All because of you

At the hospital***

Anne paced around the waiting room, her mind clouded with anxious thoughts. She couldn't stop thinking about Carl, and how he had been shot twice, in the chest and the stomach. The memory of that horrific incident filled her with terror. But despite her fears, she tried to remain hopeful, believing in Carl's strength and will to survive. She knew that it wouldn't be easy for Carl to recover from the gunshot wounds he sustained but she believed that Carl is a strong person and he'll make it.

Right now, Carl was in the Intensive Care Unit, surrounded by doctors and nurses who were working tirelessly to save his life. The defibrillator was used to try and restart his heart, and the team of medical professionals was doing everything in their power to help him. Noah was the only one allowed in the ICU because he refused to leave. As a cop, he was used to getting his way, and this was no exception. He stood by the bedside, watching anxiously, desperate for any sign of life. He refused to give up on his friend, despite the panic and fear that filled him. He knew that Carl was a fighter, and he wouldn't give up hope.

Anne did her best to maintain a sense of calm and hope, but the more she recalled the moment when Carl was shot, the more frightened she became. As she replayed the horrifying scene in her mind, her eyes filled with tears. 'What if he doesn't make it?' she thought with a heavy heart. But then she shook her head, refusing to give in to despair. "No! Carl would get through this" She told herself.

Anne's hands were clasped together as she took a deep breath. She shut her eyes tight, trying to battle the negative thoughts racing through her mind. No matter how hard she tried, fear continued to grip her heart. The thought of losing Carl was sending chills through her body, and she felt a wave of panic wash over her.

Suddenly, Dexter's voice cut through the silence. "Relax, sis. Everything is going to be okay," he said, watching her intently. He could see how distressed she was, and his own worry increased. He knew they both needed to stay strong for Carl.

Anne tilted her head in her brother's direction and nodded slightly. She took a deep breath, trying to force a smile. But Dexter could see the pain behind her eyes. He knew that no matter how hard she tried to put on a brave face, she was hurting inside. Dexter could always tell when his sister was putting on a brave face, even when her emotions were running high. He walked over to her and pulled her into a tight embrace.

Anne buried her face in his shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably while Dexter was gently patting her back. He held her close, whispering words of comfort as she let out all of her grief. He just hoped that his presence was helping her feel a little bit better.

After a few moments, Anne pulled away, her eyes red-rimmed and swollen. But Dexter could see that she felt a bit calmer now.

Anne couldn't fake it anymore. She was scared to death that she'd lose Carl forever. The fact that the doctors hadn't updated them on his condition only made her more anxious. Anne couldn't bear the thought of losing the man she cared about so deeply. She wanted to be strong, but the love she felt for Carl was making it hard to keep it together.

"Don't worry, Anne. Carl is a fighter, and he'll pull through this," Dexter said confidently. He was worried about Carl's life, but he didn't want to show it. He knew that Anne needed his strength right now. He had to be the rock that she could lean on.

Dexter looked up to Carl as a role model and mentor, and he had always believed in his strength and resilience. But seeing him lying there, wounded and vulnerable, was testing that faith. It was hard to deny the grim reality of the situation, and the thought of losing someone he looked up to made Dexter's heart, ache. And the fact that Carl had been shot in such a crucial spot only intensified the fear that he might not make it. It was clear that whoever had done this wanted to see Carl dead.

"It's okay, it's okay. Stop crying," Dexter soothed, gently brushing away the tears from Anne's face.

"Dexter I'm trying to stay positive but I'm scared. I can't help it" Anne said in a sad tone.

"It's okay to be scared, but don't give up hope, okay? I know this is hard, but we have to stay strong for Carl" he said.

Anne nodded, sniffling as she tried to compose herself. "I know, I'm trying. I just feel so helpless,"

"I understand," Dexter said, trying to comfort her. "But remember, we have to believe in the power of positivity,"

"By the way, you look like a mess," Dexter said as they broke from the hug.

Anne looked down at herself and saw the bloodstains on her shirt. Dexter wasn't lying at all, she looked like a total mess. She turned her hands over, looking at the dried blood that had caked onto her palms. "I tried to keep pressure on Carl's wound, but it was no use. I'm afraid I just made a bigger mess" She said.

Seeing the blood on her palms was a stark reminder of what had just happened. Her gaze shifted to her wrists, noticing that the red marks from the handcuffs were no longer visible. At that moment, she recalled the gentle way that Carl had applied ointment to her wrists. And despite the chaos and violence that had been going on, the memory of Carl's tender touch remained a soothing presence in her mind.

'I'm such an ingrate,' Anne said to herself in her head.

