Chapter 8 - The Awakening
The hospital security guards, backed by two on-duty police officers, forcefully escorted Caroline and her lawyers out of the building.
Julian returned to Arthur's dark, quiet room, his entire body trembling with the adrenaline of the confrontation.
He sat back down in the hard plastic chair, staring at the steady, rhythmic rise and fall of his brother's chest.
"You have to wake up, Arthur," Julian whispered, leaning forward and resting his elbows on his knees.
"You have to wake up and tell them what she did, because she is trying to take Leo away from us."
For a long, agonizing hour, the only sound in the room was the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor.
Then, incredibly slowly, the pitch of the machine began to change, speeding up slightly.
Arthur’s fingers twitched against the sterile white hospital sheets.
Julian jumped out of his chair, immediately pressing the emergency call button on the wall.
Arthur’s eyelids fluttered, struggling against the heavy weight of the sedatives and the swelling in his brain.
He let out a low, painful groan, his head rolling slightly to the side on the pillow.
"Arthur? Can you hear me?" Julian asked urgently, leaning closely over the bed.
Arthur’s eyes finally opened, bloodshot and completely unfocused, staring blankly at the ceiling tiles.
It took several terrifying minutes for his gaze to finally focus on his younger brother's face.
"Julian..." Arthur rasped, his voice raw and destroyed from the breathing tube they had recently removed.
"I'm here, brother, you are completely safe now," Julian reassured him, grabbing his hand tightly.
A team of doctors rushed into the room, shining penlights into Arthur's eyes and checking his vitals with frantic precision.
"Mr. Vance, do you know where you are?" the lead neurologist asked clearly.
Arthur ignored the doctor entirely, his grip tightening around Julian's hand with sudden, desperate strength.
"Leo," Arthur gasped out, panic instantly flooding his dark eyes. "Where is my son?"
"He is safe, Arthur, Elena has him at the estate, he is perfectly safe," Julian promised quickly.
Arthur let out a massive, shuddering breath, closing his eyes as a tear escaped and rolled down his bruised cheek.
"She tried to kill me," Arthur whispered, his voice gaining a fraction of strength.
"I found the offshore accounts... I told her I was taking the boy..."
"She hit me from behind... Caroline did this to me."
Julian looked up at the doctors, who were staring at Arthur in stunned silence.
May you like
"Call the police," Julian commanded the neurologist.
"Tell them we finally have our definitive statement."
