ANOTHER GIFT.
I am out of the city right now and have free time until I get back home.
So I thought why the hell not?
My exam is tomorrow and I am just too evil because this chapter is something that will make all of you...die😏
Love you!
Enjoy!!!
*****
I looked at my feet as I took a deep breath. It has been two hours and still no answers. I knew that doctor, bitch was actually working on the results this time. I was sitting next to the laboratory doors, checking her every once in a while.
I knew that they have transferred Chris to his room. I told Ruby to make sure he was alright and in no pain. I didn't go to see him yet. I was waiting for the diagnosis. I didn't want to go empty-handed.
The door opened as Dr. Williams stepped out. Immediately I stood up, walking towards her.
"What is it?" I asked her immediately. I felt my legs weaken as I tried to keep my tone straight. She looked at me with a nervous chuckle.
"It's pneumonia. It appears it hasn't been treated therefore it lead to complications and hemoptysis. It's pretty dangerous if not treated. Your husband is lucky that he got here before it turned into something worse" She explained. I felt my legs weaken at her words. I felt a lot of relief and fear at the same time.
"Will you explain more?" I asked her, causing her to sigh.
"There are two types of pneumonia," She said.
"Viral and bacterial," I said, causing her to nod.
"Now, viral pneumonia goes away on its own. Bacterial pneumonia, on the other hand, can make a person a lot sicker. Bacterial pneumonia that is left untreated can cause a lot of complications. Such as blood infections which Mr. Santobello does not have. But there is another issue" She voiced. I felt the air leave my lungs and I tried to calm myself down. I needed to be strong.
"What is it?" I asked her.
"Pneumonia has been left untreated. I doubt that Mr. Santobello understands how serious the situation is. The germs that cause pneumonia had reached his lungs. The air sacs which are called alveoli's became inflamed" She muttered. I knew what was going to come next and I closed my eyes in fear of what's to come. I took a deep breath.
"The inflammation of the air sacs caused fluid in the lungs, Mrs. " She said, confirming my thoughts. I felt my legs weaken as I ran a hand through my hair.
"He has fluid in the lungs too? Isn't that very dangerous?" I asked her. She nodded.
"What we are dealing with is a complication of pneumonia. Hemoptysis and also fluid in the lungs. If the inflammation spreads through his body I'm afraid it can actually cause death" She said, making my stomach drop. I felt all the noise disappear as for a moment I felt like I was going to pass out.
"Death?" I asked her calmly. Even though calmness was the last thing I felt.
"I'm only saying what it can lead to if left untreated. Your husband needs to be hospitalized. He will consume the right amount of antibiotics for pneumonia. He might have shortness of breath and it might be hard to talk much. Breathing might be painful that is also a fact."
"The hemoptysis is luckily new. He had not coughed up blood before. We were lucky it hasn't gone too far or it would demand a surgical interference. For now, it'll be dealt with its medication. The rest will also be taken care of. If the situation gets out of hand then he will be put on a mechanical breathing machine to support his breathing while other measures are being taken" She explained everything, making me nod.
"What d-does he need?" I asked her shakingly.
"He needs rest. He will sleep a lot. He should stay calm and not stress out too much. In no case should he get cold" She said. As we finished the conversation I found myself walking to his room. My mind was foggy. My headache was getting stronger and I was afraid to enter his room. As I stopped in front of the door that was supposed to be his the tears betrayed me. I covered my mouth with my hand as I felt the tears blinding my vision.
He will get better.
Her words rang in my ears, giving me hope. He had to get better and I wouldn't leave him. I would take care of him until he got better. I dried the tears as I opened the door and stepped in.
The room was absolutely beautiful. It was wide and comfortable. The lights were off, signaling that he was sleeping. My eyes landed on him and I felt nervous as ever. He was laying on the bed, motionless. An IV attached to his hand. I closed the door and walked towards him. I put the chair next to his bed as I sat down next to him.
I dried the tears that have escaped my eyes and just looked at his sleeping form. I admired his sculpted chest and his handsome face. Even when he was lying motionless in a hospital bed he still looked as handsome as he was.
The doctors' words continued to ring in my ears and I didn't know what to feel. I had been afraid that it would be something worse. Maybe some chronic illness. It was a relief to know that he wasn't deathly ill. But then knowing how many other sicknesses he got from not taking care of himself left me shaking with fear. Complicated pneumonia, hemoptysis, and fluid in the lungs. I was scared. I knew that I couldn't keep this secret much longer.
I was alone at three at night, watching Chris lay motionless in a hospital bed without having anyone here by my side. I would tell Felix and Isabella the truth in the morning. For now, I would let Chris rest. I stared at his hands. The bruises on his knuckles were still there.
I remembered the night I told Chris about Antonio's blackmail and he in rage punched the wall. Gently I took his free hand in mine. I brought his knuckles close to my face as I let my lips brush against his bruised knuckles. I remembered the promise he gave me. That he would reunite me with my family. We were already working on a way to prove Antonio's unfaithfulness. But at this very moment that didn't make me feel better.
I would feel better when I would see Chris walking around the mansion with his devilish smirk present on his face. It wasn't him. The Chris I knew wouldn't be so sick. This hospital wasn't his place. Immediately my mind went back to the night where I had managed to escape Antonio's filthy hands.
