Chapter 351 He Has to Be Alive
Adeline drifted in and out of consciousness, feverish and haunted by nightmares. Days turned into weeks, the hospital room's white walls blending into a blur of torment.
She dreamt of fire, a raging inferno consuming everything. Bennett and Sebastian's figures silhouetted against the flames, their voices hoarse cries for help.
She'd run towards them, desperate, but an invisible barrier always held her back. A sheet of impenetrable glass separated her from their pleas.
Helpless, she watched the flames engulf them, the roar drowning out their cries. Then, an explosion—a blinding flash, a deafening roar, and then… silence.
She'd wake, heart pounding, drenched in sweat, trapped in the same sterile room, their screams echoing in her ears.
As weeks dragged on, the nightmares changed. Bennett and Sebastian were replaced by Lauren and Blake. Their terrified faces haunted her waking hours.
A month crawled by before Adeline finally opened her eyes, the fog of unconsciousness lifting. She stared at the unfamiliar ceiling, disoriented.
'Why? Why am I awake?'
'My baby is gone.'
'Blake is gone.'
'I can't even save my own children. It would've been better… kinder… if I had died first. At least then, I wouldn't have to endure this pain.'
These thoughts burned in her chest, her eyes red and swollen.
Linda sat beside her, silent for a while.
"Adeline," she breathed, her voice thick with unshed tears.
Seeing Adeline's eyes flutter open, Linda broke down. She reached out, her hand trembling as she clasped Adeline's.
"You're awake," she sobbed. "I thought… I thought you'd gone to be with Bennett."
Adeline's body stiffened, her brow furrowing in confusion.
"What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice weak and raspy. "Be with Bennett?"
"What do you mean? Bennett is my son. My second son. The baby… the baby Jasper… he didn't even have a name yet."
The nightmares, the searing images of fire and fear, flashed before her eyes. She glared at Linda, her voice sharp with hysteria. "Just because you're my friend doesn't mean you can joke about such things! You can't curse my son!"
Linda must have misspoken. It was a cruel, insensitive joke. Bennett… her healthy, vibrant Bennett… nothing could have happened to him.
Linda lowered her head, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. "Adeline…" she whispered, her voice choked with grief. "They… they told me not to tell you. But… but I can't keep it from you any longer."
She looked up, her eyes red and swollen. "Adeline… Bennett… he's gone."
The words hit Adeline like a physical blow, stealing the air from her lungs. Her ears rang, blocking out everything but Linda's words.
Bennett.
Gone.
Dead.
"No. No, it isn't possible. My Bennett… my happy, energetic son… how could he be dead?"
"You're lying," she whispered, her voice cracking. "You're lying!"
She covered her ears, shaking her head frantically. "No! No way!"
The IV ripped from her hand, unnoticed, as she scrambled out of bed. Blood stained her hospital gown, a macabre contrast to the sterile white walls.
"He's at the training camp!" she cried, her voice rising in panic. "He's abroad! I have to go to him! I'll bring him back! You'll see!"
"Linda, you haven't met him, have you? My Bennett… he's so handsome… so full of life…"
"Adeline!" Linda cried, rushing after her.
But Adeline, despite her weakened state, was like a woman possessed. She raced down the hallway, heart pounding, mind refusing to accept the devastating truth.
She reached the elevator, her hand trembling as she jabbed the down button.
"Come on… come on…" she muttered, eyes fixed on the numbers above the door. "I have to see him… I have to see my Bennett…"
The elevator doors slid open, revealing a sight that made her breath catch.
Jasper.
He stood there, face etched with exhaustion and grief, eyes dark with unshed tears.
"Jasper!" she cried, rushing towards him, clutching his arm. "Where's Bennett? Where is he? Tell me he's alright! Tell me you hid him somewhere! Please, Jasper… please…"
Her voice broke, tears flowing freely.
Jasper's eyes softened, filled with unbearable sadness. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly.
His embrace was warm, familiar. For a moment, she clung to him, drawing strength from his presence. But then reality crashed over her again.
She pushed against him, her cries muffled against his shirt. "Let me go! I need to find him! Let me find my son!"
Jasper held her firmly, ignoring her struggles. He buried his face in her hair, his own tears falling silently.
Finally, he spoke, his voice a low murmur against her ear. "Get dressed, Adeline. I'll take you to him."
Adeline froze, her struggles ceasing. She looked up at him, a flicker of hope in her eyes.
"He's… he's alive?" she whispered, voice trembling with hope and fear. "Linda… she was wrong? He's not…"
She couldn't say the word.
Jasper met her gaze, expression unreadable. "You'll see," he said quietly.
Adeline nodded, hope growing. "Okay," she breathed. "I'll get ready. Right away."
"Tell him… tell Bennett to wait for me," she added, voice thick with tears. "Tell him I'm coming."
She turned and hurried back to her room, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.
Linda stood outside, her expression a mix of pity and concern.
"He's taking me to Bennett," Adeline said, voice filled with desperate hope. "He's alive, Linda. He's alive."
She grasped Linda's arm, grip surprisingly strong. "Help me get ready. I need to look presentable. Bennett… he wouldn't want to see me like this."
Linda nodded, tears welling up again. "Okay," she whispered. "Okay, Adeline."
The month of inactivity had taken its toll. Adeline was thin, her skin pale and drawn.
Linda used what felt like half a bottle of foundation to mask the shadows beneath Adeline's eyes, her own heart breaking with each stroke.
Eyeliner, eyebrow pencil, lipstick… each item a tool in a desperate attempt to restore a semblance of normalcy to a shattered world.
An hour later, Adeline stood before Jasper, her reflection a pale imitation of her former self. She wore a simple white dress, her hair brushed and styled, her makeup flawless. But her eyes… her eyes held a haunted look that no cosmetics could disguise.
"Let's go," she said, voice steady despite the tremor. "I want to see my son."
"He must have missed me so much."
"He is alive. He has to be. It was all just a dream, a nightmare."
She murmured with a hint of relief.
Jasper approached, his gaze lingering on her face before he swept her up in his arms.
Adeline tensed, then relaxed against him. Linda was right. She was too weak to walk. And besides… this way, she would see Bennett sooner.
"It's alright, Adeline," Jasper murmured, voice low and soothing. "I've got you."
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