Chapter 624 Look at Me
She had only just realized the storm had passed and the rain had lightened. Yet, she was so exhausted that keeping her eyes open was a struggle. With Oliver's presence, she felt reassured that there were no lingering worries, making it even more difficult to remain awake.
"Natalie, don’t sleep!" Oliver repeatedly urged. "Look at me, stay awake!"
However, the woman's eyes shut due to exhaustion, and her replies grew weaker.
Oliver's eyes narrowed; his body was kept upright by nothing but determination. However, even that determination began to wane, and he collapsed to the ground, supporting her with one arm as his own eyelids became heavy. The arm that had been bitten by the snake was almost devoid of sensation.
At this moment, a negative thought appeared in his mind.
‘Perhaps it’s fine to let go… After all, I have no regrets if it means that I can be with Natalie…’
Oliver had momentarily closed his eyes several times before jerking them open, alarmed to realize he had briefly fallen asleep. The idea of giving in to his exhaustion was tempting, but ultimately, he could not give up.
He could not accept the idea of Natalie's life ending so abruptly, of her vibrant existence being prematurely cut off. Her initial twenty years had been challenging; he had hoped to compensate her amply for the rest of their lives together.
…
The heavy rain gradually became a light sprinkle.
The sound of helicopter blades overpowered the sound of rain.
Several helicopters emerged above, and people began descending into the sinkhole on ropes, utilizing rescue cords for the steep descent.
Oliver sighed with relief, summoning the last of his energy to turn on the emergency beacon from the first aid kit.
The beacon's bright red light flashed powerfully in the dimly lit sinkhole, signaling their position to the approaching rescuers.
…
Oliver regained consciousness in the helicopter. When he opened his eyes, he noticed several medical professionals around him, one squatting awkwardly while treating the snakebite on his hand.
"Awake?" Richard, lounging on a leather couch in a stylishly tailored blue shirt, asked, "If you’re up, move that noble arm of yours."
By the time the rescue team had arrived for Oliver and Natalie, Oliver was almost unconscious. Yet, he held Natalie so tightly that the rescuers had difficulty separating them. Had his complexion not been so pallid, one might have assumed he was pretending to be unconscious.
The paramedics faced a challenging task and had to exert considerable effort to lift them both together.
"How is she?" Oliver asked.
Richard responded nonchalantly, "You've been holding her so tightly that the medical team hasn't been able to examine her. It's hard to say."
Oliver then entrusted Natalie to the medical team, informing them, "She has a fever, and her ankle and knee are injured."
"There’s no need for that; my medical team is highly skilled," Richard said as he approached, examining the wound on Oliver's hand before he asked, "A snakebite, correct? Were you able to see the snake?"
"No. Is it Venomous?" Oliver asked.
"Would your hand be numb otherwise?" Richard countered.
"Bring me paper and a pen."
With the materials provided, Oliver, using his uninjured left hand, quickly drew a detailed drawing of the snake, annotating its features and colors on the side.
In the southwest, where encounters with snakes and other wildlife were common, Richard had spent years familiarizing himself with these creatures. However, this snake was unknown to him.
"It might be a new species," Oliver proposed, mirroring Richard's thoughts.
"This will be challenging," Richard mused. If it was a new species, it meant there was no ready cure.
Oliver asked the doctor calmly, “Is it fatal?”
The doctor, momentarily taken aback by Oliver's bluntness, assured him, "Mr. Windsor, you’re not showing signs of suffocation or disorientation. It’s highly unlikely."
Oliver let out a grunt of relief.
Richard could not help but chuckle at Oliver's demeanor, saying, "You seem quite different from the image you present publicly."
Oliver scoffed in response. "That's because everyone’s blind."
To the world, Oliver Windsor was the epitome of a gentleman: indestructible, decisive, and formidable, rarely displaying patience or concern even for his closest relations. However, in these moments, his attention was unwaveringly fixed on Natalie.
The term ‘romantic’ was rarely, if ever, linked to Oliver. However, here he was, evidently deeply in love and thoroughly enjoying every aspect of it.
Richard found it hard to reconcile this version of Oliver with his own beliefs. He had always thought that true strength required a lack of vulnerabilities, and ‘lovers’ were, in his opinion, the most significant vulnerability of all. He experienced a mix of disbelief and envy seeing Oliver's deep affection for another person. It was a feeling he himself lacked, after all.
…
Upon the helicopter's arrival at the city hospital, Natalie, still unconscious, was immediately taken for a thorough examination.
Oliver made sure that Lucas and Lilian were informed of their hospitalization to prevent them from worrying. He then summoned his bodyguard, asking, "Were there any other clues found in the vicinity?"
The bodyguard reported, "We found footprints belonging to a fairly small woman, estimated height between 5'3" and 5'6", of light build. However, many people have that characteristic."
Oliver had initially believed Natalie might have accidentally fallen into the sinkhole, given its remote location on the outskirts. But now, it seemed Natalie and another woman had both ventured there.
The presence of another might have been coincidental, but it also raised the possibility of her being Natalie's assailant.
…
The examination yielded positive results.
Natalie had fainted due to fever and exhaustion. Other than a minor ankle sprain and a few minor injuries, she had sustained no serious harm and was expected to recover within a week.
Waking to the unmistakable smell of disinfectant, Natalie instantly recognized she was in a hospital.
"Miss Watson, you're awake," a nurse greeted, smiling warmly at her.
Surveying the room, Natalie found herself in a private hospital room, accompanied only by a young nurse.
"Where's Oliver?" she asked, "The man who was brought in with me?"
"Mr. Windsor is currently having blood tests done. He was bitten by an unidentified snake, and we need to analyze the venom before proceeding with treatment," the nurse explained.
The news of the unidentified snake venom worried Natalie.
…
Upon returning, Oliver found Natalie awake and sitting up. He felt a surge of relief as he quickly approached her bedside. He asked worriedly, “How are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?”
"I'm okay," Natalie assured him and asked about his condition, "And you? Was the snake venomous?"
"Not at all," Oliver replied promptly.
In response, Natalie scoffed skeptically.
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