Love in the ER

CHAPTER 39

Paris ran down the hallway, her heart pounding in her chest, her thoughts a whirlwind of emotions—betrayal, confusion, and deep hurt. She didn't know where she was going; all she knew was that she needed to get away. Away from Oliver, away from Matteo, away from the chaos that had suddenly taken over her life.

She burst through the doors of the hospital and out into the cool evening air. Her breaths came in short gasps as tears continued to blur her vision. Her chest ached with the weight of it all—the kiss, the fight, the feelings of not knowing where she stood anymore. For a brief moment, everything had felt like it was slipping away from her.

"How did it come to this?" she whispered to herself, hugging her arms around her as if trying to hold herself together.

After what felt like forever, she found a quiet bench outside the hospital, tucked away from view. She sank down onto it, her body trembling as she tried to calm herself. The image of Denise kissing Oliver was burned into her mind, and no matter how much she tried, she couldn't shake the pain that it caused.

"Was it really over?" she thought, her mind spinning. Had Oliver already started slipping away from her?

She buried her face in her hands, trying to block out the world, but the tears kept coming. She wanted to believe that there was some explanation for what she had seen, but her heart was too raw to think clearly.

Meanwhile, Oliver was still standing in the hallway of the hospital, his chest heaving from the fight with Matteo. Nurses and hospital staff had broken them apart, but the adrenaline still coursed through his veins. Paris's absence left a gaping hole in his chest.

"I screwed up," he muttered under his breath, running a hand through his hair, trying to make sense of the mess that had just unfolded. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. Denise's kiss had caught him off guard, and he had been pushing her away—but Paris hadn't seen that. All she had seen was Denise kissing him, and now everything was falling apart.

Matteo, still standing nearby, was being checked by one of the nurses, but his eyes stayed locked on Oliver, burning with anger. "She deserves better than you," Matteo muttered under his breath, glaring at Oliver.

Oliver shot him a look, his jaw clenched. "This isn't about you, Matteo."

"It is if you keep hurting her," Matteo snapped, his voice low and dangerous. "Paris doesn't need someone like you messing with her life."

Before Oliver could respond, one of the nurses stepped in. "Alright, both of you need to calm down. This is a hospital, not a boxing ring."

But Oliver wasn't listening anymore. His mind was focused on one thing: finding Paris. He turned away from Matteo and stormed down the hallway, his heart racing with panic. He needed to explain everything to her, to tell her what had really happened. But after what she had seen, would she even listen to him?

Back outside, Paris was sitting in silence when she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up, her eyes still red from crying, and saw Oliver walking toward her. Her heart lurched in her chest, a fresh wave of pain surging through her.

"Paris..." Oliver's voice was soft, his face filled with regret as he approached her slowly, like he was afraid she might run away again.

Paris immediately looked away, her body tensing. She couldn't bear to look at him, not after what she had seen. "I don't want to talk right now, Oliver."

"Please, just hear me out," Oliver said, his voice pleading. He stood in front of her, his hands stuffed into his pockets, his entire demeanor filled with remorse. "It's not what you think. Denise kissed me—I didn't kiss her. I was pushing her away when you walked in. I would never betray you like that."

Paris shook her head, her chest tight with emotion. "I don't know what to believe anymore, Oliver. I saw what I saw."

"I swear to you, Paris, I was trying to get her off me." Oliver's voice was desperate, his eyes filled with anguish. "I didn't want that kiss. I didn't ask for it. You have to believe me."

Paris stood up suddenly, her eyes blazing with pain and frustration. "But why was she even there, Oliver? Why was she in your office in the first place? She's always around you, always pulling you into her games, and I... I can't take it anymore." Her voice broke as the tears she had been holding back threatened to spill again.

Oliver stepped closer, his hands reaching for hers, but Paris pulled away, her heart aching too much to let him touch her.

"I love you, Paris," Oliver said, his voice thick with emotion. "I've never stopped loving you. Denise means nothing to me. It's always been you, and it always will be."

Paris's breath hitched as she looked up at him, her eyes searching his face for any sign of dishonesty, but all she saw was regret and desperation. Her heart was torn between the love she still felt for him and the hurt of seeing him with Denise.

"I don't know if I can do this anymore, Oliver," Paris whispered, her voice barely audible. "I don't know if I'm strong enough to keep fighting for us when everything feels like it's falling apart."

Oliver's heart sank at her words, the weight of losing her hitting him like a punch to the gut. "Please, don't give up on us, Paris. We can fix this. We can get through this together."

But Paris shook her head, her tears finally spilling over. "I'm tired, Oliver. I'm so tired of fighting. Between your dad, Denise, and now this... I don't know if I can keep doing it."

Oliver took a deep breath, feeling his heart breaking. He wanted to fix everything, to take away her pain, but it felt like he was losing her with every passing second.

"I'll do whatever it takes," Oliver said softly, his voice filled with resolve. "Just... don't leave me, Paris. Please."

Paris looked away, her emotions swirling inside her like a storm. She didn't know what to do—whether to stay and fight for their relationship, or to walk away before she got hurt even more. All she knew was that she couldn't make the decision right now.

"I need time," Paris whispered, her voice breaking as she turned and walked away, leaving Oliver standing alone in the fading light, his heart shattered.

As Oliver watched her disappear into the distance, the weight of everything he had just lost pressed down on him like a heavy fog. He had never felt so powerless, so desperate to make things right, but for the first time, it felt like Paris was slipping away from him—and he didn't know if he could bring her back.