The Billionaire's accomplice

Struck...

KELSEY

Glendale Medical Center and Research Institute
4th Floor, VIP Suite
Oncology Department

It was half past midnight,  with fogged mind and  in much despair, my still wobbly legs brought me to the usual bustling hospital floor,  except for some movements  of  the staff  on night shift and  the faint gentle beeping of machines, the unit was  unusually quiet and almost deserted. It was past  the visiting hours, but due to Jeremy's VVIP status, immediate members of the family were allowed to come at anytime  provided that hospital and infection control  policies would be followed strictly.

I walked like an automaton as the  elevator door chimed and slid open, the need to escape gave me a momentary confusion,  though I needed to be alone, I also needed someone desperately to comfort me and  make me feel that everything was fine.  But I didn't need any  spoken words, I just needed to seek solace  in the arms of someone who could make me feel better even for just a moment.

Jeremy was alone and fast asleep as I entered his room,  I approached his bed quietly,  only the bedside lamp shade was dimmed  lit,  it created a soft glow of light  partially  illuminating  the side of where he was lying down.

He was lying supine, and  was not wearing a hospital gown, but a pair of his own pajamas. His  shaded face under the gloomy light still looked handsome, it  was quite calm but somber and  haggard,  somewhat ashen with no traces of pain. His cheekbones were more prominent because of lack of flesh,  and even in his sleep, his slightly opened mouth gave a look of his usual naughtiness because of its pouty expression, despite of my topsy-turvy emotions. I could not help but smile.

I haven't seen him in three days, his stubble had grown thicker and he  badly needed a shave. Though he hated it when he was not clean shaven, he  still refused others but me to do it for him.

I carefully sat down in a chair next to his bed,  I pulled the  bed sheets up and arranged it on top of him, while doing so, he stirred and  slowly opened his eyes.  He  looked at me  a bit startled,  he rubbed his eyes with  the back of his hand, as if he didn't recognize me at first and wanted  to clear his blurry vision, he  searched my face and kept staring for a few seconds, then he gradually smiled.

"My Kelsey."  The words were spoken  like a soft  whisper, It was husky from his sleep, I could barely hear him.  His hand moved instinctively to touch my face briefly, as if he was in a dream and wanted to make sure that he wasn't,  then he moved and searched for my hand,  he found it and laced his fingers into mine.

"It's me." I  nodded in reassurance,  and smiled at him, I reached out to ruffle his hair lightly with my other hand.

"Get some more sleep, I'll be here."  I whispered.

He did not say a word.  He  smiled and squeezed my hand  but did not let go,  and closed his eyes again.

I just stared at him for a long time. The feeling of sadness was overwhelming that my heart ached so much,  my eyes suddenly welled up.  Jeremy had no recollection of what happened, and because of that I knew, that he never intended to hurt me. I felt so sorry for him. I bit my lip not to make any sound, I didn't want Jeremy to wake up and  see me crying. I didn't want him to ask, because I didn't know how and what to answer him. 

I pitied him, no, i should never used that word, it may be perhaps akin to a word that I could not possibly name and define. But definitely so,  there was a  genuine feeling of affection and  deep affinity between us. No one would seem to understand, but it was a bond that was unusually strong and special, and  purely platonic.

And even if the contract with Gabriel did not exist, I would have still stayed by Jeremy's side in as much as I could. I was sure about that now. Perhaps, no matter how many times he may  have tried to  hurt me, I could have still forgiven him easily.