Exclusively Yours - Episode 42
Subtitle; {Please, Love Me}
✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿✿
Riccardo's POV
Today has been nothing short of exhausting. With so many projects to complete and more pouring in, I had little to no time on my hands.
Being the youngest and most recommended architect in the world has its perks, and this was one of them. In fact, I am scheduled to travel out of America in two days for the project in China. My hands have to be on deck...or should I say, the table at all times.
Notwithstanding that, I had a wife who just began working again after weeks of not doing so, and I had to see or talk to her. Pushing away the blueprints and other papers on my desk, I picked up my phone and tapped on Olivia's name—Sunshine—which is always on speed dial.
It took a little over two minutes for her to answer my call, and as soon as she did, I chimed like a little girl, "How are you enjoying your day?"
Rattled or more forced breaths reached my ears, causing my brows to narrow as panic slowly began to seep into my body.
I abruptly stood up from my seat, holding onto the phone like it's my lifeline. "Sunshine, are you okay?"
"N-no, I'm stuck." Her sweet voice finally hit my ears, but it only sounded strained, like she was using everything in her to talk.
Stuck?
Where?
Lifting my hand to push back the stubborn strands of my hair that fell on my face, I changed the phone to the other ear. "Where are you?"
"I-I-," more and more forced breaths escaped from her. "I don't re-rem-remember."
I grabbed my car keys and my coat and dashed out of my office. My PA's inquiries went on deaf ears as I hurried to the parking lot for my car. Immediately, I reached it, I climbed in. "Sunshine, turn on your location, please."
Please, be fine.
Please, be fine.
Please, be fine.
"D-done." She replied. "W-what are you going to d-do?"
"I am coming for you." Igniting the car back to life, I stepped on the accelerator and zoomed out. "Where exactly are you?"
"My car."
"You can't unlock it?"
"Yes."
"Why are your breaths short?"
"I don't know why, but gases are filling my car. I can't breathe." She stuttered, with more unsteady and strained breaths from her.
Gas?
How?
What could have possibly happened?
"I'm coming, Sunshine. Turn off the AC."
"I've done that."
"Try opening the windows."
"It isn't budging."
"For how long have you been stuck?"
"A couple of minutes."
"And you didn't think to call me?" I snapped. "Sorry. Sorry. Didn't mean to yell." I quickly added.
I am so stupid for even snapping at her in the first place. She is in a life-threaténing situation, and of course, she might have tried to save herself even before I called her. I'm just too panicky to think before acting.
After driving for about fifteen minutes, I came to a stop upon seeing her car awkwardly parked. Throwing open my car door, I jumped down with a hammer and ran towards her car.
"Olivia," I uttered into my phone. Her reply didn't come through, and that sent a whole new surge of terror through my veins. "Sunshine?"
Oh God, why isn't she answering?
"Sunshine, please say something. Anything at all." I pleaded, knocking on the window. Her low exhale reached my ears again, and I started knocking rapidly. "Olivia, if you can hear me, protect your head."
A few more seconds passed, and I hít the hammer on the window, shattering it in the process. I repeated the action a few more times before finally achieving my goal of breaking all of the glass.
Reaching my hand through the broken window, I wasted no time in unlocking it and dragging her out. Carrying her limp body in my arms in a bridal style, I strode to my car and put her in the passenger seat. Just when I got into the driver's seat, her car went up in red misty flames.
✿✿✿✿
"Mr. Torrence, can I please talk to you in my office?" The Southeast Asian female doctor asked in quiet empathy.
I gave her a little nod and followed her to her office. As soon as we got there, she pushed open the door and went to sit at her desk, gesturing for me to sit too.
A scoff emitted from my mouth even before I could hold it in. Placing my palms on her sparkly white desk, I leaned in to make sure my eyes were piercing deep into her already terrified ones. "Do you think I came in here to wine and dine with you? Tell me, what happened to my wife?"
"Mr Torrence..."
"Go straight to the point, Mrs. As you can see, I am not in the mood to be joked with. How is my wife?"
"Mrs Torrence inhaled way too much of the gas and slipped into a coma. We tried all we could but we are still unable to bring her back. The gas is also unnameable and very tóxic."
No.
Olivia isn't in a coma.
She is fine.
She said we will have a dinner date tonight so how can she not be fine?
