What did I do wrong to get this kind of hatred from you?” Katherine stood in front of Laura to force her to talk to her, but when Laura still didn’t say anything, Katherine bit her lips.
“Is it because of Aaliyah?” Katherine looked down at her feet, and Laura finally had a change in expression as she looked at her elder daughter.
“What did you say?” Laura asked, her expression turning grave.
This was the first time someone mentioned Aaliyah’s name in front of Laura. Though she visits Aaliyah, everyone knows that it’s like a trigger to Laura, and she loses it every time she hears her younger daughter’s name, who might never wake up.
“I said it’s all because of Aaliyah that you are being like this with me, no? I am not a fool, Mom. Do you think I don’t see how differently you treat me from the others since Aaliyah went into that coma? You blame me for her state,” Katherine hiccuped, and Lily’s heart ached to see her like this.
However, Laura’s eyes only hardened when she heard words like these.
“Oh? So you are well aware I am angry at you because of what happened with Aaliyah? Guess what? I don’t care. If you know that, you might also remember why my daughter has been lying on that hospital bed for two months in the first place,” Laura stepped forward, her eyes dark, and Katherine stepped back, afraid of her mother’s hatred.
“Do you really hate me that much?” Katherine asked.
“I don’t hate you, Katherine. Just like Aaliyah, you are my daughter too. I hate your dumbness. Maybe if you had informed everyone in the meantime, my daughter would be here, smiling and playing like everyone else,” Laura took a deep breath.
“What did you lose? What did any of you lose after that day? Nothing. None of us lost anything, but my daughter? She lost everything. Do you have any idea how it breaks my heart to see her lying there, not being able to do anything? She is just breathing and nothing else. Even her basic things like cleaning are to be done by nurses,” Laura’s eyes brimmed with tears.
“I miss her too, Mom. But I am not going around spouting thorns in others’ lives. Do you think we like seeing you like this? We all are sad about her as much as you are, but none of us are acting like you,” Katherine raised her voice, all her frustration that has been piling up finally coming out.
Lily looked at the family that was always all smiles breaking like this, and she sighed. If Aaliyah had been here, she would’ve never allowed these two to fight like this. She had that kind of importance and pressure in the house.
Though Aaliyah was the youngest daughter of Laura, it wouldn’t be wrong to say she was the one keeping everyone together despite their differences.
‘Please wake up soon, Aaliyah. Don’t be so late that when you wake up, the family you left doesn’t remain together anymore,’ Lily thought, clenching her fists.
“Don’t talk to me in that tone, Katherine,” Laura raised her voice.
“I don’t have any option, Mom. I don’t think you will ever look or talk to me if I don’t use this tone. You already lost your one daughter, and now your behavior will make you lose the second one too. Don’t blame me for that too! Do you think I don’t hate myself enough for what happened?!” A few tears rolled down Katherine’s eyes as she said whatever came to her mind, and Laura’s heart skipped a beat in pain.
“What do you mean?” Laura asked, pain and fear evident in her eyes, her heart aching painfully, and Katherine wiped her cheeks furiously as her lips trembled.
“I mean what I said, Mom. Aaliyah is already in a coma, and she might never wake up, but you will lose me if -”
“Katherine!” Laura raised her hand to slap Katherine, but someone held her hand mid-air.
Katherine, who had closed her eyes instinctively, opened her eyes when the slap never came and looked behind Laura in horror and shock.
“Who dared -” Laura stopped when she felt the familiar presence behind her, her whole form trembling.