*************************Read the note at the end of the chapter***********************
Third Person POV
"We'll declare he's in a coma.", the doctor said seriously, looking at Vince.
He has known the Marinos from a very long time, for almost more than fifteen years now.
He himself felt bad to inform them about their brother's critical condition but it was his duty.
The doctor's declaration came as a heavy blow to the Marinos.
Angel's breath hitched and she immediately held Theo's hand for support.
Aria couldn't process what the doctor was saying and subconsciously held Vince's sleeves with a trembling hand.
Dylan felt the ground beneath him slip. He couldn't believe his ears. What the hell was the doctor saying? His brother is stronger than that.
Theo had a hard time maintaining his stoic exterior. His heart started hammering more fast and loud but the hand that held on to him reminded him he was not in a position to lose his cool now. He had siblings looking up to him. He controlled his breathing and looked at Vince, the one person he can lean on and so desperately needed assurances from.
Ace went numb at the doctor's words. His feet started getting cold with fear and his breathing was getting heavy. He gritted his teeth to control his emotions but the pain in his chest was getting more and more intense.
"There's a chance that Ash will be fine, right, doctor?", Vince's deep and firm voice startled everyone, bringing them out of their thoughts.
All of them looked at him but he was looking straight at the doctor.
"There's still 24 hours to decide his status, yes?", he asked and the doctor nodded with a faint frown.
"There's a possibility that he'll show improvement by then. Am I right?", Vince asked firmly.
"Yes, Mr. Marino.", the doctor answered, finally understanding what Vince was trying to do.
He was trying to give his siblings hope that they desperately are in need of.
Vince gave the doctor a curt nod and the doctor walked away after giving a quick nod, leaving the Marinos alone in the corridor.
Vince held Aria's trembling hand in his firmly. After a moment her hand stopped trembling and she held his hand even more tightly.
He then looked at all his siblings seriously.
"There's still quite a lot of probability for Ash to get better in the next 24 hours. He is stronger than we know and he'll definitely make it out of this in no time. So, I want each of you to not lose hope and try to stay calm until Ash shows improvement.", Vince said in a firm voice and with his usual stoic face.
"B-But w-w-what if-", Aria started in a voice choked up with emotions.
Vince gently guided her towards the seats and made her sit. He himself sat beside her and pulled her into his embrace.
He held her gently and tapped her back to calm her down. He could see how worked up she was getting and he can't have her go through a breakdown at this moment.
Everyone has to stay strong and he will make sure they do.
"Ash will be alright, Aria.", Vince said calmly with a soft edge to his tone.
She snuggled closer to him and he gently tapped her head.
After a few moments, when he noticed that she had considerably calmed down, he made her look up at him.
He gently wiped her tears and looked at her straight in the eyes with a firm yet gentle look.
"He will be fine. He is strong and so are the rest of my siblings, so are you. We have to be strong for his sake so that we can take care of him once he wakes up. We can't lose hope. Can you stay strong for your brother, Aria?", Vince asked gently yet firmly.
If he had talked like that any other day, everyone would have been surprised at how toned down his demeanor has become while consoling his sister, but today, everyone is choked up in their own emotions to notice that.
Aria sniffed softly and nodded her head.
"I will stay strong.", she said in a cracked voice.
Vince nodded and gently kissed her forehead.
He looked at the others and noticed Angel snuggled into Theo's side. On the other side of Theo, Ace sat down with a blank expression and Dylan sat next to him with a slight frown, clenched fists and a supposedly calm demeanor.
Vince led Aria towards the others and made her sit beside Angel and gently kissed Angel's forehead. He could feel her panic and the fear she was so hardly trying to suppress. He tapped her head gently to calm her down and she considerably relaxed.
He walked to Dylan and Ace and hugged them and they hugged him back tightly, burying their face into his midriff.
He could feel their panic and agitation and firmly squeezed their shoulders in assurance.
He gently broke the hug and walked away after giving Theo a light reassuring squeeze on the shoulder.
