(A/N: Either you will love or hate me after reading this chapter... 😅)
P Country, M Capital, Le Rouge Medical Center...
Mayumi Portabello arrived at their family's private hospital at nagdiretso sa ICU. Doon ay inabutan niya ang anak niyang si Dos na kasalukuyang chinecheck ang vitals ni Naru.
Naru is the only son of Rui and Narcissa. He had been on the vent for almost two weeks now. They were hoping he would wake up anytime since his numbers were all good. They just couldn't figure out why he was still unconscious.
Yumi took a mask and put a sterile gown before entering the ICU. You can say their private hospital could almost catch up to the modern ones with all its equipment. At least they had the most basic like stats monitoring devices and the likes. Thanks very much to Kami.
But these equipment took time to build. So right now, they only have this one private hospital in the capital.
Anyway...
"Any news?" Yumi asked Dos.
"Still the same. His stats are all great. There is no sign of brain damage nor internal organs malfunction. So I am not sure what else to check for why he is still unconscious."
"It's fine. He will be fine. Maybe, he was exhausted and this is his body's way for him to redeem his energy back."
Dos could only nod his head to his mother's words. He was actually getting anxious with this case. He wanted Naru to wake up.
He had been researching cases like this, even going to other cities's hospitals and all. But there was still no answer to why Naru was still not awake.
Naru is his godbrother.
Their parents were long time friends and their ages were close to each other so they played and hanged out a lot during their childhood up until they reached their current age.
A month ago, Naru along with his parents, traveled to I Country. They had this tradition na magpunta doon at magstay sa templo kung saan nagdasal sila Narcissa at Rui upang magkaroon ng anak.
The two had been in different temples before that one in I Country. So imagine how joyful they were ng ilang linggo lang after nilang magdasal doon ay nadiagnose na agad ng pregnancy si Narcissa.
Whether it was really a divine intervention or just simply science, they did not care. Ever since, they made it a tradition to visit that temple every year.
Unexpectedly, their visit this year turned into a tragedy.
From the assassins' investigation, pauwi na sila ng madaanan nila ang isang ambush. They helped the people in trouble and was able to save them.
They thought it would end just like that. They thought they could go and travel back to P Country the next day.
But those people hunted them too.
Rui brought five assassins with him when they traveled. But only one of them was able to come back to report everything that had happened to Yumi and Kami. The two quickly sent reinforcements. They even decided to come along with Mateo, Xun Bao and Xun Xue personally.
But they were too late.
Narcissa had been stabbed on her left chest, which caused her death instantly. Rui was barely hanging there. Naru was also bleeding a lot. His throat was slit. But the one who did it must be an amateur killer because he didn't hit any carotid at all... fortunately. As for the other assassins who remained to protect the family of three, they died too.
Yumi did everything she could to save them. Pero tanging si Naru lamang ang naiuwi nilang buhay sa P Country. Unconscious but alive.
And maybe... maybe, it was because Rui knew that Narcissa was already gone, that's why he decided to let go too. He still had a chance to live, you know. If he holds on a little bit more hanggang sa makarating sila sa P Country, Yumi could have kept him alive.
But Rui gave up. Yumi knew it well. He chose to follow Narcissa.
Sa sandaling oras na naabutan niyang buhay pa ang lalaki, bukod sa sandaling relief na nakita niya sa mga mata nito, there was also deep grief there.
Rui was too brokenhearted because of Narcissa's death.
When he saw Yumi, his only last words were, "Yumi... Take care of my son. Don't... let him get consumed by anger. No need for revenge... from him and from you. T-tell him... I say no need for revenge."
Yumi's hands shook as soon as those last moments came to her. Her heart felt like being squeezed everytime and her eyes would turned hazy. She had been grieving since that day but because whenever she did so, it would also affect Mateo and the children, kaya naman pinipilit niyang kimkimin ang pighati niya nitong mga nakaraang araw. But still... there would be times that she couldn't. Gaya na lang ngayon.
"Mama..." Dos noticed the turbulence in his mother's mood so he approached her right away and gave her a hug. "Naru will get better. He will wake up soon. Don't worry anymore."
"I... know." Yumi said with a shaking voice.
For a minute, they stayed hugging like that. Until finally, Yumi calmed down.
"Don't tell your father."
Dos hesitated for a moment but Yumi quickly glared at him.
"Vincenzo Portabello, you are not to speak of this to your father."
"En... I know."
Yumi sighed. "Let's go. I have been out of office for days. I am sure na madami ng naiwan na trabaho para sa akin."
***
Yumi was the Director of Le Rouge Medical Center. When she was on leave, Dos did most of her job. But paperworks still accummulated on her table despite her son's help.
Hindi naman niya maasahan si Amie na tumulong sa ospital nila.
She never had any interest in Medicine.
Instead, she stepped up these days together with Sedric and Mateo, and they handled the guild's matter after they lost Rui.
As for management of cosmetic shops which used to be managed by Narcissa, Malia and her daughter Kaila helped to look out for them recently.
There were still more things to rearrange after losing both Rui and Narcissa. But fortunately, there are many people to help Yumi to take care of them.
As for these paperworks...
"Where is Uno?" Yumi asked while she was signing some of the paperworks. She was thinking to have Uno come over so he could help her and Dos with these things.
Unexpectedly, she was answered by silence.
She looked up from the paper she was working on and took a look at Dos.
"Where is your brother, Dos?"
Dos looked back at her mother. His face devoided of any expression at all.
"I don't know, Mama."
"..."
After a moment later.
"Vincenzo Portabello... You may have a resting poker face and others might get deceived by that... but do your really think that will be the same for me, your mother, who carried you in my stomach for eight months and still living with you in the same house for twenty years?"
Dos almost vomit blood.
One thing you should know about his mother, she seldom got angry at them. But when she did, although she never beats them with leather belt like their father, but her angry eyes and voice could instantly chill one's internal organs.
"Do I need to ask again?!" Sabay hampas sa mesa gamit ang kanyang palad.
Dos instantly shook his head sabay sabi ng, "He's at that Geisha House."
After that, he could only apologize and pray silently for Uno's life.
***