"Your wife will be fine if under observation for a few days—"
"A few days?!" All héll broke loose and I yelled, startling her. "You expect me to leave my wife in that ICU for a few days, huh?"
Her professional face never slipping even for a second as she rose to her feet. "We tried our best to make sure that she didn't slip into a coma, but—"
"No buts! Your best is obviously not good enough." I snapped. "I brought my wife in here alive and breathing and if I don't take her back alive and breathing, I swear to God, I'll búrn this hospital down with everyone in it. I will do it without a second thought."
"Sir, you can't threatén us." Her voice firm and still annoyingly professional.
Another scoff broke out from my lips and I felt a smirk setting on my face. "You thinking it's a threàt is nothing if not hilarious. Get your stúpid white coat, walk back to my wife and do what you have to do."
I guess she saw the seriousness in my eyes because she nodded wordlessly and walked out, leaving me in her stupid office.
••
Slowly, oh so slowly, seconds turned to minutes and minutes turned to hours and yet, the doctors have still told me nothing about Olivia.
A light tap on my shoulder caused me to turn away from the ICU. My eyes met Asia's brown ones and a small smile pulled up on my face.
I might have called her an hour ago to keep me company if not I'd have done something really crazy. I also called Felicity, but she said she was out of town.
"I brought coffee." She murmured under her breath, a sad grimace on her face.
Letting out a heavy exhale, I shook my head. I can't eat or drink anything until I have Olivia back in my arms, laughing and talking normally to me.
Asia stepped in front of me, stretching out the paper cup of coffee like I didn't just refuse it. Her voice came out pleading, "you have to take something, Rick. You said you haven't had anything but breakfast. At least, just drink the coffee."
"I don't want it." I shook my head again, threw my head back to rest on the wall. "Have you ever felt like there's a big, strong wall separating you from the one you love?"
For a minute, I thought my question went unheard, but she proved me wrong when her reply came out lower than ever.
"Yes."
"And, what did you do to that wall?" I asked again.
"Something childish."
A little chuckle escaped my lips and I stared at her, staring back at me with an equally little grin. "Like what?"
"Never mind."
"Would you like to get ríd of it completely?"
"Yes."
"If you can, what would you do?"
Another beat passed and I had to look at her to see if my question went over her head. Her lips twitched as she appeared to ponder on it. "Honestly...I won't do anything. If the one I love don't love me back, why do anything?"
Turning to face her completely, I took hold of her forearm and her eyes flicked to mine. "Whoever that person is must be very stúpid not to love a wonderful person like you. Any guy would be more than lucky to have you in their life as a life partner."
"And you?" Her question came with a little crack in her voice. "Will you be lucky to have me in your life as your life partner?"
"I am already married to the most beautiful and intelligent woman in the world, it would be gréedy and stúpid to look elsewhere." I replied, squeezing her arms to give or take assurance, I don't know.
Her chocolate brown eyes watered and she sniffed, forcing a smile on her lips but it wavered. "Olivia is the lucky one, really for having someone like you so in love with her you can't see any other woman but her. Why is she so lucky?"
"I'm the lucky one for having Olivia in my life." I disagreed with her.
She shook her head, also not agreeing with me. "No, she is. You should give yourself some well-deserved credit as well."
I opened my mouth to say something but when Asia jutted her head at something or someone at my back, I frowned and spun around.
"Your wife is finally out of the coma and is asking for you." The same doctor said in relief, beaming a stupídly professional smile at me. "You can go see her."
Stepping into the ICU, my steps faltered when my gaze stopped at a pale body hooked with the oxygen mask.
My Olivia.
I trailed a shaky fingers through her hair and her face and her eyes fluttered open. Her caramel brown eyes finally met mine after hours of not doing so and the tears I have held in finally dropped.
"You're so mean, you know that, right? How dare you try to play that silly prank on me after promising me a date? That is so not fair." My voice shaky and breathy scolded her and her lips lifted her in a smile under the mask.
"Are you still going to búrn down this hospital?" She muttered.
"Well, not anymore."
"Good."
"Good."
"Can I have a hug?"
"Of course." I lowered myself to wrap my arms securely around her cold body and when I placed a light kiss on top of her head, we both let out sigh of deep relief.
"I love you." Olivia susurranted, her voice soft with affection and soothing to the soul effectually stopping my world.
TBC 📖✍️
No comments