He walked out of the emergency waiting area and immediately the guards surrounded him for security purposes.
They cleared a private cabin for their boss in the next corridor and waited for his orders.
Vince sat calmly and looked at his guards.
"Call Cole.", he said calmly.
Without wasting a second, Cole walked forward from the group of guards.
Vince looked at his head security, Cavin and he sent everyone out, except a few high ranking men.
"Tell me, what happened exactly?", Vince asked coldly.
The guards gulped at the coldness in his voice and didn't dare look up at him. They cast their eyes down to the floor and waited for their boss to continue.
The dangerous aura exuding from their boss sent a chill down their spine.
Cole knew the question was directed at him and he didn't want to anger his boss more than he already did, so he started speaking.
"Boss, Mr. Ashton came out of the school building and abruptly got into his car and started driving out of the school gates. The guards were startled at how quickly he went out and we tried following him. But before we could overtake his car and provide security at his front, a truck came and bumped his car down the small hill.", Cole said seriously but gulped internally at his boss's sharp and cold look.
He knows he had messed up when the accident happened as he was the security head for Ash.
"Find the truck driver, Cavin. I want him in the warehouse before my brother wakes up.", Vince ordered and Cavin nodded and walked out, gesturing to the other guards to walk out of the room too.
Vince called Aurelio and he picked up in the first ring.
"What's going on, Vince?", Aurelio asked seriously but Vince clearly caught the panic in his voice.
"Ash will be alright Elio.", Vince said firmly.
"He has to be.", the latter muttered.
"Vince, are you oka-", Aurelio was asking but Vince cut him off in the middle.
"I want each and every detail about the incident, Elio. Also, make sure no one gets to know about the accident. Stop the news before it spreads.", Vince said in a firm and cold voice.
"We can't keep this from the family, Vince.", Elio tried to argue.
"If they get to know, they'll start panicking and that's the last thing we need right now. The commotion in the family will create openings for more attacks, Elio. I don't want that. This has to stop here.", Vince said seriously and in a tone that prevents any further objection.
"I get it. I'll keep it under the wraps. No one outside the scene will get to know about this. About uncle Ric-", Aurelio started but trailed off in the end.
"I'll tell him about it. But no one else. No even uncle Ros. Do not at any cost let the news spread in the mafia nor the media.", Vince said and Aurelio hummed.
"How's he doing?", Aurelio asked.
"He'll be alright. He has to be", Vince answered in a firm voice.
"He will be.", Aurelio muttered.
"It's him, isn't it?", Aurelio asked angrily.
"This time he's acting differently, Elio. Unlike last time, he's not targeting just one person. First both my sisters, then Aria and now Ash. I don't want any further incidents on anyone.", Vince said calmly but Aurelio knew he was anything but calm at that moment.
"What's he trying to prove by this? That bast**d is going to die painfully, regretting his very birth.", Aurelio said in a menacingly cold and low voice.
"He won't die, Elio. Not after I get my hands on him.", Vince said in a dangerously low voice and any one would tremble in their place at the intense malice in his tone and the murderous aura he was emitting at the moment.
Aurelio clenched his jaw and hummed, understanding the meaning behind his cousin's words.
Indeed that person didn't deserve liberation through death.
"Keep the security tight around Fio and Luce and also on the others, Elio. I don't want anyone else to get hurt now.", Vince said firmly and Aurelio hummed.
Vince cut the call and Aurelio sighed. For the sake of everyone, he just hoped Ash will be alright. Though his cousin refused to show his vulnerability, he better than anyone knew that Vince was hurting inside. If only his cousin could share it with someone.
He sighed at the thought. The one person who could've been Vince's rock was uncle Ric but after all these years, there was no way Vince would lean on their father for support.
Aurelio did everything Vince asked and waited in his office alone for any news on Ash's condition. He loves Ash as much as he loves his own brothers, Fio and Luce. He just hoped his brothers won't call them in the next few hours or maybe a day cause he was in no position to explain anything to them.
