Beep. Beep.
The faint sound of a heart monitor echoed in Patricia's ears. She moaned softly, her body pulsing with pain. Slowly, she opened her eyes—only to be blinded by the ceiling light.
She hissed and squinted, raising a trembling hand to rub her eyes. A groan escaped her lips as she turned her head to the side, where Isaac sat slumped in a chair, his head resting on the bed.
Her gaze drifted to the wall clock. 4 a.m.
She sighed, wondering how long she had been unconscious.
Patricia stirred, attempting to sit up, but her strength failed her. The movement was enough to rouse Isaac, who bolted upright the moment he saw her awake.
"Patricia!" he exclaimed, gripping her shoulders. "You're awake. Oh, thank God." He exhaled shakily.
"Here, let me help you," he said, gently guiding her upright against the bed.
"Are you alright?" Isaac asked, holding her hands tightly. "You had us so worried. We thought you might never wake up… but I'm glad you did. I'm so glad."
'Never wake up? Why…?' Patricia wondered silently, her mind clouded with questions.
Patricia looked at Isaac. He was completely haggard—his eyes bloodshot, dark circles etched beneath them, his hair disheveled. He looked exhausted. 'How long was I truly unconscious?' she wondered.
She opened her mouth to ask, but an uninvited ache pulsed through her head, dull and heavy. Drowsiness washed over her, her breath grew shallow, and tears slipped down her cheeks.
She didn't understand why she was reacting this way—why her body felt so heavy, so suffocated, as though it was impossible to breathe.
Then, a name echoed in her mind.
Liberty.
The horrible memory surged back—his frenzy, the leap over the fence, the tumble down the hill, and the explosion of flames.
"Haa…" she gasped, pulling her hands free from Isaac's grasp to cover her mouth.
Isaac flinched, startled, and gently held her shoulder. "Patricia… are you okay?"
Patricia turned to him, shaking her head violently as tears streamed down her face. She pressed her hands tighter against her mouth, trembling, until—
"Haaa… aaaa… aaa… haaa…"
She broke down, sobbing uncontrollably.
Isaac immediately pulled her into a warm, comforting hug, rubbing her back gently.
"Why…? Why…? Why, Liberty… why?" Patricia whispered hoarsely, sobbing uncontrollably.
"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry. It's okay. Shh… it's going to be okay," Isaac murmured, his own tears falling as he soothed her.
He could feel the anguish radiating from her. Liberty's death had shattered her—it was a trauma that cut deep. Isaac's heart ached with sorrow for her. He hugged her tighter, pressing gentle kisses to her hair as he continued to rub her back.
The comforting embrace lasted nearly twenty minutes, until Patricia's exhaustion overcame her. She slumped against the bedrest, her eyes bloodshot from crying, her face pale, her expression dazed—as though life itself had drained from her.
Isaac's chest tightened painfully. He hated seeing her like this—lost, broken, drowning in grief. It tore him apart, knowing there was nothing he could do to make it right.
After a moment, he moved to the table and poured a glass of water. Returning to her side, he helped her sit upright and guided the glass to her lips.
She took a few sips before placing her hand over his to stop him. She nodded faintly and whispered, "Thank you…" A fragile smile touched her lips.
Isaac hummed softly, setting the glass on the bedside table.
Isaac gently took her hands. "How are you feeling now?"
Patricia sighed, shaking her head. "Terrible…" she whispered. "I feel so terrible. Like a huge stone is lodged at the base of my heart. It's so heavy… it's getting difficult to breathe." She exhaled shakily. "I feel lost… so weary… nothing makes sense. It feels like I'm trapped in a dream, and all of this is just a nightmare. But I know it's not. It's real. This cruelty… this horrible experience I went through… it's very real.
"My… my Liberty… my Liberty is gone, Isaac. He's gone! They killed him! They took him away from me! They took him away! Oh, I hate them! I hate them so much! I'm going to make them pay. They're going to pay! Oh, Liberty… why? Why!"
Her voice broke as she wailed again.
