The Recipe To A Millionaire's Heart | ✓

28.

M A T T H E W

I was in the middle of signing a ton load of paperwork when I got call. I wanted to ignore it because I couldn't recognise the number that calling but I answered anyway.

"Matthew McKellen speaking." I really hoped it wasn't a sales person because I hate to be rude and just hang up on them.

"Hey, Matthew. It's Jennifer, Chrsitine's friend." Her cheerful tone was deserted of any cheerfulness, it sounded unusually sad and troubled and I immediately felt a little scared.

"Hello, Jennifer. What can I do to help?" I was already on my feet and packing up my things.

"Christine is in the hospital. Her mom passed away half an hour ago. Christine was hysterical and she might of had a heart attack." Jennifer's cracked at the end as my heart did for our dear Christine. I felt my breath hitch in my throat for a second before I recovered. She gave me the name of the hospital and I drove there like a madman on steroids.

I parked my car and ran inside the hospital and straight towards the receptionist. I gave her Christine's full name and she gave me her room number. I continued running towards it, I skipped the elevator and took the stairs three flights up. The smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. A flood of bad memories took over my mind but I tried my hardest to push them aside. Christine was my priority.

Fear almost knocked the air out of me as I spotted Jennifer crying with her head in her palms.

"Jenny?" I whispered softly to not startle her. My throat felt tight and so did my chest as I looked at her. I felt my eyes well up with tears at the sudden thought of Christine being gone. She can't be. I haven't told her how I feel about her yet. She needs to know.

"Oh, Matthew!" A sigh of relief left her as she hurriedly wiped her tears away. She wrapped her arms around me in a quick hug and I patted her back in reassurance.

"What happened?" Before Jennifer could answer, a doctor came out of Christine's room.

"Are you Ms. Adams family?" I nodded while Jennifer grasped my forearm to steady herself for the news we are about to receive.

"Ms. Adams suffered a takotsubo cardiomyopathic episode, in other words she had broken heart syndrome." I didn't whether to feel relieved or not. "It has the same symptoms as an heart attack, it's caused by high levels of stress and emotional traumas." Jennifer and I nodded.

"She should be fine when she wakes up but she needs to take it easy. She might be a little confused as to what happened but she should recover her memory instantly. If she doesn't, don't tell her anything and call for a nurse or me, okay?" The doctor said.

"Thank you." I gave what I hoped to be a smile before he disappeared.

Jennifer jogged towards the room door before gently opening it. I followed her footsteps and entered.

My heart ached as my eyes fell on my beautiful Christine. Her eyes were shut and she looked paler than usual. A few hairs were fallen on her face and I swiped them aside. Even in that state, she managed to take my breath away. I grasped her right hand while Jennifer grasped her left one.

"She had to go through so much this one." Jennifer gazed at her friend with such remorse and love that would tear the universe in half. A sad smiled replaced her usual smug smirk.

"She's so strong. I can't even begin to comperhend what's she's going through," A single year rolled down her cheeks. "I mean Carol meant a lot to me, too but she meant the whole world to Chris." My heart felt heavy for Christine. She deserves everything good in life yet life played her a bad hand.

"I will do everything in power to make her happy again." I whispered. A promise to Christine and to myself. As long as I'm alive, I will devote my life to her, through better or worse. She was my light when I needed it the most and I'm going to be hers.

"I'll hold you to that." Jennifer said and I nodded. I meant what I said. After a few moments of silence, Jennifer excused herself to go get some coffee. I managed to convince her to call Max so he can offer her the emotional support that she needs. I know they are friends and quite possibly more than that so she needs him here as do I.

I kept my grip on Christine's hand firm and gentle as I carefully laid my head on the chair's back. I glanced at her and then back at the ceiling as I tried to relax. It was nearing midnight. She was supposed to be over at my house right now, she was supposed to be cooking and singing lowly to herself. I would be sitting on a bar stool telling her about my day and how annoying my step mother can be. She's supposed to chuckle at me as she serve me some of her delicious food.

"Gosh, Christine, what have you done to me?" I pinched the bridge of my nose and sighed. As if on cue, she blinked slowly to adjust her sight before her gaze fell on me.

For a second, she looked confused, lost almost then her expression modified into the most painstaking thing ever. Her lips turned outside down as her eyes welled up with tears and her cheeks flushed.

"Matthew." She whispered as she set up. "She's gone." Tears cascaded down her cheeks in waterfalls. I quickly got up and wrapped my arms around her petite figure. She sobbed into my chest and with every sob my heart broke a little more for her.

"She's gone. I-I--" She tried to speak but burst into tears again. I ran my hand up and down her back in a comforting pattern as she hiccupped.

"Matthew I don't know what I'll do without her." She pulled away from my chest as she stared at me before quickly wiping the tears that escaped her.

"I'm sorry you had to see me this way." She whispered as she looked down. "You're my boss and I shouldn't drag you through this." I grabbed her chin lightly and raised her face so my eyes met hers when I talk to her.

"Hey, you're allowed to grief however you want." My thumb unintentionally rubbed gently against her jaw. "I think we have crossed the boss employee line a long time ago. We are friends and I really wish we could be more once you feel ready. So you don't have to pretend or act differently around me. And you're not dragging me through anything, I'm here because I want to be here for you and help in whichever way I can, okay?" We were so close to each as I whispered to her. She nodded slowly still looking through my eyes for any sign of a lie.

We were so close, a hair width away from each other. My lips were a word away from touching hers but I refrained myself. I knew it wasn't the time so I settled for a forehead kiss that I poured all of my love and feelings into as her eyes fluttered shut and she sighed.