On the other hand, Easton was surprised at the way he heard Angel and her brothers walk away before the school ended.
Since the area where the accident happened was secluded and since Aurelio asked the men to clean anything suspicious from the spot of accident, Easton had no clue what was happening.
He wondered if anything serious had happened.
There was one more important thing. He was in a hurry.
After a call from his mother, he had to leave for his home, but he couldn't leave before at least saying goodbye to Angel.
He was convinced that the family indeed loved Angel as their own and he didn't want to meddle in between. He also didn't want his mother to know anything about this.
If his mother acted on impulse and Angel got hurt in any way, his mother will be the one hurting the most in the end and he didn't want his mother nor Angel to get hurt.
So, he decided it's best to leave for now after greeting Angel one last time.
He had searched for her but came to know from the principal that the Marinos had left a while ago.
He was disappointed and tried her mobile number but she didn't lift the call.
His mother ordered him to be at home by dinner and his time was running out.
He tried to call Theo but no one was lifting the call.
He wondered if anything happened in the family?
He called their landline and Sofia, the head maid, picked the call.
"Marino's residence. Who's speaking?", she asked calmly.
"Hello, Miss. I'm Easton. Can you get Angelina on line?", he asked politely.
"Sorry, sir, but Mr. Marino has asked not to disturb anyone as they are having some family time now.", Sofia said.
Easton frowned but cut the call as he knew the head maid wouldn't be able to give him any information.
He understood something was happening but he couldn't figure out what.
He was no fool to believe what the maid had said.
Why would they leave so abruptly from school just to spend some family time!
That's when his phone started ringing, bringing him out of his thoughts.
He picked the call and before he could greet the other person, that person beat him to it.
"Tony, the jet is ready. Why haven't you boarded it yet?", Kris asked exasperatedly.
"Calm down, princess. I'm going to.", he replied calmly.
"You do know that mom expects you back by the time dinner is served, right?", Kris asked her brother, who according to her was way too calm for the situation they were in right now.
"I do and I'm just going to board the jet.", he said, trying to calm his tensed sister.
"Phew! Fine. Come soon.", she said and he cut the call after saying a bye.
He didn't feel good leaving without saying goodbye. But he was not in a situation to wait either.
He had to leave now.
He wanted to take her away with him, introduce her to her biological family, pamper her the way he pampers his brother and sister, see his parents dote on her but again, to fulfill all those wishes, he has to wish for the rupture in the Marino family.
He was no saint but he was not that selfish either.
He really wants Angel to come to their family but if it means she has to lose the family she has right now, he wouldn't wish for it.
Deciding to leave Angelina with the Marinos is something that's going to be a betrayal to his mother's trust on him, one he would never even dream of doing.
But for the very first time, after looking at Angel and her family, he was ready to do it even if he had to bear the weight of guilt for the rest of his life.
Is the Marinos' love for Angelina worth the burden of guilt he was going to face for a lifetime?
Only time can tell, he thought.
He sighed and boarded his private jet.
He wondered if his decision to trust the Marinos with Angelina was right.
Again, only time could tell!
Back at the hospital, Vince was ordering his men about the security and the measures to be taken to prevent even the smallest of the details from going out of his trusted circle.
Hernan Romero was a dangerous man and Vince was not going to take even the slightest of chances with the security of his family.
That man feeds off of a person's misery and Vince was not going to let him take advantage of his family's pain right now.
The more impulsive they get right now, the more chance they'll give their enemy to strike.
That was the reason he told Aurelio to not let the others know of this.
Their grandfather and uncle are sharp enough to figure out the situation if anything gets out of normal and Vince felt it unnecessary to deal with their questions right now.
After a few minutes, he was done and was walking back to where his siblings were but he was surprised to see Theo walking towards him.
"What are you doing here? How are the others?", Vince asked calmly.
"Aria exhausted herself from crying and dozed off. Angel is sitting with Dylan and Ace is not responding.", Theo said in an emotionless voice and cold eyes.
Vince didn't give any reaction except a nod.
