Isabella~
"Please open your eyes, Dad." I shook his body and asked him to open his eyes, but he lay down on the floor, unconscious.
"Call the doctor, Xavier." As I saw his lifeless body on the floor, tears welled up in my eyes. Xavier and Victor took his body in the car and drove towards the hospital. With each step we took toward the hospital, my heartbeat accelerated.
"Bella, don't cry; nothing will happen to Dad." As the doctor admitted Dad to the intensive care unit, Xavier wiped my tears.
"Xavier, if something happened to him, then I will never forgive myself." Despite my promise to Victor that I would convince Dad to marry John, I was uncertain how things escalated before I had the opportunity to speak with him. I sobbed uncontrollably while resting my head on his shoulder.
"It's okay, Bella; you are not to blame for anything that occurred." He stroked my hair and gently wiped away my tears.
Victor stood in the corner of the hospital coordinator in a way that the culprit stood in the culprit box. Everywhere he goes, people look at him with disapproving looks, and his homosexual news is spreading like wildfire in the bush. Here in the hospital, nurses and doctors stared at him as if he had committed a crime by falling in love.
"Xavier, he needs us." Observing him weeping silently in the hospital's corner, I signaled to him that he needed our support. Victor hugged Xavier and cried out loud to express his grief over his dad's condition.
The doctor came out of the emergency room after examining Dad.
"Doctor, what happened to him?" I questioned him as he was giving instructions to the nurse.
"Mr. Richard suffered a heart attack, necessitating his shift to the ICU for the next 48 hours for observation." Hearing his words, my body trembled in fear.
"Doctor, will he be all right?" After hearing the shocking news, I felt like someone had snatched the ground beneath my feet, but I forced myself to stand up.
"We will only discuss his condition after 48 hours of observation. The doctor excused himself and instructed the nurse to shift Dad into the ICU from the emergency room." I gazed at Dad's lifeless body as the hospital staff moved him into the personal ward. His face turned pale, and numerous needles and bottles were strewn about the stretcher.
"Bella, will you become my daughter-in-law?" I vividly remember his proposal to marry his second son, Xavier Thompson, on the occasion of my twentieth birthday. My dad was working at his firm as his assistant, and after my dad's passing, I struggled in my life due to Alicia and her mother. Richard Thompson was a lifesaver for me on my birthday; he not only lifted me out of poverty but also facilitated my marriage to my true love, Xavier.
I have loved Xavier since my childhood, but marrying him feels like a dream to me due to the differences in our backgrounds. I was filled with joy when I heard Richard Thompson arrange my marriage to his son. Whatever happened between me and Xavier has deeply burdened my father-in-law, and that's why he never forgives Xavier, despite my pleadings. Following my father's death, Mr. Thompson never allowed me to feel the absence of my father in my life, and he always supported me as if he were my father.
"Bella, you should take a rest for some time. I am here with Dad." Xavier's voice cut through my inner monologue. No, I will not go anywhere until Dad opens his eyes. I gave a headshake.
"Bella, don't be stubborn; you didn't sleep last night. Alan needs you, and Victor also needs your support; despite being my brother, he is always close to you." Xavier's voice is barely audible, yet every word carries a significant burden of guilt and regret.
"Okay, I'm heading to Victor, but please let me know right away if Dad regains consciousness." I stood up from the stool and prepared to leave the room.
"Humm, I will." He nodded and took a seat on the stool near his father's bed.
This was the first time I experienced the bonding between us. I feel like Xavier has been there for me emotionally during the difficult period, which has given me the strength to deal with the problem at hand. Even though we have a lot of disagreements and unresolved issues, I still have a great deal of love for him.
"Why did John cheat on me, Bella?" When Victor spotted me approaching the hallway, his eyes filled with tears once more.
"Please don't cry; we're here for you." I brushed away his tears while holding his face.
"But now, how will I deal with this society? I love a man, and my dad hates me for it. Is it illegal to love someone, Bella?" He questioned me between his sobs.
"No, Victor, you didn't commit any crime by loving him. However, you might have picked the incorrect person to adore. You are the strongest person I have ever met, so please don't lose your courage." I tried my best to console him, but I was still shocked by this new torment in our lives.
Victor rested his head on my shoulder and fell asleep, having cried for two hours about his miserable life. Victor was the person in my life; I trusted him as my friend. After my marriage to Xavier, Victor was the first person in the Thompson house to assist me in winning Xavier's heart.
For me, he left his brother. I still remember how he stood up for me against Xavier on our anniversary day. He protected me at every stage of my life. He made sacrifices for me, and now it's my turn to repay him.
My phone's ringtone abruptly interrupted my review.
"James, what happened? Is Alan causing you any trouble?" I questioned him in a hushed tone, as I didn't want to disturb Victor's sleep.
"Bella, do you know who the lawyer is going to prosecute in this case?" His fear-filled voice also alerted me.
"Check the latest breaking news on television." After listening to James, I glanced at the TV, and when I saw the latest news, my body erupted in terror.