Isaac cupped her face, wiping her tears with his thumbs. "Hey… hey… it's alright. It's okay. You're going to be fine. And I swear—I promise—we're going to make them pay dearly for this. They'll regret what they did to you. I swear it. They're going to pay. Calm down… it's okay. It's okay." He kissed her forehead gently before pulling her into another embrace.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door. The doctor entered, greeting them both before moving toward Patricia to examine her.
...
"What! I've been unconscious for three days?" Patricia exclaimed after the doctor examined her and explained her condition.
"Yes, Ms. Milton," the doctor replied gently. "Your body couldn't process the trauma of losing your horse easily—not to mention the fatigue from training and competing in the derby. Your mind and body took a heavy toll and shut down completely for three days to rest and process your grief. But don't worry—with a few more days of rest, you'll be fine."
She turned to Isaac. "She's stable now. But you also need rest. You haven't been sleeping while looking after her these past few days, and your health matters too."
Then, with a soft smile, she added, "You know, Ms. Milton, I'm envious of you—for having such a loving and caring boyfriend and family. I practically had to herd them out, forcing them to go home and rest, because they refused to leave your side. Their health is important too, so I had to send them back. Well… except this stubborn one, who wouldn't leave no matter what." She chuckled, nodding toward Isaac.
Patricia smiled faintly, glancing at Isaac, who now looked awkward under the doctor's teasing remark.
"Well then, I'll leave you two alone," the doctor said kindly. "Please take it easy. Your body is still recuperating, and you're grieving. Don't stress yourself too much, alright?"
"I'll try. Thank you, doctor," Patricia whispered.
The doctor nodded before walking out of the room.
Patricia softly exhaled, leaning back against the bed as her eyes drifted to Isaac, who was typing something on his phone.
"You should go back to the hotel and rest…" she murmured.
Isaac immediately stopped, looking up at her.
"Huh?" he asked. "Did you say something?"
Patricia smiled faintly. "I said you should go back to the hotel and rest. You look like a zombie right now. Those dark circles make your handsome face look more like a scary monster than a handsome agent. Go on—get some rest. I'm okay. Nothing bad is going to happen. I just need rest, that's all. And so do you."
Isaac exhaled, finishing whatever he was typing before turning off his phone. He sat down on the bed beside her and took her hands gently in his.
"Sweeches…" Isaac began gently. "I'm only at rest and at ease when I'm with you. I can't sleep properly without you by my side anymore. I'd rather stay here with you and sleep in your arms than go back to an empty bed at the hotel. The last thing I want is to leave you alone—especially in this time of grief. You need me, just as I need you. So don't worry about me. Just rest, okay?" He rubbed her knuckles tenderly.
Patricia exhaled softly. "Aaah… I guess the doctor was right after all." She sat up a little, teasing, "You really are a stubborn mule, aren't you?"
Isaac chuckled. "No… I'm just a man in love. And love can make you stubborn. That's why I love it."
Patricia laughed faintly. "You're truly impossible."
"And that's why you love me," Isaac said, kissing her knuckles.
Just then, his phone buzzed. He pulled it from his pocket and glanced at the message.
'The results are in. Meet me in the doctor's office now.'
Isaac's expression shifted instantly—from joy to concern. Patricia noticed, and the atmosphere in the room changed.
She looked at him intently. "Is everything okay?" she asked.
"Mmm…" Isaac hummed, a little alarmed, before quickly pocketing his phone. "Yes, Sweeches… everything is okay. I just need to step out for a moment and take care of something. I'll be right back."
He stood from the bed, pausing at a distance. "Zach, Alisha, and Nicole are on their way to see you now. They should be arriving any minute. I'll be back soon."
Patricia nodded softly. "Oh… okay."
"I'll be back," Isaac repeated firmly.
He walked out of the room, closing the door gently behind him. Taking a deep breath, he strode down the dimly lit hallway.
The results were out. And he felt certain they weren't good. If they were what he feared, then there would be hell to pay. And he intended to deliver it tenfold.
His thoughts burned as he made his way toward the doctor's office.