Bully stepbrother

81. Hour

MADISON

Twenty-four hours, Mom had said.

I've been through nightmares, but honestly, nothing compares to the tormenting twenty-one hours that came by, for those were the longest and toughest hours I've ever lived.

Not that anything eventful happened through, after all, all the catastrophe I had been worried about had resulted in this moment.

For instance, Caden getting shot, Dad and Kane in the same building, society devouring the news of my love life.

Each situation had its itching weight. And for now, we are talking about crucial problems because I thought for the sake of my mental health, I should push back the pressure of the minor problems. Even when it includes who shot Caden.

Believe me, the temptation to solve that mystery and get THAT PERSON THE CORRECT JUSTICE THEY DESERVED was prominently in the front row of my chest, but I dare myself to focus on one thing only. Which is; Caden's survival.

So back when I said 'worse than a nightmare,' I meant, after those twenty-one hours that Mom had promised; Caden didn't wake up, the life support wasn't taken off.

Honestly, the tension upswing, I had to witness Caden almost giving up, twice precisely. When the most alarming sound came up from the monitor and everything on the screen turned to zero.

Struck with fear, I had watched the doctors practically hurting him with the scariest electrical machine to resume his heartbeat, I've watched them pierce needles through his flesh, it was like I could feel the pain in my whole body, it burns everywhere. I couldn't control my tears while scratching the pain off my skin.

Watching someone I love dying in front of me was something I never wished for. And holy fuck, it was insanely terrifying, that I didn't fight when Dad buried my face in his chest to protect me from watching the terror behind the other side of the glass wall.

Caden was immortal, I had believed, the very first time my eyes found him back in New York. He had stood next to his dad, having not said a word but manages to wear on a crown, that even a real king with a castle must envy.

So I never had to think of this moment, I didn't prepare for it. I mean it was Caden Thaddeus. And he was a God to me, to everyone around him. He doesn't have to fight in battles to succeed, he was a victory to everyone. He had a smirk that defeats the human race, and I was tied to it.

But now all that changed, for I made him human. And now he could bleed. Technically, he could die.

After one hundred and seventy-two excruciating hours, the doctors had taken off Caden's life support, they believed he was improving. And so he was shifted to a much comfortable room that didn't hold too many machines.

I was granted entry to see him, and since then, I had sat next to Caden's bed, clasping his cold hand in mine, with my head resting by the edge of the bed, whispering some mythology stories I didn't know I was telling right.

I had cried, slept, and reminded him not to leave me in a world he had denied me of perceiving any soul that wasn't him.

He was the only human I understood, he was the one person whom I could recognize.

God wouldn't take him away now that I needed him more than ever. Right?

Through another additional seventy-two hours, I had no appetite for even the slightest bit of warm coffee. With that, I didn't have to use the bathroom.

I stayed beside him, waiting for a miracle to happen.

And eventually, my wish came true. After ten days of nightmares, I felt his fingers dipping into my hair.