Chapter 31

UNEDITED...

Beep, beep, beep. The sound of the machine attached to Sabrina mimics her heartbeat in the hospital room.

Nathan sat by her bedside. He stuck his hand beneath hers and put his forehead on her hand. His mind racing with worry.

They arrived at the hospital about two hours ago. The cause of her unconsciousness still unknown. Doctors have done a full body scan, drawn blood, and have repeatedly, checked her vitals.

A gnawing contraction on his heart. For the first time in his life, he was petrified. She meant so much to him. He, himself hadn't known how much she meant to him. She turned into his world, and he hadn't realized. She was his every thought, and all his actions revolve around her.

Over the last year, he tried very hard to finish up projects he was involved in, and delegate work to employees so he could spend time with her. Something he's never done.

When she was around him, it was like a breath of fresh air. She made him feel calm and at peace. Every time she told him to be with someone else he couldn't even think about actually doing it. He just wanted her. Only her, forever. He couldn't understand why she wanted him to be with someone else. She wants him, he knows she wants him.

"My baby. What happened to her?"

Nathan lifts his head and looks back at the open door. His mother-in-law and sister-in-law stood in between the doorway with tears in their eyes.

Mariel is the first to move over to the bed. She goes over to the other side and holds onto Sabrina's hands. "How did this happen?" She asks.

"She was kidnapped." Nathan looks at his unmoving wife. "I...I don't know what they did to her."

"How did they find her?" Gracie asks while moving to the foot of the bed.

"I tracked her phone." He answers leaning back and letting out a deep breath.

"Thank you," Mariel shows her gratitude. "You can go now."

"I'm not going anywhere. And you don't have to thank me."

"She doesn't want your money, you know." Gracie makes it known politely.

Nathan's face stays emotionless. It didn't surprise him that they thought of him this way.
"I know." He agrees plainly, he shifts his gaze to Sabrina's sleeping face. "I'm not here because of that. I'm here because I want to be." In truth, he needed to be there. There was nothing in existence that could make him be somewhere else.

The doctor enters the room with a light knock.

"Mr. Alden." He enters holding a beige folder.

"Oh, this is? He asks while looking at Mariel and Gracie.

"This is her mother and sister." He answers releasing his hold on Sabrina. He stands up and sticks his hands in his pockets

The doctor shakes Mariel and Gracie's hands. "Nice to meet you both. I have some good news for you all. Sabrina is going to be just fine." He opens the folder and shows them a cat scan of Sabrina's skull. "It looks like she was hit here." He points to the picture.

Nathan cringes hearing that someone struck her.

"They must have used a weapon of some kind because there is some swelling. Now, it's nothing to worry about, once the swelling has gone down we will watch her, and if all goes well, she should be able to go home soon after.

He was so relieved but, there was still something irking him.

"The rape kit." He folds his arms like it could hide the shame he felt for letting it come to that. He should have kept her with him. He knew it was where she would be safe.

Gracie and her mother's mouths widen. Mariel covers her mouth and drops into her chair.

"I'm sorry, I don't know the results yet. I will notify you about them as soon as they come in. Dr. Chan asks if they were any more questions and when they all shake their heads, he leaves the room.

Nathan turns back to Gracie glaring at him. "Why would she need a rape kit?"

Nathan lets out a breath and runs his hands through his hair. "I." He moves back to his chair near his wife and grasps her hand. He didn't want to answer but this is her family, and they needed to know.

"When I found her." He puts pressure on Sabrina's hand. "Her clothes were ripped." He couldn't bring himself to say anything else.

Mariel could no longer hold back cries.

Gracie's eyebrows join together as she focuses on Nathan. "You saved her?

Nathan nods his head.

"Why?"

He tightens his jaw. He very slowly turns his head and glares at Gracie. "The last thing I want is her dead."

"But..."

Her mother touches her shoulder and shakes her head.

Gracie nods in agreement and moves closer to her sister.

The three of them sat in the room for hours without a word. Then there was a knock on the door and Dr. Chang enters again.

"Good evening." He greets them again. "I have some great news.

Nathan turns in his chair not wanting to let go of Sabrina's hand.

