Chapter 442 Antonio Valencia's Wound
A sharp intake of breath was all Sarah could manage as her body was wracked with chills. Her skin was slick with a cold sweat, her muscles aching as if she'd run a marathon. The nausea was overwhelming, threatening to spill forth at any moment.
Antonio, recognizing the severity of her condition, wasted no time in rushing her to the nearest hospital.
Upon their arrival, the doctor's face drained of color as he took in Sarah's state. "Quickly," he urged, "She's contracted dengue fever. She needs to be in the emergency room immediately."
Dengue fever? Antonio was taken aback. How could this be?
Suddenly, he remembered Sarah's incessant scratching, her complaints of mosquito bites from the previous day. He had dismissed it as a minor annoyance, never considering the possibility of such a grave illness.
"We need to return home," Brian interjected, his voice filled with worry. "The medical facilities here are woefully inadequate."
The thought of the mosquitoes from the previous night carrying the dengue virus had never crossed his mind. They had prepared for many things, but not this.
Unfortunately, the helicopter Antonio had called for wouldn't arrive until the following morning. They were forced to endure a night in the local hospital, their anxiety mounting with each passing hour.
Throughout the night, Sarah's consciousness wavered, her feverish state causing her to drift in and out of awareness. The pain was unbearable, her grip on reality slipping as she succumbed to her illness.
Antonio could only watch helplessly, wishing he could shoulder her suffering. He remained by her side, tending to her every need as she battled the fever.
In her delirium, Sarah clung to Antonio, her fingers digging into his wrist. The pain was a lifeline, grounding her in the midst of her suffering.
Antonio bore it all in silence, his focus solely on preventing Sarah from causing harm to herself.
Unable to watch any longer, Brian offered to take over. "Why don't you rest? I'll stay up for the rest of the night."
Antonio shook his head. "Rest well. There are no mosquitoes in the hospital, so you don't need to keep watch. We'll need you tomorrow on the helicopter."
Brian didn't argue, but he couldn't quell his worry. He remained by Antonio's side, his heart softening at the sight of his father's unwavering dedication.
Antonio's hand was bleeding from Sarah's desperate grip. Yet, he didn't flinch, didn't pull away.
Brian realized then just how deeply Antonio cared for Sarah. No one would endure such pain if they didn't truly love the person causing it.
As dawn broke, Sarah's condition remained unchanged. She hadn't slept, her fever still raging. Even as the helicopter arrived, she was lost in her delirium.
Thankfully, the helicopter was equipped with a professional medical team and a plethora of emergency medicine. They quickly lifted Sarah aboard and began treatment, finally allowing her to succumb to a much-needed sleep.
"Clean yourself up while they're treating mom," Brian suggested, gathering iodine, disinfectant, medical gauze, and other supplies. He quickly tended to Antonio's wounds, his hands steady despite his worry.
"Thank you, Brian," Antonio murmured, his wrist marred by scratches from Sarah's nails.
"Do you want to rest for a while?" Brian asked, once he'd finished administering first aid.
Antonio shook his head. "Don't worry about me. You haven't rested all night. Go get some sleep."
Brian, too, was restless. His worry for his mother was too great to allow him to sleep.
It wasn't until they returned home, and Sarah was admitted to a hospital for systematic treatment, that both men were finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Brady, along with the others, had been enduring a seemingly interminable wait at the hospital. Upon catching sight of Antonio, he made a beeline for him.
"Antonio Valencia ," he began, his voice laced with accusation, "Didn't you swear to look after my sister? How did she end up contracting dengue fever?" Without a moment's hesitation, Brady's hand shot out, clutching Antonio's collar in a firm grip.
Antonio was at a loss for words, unable to muster a defense. It was, after all, his neglect that had led to Sarah's suffering.
"I'm sorry..." he began, but his words hung in the air, unfinished.
"Your apology is worthless," Brady retorted, his voice cold. "I'm warning you, if anything happens to my sister, you'll have me to answer to."
At this, Brian intervened, prying Brady's hand from Antonio's collar, his own agitation apparent.
"Uncle, this isn't his fault!" he protested. "Even if he had been taking the best care of her, he couldn't have controlled whether the mosquitoes were carrying the virus or not, could he?"
Brady was taken aback by Brian's words, his anger momentarily quelled.
Brian was right.
Seizing the moment, Brian continued, "Moreover, Uncle, Antonio is injured too. He got scratched while caring for Mommy during her illness. Please, don't be so impulsive."
Chastened, Brady released his grip on Antonio's collar, letting out a deep sigh. "I acted impulsively," he admitted.
Antonio offered no rebuttal, his guilt deepening at the sight of Brady's concern.
Meanwhile, in the dimly lit corridor, Serene sat in a wheelchair, her eyes wide with astonishment at the unfolding scene.
This was the first time she had seen Antonio so crestfallen, so utterly demoralized after a scolding.
But what shocked her even more was the revelation that the man she had pegged as a wild card was, in fact, Sarah's brother!
No wonder Antonio had remained unfazed when the photos were sent to his phone.
She had never anticipated that Sarah would have such a secret, that she had a so-called brother...
Did this brother know about her past?
From his words, Serene could discern that Sarah's brother was far from pleased with Antonio, evidently disapproving of their relationship.
In that case, could this protective brother be manipulated to their advantage?
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