❀HIS❀BRIDE❀

🎀Forty Three🎀

Allen's men got arrested and taken away by the SARS. An ambulance had been called already so they took every injured person. I am in the empty ambulance with just Asher right in here. I do not want to leave him. Even when I told mom about it, she couldn't believe it. But I'll save the explanations for later.

Asher hasn't open his eyes and I'm just sitting beside him, holding his hands, forcing myself not to cry. My shot hand has already been bandaged and yeah it still hurts but Asher isn't safe right now. I don't think I should worry about myself. Royal is safe with mom. She said she managed to get through with Asher's father and he's on his way to the hospital.

"Asher please don't leave me yet," I kiss his hands and cry on it.

Finally, we get to the hospital and I'm taken in for advanced treatment so the bullet will be removed from my hand. Ashton and Kim have been brought in too. The others are receiving minor treatments. I just pray Allen gets really tortured wherever he is.

___

"Will he be fine?" I ask the doctor, who has just come out from Asher's room.
"We're sorry, he's in coma due to shock. We'll try our best to keep him steady."
I gasp.
"Please excuse me." He leaves.

Someone places their hands on my shoulders from behind. I turn to see Dad.
"Daddy." I pull him into a hug.
"Karen what's wrong? I heard what happened. My flight just arrived, have they gotten the bullet out from your body?"

"Yes Dad. But Asher is dying..."
"Who is Asher? Hold on, the same fool that denied you?"
I nod with my head bowed because it's kinda embarrassing.
"Why do you care about him? Let's go home dear. Royal's waiting for you, your mom asked me to bring you home."

I nod because I don't know what else to say to him. I know he doesn't like Asher and bringing up his topic this moment is going to be so disturbing to him.
I take a peek through the glass window at the middle of the door before leaving with Dad. He signs me out and we go to the garage.
He drove himself here. I get into the front seat.

"Your wound will heal soon. Thank Goodness the bullet was removed from your body before you bleed to death. I can't even imagine that."

I sniff really slow and quiet.

"Our house interior decoration was completed two days ago. I tried calling you to tell you so you could stay with Royal in there instead of renting houses but your number wasn't going through...it's good you're safe. What exactly happened?"

"Please Dad, I don't want to talk about it," I cut in.
"Okay fine. I understand you need space."
We keep driving slowly to Maitama. That is where the president stays at, according to what Asher told me before. But Asher decided to live in Asokoro so he'd be away from his Dad.

He drives into the house with black tiles on the whole wall and golden pillars. I had never visited this site for maybe seven years now. The house took long to be completed because it was way too big and spacious.
"Here we are! We'll move to Abuja soon, Kayla and Kayden said they want to school here."

I know they're going to miss going to Lekki beach. Abuja doesn't have any beach.
"Who's with them?" I ask.
"We have two househelps and a driver that'll be there. Michelle will be back with her husband and four kids tomorrow so they'll have company. I'm not leaving you till you're done receiving medications for your injury," he says.
"Thank you."
"Let's go inside."

We go inside and immediately, Royal comes to hug me.
"Mom! You ok? How's your hand? How are those people who abducted me? Are they being tortured? Hope they are. How's the other guy who was shot? The one you were tied with?"

"Royal give her space, come eat," Mom says.
"Okay." He goes to the dining.

I go over to a sofa and sit down. Mom sits beside me and crosses her hand over my shoulders.
"Chisom what happened?" she asks.
"It's a long story," I say.
"Say it. I need to know because I've sued those men to court and you need to tell me everything, our lawyer will come for investigations tomorrow, just tell me for now."

Dad walks over to the dining to join Royal.
"I went to the park with Royal yesterday and then he got kidnapped..."

I expect her to make a comment or maybe to even gasp but she's quiet about it.

Shocking

"...and I didn't know Asher was following me so he said he was going to help. Those who kidnapped Royal texted him and he said he was going to fight them to prove to me that's he's really sorry for denying me and to show he really cares about us. So...he had me pack some stuffs from the house so I could spend a night with him to be sure I was safe. I didn't want to but I had to because I knew I needed protection..."

"Why wasn't the police involved?"
"He said he could do it and he wanted to prove he was truly sorry for everything."
"And you trusted him? Just like that?"
"I've known him for long mom. He does things he says, he means things he says. He's strong and really protective. You think I wouldn't have called the cops if I didn't trust him? But I knew he was really smart and he was going to figure out something so I left him. He wanted to protect Royal himself because he knew he could do it..."
"Does this even make sense? Why do you still trust him anyways?"

"Mom, I know him too well. We used to date, he was really protective and bold."
"Have you forgiven him?"
"No."
"You should have proven to him you didn't need him just like he didn't need you and then you call the cops. You just made yourself look easy to get."

"I'm not handy."
She looks at me. "Mm-hmm? Okay. Suit yourself but I'll tell you that I never want to see you close to him."
"But Royal wants to know his Dad."
"He has a lot of processes to go through before he's given permission to be with Royal if he likes."
"Mom please I'm tired. I need to rest."