Theo looked at his brother seriously, straight in the eyes and Vince understood Theo needed to talk.
He looked at his men and they walked away, giving the brothers the much needed space.
Theo walked to Vince and without any hesitation hugged his brother.
He had been holding strong from a very long time and he could no longer keep up the strong brother image.
He needed assurances and there was only one person who could give him that, his brother.
Vince could feel the panic and agitation of his brother and wrapped his arms around him.
"This is no time to break, Theo. We have to stay strong. Ash is going to be alright.", Vince said calmly.
"You and I both know the reality of this situation, Vince. I'm not a kid.", Theo said, laying his panic bare to his brother.
"There's always hope, Theo. A few hours are still left. Ash has always been a fighter and he's going to fight through this too.", Vince said calmly.
Theo hugged his brother tightly for one last moment and broke the hug.
"Ace isn't responding at all, Vince. Not to me, not to Dylan. He's just been staring at the door of the emergency ward. I asked the doctor if Ace could go see Ash for one moment but he denied saying it's not good for the patient.", Theo said with a frown, worry apparent in his tone.
"Let's go.", Vince said and Theo walked before him.
As they walked to where the others were, they saw an exhausted Aria resting her head on Angel's shoulder with tear streaks on her cheeks.
On the other hand, Angel held on to Aria's hand and was looking at Ace and Dylan with a concerned frown.
Dylan was trying to make Ace talk but he was just blankly staring at the door.
Vince's heart clenched at the way his siblings were hurting.
He gestured to Theo to take care of others and went to Ace.
"Ace", Vince called calmly.
No response.
"Ace", Vince called out firmly.
Ace slightly stiffened but no response.
Vince pulled Ace up but no reaction.
He took him a little far from the others.
He couldn't afford the others to break looking at Ace's distressed state.
Vince blocked Ace's line of sight towards the emergency ward door.
"Ace, look at me.", Vince said firmly, forcing Ace to look at him.
Ace looked at him with blank eyes, clenching his heart painfully.
"You promised you'll hold on until Ash gets better.", Vince said gently.
"I can't. Please ask him to wake up, Vince.", Ace said in a cracked voice and hugged Vince tightly, breaking down in his arms.
Vince held his brother firmly in his embrace and tapped his back to calm him down though he knew Ace was nowhere near calming down.
"Please, Vince. Ask him to wake up. I won't fight with him anymore. I'll do anything he wants. I won't argue with him ever. Just please ask him to wake up.", Ace said in a voice thick with emotions, burying his head in his brother's chest.
Vince's heart clenched at the pain Ace was going through, the pain all of his siblings were going through.
Above all, his own heart was getting heavy and hammering against his chest with each passing hour.
He would give anything to have his brother safe.
And there was only one plea running in his mind,
Please wake up, Ashton.
********************************************************************************************
Phew! That was a very long chapter!
How was the chapter?
Do you think Easton is gone forever?
What do you think about his decision and how do you think his mother is going to be?
How was everyone's feelings?
Do you think Ash is going to be okay?
A glimpse into the future : Thanksgiving argument and the much awaited trip to Italy.
Note : Dear readers, I'm very happy that you all liked my story but there's something I'm meaning to tell you. The fact that some of you think the brothers love Angel more and some think they love Aria more and are ignoring Angel, I would like to point out that Aria and Angel are not rivals. They are sisters. Why are you comparing when there is no competition between them. Every brother loves the girls as much as they love their other brothers, neither more nor any less. It's just that they are protective because the girls are young and not involved in mafia. Next important point, for those who think Aria's story is over, why would you think that when Angel's story is not over yet. And for those who are waiting for Angel's story, wait. It's going to come very soon. Finally, to end this speech, I would like to say that Aria and Angel are sisters and not fighting with each other for someone else's love. They love each other and are closer than they are with their brothers. And for those who think that the boys' emotions are not being described completely, I would say, just wait for their story to come where I'll go deeper into their character.
Don't forget to vote, comment and follow.
Yours lovingly,
Author.