chapter 43

As soon as the parents and Alex walked out, all the girls crushed Ailee in a hug making sure they don't touch the injured area.

For a few moments no one said anything and just basked in their moment of togetherness.

"I'm sorry" Iris said with a sigh and the others quickly followed stating how it could've been avoided if they did that or if they'd been together instead of leaving her alone.

Her eyes got teary when the moments from before played in front of her for the tenth time since she gained consciousness.

"It's not your fault" she said in a broken voice and buried her face in the crook of her eldest sister.

"None of us knew it would happen" she whispered and winced while holding her head when it throbbed with a stinging pain.

All of them got alert and quickly thought of distracting her to not stress her as the doctor suggested.

"And- and Mr Romano!" Mila said, successfully gaining her attention.

"Yes. Sheesh girl, who knew you'd bag a man like that?" Gigi said, nudging her shoulder and wiggling her eyebrows.

Ailee gave them a weak smile and said,

"I'm sorry I should've introduced him sooner. He wanted me to but I couldn't"

"Hey babe it's okay, okay?" Gigi stroked her hair.

"But damn girl nine fucking months" Iris grinned teasingly.

"I bet you must be having some real hot shot stuff to spill to us, right? As your elder sister I feel like giving you some advice here and there" she added.

Ailee giggled lightly and shook her head.

"Oh come on, here I thought he's wasting that body of his but Oh Lord, I could've never guessed my baby sister had him in her clutches"

" That's too much Mimi" she knew what they were trying to do here and it was working because now her mind was drifting to her boyfriend whom she hasn't seen since she woke up and where he could be.

" I can't imagine either of you confessing, this is so frustrating. Like the man who doesn't speak more than one sentence and that too to only a handful of people not to mention the forever scowl on his resting face, no offense, and my sister who's the biggest introvert who also keeps human interactions to a minimum. Gigi, Mila, does that make sense to you?" She ranted in one breath and looked at the other two in question.

" He did, actually. And he's really very sweet and nice. Don't put him like that" she said with a soft smile.

"Yeah bless your eyes that you got to see him like that" she said and sighed.

Emma didn't say anything and kept resting her head on Ailee's lap. There was guilt gnawing her insides for something she didn't even do but she couldn't help. She felt like balling her eyes out. On one hand there's her sister, the purest soul she knows and on the other, there's her fiancé, the man she loves unconditionally. Her soul was tearing apart in turmoil. But one thing she was certain about is that she would never leave her sister's side even if that meant sacrificing her love life.

"Em?" She called stroking her head lovingly. She didn't realize but she was sobbing loudly on Ailee's lap and now all the sisters were looking down at her worriedly.

Emma suddenly sat up straight with a jolt and looked around frantically while crying loudly. When her eyes focused on Ailee she threw herself in her already open arms and sobbed, mumbling incoherent sentences.

Ailee could only make out a few words but she got the gist of what she intended to say and her heart broke into a million pieces.

She was blaming herself for this?

"Em, Em it's not your fault. I promise. He-he-" she paused suddenly, realizing what he said before choking her. He said he was doing it because of Xavier. Questions started rising in her head but she can't do anything until he comes and she can't tell this to any of her family members.

"You didn't know. You're innocent here and I understand that. I don't blame you, you're my sister" she comforted her in the softest voice and waited for her to calm down.

Five minutes later she was just occasionally hiccuping but stayed rooted in her arms which Ailee didn't mind. They both were in dire need of a hug.

"I don't mean to interrupt but I think you should change and we should too" Mila said rubbing Emma's back.

Gigi was about to stand up to bring her pyjamas but she remembered how her bathroom is a mess from before and if Ailee goes in there right now then she will have another panic attack.

She whispered her concern in Mila's ear and got a nod of approval in return.

"Uh-let's go to my room. I have enough PJs for all of us" she said even though it was a lie.

Ailee nodded and stood up when Emma did. She held her right hand while Mila held her left and together they went out. All of them were nervous because they didn't know how she would react to the place where she was lying a couple of hours ago.

Thankfully the blood has been cleaned and other messes as well. Mila's room was at the end of the hallway and they entered inside.

"Ailee you go change first but hurry up we are waiting too" she said and gently pushed her in with a set of purple PJs in her hands. The reason behind asking her to hurry up was to prevent her from overthinking when inside and alone.

She nodded and slowly walked in the brightly lit bathroom and closed the door behind with a soft click. She was immediately attacked by the bad memories and she closed her eyes, leaning against the counter and took deep breaths.

A minute later she opened the door and poked her head out.

"Umm- I'm leaving the door a little open if you guys don't mind" she said hesitantly.