"The rape kit came back clean, you all can breathe a sigh of relief, she was not raped. She is going to be fine. " He looks Mariel in the eyes. "Your Son-in-law got there just in time."

Mariel smiles. "Thank you, doctor. "She shifts her attention to Nathan." And thank you, Nathan.

He subtly nods.

"Get some rest Doctor Chan eyes Sabrina's chart a bit befor taking his leave.

"You should get some rest," Mariel says to Nathan after a few minutes of silence.

"I'm not going anywhere." He declares.

Mariel narrows her eyes to Sabrina and smiles. "She is going to be fine."

They left shortly after but, not before bringing Nathan a chicken salad sandwich from the cafeteria.


6 DAYS LATER


Nathan filled his pockets with his hands and looked out the hospital window. It wasn't the greatest view overlooking the parking lot. He had Sabrina moved into a suite in the hospital. It more like a hotel room. He's literally had been living there, showering, eating, and working. He absolutely refused to leave her.


There was no reason important enough. He wanted to be there when she woke. He wanted to hold her, keep her safe, and never let her go.
The first thing he wanted to do was tell her that with or without a contract he wanted her. She may not have chosen him, but he definitely chose her. No matter how much he wanted to deny it.

He would treat her like the queen she is and hope that would be enough to keep her. He had to at least try. But first, he had to figure out how he was going to get her to come back home with him. She was stubborn, but he knows that she would only be safe with him. Someone wanted her dead, and he had to find out who. He already had the police and a private investigator on it. He had to let someone else worry about that for now. His wife was his first priority.

The room door opens suddenly and the faces he saw didn't surprise him. Mariel and Gracie came in every day and spent hours talking to Sabrina trying to get her to respond. They both went to the bed and greeted her.


He was grateful for their presence. He needed to talk to the doctor. She still hasn't shown any sign of improvement and as the days passed by, he grew to worry even more. "I will be back in a few." He says to them leaving the room.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Forcing her heavy eyelids open Sabrina blinks a few times and letting her groggy eyes get used to the light penetrating them.

"Oh My God! She's moving!"

She knew that voice. It was her sister.

"Sabrina."

She knew that voice too. It was her mother.

Bringing her eyes into focus, she's right. Her mother and sister are beside her. She looks around her room confusingly. "Where am I?"

She sees the teary eyes of Gracie and Mariel. "Please don't cry." She carefully sits herself up.

"You're in the hospital." Her mother wipes away happy tears

"What? Why?"

"I'm going to get the nurse." She runs out of the room without answering.

Sabrina turns to her sister whose smile reached her eyes. "You have no idea how good it is to hear your voice."

"What happened to me?"

"You don't remember?"

"No. I don't. Would you please just answer me?"

"I'm not sure exactly. All I know is you were kidnapped."

Kidnapped? Who in the world would want to kidnap her?

Her mother enters her room with a nurse who starts checking her blood pressure. "Hey, you're up. How are you feeling?" She asks.

"Can you tell me what happen to me?"

"Your chart says blunt force trauma to the head."

"Hmm..." She says taking that in. "Why?"

"I'm sorry that's all I know hun."

"Mom, where's dad?" She shifts her attention.

Mariel and Gracie look at each other in silent shock.

You don't know?" Gracie inquires.

"Know what?"


"Nurse, I think you should get the doctor immediately."


"He's already been notified of her status and should be here soon." She says as she finishes checking Sabrina.


"Someone better tells me what the hell is going on." Sabrina panics.


"What year is it?" Graces ask.


"What does that have to do with anything?"


Gracie approaches her sister taking her hand and looking at her seriously. "Just answer me. What year is it?"


Sabrina shakes her head like she trying to shake her memory into focus. "Um... 2017"


The room was in complete and utter silence. Then the sound of the door opening and footsteps approaching echoes the room.

Sabrina couldn't see who was approaching, her sister was blocking her view. She assumed it was the doctor.

Maybe he would finally give her some answers. She gently pushed her sister to see the doctor.

She's frozen when she looks over and sees a completely unexpected face. It was billionaire Nathan Alden. What world did she enter?

She looks over at Mariel. "Why is he here?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you're enjoying 😊