The doctor moved first, rushing towards the direction of the scream while Luis and the security detail followed, hot at his trail.
“What is going on?” The doctor asked the hospital worker who fell with her supplies just in front of the storage room.
“B-blood..” The woman stuttered, shaking fretfully as she pointed at the shut door. “There’s b-blood!”
One look towards the door and there it was. A trail of blood leaked from under the door. To make things worse, there was a brown hair that also managed to find its way through the little space at the bottom of the shut door.
Doctor Carson immediately flung himself at the door, trying to open the door to no avail. “Someone! Break this door!” He yelled when the blood kept pouring out. “Get him out of here!”
The doctor said to the guard, pointing at Luis, who refused to move. For some insane reason, Luis was stuck to his feet, eyes fixed on the small lock of hair that looked like his auntie’s.
Soon enough, some security detail came with a hammer, hitting the door until it was pushed open. As soon as the door was opened, more blood poured out of the storage and it seemed like something was hindering the door from opening properly.
As soon as they saw the feminine-looking hand, things took a drastic turn at the hospital with the doctor ordering for a stroll to be brought while he tried to get the woman out.
After much struggle, A bloodied and unconscious June was dragged out of the place. As soon as Luis saw her, he lurched towards her in shock.
“Auntie!” He cried when the security detail held him back, eyes widened as he spoke into the talker in his hands.
June was rushed into surgery immediately. With Doctor Carson as the surgeon in charge. The surgery took hours in between Rafael stormed into the hospital.
Luis was seated outside the theatre crying when his father stepped in. He rushed towards him with teary eyes. “Father! Auntie! Auntie!”
The young boy could hardly make out words between his sobs. Rafael held his son tightly, trying to put himself together and be strong for his son who suddenly developed a liking for his contract wife.
Soon enough, Luis was asleep in his father’s arms and was sent home while Rafael stayed back, waiting for news from the doctor.
All through his stay outside the theatre, Rafael couldn’t help the guilt that plagued him. If he had followed her to the hospital, this would never have happened. In the same way, if he had followed his late wife to the hospital, then maybe, she wouldn’t have died.
The security detail returned after sending Luis home, reporting to Rafael.
“What happened?” He asked without looking at him. “Tell me everything without mincing words.”
After listening to how they found his new wife in a locked closet, barely alive, Rafael felt like punching something. Someone.
“I want every single detail on how my wife was attacked.” He spoke with a storm on his face. “Every single video connecting to this incident should be on my phone by daylight.”
“Yes, boss.”
There and then, Rafael returned to the seat, looking distraught as he waited for the surgery to be concluded. In those precious moments of waiting, he made a vow to bring to death anyone who was responsible for the case and to protect his wife with his life if by some divine intervention, she made it out alive.
Suddenly, the door opened and June was wheeled out of the place with a stretcher. Rafael got on his feet as soon as he saw them, holding up a distraught look on his face.
“How is she?” He asked just in time for the doctor to step out.
“Carson. Tell me I will not lose another wife.” His tone was hard but his doctor friend knew all about the situation of Rafael Ambrose.
“The knife hit her major organs. The kidney. We were able to stitch it up but I can not say the success of her surgery until she wakes up.” Doctor Carson said with a tired look on his face.
“Whoever did that wanted her dead. My concern is this. If they were able to perform such an act in this hospital, then there is a lot more to be worried about.”
“She’s not safe in this hospital.” Rafael read between the lines.
“At least until we find the perpetrator.”
Rafael pursed his lips as he followed them to the VIP room arranged for June to recuperate. The more he stared at her pale face, the more he felt anger build up in his heart.
Whoever did this was going to pay. He was going to make sure they regretted touching what was his. He was going to serve them a judgement so cruel they’d wish they hadn’t been born.
But first, he needed to get her to safety.
Meanwhile, April was in her car, smiling as she drove into the Rivera family house. She wanted to break the news to her mother. Everything had been taken care of. June was finally past tense.
Nothing prepared her for the sight of her mother standing in front of the house with a shrewd expression on his face as she spoke into the phone.
As soon as Mrs Evelyn saw her daughter’s car, she ended the call and shot daggers at her. “Mother!” April said as she hugged her. “Why are you outside?”
“What have you done?” Mrs Rivera asked her daughter, stepping away from her embrace.
“I don’t understand.” April sported a look of confusion. “What is it?”
Mrs. Rivera was so angry, that she nearly blew a fuse. “You attacked your sister in a hospital! Are you stupid or do you want to spend the remnant of your human life in jail?!”
April was taken aback. Her mother wasn’t supposed to know that. She had come to break the news. There was no way she could have found out.
Suddenly, a wave of fear washed over April. Had she been caught? Did someone rat her out? Didn’t the men finish up the job?
“H-How?”
“The men got there a bit late! Her body had been discovered! According to the news, she has been taken into surgery. The police have been alerted and an investigation has started! How could you make such a mistake?!”
April felt her world tremble to a thousand million pieces. There was no way. She couldn’t be caught. Her life would end! She turned to her mother with a pleading look.
“Mother! Help me! Please! Just this once, help me get this sorted.” Her eyes were teary as she begged, heart pounding in her chest.
“I already ordered for the cameras to be wiped. Thankfully, you were in a blind spot so no camera noticed you carrying out the act. You just need to make up a story of what you were discussing.”
“If my plans go well, then June would be dead by midnight. That way, she can’t wake up to cancel your story.”
April nodded her head in understanding. Churning her head for a refined version of what went down but came up short. At this rate, she was banking on the fact that she did a thorough enough job that sent her sister to the fiery pits of hell.
Because she couldn’t stand the idea of June knowing everything she had done to her in secret over the years. That simply cannot happen.