Chapter 32

SILVANA

I was fast asleep when my phone rang loudly, jolting me awake. Groaning loudly, I opened my eyes and reached for my phone on the bed stand. My eyes narrowed when I saw James' name flashing on the screen. Why is he calling?

"Aren't you asleep?" Picking the call, I questioned, but I got no answer.

"Hey, James? James, Is this a prank call?" I asked, raising my voice but still, there was no response.

I hung up in annoyance and was about to go back to sleep when I noticed a goodnight message from him, sent twenty minutes earlier. If he sent me a goodnight message, why is he calling me again?

Out of curiosity, I dialed his number again, but it didn't go through. I tried it several times, but it was still the same. Sighing, I dialed the number once more and when he didn't pick up, I dropped the phone and lay back down.

He must think I'm a joke. I huffed and closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep but it was not coming, my mind was filled with the thought of James. Somehow, I felt something was wrong, and James isn't the type to do a prank call, or is he?

Ignoring the feeling, I tried to sleep, but I couldn't shake it off. I was out of my bed the next minute. Thankfully, I was putting on comfy clothes, so I didn't have to change. I took my phone before leaving the room. I made my way downstairs, making sure to be quiet, but as I stepped outside, rain poured down on me.

Shit! I forgot to bring an umbrella with me, but I was too worried to go back to get it. I ran to my car, getting soaked in the process, and drove to James house, speeding through the roads.

When I arrived at his house, I jumped out of my car and rushed to the entrance. Turning the door knob, I realized it was locked, so I resorted to knocking.

"Is there no one in?" I mumbled after knocking and ringing the bell a number of times but got no response.

Suddenly, a gruff-looking guy showed up with an umbrella over his head, pointing his torch at me.

Who are you?"

"Oh..." I trailed off and the guy's eyes narrowed.

"Who are you, please?"

"His girlfriend." I blurted out without thinking.

The guy frowned. "His girlfriend? I don't think he has one."

I chuckled, biting my lip hard, and my eyes lit up as an idea struck me.

"I've been here before, you know. Isn't Mrs Claire home?" I asked the guard.

"How do you know her?" He replied, eyeing me skeptically.

"I told you, I've been here before. By the way, is nobody home?" I asked, gesturing to the locked door.

The guy hesitated before answering. "Boss is home, but Mrs Claire isn't."

"Do you have a spare key or something? The door is locked and I don't know the passcode." I pointed at the digital door lock.

"I will be right back." He said and walked away. I folded my arms, rubbing them to soothe the coldness I was feeling.

The guy returned and opened the door. "You can go in."

"Thank you." Smiling, I rushed in, my eyes scanned the living room but it was empty, so I made my way upstairs to James' room. However, I was shocked to find James' body on the floor.

"James!" Shouting, I rushed over to him, tapping him continuously, hoping to wake him up but he didn't respond. What's going on?

"Hey, James!" I yelled, tapping continuously, but I stopped when I saw the pill bottle laying on the ground. I took it and checked what was inside but it was empty. My eyes widened at the thought of him ingesting everything? I checked the label around the bottle and read through it. A gasp left my lips when I realized it's for panic attacks. I slowly returned my gaze to James. Does he have panic attacks?

I stood up and rushed out of the room, calling out for the guard, who showed up the moment I got downstairs.

"Is something wrong?" He asked, worriedly.

"We need to take him to the hospital." I replied, and his eyes widened. He rushed past me to the room, and I followed him. In the next minute, we were out of the house, and on her way to the hospital, with me driving.

I pulled up at the nearest hospital I saw, and we took James into the emergency room. Before the doctors began treating him, I showed them the pill bottle I took from the house, and they administered treatment accordingly. I also confirmed that he was suffering from panic attacks, which filled my heart with sadness.

The doctor and nurses finished their treatment on him and they left. The guard also left, but I stayed. I took my hand to his hair, moving the strands blocking his face away. I exhaled and placed my head on the small space beside his head, my eyes not leaving him.

Why is he having panic attacks? Did he get traumatized? These thoughts whirled throughout my mind until I fell into oblivion.

The sounds of people's voices and the smell of drugs woke me up from my sleep. My eyes opened, and I gasped when they landed on James who was sitting on the bed.

"You're awake!" I exclaimed, and in a flash, my head was off the bed and I pulled him into a hug.

"You scared me." I mumbled and he chuckled. I hit his back, my lips forming into a pout as I pulled out of the hug.

"You are okay, right?" I asked, but he said nothing, just kept staring at me.

My brows furrowed. "Do you want something?" I asked, and he nodded, his lips forming into a smile.

"Yes, your lips." He replied and my eyes widened in surprise.