Master of Lust

Chapter - 123

Rick's arms enveloped Olivia like a warm, reassuring blanket, providing a sanctuary for her turbulent emotions. He couldn't help but smile as her sobs gradually transformed into inaudible gasps. The dampness from her tears on his shirt was a small price to pay for the warmth he felt.

As the minutes ticked by, Olivia's tumultuous sea of emotions seemed to calm to a gentle ripple. Reluctantly, Rick released his hold, but a comforting hand lingered on her shoulder, a silent promise that he was there for her. Olivia, however, was more interested in inspecting her shoes, as if they held the answers to the universe in their worn soles.

"I'm really sorry about that. I didn't mean to…" she mumbled, her words like a hesitant melody, stealing glances at the wet spot on Rick's shirt.

With an easygoing chuckle, Rick reassured her, "No harm done. My shirt is a certified tear sponge. Very absorbent."

A hint of a smile played on Olivia's lips, and she finally dared a quick peek into Rick's eyes. "Thanks," she whispered, her gratitude mingling with a shy glimmer of amusement.

"It's okay," Rick said with a twinkle in his eye, giving her shoulder an encouraging squeeze. "Feel better?"

Olivia nodded, her gaze still evading his, like a mischievous cat avoiding eye contact after a playful escapade. Just as she mustered the courage to speak, her words were ambushed by an unexpected coughing fit.

Rick seeing that quickly reached out and patted Olivia's back, trying to bring an end to the coughing commotion.

"How about I get you some water, hmm?" Rick suggested, swinging open the waiting room door. He could feel Olivia's gaze burning on his back. When he turned the corner, he glimpsed a spark of hope in her bloodshot eyes, like a flickering candle desperately seeking refuge.

In a whirlwind of efficiency, Rick returned within a minute, claiming his seat beside Olivia on the trusty metal chairs. He presented her with a paper cup.

Olivia took the cup from Rick's hand and drank the water from it without delay. The cold water finally brought some relief to her hoarse throat.

Meanwhile, Rick, now fidgeting with the ends of the metal chair, grappled with the looming question in his mind. Should he broach the topic now or let the air settle a bit more? The curiosity gnawed at him, but he also didn't want to risk Olivia unraveling again.

Just as he decided to postpone the inquiry, Olivia beat him to the punch. "I'm okay, Rick." Her fingers gently pressed into his forearm, a reassuring gesture that seemed to echo through the waiting room. Sensing his hesitation, she nudged him forward with a soft smile. "You can ask what you want to."

Rick's breath escaped in a sigh, a mixture of relief and anticipation swirling in the air. Leaning forward, he fixed her with an intent gaze, one knee hitched up on the chair, ensuring she felt the weight of his undivided attention.

"How did it happen?" Rick inquired, his voice measured, the urgency palpable. "What happened to Emily? Tell me the complete story."

Olivia, steeling herself, drew in a deep breath, her eyes betraying the storm of emotions beneath the surface. "Last Friday, around mid-night, I received a call. I was asleep at that time. It was someone from the hospital. They told me that Emily was admitted to the hospital. I demanded answers, but they offered only ominous silence.

All they insisted was that I rush here. They said it was critical," She paused, as if the mere recollection of what happened a few days back.

She put the cup again against her lips and took a long sip, eyes momentarily evading Rick's probing gaze. She emptied the cup and leaned forward to put the empty cup on the floor beside her leg.

Rick, sensing the need for a comforting touch, placed his hand gently on her knee, trying to reassure her.

"It was all too sudden and my mind went blank," Olivia looked at the glass window of Emily's ICU in front of her.

"Greg," she continued, her voice a delicate balance of vulnerability and strength, "Was nowhere to be found. I tried reaching him, but I couldn't get through. And even if I did, I knew it would be pointless. When is he ever sober? My best bet is that the fucker is currently lying face-first in some gutter." Anger flashed through her features before simmering down, but it did not go unnoticed by Rick.

Olivia's voice wavered as she continued, the raw edges of her vulnerability exposed. "I didn't know what to do. I... I wasn't able to think. So, I called your father. He… He calmed me down a little and told me to meet him at his place.

He's the one who brought me here." A fragile smile flickered across Olivia's face, a fleeting expression of gratitude before her eyes betrayed the resurgence of overwhelming emotions.

"There was just so much blood, Rick. So, so much," she confessed, her words heavy with the weight of the traumatic scene. "We got here just as they were wheeling her into the operating room. They wouldn't start without a deposit. And I… I... Oh God, this is so embarrassing." Her hands covered her face, as if shielding herself from the shame of the ordeal.

"Mrs. Clarke, it's okay," Rick reassured, his grip on her knee offering a grounding presence. "You can take your time."

"Thank you, Rick. It's just… I didn't have the money on me. When I saw the amount, I almost broke down because I didn't have that kind of money right away. Maybe if I sell some of my jewelry or mortgage the house or something, then perhaps… And they said we had to pay before they start operating. But..."

"But... She had lost a lot of blood, Rick, and she was fighting for every breath. I needed to do something quick. So, when your father offered to pay, I couldn't say no. And I can't thank him enough for it.

I just… I just need some time to figure out how to make the rest of the payment," Olivia confessed, laying bare the financial dilemma that added another layer of stress to the already harrowing situation.

"We'll figure something out about the bills," Rick assured, his tone unwavering. "What about Emily? How is she? Was the operation a success?" Rick asked.

Olivia's sniffling punctuated the heavy silence that hung in the room. "The doctors said the operation went well, but she's still not out of danger. It was her head that suffered the most impact, and they haven't been able to stop the internal bleeding completely. I don't know when she'll wake up. No one knows. These damn doctors aren't saying anything."

Underneath the grief, anger simmered, a potent undercurrent to the prevailing sadness. It mingled with Olivia's words, a volatile blend of emotions that refused to be contained.

Rick absorbed the information, his nod a silent acknowledgment of the gravity of the situation. Yet, there were still uncharted territories in this narrative. "But how did Emily end up in the hospital in the first place? If you don't mind me asking."

Olivia's fingers fidgeted with the tissue, a fragile anchor in the storm of her emotions. "We didn't know at first. After they brought her out from the Operation Theater, the cops came. They asked a couple of questions. Just the basics. When did we last see her.

Where was she headed. All that. Apparently, she was at some party, and she slipped from the balcony."

"The doctors said they found traces of alcohol in her system." Olivia told Rick, her voice distressed.

"But something didn't feel right. Emily doesn't… She wouldn't…" Olivia's voice trailed off, a heavy sigh left her mouth. Helplessly, she changed the topic, "I need to figure out a way to pay the rest of the hospital bills. Clearly, that drunk bastard isn't going to help. Instead, he'll probably find some way to make our lives even more of a disaster.

I swear, I don't know how we are going to get through it."

Rick's lips curled up in a smile as he witnessed Olivia's cute outburst for her husband. He could picture her frustration. It almost bordered on cute the way she searched for creative words to insult that man. At least, it diverted her mind from Emily's critical condition. When Olivia eventually ran out of words, Rick offered a comforting pat on her back, breaking the tension.

"I'll go check on my dad. Try and get some rest, yeah?" Rick suggested, his words carrying a gentle reassurance as he left Olivia to her thoughts.

Nodding, Olivia reached for her bag, the rustle of its contents echoing in the otherwise silent waiting room.

As Rick stepped out, the door closing behind him, the facade of a reassuring smile he had worn for Olivia dissolved into a contemplative frown. His features contorted, reflecting the weight of his thoughts

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