Alexander’s heart sank with shock, not having expected this at all. This was the reason he had been so keen on taking care of her all along. “Can you give me her address? We had a misunderstanding and she left home. I need to make it up to her,” he pleaded, desperate to get some information on her whereabouts.
Doctor Victor considered his plea for a moment and Alexander had the feeling that he didn’t want them to patch up.
“It’s important that I see her or she’ll land up in the hospital again. Please, give me her address. This is a serious issue.” It worked this time, and he gave him her address. Alexander was right in his assumption. Eva had indeed moved into the hospital staff quarters. He drove over to the building, a block away, and stormed towards the apartment the young doctor had mentioned.
The building was old but nicely maintained and overcrowded beyond capacity. There were nurses going or returning from duty, and people rushing everywhere, in the corridors, and on the stairs. The commotion was maddening! Everyone gaped at him since he was quite a misfit here in his designer suit and sophisticated appearance but Alexander didn’t bother. He was here on a mission and the faster he could get Eva out of this hellhole, the better it would be for her health.
He glanced at the door of apartment 30C and knocked, waiting impatiently for it to open. The other inmates nearby ogled at him. He could hear them whispering behind him in hushed tones but he didn’t bother to give them his attention.
The door opened slightly and Alexander saw a sleepy woman, a couple of years older than Eva, checking him out. “Yes? Are you looking for Eva as well?” she asked tiredly. Alexander frowned wondering who else had come looking for her.
“Yes, how did you know? Who else came looking for her?”
“You can ask Eva later. I’m too tired to answer you. Anyway, Eva isn’t here. One of her friends took her away an hour ago. I don’t have any other information about her. She has left with all her belongings,” said the woman, closing the door in his face. Alexander stood confused, wondering who could the friend be. Was it a male friend? Before he could ask her that, the weird woman had already closed the door. He retraced his steps back to his car, deep in thought.
Alyssa and Skylar were out of the question since both were in California. Sienna was living at Lucas’s house so the only one left was Hayley. Had Hayley taken Eva to her house? Alexander sighed as she drove towards his penthouse. It was late, and he didn’t wish to disturb Hayley’s parents. He didn’t like the neighborhood where Hayley lived since his most hated enemy, Nicholas Donnelly lived there too. For Eva’s sake, he would have to set foot there tomorrow.
At Hayley’s House
“I’m fine Hails! It’s just stress!” protested Eva the next morning. After moving into the staff accommodation, she had been overworking herself to erase all thoughts and memories of Alexander away from her heart. It was an impossible task since he lived in her soul, in every cell of her body, and his touch remained on every pore of her skin. As the memories of the times, she spend with Alexander haunted her, she worked more until she just collapsed at the hospital while on duty. Her friends, nurse Katherine and nurse Laura immediately summoned their head nurse and admitted her to the emergency department. Although the major cause of her stress was Alexander, Eva never admitted that to anyone, not even to herself.
“Still you’ll be spending the day here in bed. Your hospital just discharged you yesterday. They wouldn’t be expecting you to re-join work this soon,” Hayley scolded Eva while her housekeeper, Mrs. Morris whom Hayley called Elsa, brought her some milk and cereal.
“Are you going to work?” Eva asked with a sigh and Hayley nodded. She couldn’t take a day off since she had a business empire to handle. Being the sole heir to their multi-billion dollars worth chain of boutique hotels, Barclay Resorts And Suites, Hayley had been inducted into the business since her college years. Her dad, Christopher Barclay belonged to an aristocratic family and was highly respected in the social circles of the rich and famous of NYC. While her mom, Caroline Barclay was a famous fashion designer, her granny, Sophia Barclay was a well-known socialite in the city. Her aunt and uncle were childless and well-established cardiologists in the city. Everyone doted upon Hayley as the only child in the entire Barclay family.
“I have two consecutive meetings today. I can’t afford to take leave but we will catch up in the evening. You owe me an explanation for this. How can you neglect your health, Eva?” she scolded her friend.
“It’s just work pressure and nothing else. There isn’t any explanation other than that.”
“Why can’t I believe you? What are you hiding from me, Eva? I know you had gone to California with Alexander. Tell me if he has hurt you. I’ll crush his old bones!” Eva glared at her friend with annoyance.
“He isn’t old, okay? Just six years older than us. So is Ashton.”
“See? I knew you would react this way. Now tell me you didn’t fall sick because of Alexander. When I return, I want the truth.”
After Hayley left to get ready for work, Eva sat near the window overlooking the sprawling backyard and ate her breakfast. She knew Hayley had guessed it right but she couldn’t admit it to her. What if she told Ashton? He would definitely tell Alexander. Eva didn’t want Alexander to find out since he wasn’t affected by her disappearance from his life. She knew he had returned to New York since Alyssa had messaged her on the day he arrived he was on his way. After that, there had been no message from her. Alexander hadn’t informed his sister about her disappearance.
It couldn’t be that Alexander didn’t know that she had moved out of his penthouse. Yet even after twenty days, he didn’t think it necessary to come over to her hospital to see her. He had stopped calling her even after trying thrice. She might have disappeared but just as Hayley had sought her out, so could Alexander. Maybe he was happy to get rid of her from his life. It’s better this way since she wouldn’t have gone back to his apartment after knowing what he felt regarding his parents’ hatred for her.
She watched the greenery, and the flower beds outside and felt lonely. Elsa came over to serve her more food but Eva declined her. “I’m already full. Thank you, Elsa,” she said.
“You need to eat more, Eva or you’ll land up at the hospital again.” She served her more and walked out of the room, leaving her to finish everything up. Eva sighed and struggled to eat. She knew they all were very nice and cared about her but Hayley’s luxurious mansion made her feel claustrophobic and out of place. She wasn’t used to living amidst such grand opulence all around with people looking after every need of hers. There was hardly anything to do. The mansion felt more like some royal palace with its team of employees looking after everything to perfection. There was no privacy at all. However, her family was far better than Alyssa’s and didn’t hate her as Alyssa’s parents did.
“Stop worrying so much, Eva. Meditate instead. It will help you. I’ll try to return early. Don’t run away,” said Hayley, coming into her room, ready in a black formal pantsuit. Eva gave her a smile and got up to take a walk in the backyard.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll take a walk in your garden and rest. I won’t go anywhere till you give me permission to leave. Happy?” she said, making Hayley smile with relief.
“Yes, happy. Bye, see you.”
“Bye.” After her friend left, she took a stroll in the garden but it didn’t help at all. With nothing to do, her thoughts went back to Alexander and the time she shared with him. Sighing, she went back to her room and switched on the television to have something to do. There wasn’t anyone at home she could talk to. The employees were too busy with the housework and she surfed the channels bored with everything.
Stopping at a news channel, she watched with interest the news of a renowned actor committing suicide. However, the next news shocked her beyond words.
Desmond Rotterdam, renowned founder and owner of the world-famous chain of restaurants, Rotterdams, breathes his last this morning after an unsuccessful heart transplant.
The last hope that Eva had in her heart for Alexander crumbled to dust as she sat watching the shocking news. Would Alexander now marry Beatrix to keep his rights to Rotterdams? According to the news, Desmond Rotterdam’s body rejected the new heart despite the valiant efforts made by the doctors the whole night. Although the surgery was successful, it couldn’t save the patient! She caught glimpses of Beatrix sobbing in Alexander’s arms and a sense of melancholy hit her heart. She knew now everything was really over between them. It was time to forget Alexander forever.