"Of Course Lils, it's absolutely fine" Mila said, smiling assuringly.

She left the door ajar and hurriedly got on with her business so that she could leave that place as soon as possible.

When she turned on the shower and cold water droplets hit her skin, she felt numb. She was having stupid thoughts but she wasn't stupid enough to give into them when there are so many amazing people supporting and standing right by her side.

She aggressively rubbed her skin till it started stinging if touched with slight pressure and sighed when she realized that her wound was bleeding again.

The deed was already done so she continued with her shower and when she was satisfied she came out in a bathrobe.

Her sisters gasped looking at her bloody robe.

"Why didn't you ask her to not wet it?" Iris asked Mila accusingly.

" I-uh why didn't you?" She asked in return.

" Because I forgot," she said, crossing her arms across her chest.

" I'm fine. I'll redo it" Ailee said softly, not at all liking how they were fighting because of her.

"I'll help you," Gigi said and they both settled on the bed when she found a first aid kit.

There was a knock at the door and Mila opened immediately, thinking it must be their parents or Alex but instead it was Xavier who looked the same as always.

Unreadable.

She gaped at him and only moved aside when he cleared his throat.

When he came inside, the first thing he saw was his girlfriend wincing. He immediately approached them and Ailee jumped up on the bed and threw herself in his arms when he reached the edge of the bed.

"I missed you" She whispered in his neck.

He was taken aback by her sudden confession. He was expecting her to question him about his whereabouts first.

But again it's Ailee we're talking about.

"Me too, darling, me too" he said quietly and rubbed her back.

The girls silently watched their exchange and stood there awkwardly because none of them were used to seeing either of them like that.

He gently moved back and pushed aside her robe to inspect her wound with furrowed eyebrows.

"We got to dress that up again Coco, sit down" he instructed and she obeyed at once.

He gestured to Gigi to continue what she was doing and stood at the back near the window.

Ailee giggled remembering how he looked so cute when he said 'I don't do delicate stuff well' at his home when he ghosted her for a week.

He looked at her and raised an eyebrow, questioningly but didn't say anything.

Lord knows what runs through her pretty little head all the time.

Ailee hissed and winced in pain and he clenched and unclenched his fists, itching to inflict serious pain on the motherfucker who did it to her.

He remembered all the times she was so concerned for others that she would make him stop and donate something to the needy people whenever she saw one. Even the God damn froggy that he had to put in his plant pot that rainy night.

How could anyone even think about hurting someone as angelic as her?

Gigi put the final tape delicately over the gauze and sighed standing up from her position.

"Well I hope it won't come off when you're sleeping but be careful just in case" she said and looked at Xavier not knowing what to do.

He nodded and sat where Gigi was a minute ago and held her hand.

"Does it hurt a lot?" He asked in the quietest voice that the others barely heard him speak.

She smiled and shook her head,

"It doesn't, I'm not a baby you know"

He gave a small smile of his own and patted her head.

Iris' eyes widened and she made weird hand gestures to her sisters telling them to look at his smile.

Though he could see her from his peripheral vision, he didn't say anything because he kind of expected that.

Suddenly there was a single knock at the door and before Mila could check they heard Alex whining from outside.

"If I'm doing this for Lily doesn't mean you all can torture me like this. If you don't open up the door in the next two seconds I'm leaving" he said even when he only knocked once.

Iris huffed and opened the door ready to give him a piece of mind when he shoved past her immediately going to the youngest in the room.

He stopped dead in his tracks looking at Xavier's impassive face.

He cleared his throat awkwardly and looked at his sisters one by one, when Iris decided to take the tray from his hands.

"Why didn't you tell me he was here?" He whisper-shouted to her.

"I'm sorry for the one hour we chatted at the door, I forgot to tell you that significant piece of information" she said angrily and turned around.

" I think we should give you both some privacy now, right guys?" Gigi asked, looking at her siblings indicatively.

They all nodded rapidly and scurried outside.

"Bye Lils"

"See you tomorrow"

"We love you baby"

"Take care"

Last one was by Emma and she gave them both a weak smile before following the others out.

Ailee sighed deeply and opened her mouth to say something when he interrupted her,

"First eat. You need to take your medicines"

She huffed with a pout crossing her arms across her chest and opened her mouth.

He was confused for a second but then realised she wanted him to feed her so he took the spoon and dipped it in soup before bringing it to her mouth.

Slowly she ate most of the food on the tray and patted her belly.

"I'm so full Zai. Thank you"

He nodded and went to put the tray on the desk in the far away corner of the room.

He turned around and looked at her from head to toe once again, taking in all the harm done to her little body and advanced towards her figure. He fed her the medicines and stood back.

