Forever Almost

Chapter 24

Travis wiped the sweat from his brow as he finished the surgery, his hands steady but his mind in turmoil. The procedure had gone flawlessly, but the weight of what he had done earlier hung over him like a dark cloud. As he returned to his cabin, the reality of the situation crashed down on him. He had allowed Kayla to manipulate him, to touch him, to use him—and all for the faint hope of finding Taylor.

He sank into his chair, the sterile walls of his cabin offering no comfort as he buried his face in his hands. The tears came, unbidden, as he replayed the night's events in his mind. How could he have let things go so far? How could he have betrayed Taylor like that, even in thought? Guilt gnawed at him, his chest tightening with every sob.

"Taylor," he whispered to the empty room, his voice choked with emotion. "I'm so sorry."

The cabin felt suffocating, the walls closing in as the full weight of his actions settled on his shoulders. He was supposed to be better than this, stronger, but he had let Kayla toy with him, and now, the shame was unbearable. After what felt like hours, Travis finally composed himself, wiping away the tears with the back of his hand. He needed to focus, to find Taylor, to make things right.

He stood up and left his cabin, forcing himself to breathe deeply as he headed towards the reception. The hospital buzzed with activity, but Travis barely noticed as he approached the desk, lost in thought. That's when he saw him—a familiar figure standing near the reception, deep in conversation with his father, Ed.

Travis froze, his heart skipping a beat. The old man... He recognized him immediately as the one who had handed money to Taylor. What was he doing here? Could this man be the key to finding her?

The old man started to walk away from Ed, but Travis's instincts kicked in. He had to act fast. "Excuse me!" Travis called out, his voice steady despite the tension coiling in his chest.

The old man turned, surprise flickering in his eyes as he met Travis's gaze. "Yes?" he asked, his tone cautious.

Travis forced a calm smile, masking the urgency he felt. "How is Taylor?" he asked casually, as if it were just an innocent inquiry.

The old man hesitated, clearly caught off guard by the question. "Which Taylor?" he asked, feigning ignorance.

But Travis had seen the flicker of recognition in the man's eyes. He was hiding something. "I'm Kayla's fiancé," Travis lied smoothly, watching the man's reaction closely. "She wanted to make sure the money was enough for Taylor. If not, just let me know, and I'll send her more."

The old man's guard lowered as he heard the words. The deception worked like a charm, and the old man let out a sigh of relief. "Taylor got her job now," he admitted, the words slipping out before he could stop them. "So money won't be a problem anymore."

Travis's heart leaped. He was getting closer. "That's great to hear," he said, keeping his tone light. "But Kayla lost her phone, and she's been worried. She asked me to get Taylor's number for her. Could you help me with that?"

The old man hesitated again, but Travis's fabricated story was too convincing to resist. Believing he was doing Kayla a favor, the old man relented. "Sure, I can give you her number," he said, pulling out his phone. After a moment of fumbling, he read out the digits, and Travis quickly saved them in his phone.

"Thank you so much," Travis said, his relief palpable. Impulsively, he pulled the old man into a hug, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. The old man looked flustered and embarrassed as he pulled away, but Travis didn't care. He had what he needed.

Without wasting a second, Travis dialed the number, his heart pounding as he waited for Taylor's voice on the other end. The phone rang twice before someone picked up.

"Hello?" a woman's voice answered, but it wasn't Taylor.

Travis's heart sank. "Who is this?" he asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"I'm Travis. Where's Taylor?" he asked urgently, his pulse racing.

The woman hesitated before answering, her voice tinged with concern. "Taylor has fainted. I'm taking her to the hospital right now. Are you someone who can reach out?"

Travis felt a cold dread wash over him. "Where is she? Which hospital?" he demanded, his voice breaking.

"I'm taking her to St. Francis hospital," the woman replied. "She collapsed suddenly, and I found her on the floor. Please, come quickly."