Carl went out of his way to help her and she didn't even get the chance to thank him. The painkillers he had given her had worked wonders, and the aches in her body were finally subsiding. As a result, she was no longer limping. She felt an immense sense of gratitude, but also guilty that she wasn't able to thank Carl.

"There she is!" a husky voice echoed in the room causing Dexter and Anne to spin around.

They both saw Sasha, standing in the doorway with a threatening glare on her face. Although, that was her usual look, this time her expression was worse. She looked ready to explode.

Sasha's brow was furrowed and her lips were pressed together in a tight line. Her eyes were narrowed, and her jaw was clenched as if she was struggling to keep herself from shouting. Her fists were balled at her sides, and she seemed to be vibrating with barely suppressed anger. She stomped into the room, looking like a storm about to break.

However, Dexter immediately rolled his eyes as he saw Sasha. But Anne kept staring at her, she knew that Sasha was coming for her. Sasha was in her police uniform but it didn't stop Anne from recognizing this rude lady.

The bitter memory of being publicly humiliated by Sasha at Mr. Ross's birthday party was still fresh in her mind. There was no way Anne could forget the vicious words and hateful looks she had endured.

Sasha's presence was like a dark cloud descending upon the room.

"This is all your fault!" Sasha raged, pointing a finger at Anne. "You're the reason Prosecutor Carl is in this mess!" She stormed over to where Anne was standing, her face flushed with anger.

"No, that's not true!" Dexter yelled, jumping to Anne's defense and Sasha snapped her head in his direction. "My sister is also a victim. You have no right to blame her,"

Sasha's eyes narrowed as she stared at Dexter, but he met her gaze with a fierce glare. He wasn't threatened at all even though Sasha was his superior at work. He wouldn't tolerate anyone bullying or intimidating his sister, no matter who they were.

"How dare you speak to me like that?" Sasha exclaimed. "Don't you have any manners?"

"Please forgive him," Anne cuts in a panic-stricken voice "He.. he doesn't know what he's saying. I'm really sorry I…"

"…Why the fuck are you apologizing to her?" Dexter angrily said to Anne.

"Dexter, please!!" Anne scolded her brother. She was sensing the situation moving out of control.

Sasha scoffed, staring at Anne like she was a nobody. She clearly thought of Anne as nothing more than a nuisance.

Anne was only apologizing to Sasha because of the power she held as a police commander. She didn't want to give her any reason to cause trouble for her brother. But Dexter wasn't about to let his sister downgrade herself to this woman, no matter her rank. He despised Sasha, and he had no intention of showing her any respect. If she dared to insult Anne, he would have no problem telling her exactly what he thought of her.

"Wow Dex, it seems your sister is a lot smarter than you," Sasha taunted, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "I mean, she knows her level so she has to keep her tone light," She added.

Dexter's hands curled into tight fists as he glared at her. But Anne wasn't paying attention to her subtle insults. Her focus was entirely on Carl and his condition. She wanted Sasha to say her piece and leave, so they could focus on more important things.

"listen to me Anastasia, I need you to know that whatever Carl is going through right now is all because of you. I'm certain he sent you a text asking you to leave him alone so why can't you let him be? Why are you always lurking around him?" Sasha said to Anne. Her voice quivering with emotion like she wanted to cry but she was holding back her tears.

Sasha was hurting that Carl's condition was crucial and he might not make it. It was also pissing her off that Carl was still after Anne even though she had rejected him so many times in the past. She couldn't understand why Carl loved Anne so much that he was ready to lay down his life for her. It just didn't make any sense.

Sasha stared at Anne with so much jealousy. 'What is so special about this woman that Carl would go to such lengths to be with her?' she questioned herself in her head as the bitterness welled up inside her.

She felt like lashing out at Anne because the jealousy and hatred she was feeling inside was almost too much for her to handle.

Sasha said to Anne with so much pain and anger. "You don't deserve Carl at all, not after everything you've done to him… You act like you care about him, but if you did, you never would've hurt him in the first place. And now, he's paying the price for being in your life"

Anne blinked, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill over. She knew that what Sasha was saying was true, and it was tearing her apart. She broke Carl's heart in the most ruthless way and now he was the one suffering.

The guilt was just too much for Anne to bear. She felt like she couldn't go on like she didn't deserve to be in this world. But then, a thought struck her. How did Sasha know that Carl had sent her a text?

The only possible explanation was that the cruel text she had received from Carl's phone wasn't from Cassandra but it was from Sasha herself. And it also means that Sasha didn't just see Carl as a friend, she was definitely in love with him which made more sense.