Ailee made grabby hands for him to hold her and so he got on the bed and picked her up in the gentlest manner.

She immediately sighed and inhaled his deep earthy scent to calm her nerves.

"Would it be too much, if I ask you to tell me everything?" He asked a minute later.

"I don't know," she whispered.

"Where else did he hurt you?" He caressed the area around her wound on the collarbone from the knife and chokehold.

She removed her head from his chest and peered up at him. With shaky hands she touched her left cheek and closed her eyes then her head and by the time her hands reached her lips to show a little cut on her bottom lip from his forced kiss, she was already trembling and tears were rolling down her eyes.

His eyes darkened in rage and he tightened his grip on her waist for a few minutes but then he rubbed soothing circles on her back to help her calm down.

She put her head back on his warm chest and sniffled quietly.

He sighed and patted her head with his one hand.

"Tell me what happened." He knew he would be dead in less than 24 hours but with full information of how he did what he did, he wanted to make him feel the sheer terror she went through in his hands.

She took a deep breath and began narrating the incident.

"When I was talking to you on the phone, I- I felt cold and decided to wear a cardigan on top but when I entered the room someone- he- he pushed it open and started yelling at me" she looked down and kept undoing and doing his buttons on the shirt.

"What did he say baby?"

" He asked me if I was with you. But I didn't reply, Zai, I was so scared" her lips wobbled at the memory of his bloodshot eyes staring at her with so much anger.

"Shh I know baby, I know" he clenched his jaws.

"He knew that it was true and got so- so mad. What did I do wrong?.... He also said that- that he saw me at Alex's birthday last year and- and not at the dinner" He let her have her breaks in between and waited patiently to hear further whenever she was ready.

"He also con- confessed that he likes me but Zai we don't hurt the ones we like but he did. He hurt.... me."

" I then found a moment to run to the bathroom but he was so fast and I could not- not find anything to protect myself and that's when he- he-" she went so quiet that anyone would've guessed she was sleeping but the wetness that was increasing on his chest with every minute told him otherwise. He didn't interrupt though, just silently showed his concern by squeezing her trembling hands every now and then and rubbing her back up and down.

"He pushed me to the ground and- and slapped me" she mumbled, feeling the lump in her throat getting bigger and bigger so much that it was hurting her jaw to hold it in.

"He- he also touch- touched me in a bad way, Zai, he kissed me when I didn't want it. He's so bad, I feel so dirty. It- it burns my skin everytime I think about it." She managed to say before finally breaking into sobs, fisting his shirt in the process.

He felt his blood boil but more importantly, he felt something in his heart. Her every hiccup, every tear was tugging at his heart and he wanted nothing more than finishing him off from the surface of the earth.

But what no one knew is that Alvaro was captured right when the doctor came to treat her wounds hours ago and he is yet to pay him a visit. He knew if he went there now he would die too soon for his crimes and he wouldn't want that. So he left Enzo to entertain his guest till he comes and takes over.

"I- Zai?" She asked between her breakdown.

"Hmm?"

"I- hit- him. Am I bad for that?" She whispered, drawing random patterns on his chest.

" No darling, why would you say that? It was nothing compared to what he did to you, hmm? He fucking deserved it" He cupped her face and made her look at him.

"But- but there was blood and I don't know what thing I used to- to do that"

"Shh...it was a hair dryer and I'm so proud of you for fighting back, yeah? You're my strong girl." Though it was still odd for him to be so patient and gentle with someone but since it wasn't just 'someone', it's his precious little Coco so it comes naturally to him.

"You know what I did after that?'

"Hmm no, tell me"

" I quickly ran out and called you but he was so persistent, he found me again and well... ... put a knife on me" she continued fiddling with the accessories on his hands that were resting on her lap.

" Hmm you did great there darling. Did he say something to you?" He was already aware of the answer.

"Yes, he mentioned you several times. Do you know him?" She asked, her innocent and big teary almond eyes stared at him with so much.....he didn't know what emotion was swirling in her eyes, maybe adoration or hope or something else but it surely left him speechless.

The girl was unknowingly breaking the walls around his heart and strangely enough, he liked it.

"There are so many people who know me but I don't know them" he said and received a nod in return.

"Now sleep" he ordered and lied down with her still in his arms.

Maybe it was the medicine kicking in or the tiredness but she fell into a deep slumber within a few minutes again.

But Xavier was so far from sleeping, he would stay here with Ailee tonight and leave after making sure she had eaten well and reached her house safely the next day.

"My brave girl" he whispered and planted a soft kiss on top of her head.

➷➷➷➷➷➷➷➷➷➷