The Royal Contract

He barely noticed anything else as he passed through the different people in their uniforms, heard the assorted chatters and noises around him, and smelled that distinct arid odor of a disinfectant.

His focus was getting to her as fast as his companion would take him. He followed Roseann to the elevator and the hallways until they finally stopped at a room.

“We are not yet clear to enter her room,” Roseann told him, stopping him from going further.

He could easily see through the small space inside the room since glass made up the door and the walls. Despite his wish, he could only look at the woman he loved as she lay on the bed, still unconscious.

The doctors who operated on her could not assure him about her condition. Until she woke up and no complications arose, there was no way to guarantee her recovery. She was still in a critical state where she could die.

“David, I am sorry to hear about Rosella.” When he turned around, he found a familiar friend tapping him on the shoulder as support.

.....

“Thanks, Jacob.” He acknowledged the man he had helped with his company with his wife, Cassie.

Dani introduced them when he was looking for someone to handle his representation in the company he inherited from his father when his brother, Nick, died.

“By the way, this is Dr. Roseann Sheldon, Rosella’s sister. This...” David was introducing the two but realized they already knew each other.

“I already know her. She is my intern. She is the one that told me about her sister’s case.” Jacob supplied the missing sentence. “It just took me a while to relate her relationship to your fiance.” He explained.

“What do you think?” David asked since the other doctors had already told him their initial diagnosis, but maybe his friend had another opinion. He would accept anything that would give him hope.

He stared at his beautiful rose, now with her whole face covered with bandages, except for her eyes, nose, and lips. They said that the strong impact shard the glass of her car, and much of it went to her face and body, causing lacerations on her exposed skin.

He blamed himself for the incident. He should have insisted on the car he gifted her with its protective and safety features. If she had driven that new car, she might have prevented this accident from happening.

“It is too early to tell with the extent of her injuries. But I promise you. I am on top of this.” His friend promised him before excusing himself to attend to his other patients.

“Don’t worry, Dr. Jacob is an excellent doctor.” Roseann tried to assure him. But he already knew that, but what he needed now was a miracle as he turned his attention back to the woman fighting for her life.

He just hoped she would not give up because he had no idea if he could make it without her. He wanted to go to her bedside, hold her hands, and tell her how much he loved her. But the doctors had advised against it.

When he returned to the waiting area, he found Rosella’s other family members waiting to see her. They all gathered in the room until they could finally see her up close and not behind the glass walls.

Like the other times that Rosella brought him to her family’s small events, he found it awkward to mingle with them. He was not a snob. He did not look down on her family because they were not as wealthy as his family was.

Honestly, he did not know how to relate to them. He felt awkward when he was around Rosella’s family. He was the odd man out as he could not socialize with them without looking intimidating, arrogant, or snobbish.

Family time with his family meant business meetings and problem crisis management. It was not about bonding time or creating a loving and fun environment.

It was one of the reasons that drove his sister to run away. Therefore, dealing with a happy family seemed unfamiliar to him. It was a foreign experience.

“How are you holding up?” A soft, motherly voice spoke to him, breaking his silence. They were all chatting on the other side of the room while he sat alone, not far away. Roseann had to leave to attend to her responsibilities but promised to update them as soon as she got back.

He looked up to see the matriarch of the Sheldon family standing before him with concern written in her eyes. “Do you mind if I join you?” She asked, gesturing at the empty seat beside him.

“No. Go ahead.” David straightened on his seat and waited till she settled. “I don’t know. Afraid, I guess.” He tried to answer her honestly. He was never good at sharing his feelings, especially with strangers.

At this moment, he still could not say that he was part of the family nor claim that he knew them because that would be a big fat lie.

His face must be a picture of distraught, but he had never cried in his adult life. He never had a reason to do so besides his father forbade him to shed tears when he was a child, saying it was for sissies. And he was not one.

Controlling his emotions and acting tough had brought him to where he was now. But his upbringing also affected him emotionally, making it hard for him to connect to a woman in a committed relationship.

Until he met Rosella, she changed him. The only woman who had shown him love was possible, even with a guy like him. She opened his heart to the endless possibility. It was not too late for him to be a better man.

“We are all afraid, but we are here for each other.” His future mother-in-law extended her hand and covered his. “I know you are not married yet to my daughter, but she loved you very much. I want you to know that no matter what. You will always be part of our family.”

It meant so much to him to hear that. The only family he had now were his friends. Thankfully, Serena had returned, allowing him to reunite with her. But that would not have been possible if not for Rosella.

“Thank you.” He responded with a trembling voice as emotions seemed to overwhelm him. Then, he felt the gentlest touch as her hands pulled him to her shoulders.

She cradled him in her arms, just like what a mother would do to comfort her child. It had been such a long time since someone held him like this. The only person who consoled him when he faced a problem was Rosella.

Right now, she was not available to help him. He was like a lost child, unable to find his way back home. But this stranger took him without judgment and welcomed him into their lives.

It was more than he could ask for in a moment like this. No matter how he tried to fight it, the dam finally broke loose as all his pent-up emotions rushed out of his body, demanding release.