Chapter hundred and fifty two

Dallas

“You should eat this too. You look very pale. Honestly, I think you're going to pass out again if you don't eat more.” Lisa said as she thrust another bowl of soup on my table.

“You said that three times already and I ate three different meals.” I smiled at her, but it didn't make my best friend worry less.

Lisa had called me back the day I got kidnapped but had gotten no response. After a day without a call or text from me, she called Heather to ask if everything was okay.

Apparently, Heather didn't inform her at first, but Lisa noticed something odd. She pressed Heather for more answers and she finally told her everything the night of my rescue. That was two days ago.

Lisa left Korea as soon as she could. She landed in New York few hours ago. She wanted to come straight to the hospital from the airport, but Heather managed to convince her not to since I was still unconscious.

So when Lisa got to the mansion, they'd both hastily prepared a meal and came down to the hospital. I could tell Lisa was restless through the entire ride.

“Lisa is right. You need to eat. You really do look pale. Here, try this chicken soup.” Heather added, setting another bowl of the table.

“Guys,” I called chuckling. “I'm really okay. I'm so full now.”

But neither of them seem to believe me. I drew a long sigh.
“I'll take one spoon. Is that fine?” I asked, darting my gaze between them.

They gave me stern looks and I almost shuddered. The two of them together were an immovable force. I really hope I don't witness them gang up against me like this ever again.

I gave up my protests and dug into the food. Both of them were watching me keenly like I was going to disappear.

A thought ran across my mind and I snapped my head up. I felt guilty for not thinking about it until now.

“Is Tabitha okay?” I asked Heather.

“She's fine. Her ward is at the far end of the corridor. I made sure to give her some soup before coming here. Her family is with her.” She said.

I nodded, feeling a bit relief to hear that. She might have been badly bruised but she was receiving the best care. I knew Oliver would see to that.

A lump formed in my throat as another person crossed my mind. I wanted to ask about her but I was scared to know what state she was in. The last time I saw her, she had a giant wound in her thigh and had passed out from blood loss.

Heather must have seen the conflict on my face and sensed who it was about because she said,

“Jenna's surgery was successful. The bullet didn't damage any vital part of her leg. She will have to use crutches for a few weeks though.”

“She's still unconscious?” I managed to ask.

She didn't answer, but I knew from the look on her face what the answer was. Lisa moved closer to me and draped her arms over my shoulders

“She's going to be okay.” She said softly and rubbed my shoulder in a comforting way.

Heather had probably filled her in about Jenna's role in my rescue. I doubt she knew the full details of it though.

I simply stared at the bowl in front of me. Now that everything was over, I didn't know what to think or how to even feel about it.

My mind was totally numb. Maybe I'll know what to do when she wakes up and we finally get to talk.

“Now eat up before it gets cold.” Lisa nudged.

I lifted a spoonful of soup to my mouth but I could no longer taste anything. It felt like I was drinking water. But I didn't want to let it go to waste.

My friends had worked so hard to prepare it for me. Lisa had come all the way from Korea for me.

As I sat there, nursing the bowl of soup, the door flung open revealing Oliver. He was panting heavily as if he ran all the way here.

“You're awake.” He said with so much relief that my heart swell.

His eyes was fixed on me as he strode closer to me. He didn't seem to notice my friends in the room.

Lisa rose and took away the bowl in front of me. She gave me a tight squeeze.

“I'll see you soon.” She muttered before leaving the ward with Heather.

Oliver's eyes didn't stray from me the entire time. His gaze seem to linger on every single bruise on my face, assessing them. His jaws tightened slightly.

I knew he was blaming himself for them. I opened my mouth to say something to get his mind away from those thoughts, but my breath caught.

I tried, I really tried to rein it in, but all it took was one look at him and the dam broke. A tear fell, then another. It soon changed to a full sob.

Oliver took two long strides towards me and engulfed me in a hug. I held him tightly like my life depends on it and he held me like that too.

We stayed like that for so long, neither of us keeping track of time. He held me as I cried my eyes out. The tears poured out of me in waves and I was grateful for it. I cried out days of pent up frustration, anger, and constant fear.

I cried until there was no more tears left to spill. I placed my head on Oliver's chest, focusing on his steady heartbeat.

“I thought you were dead.” I choked out, fear gripping me at the mere thought of it.

The video of him falling unconscious as fire engulfed the warehouse flashed across my mind. I had been so high on adrenaline when I saw him during the gunshots. I'd only had a minute to be grateful he was alive before we had to run for our lives again.

But in the silence, the situation finally weighed on me. And it was scary all over again.

“Why would you think that, Little Monkey? You know you can't get rid of me that easily.” He said while stroking my back.

I huffed out a laugh and hit him gently on his chest. My hands stilled as the next words formed on my tongue.

“I saw what happened in the warehouse. When you collapsed and everything went on fire. He made me watch. I thought I was never going to see you again. I got so scared.”

I felt Oliver's body tensed up against me. K was certain he wore a murderous expression. His reaction was gone in a second and he resumed stroking my back.

“I'm sorry you had to see that.” He said softly, his voice held a little bit of anger and sadness.

“I'm just glad you're okay.” I said and squeezed him tighter.

“Me too.” He said in that extreme tone of relief.

We fell into a comfortable silence, communicating without using words. My mind wandered back to several events that happened but only one thing weighed heavy in my chest.

“I should have killed him.” I whispered but I knew he heard me.

“You did great.” Oliver said. There was no flattery in his tone, only pure fact and pride in me. But I wasn't feeling prideful.

“She's in this mess because of me. I had him, if I had just killed him instead of–”

He pulled me away gently, cutting off my next words.

“You did great, Dallas. No matter what you might think. You held your own well against him. It doesn't matter who ended up killing him.”

“But it does matter.” I insisted. “Jenna doesn't have a choice but to stay in the Brothers now when all she wanted was to leave. She probably wished to live a simple life and now that wish had been taken away from her.”

I tried to imagine what a simple life meant for her. Even if she wasn't a member of some secret assassin club, she was still a very famous supermodel. A simple life was almost impossible.

I found myself wanting to know what she had planned. I wanted to know more about her. It was ridiculous because kus days ago, she had put me in the biggest danger of my life. But she had also saved me.

“If only I'd killed him, she wouldn't be in this position. I feel like a…” the next word was stuck in my throat but I forced it out, “... coward.”

“You are not, my Little Monkey. You were just caught in a really bad situation. Just because you couldn't kill him doesn't make you a coward, it makes you human. You should not feel guilty about that and I'm certain no one would fault you for it.” He said firmly, cupping my cheeks.

I smiled widely as his words settled in me.
Thank you.” I said genuinely. He stroked my cheeks gently.

“What happened to Jenna wasn't your fault, Dallas. She chose to kill him.” he added.

“She wasn't thinking straight in tha moment.” I countered.

“I know. Which is why we're going to find a solution together when she wakes up.” he said.

And she was going to have to wake up soon.

“One problem at a time, Little Monkey.” Oliver said loudly and I couldn't agree more.

One problem at a time.