dwin widened his eyes when he saw Antony in a power struggle with via, who was now lying on the floor, in a rebellious position, writhing to release her father’s grip. The girl convulsed in pain, and simultaneously, dwin saw blooding from via’s nose.


    “via..” dwin’s voice sounded like a whisper in his ears. He was frozen, and via seemed to open her eyes for a split second, looking straight at him before then slumping weakly into her father’s arms. “via?!” dwin shouted loudly, rushing over and grabbing via from her father’sp. Checking her pulse.


    Gone! Her breath was also absent. “via, my love. Wake up.” He ordered while gently patting via’s cheek. There was no response, so reluctantly, dwin started performing CPR on her.


    Abigail, who had just arrived, looked shocked at the panic unfolding in her aunt’s house. She stood still, watching dwin trying to administer first aid to the limp and pale via on the cold floor.


    “What happened?” Abigail approached via’s feet. “via, what happened to you?” she asked softly.


    dwin continued to pump via’s chest, paying no attention to the people now gathered in the area, watching with a mix of concern and fear. dwin provided artificial breaths, checked via’s pulse, and continued chestpressions. After what felt like a long time to Abigail, her uncle finally stopped his actions. He lifted via’s body and ran out of the house. Abigail silently followed.


    “Open the door!” dwin ordered Abigail. She opened the back door. “Get in!” dwinmanded, and Abigailplied. He thenid via in the car with her head on Abigail’sp. Ignoring ire and Antony, dwin got behind the wheel and left Antony’s residence at high speed.


    dwin stopped his car right in front of the emergency room entrance, paying no heed to the security guard shouting at him for improper parking. With swift steps, he carried via inside andid her on the nearest stretcher by the door.


    “Where’s the attending doctor?!” His voice echoed in the room. A young female doctor approached.


    “Doctor Hampton, what’s the matter?” The doctor looked at via.Content ? provided by N?velDrama.Org.


    “She hit her head. Fainted. Went into shock, and CPR was performed,” he exined. dwin was a doctor himself, but he couldn’t provide treatment for via at the hospital due to medical procedures and ethical considerations.


    “Call Doctor Dominic,” Antony’smand came from behind dwin. “Doctor Dominic is her physician. Call him.”


    “Doctor Dominic has already left,” one of the nurses said.


    Antony reached into his pocket and grumbled for not bringing his phone. Fortunately, Abigail was there. “Abby. Contact Eijaz.” Antony’smand was cold. With trembling hands, Abigail searched for Eijaz’s number and made the call before handing the phone to Antony.


    “Eijaz. Can youe to the hospital immediately?”


    “….”


    “via fell. Her head hit something.”


    “….”


    “Yes, I’ll wait.”


    via received treatment from the ER doctor while Antony and Abigail were expelled by the security guard on duty. dwin remained the only person inside the ER, closely monitoring via. He overheard Eijaz instructing the ER doctor to perform a CT scan on via, revealing to dwin that via’s condition was serious.


    An hourter, Eijaz came out and observed dwin, Antony, and Abigail. “Who can apany me?” he asked formally. Antony stood up, as did dwin.


    “Stay here, Doc. After all, we’re all family,” Abigail intervened.


    Eijaz nodded and began to speak. “The impact wasn’t too severe, but considering via’s pre-existing condition, this can be deemed as serious. She experienced shock to her head. The CT scan results show bleeding in her head. We need to perform surgery on her head immediately. Do you know the procedures?” Eijaz looked at Antony, who nodded in response. “I’ll prepare the operating room.” Eijaz then left the three of them.


    Antony, assisted by Abigail, left dwin to go to the administrative area. Meanwhile, dwin remained motionless, confused by the simultaneous departure of via from the room, unconscious and pale, pushed by a male nurse toward the operating room.


    “How is she?” ire asked, breathing heavily. Antony, Abigail, and dwin looked up simultaneously. They were now sitting in the waiting area outside the operating room.


    “It’s happening again,” Antony replied before ire’s body copsed to the floor, immersed in her tears.


    “Oh God, Via,” she whispered in her husband’s embrace.


    dwin looked at Abigail, who was only staring at the operating room door with vacant eyes. “Abby… we need to talk.”


    5 years ago.


    via stared at her phone, reviewing the message Abigail had sent ten minutes ago. Abigail said they would leave for the airport to see dwin off.


    Ten minutes ago? Have they already left by now?


    via resides at her uncle Altezza’s residence, while Abigail and the rest of the family, who will apany dwin, live at Antony’s house.


    “What’s going on? Why do you look so restless?” her aunt, Adaline, asked. via looked at Adaline, smiled, and shook her head. “Why didn’t you go with them to the airport?” she asked again, curious.


    “No, Aunt. I’m scared,” she replied softly.


    “Scared? What are you afraid of?”


    “I’m afraid of crying at the airport. Isn’t that embarrassing?” she answered innocently. Adaline understood her teenage niece’s concern. Everyone knew that via had a strong liking for her step-uncle, and Adaline could sense that dwin felt the same way about his step-niece. However, dwin was too proud to admit it. At least, that’s what Adaline thought.


    “It’s okay to cry at the airport; it’s amon thing during farewells. It’s better than holding back and suffocating yourself with longingter on,”mented her uncle, Altezza, who apparently had been quietly listening to the conversation between aunt and niece.


    via looked at her uncle with a puzzled expression.


    “You know, I’ve been foolish and almost driven to madness because I was once abandoned by her just because I neglected her?” Altezza nodded toward Adaline, making via nod too, as she was the witness to the heartbreaking farewell between the married couple. “When she left me and disappeared from my sight, it was very painful. Here.” Altezza pointed to his chest. “I don’t want you to experience that. If you like someone, love them. Whether you’re rejected or epted, think about itter. At least for now, let him know your feelings, and find out how he feels about you. So, whatever his answer is, you can move on with your life.”


    “If you’re rejected, you can choose to persist with your current feelings or let go and find someone new.


    In my opinion, it’s better to endure heartbreak, cry, but then forget rather than just specte. Because what you specte may not be true either,” wisely answered her uncle. Adaline nodded in agreement with her husband’s words.


    “So, what should I do, Uncle?” she asked, feeling the need for reassurance.