“You want to know dwin’s feelings for you, right?” via nodded. “In that case, just follow him to the airport. Talk to him face to face,” suggested her uncle, instilling courage in via from somewhere.


    Her uncle and aunt were right; it’s better to face rejection directly than to specte about something that may not be true.


    via finally decided to go. She declined Altezza’s offer to drive her and chose to hail a taxi, asking the driver to hurry. There was still enough time until her uncle’s flight took off. However, via remained afraid. Who knows, the flight schedule might suddenly be moved up.


    The car via boarded entered the road leading to the international airport when, in the opposite direction, a freight truck lost control after a tire blowout. The taxi’s speed and the truck’s imbnce led to a collision. The truck hit the taxi via was in, dragging them backward for dozens of meters until the car finally came to a stop on the side of the road. via, sitting next to the steering wheel, was trapped. She felt an incredible pain on the left side of her body. She couldn’t move. And the taxi driver? via screamed silently, seeing his unfortunate condition.


    “Mom, Dad…” she whispered amidst the pain spreading throughout her body. She felt all her blood being drained somehow. “Uncle…” A handsome figure with his characteristic smile became thest image that adorned via’s eyelids before all the bright lights turned into total darkness.


    Antony was stunned. Silent and pale in his position after receiving the call, making ire, standing beside him, look at her husband anxiously. “Honey?” ire called, touching Antony’s shoulder. Startled, Antony looked at his wife with tears suddenly streaming down his face. Panicked, ire gently pped her husband’s cheek. “Honey, what’s wrong?” she asked fearfully.


    Only the two of them remained at the airport. Abigail, Ignazio, and Julie Hampton had already left with Abigail’s father.


    “via…” Antony uttered softly. He then grabbed ire’s hand and ran towards the parking lot.


    “Antony?!” ire eximed, shocked. Her husband seemed in a hurry, oblivious to his surroundings. Antony’s body trembled intensely, and the car keys slipped from his hand.


    ire, sensing that something was wrong, took charge. She instructed Antony to sit in the passenger seat while she drove the car.


    “Where to?” she asked, trying to remain calm, but Antony, who ignored her, eventually made her panic. “Darling! ANTONY! WAKE UP!” iremanded with a raised voice.


    Antony turned, whispering the name of a hospital. Antony had never been this frightened in his entire life. Even witnessing ire giving birth didn’t feel as terrifying as this. Now, his world seemed toe to a halt. His head felt silent, empty. There was nothing in his mind.


    He snapped back to reality when ire hit his shoulder. “Darling, wake up!” ire still didn’t know whom they were visiting at the hospital. Throughout the journey, her husband remained transfixed and silent.


    Antony quickly got out and ran towards the Emergency Room, once again forgetting ire’s presence. The man collided with everyone he passed without apologizing. ire, who still didn’t know where they were going, could only follow the man and apologize on behalf of her husband.


    “Car ident victim. via..?” Antony asked loudly to the nurse on duty. ire widened her eyes, looking at her husband in disbelief.


    Antony ran towards the stretcher pointed out by the nurse. Copsing beside his unconscious daughter, her face and body covered in blood. Her neck was supported, and her left leg was splinted. ire looked at the petite, pale body with a heavy heart.


    “via’s guardian?” A doctor diverted their attention. “Car ident. The patient’s head was impacted. We’ve conducted a full scan. Broken left leg, three cracked ribs, and a vicle fracture. The patient needs surgery due to a brain hemorrhage. Please take care of the paperwork while we prepare the operating room,” the doctor answered and then walked away.


    ire, seeing her husband still in shock, went to the receptionist and quickly signed the surgery consent forms. Brain surgery and leg pinning operation. That’s all ire skimmed through before signing all the authorization papers hastily. Afterward, she returned to where via was, and by that time, medical personnel had already pushed via’s stretcher towards the operating room.


    Hour by hour passed. They still sat motionless in front of the operating room, hands tightly holding each other. Abigail arrived shortly after. It turned out she had tried to contact via, but via’s phone, which was still at the hospital administration, was answered by a staff member who informed Abigail that her friend was in the operating room.


    “How is she, Doctor?” ire and Antony stood up simultaneously as one of the medical staff emerged from the operation room.


    “The surgery was sessful. We managed to stop the bleeding in her head, and the leg pinning operation has beenpleted. You need to know that the patient experienced a heart attack, but the critical period has passed. Let’s just pray that the patient improves soon. We’ll know more about her condition after she regains consciousness,” the doctor said again.


    “What do you mean, Doctor?”This belongs to N?velDrama.Org - ?.


    “Patients with head injuries always have postoperative side effects. Although I hope it doesn’t happen to your daughter. But I can’t sugarcoat it. I just want toy out the facts.


    “Prepare for the worst, given the patient’s injury. There’s a possibility of side effects from the ident. But we’ll discuss thatter after the patient wakes up. Right now, let’s just pray that the patient wakes up soon. Because what I can confirm now is that your daughter has sessfully passed the critical period.” Then the doctor left ire, Abigail, and Antony.


    Half an hourter, via was transferred to the High-Care Unit (HCU), designated for patients showing improvement, no longer needing ICU care but still requiring close monitoring by medical staff. via’s condition still didn’t allow her to be moved to a regr ward. She was dered to be in aa, and there were concerns about seizures and other attacks. Therefore, she remained under observation.


    The following days for Antony were extremely challenging. via’s father and mother, Abigail, ire, and even his wife’s family took turns checking on her, although not everyone was allowed to see via’s condition. Adaline often cried, feeling guilty because she was the one who encouraged via to go to the airport. ‘If only I hadn’t suggested her to go, all this wouldn’t have happened.’ She kept repeating that sentence, always apanied by apologies.


    Antony didn’t me anyone. This was his daughter’s fate. Even if he hadn’t gone to the airport, something else would have happened to her.