The following morning I had gotten very sick. Chris drove all the way from Rome to see me. He stayed the night with me, making sure my fever doesn't go up and that I was okay. He took care of me. I never imagined I would have to take care of him too.
A small tear fell from my eyes right on his knuckles. I looked up and saw him staring at our hands. I felt my stomach turn. Strangely I didn't even have the heart to feel embarrassed. I didn't have the heart to take my hand away and make up a sarcastic remark. All I wanted to do was cry.
"How are you feeling?" I asked him quietly. His eyes went up as they rested on my face. He frowned as he saw the tears on my face.
"I'm alright. Why are you crying?" He asked me. I chuckled at his words as another tear escaped my eye.
"I just came back from the doctor" I muttered, trying to take my hand away. He wrapped his fingers around mine.
"So soon? I thought the results wouldn't come until tomorrow evening" He said with a cough. I scoffed at his words.
"Don't worry I took care of that" I muttered, making him raise an eyebrow.
"Are you feeling any better?" I asked him before he could question me about what I had done. He took a deep breath which left him frowning. The doctor told me that taking breaths might be painful.
"I'm fine" He lied. At his words, the blood boiled in my veins and I found myself tightening the hold on his hand.
"Can you stop doing this?" I raised my voice.
"Stop pretending that you're okay! Chris, I know you aren't fucking okay! Why do you always do this?" I exclaimed in anger. His eyes shone with something as he too raised his voice at me.
"What the fuck do you want me to tell you? That I feel like my lungs are being ripped out of my chest? Or that I can't even fucking breathe without feeling like I'm being stabbed?!" He shouted at me, making me flinch.
"Yes! That's what I want you to tell me, Chris! I want you to be honest with me! You don't have to hide your pain. You're sick" I let my voice get lower at the last words.
"What did they tell you?" He asked me through a cough. I shut my eyes for a second.
"Did you know you had pneumonia before?" I asked him calmly. He clenched his jaw and looked away from me, causing me to nod.
"Well your situation is more serious, Chris. Your untreated pneumonia led to complications that are way more serious. The coughing up blood? It's hemoptysis which appeared because you didn't fucking do anything about it. And then your air sacs got inflamed which led to fluid in the lungs!" I said bitterly, causing his eyes to widen.
"Gabriella-"
"Don't Gabriella me, Chris. You could fucking die! If the inflammation spread through your body it could lead to fucking death, Chris! Have you thought about that?" I exclaimed in anger, making him shut his eyes. He clenched his jaw and then looked me in the eyes.
"And why does it bother you so damn much? Is it because I promised to find your siblings? Is that what this is?" He exclaimed making me freeze in shock.
"Are you afraid that I'll die before I can do that?" He chuckled in anger. I stared at him and I couldn't move a muscle in my body. I felt hurt. Very hurt. I breathed out as a small as the tears went out. His mouth snapped shut.
"Gab-"
"So you think that everything I do is because of ulterior motives. That I'm still the damn spy right?" I chuckled as I let go of his hand. I stood up angrily. He tried to sit up and even though I wanted to help him I did nothing.
"I have been fucking faithful to you all this time" I shook my head quietly.
"I didn't have to be faithful! I didn't fucking have to work for you and help you! I didn't have to do every damn thing you told me to. I worked with a man who had been my nightmare for years! I distracted a man who had tortured me for so many months just for YOU! I saved your life and left the country because you told me so! I managed to forgive you after you tortured me in your basement for almost two whole days! And to this damn day, I am crying over you because I FUCKING CARE ABOUT YOU!" My voice broke.
"Because I stay the same fucking idiot I was years ago. I continue to care for men who do nothing but hurt me!" I exclaimed as the tears poured like rain.
"But I can't help myself can I? I'm the same pathetic girl he told me I was. Caring isn't what I'm supposed to do. I was supposed to just survive! I wasn't supposed to fucking worry about you! I wasn't supposed to care for you!" My voice broke and I shook my head as I took a step back.
Then Chris did something I would never predict. He tore all the IV's from his veins and threw them away, making me flinch. He stood up and started to walk towards me even though he was very weak.
"What are you fucking doing to me, Gabriella? Can't you stop torturing me? I did every damn thing in my power to push you away from me! I am not a good man. Not the man you fucking deserve!" I gasped at the sudden turn this conversation took.
"What are you-" I started to ask when he shut me off.
"No. This time you'll be the one to listen to me" He shouted making me take a step back.
"You just can't stop messing with me, can you? I admit, Gabriella. You're one kind of a woman. A woman I've never fucking met before! You're a seductress. You play with men and then throw their fucking heart away like a toy. I never thought that you'll get to me too. I really didn't" He shook his head.
I was frozen. I didn't even know what to feel at the moment.
"But every fucking thing I did to push you away you only got closer. And then you look me in the eyes and tell me that I think you're the spy? For fuck's sake! I drove all the way from Rome because you were sick. I told you things my own sister doesn't know. I got a fucking tattoo because you told me to, and I came to this damn hospital only because you were crying and I couldn't fucking watch you cry!" He shouted at the top of his lungs.
"What does this fucking mean? I can't understand you, Chris! You-" Before I could say anything else he pushed me to the wall, making me gasp. And then he put his lips on mine...