Chapter 7 Chapter 7

Bethany's mother and brother were shocked to the bone as they didn't know that they have been with the owner of the hotel since last night.

"Sir, we are sorry for all the trouble", Bethany's junior brother spoke out.

Duke was already feeling bad when a nurse came out of Bethany's room, rushing through the corridor like the wind.

This act induced panic in her mother and the other personnel that was present.

A moment after, the doctor was seen coming in their direction and by this Bethany's mother jumped on him crying,

" Doctor what is the matter? what is happening to my daughter in there?.

"Madam everything is alright, I was just informed by the nurse that your daughter woke up and she's coughing and that is usually a good sign". He declared openly.

The happiness on her face could not be bought with anything as she knelt and cried out in happiness.

The personnel was very glad to know that their colleague and friend were in good hands.

The doctor was done conducting the check up on his patient, he came out with a smile saying,

"Madam, your daughter is out of danger now, and you can see her if you wish to".

" Thank you doctor", she mumbled.

"Can I see her too Doctor?", her kid brother asked with a smile.

Another voice more mature inquired if he could see the patient too, yes, that was Duke.

The doctor told them that only three persons could go in to avoid overcrowding and the rest could go inside after the first group must have come out.

They were given masks and visitors' robes, to go in to see the patient.

The door was opened by her mother and the others followed inside.

Duke's gaze narrowed when he saw how beautiful the girl he had saved was even in such a condition.

Bethany opened her eyes and looked at the people who were in the room with her. Though her sight was still blurred, she could still recognize her mother's voice when she called out her name.

" Mommy is that you?", she asked as tests ran down her cheeks.

Her mother couldn't hold her tears back and she burst out crying heavily.

"What happened to you Betty, we were scared that we had lost you". She sat by her daughter's bed.

" I can't remember but I noticed that smoke was getting into the room when I came out of the bathroom after cleaning it. I wanted to get out through the door, but the door was blocked and the flames were too hot". She narrated.

"We are happy that you are fine now, mom and I were so worried about you". Her kid brother muttered.

She looked up at the corner of the room and saw a fine tall man, who was whacked with handsomeness overload.

Duke looked at her and with a harmless smile he said,

" Hi Bethany".

She looked at him in surprise as she had never seen him before. His face was as someone she had come across and she reflected and remembered,

"You?, What on earth is he doing here mama, how do you know this arrogant person". She asked irritated.

Her mother was confused and she tried to calm her down explaining that he was the person that helped her out of the burning hotel so she had to say thank you.

" This man helped me mama?", She asked in disbelief.

"Yes, he did. He is the owner of the hotel you were working in that got burned", he related.

" What?", she asked more surprised.

Duke was lost in the middle of all this as he couldn't remember ever seeing Bethany before so he couldn't explain why she was so aggressive towards him.

"Mom do you remember the incident I told you about where a man almost knocked me down from work with his car but never apologized?", She asked her mom.

Her mother looked at her and confirmed it and she shouted, that was him.

"Calm down dear he saved you and also remember what I always tell you all about forgiveness", her mother spoke softly.

" But he almost ran me over mom", She insisted.

Her mother gave her an authoritative look and she sat quietly.

Duke couldn't still make out the incident but he was sorry for whatever might have happened that day.

He looked at Bethany and asked forgiveness and demanded to take his leave.

He left the hospital with an unhappy look on his face that the only time he had cared for someone after such a long period, his reckless past had jeopardized his good feats.

"Why did you do that Betty?", her kid brother asked.

She didn't answer back. After some minutes and she finally said,

" I can't believe I almost lost my life".

The nurse came in to notify them that the patient needed to rest and that they could see her again after some time.

Her mom said something to her before she left the room,

"You don't need to hold onto the past as I see that young man as a good man".

All she asked from her mother was some soup because she was feeling hungry.

pushing the door, the nurse told Bethany's mother that the doctor in charge of her daughter's treatment wishes to have a word with her in his office.

She decided to go see him first before going to prepare the soup that her daughter had asked for.

" You are not supposed to think about what you did, that man is wicked he almost knocked you down". She spoke to herself on her bed alone transpired. herself about what had acknowledged.

Bethany couldn't acknowledge how such a handsome man could be that arrogant and heartless.

She just wanted to get out of that bed and return to her normal life to puck up a hob and support her family especially her sick mother.

The door opened as he rang the bell at his friend's house and as usual, it was Maria the nanny who welcomed him with an angelic smile that made him forget half of his problems in a second.

"I will tell sir Henry that you are here", she told.

His friend didn't take long to come down and meet him,

" Dude, how are you today?", he inquired taking a seat by him.

Duke's facial expression wasn't a pleasant one and that pushed his friend to ask another question.

"Did you lose any one year to you? common tell me, bro"? He insisted.

His eyes went down and with the help of his elbow on his knees and his hands holding his head, he answered back softly,

" My irrational life has caused me a good deed today".

Henry couldn't understand what his friend was talking about so he had to ask again,

"Bro, can you be more explicit, because I can't understand anything from your words". He mumbled.

He rolled up his eyes, and with a sad look he said out,

" The lady I helped last night just regained consciousness", he spoke.

"Wow, that's good news so why the long face". He inquired more confusedly.

" I was at the hospital today and she woke up when I was still there. When I went in with her mom and sibling, she said I tried running her over with my car and I wasn't remorseful of my action". He explained.

"Wait you want to the hospital today?", he interrogated aghast as that was so unlike his friend.

Duke bowed down his head again in self-pity and admitted,

" Man I don't know what is happening to me. Ever since I carried that lady out of the hotel last night, there is just something about her that I can't explain", he quoted.

Henry who had been listening to what he has been saying called the servant to please bring them two bottles of chilled beer.

"Yo, man, I don't know what the heck is happening to you, but know that I am with you in this as always". He cheered his friend up.

She smiled at Henry like a child that had been granted his heart desires.

The beer came and their conversation loosened up a little.

Duke confirmed to his friend Henry how Bethany is so beautiful and how her family depends on her.

He inclined his head and said that her mother couldn't stop crying out like a baby all because the person supporting the family was in that condition.

Henry who had been keen on everything his friend had been saying asked,

" Are you developing feelings for your staff bro?".

That question blew him to the ground as he became dumbfounded.

"No I am not feeling anything for anyone", he defended himself unbelievably as he reached out for his bottle of drink.

"So, why do I have the feeling that you are lying?". Henry spoke out laughing.

Henry and his friend knew themselves so well that, nothing could slip between them.

Duke drank from his bottle of beer again and dropped it on the table. He looked restless, but he had to forget about it for a while.

His friend told him to cheer up and they should go somewhere and relax. They don't leave for a nearby Cave.

Twenty minutes later, they had arrived at the Cave and Henry parked his car well and both friends entered.

Crystal had taken another round of good rest and her mother was back from the house with the soup just like she had requested.

When she saw her mom, she was happy and she smiled at her mother. She could perceive the aroma of the delicious soup her mother had cooked for her.

"Has that fine young man come here again?", Her mother asked.

Bethany pretended not to have heard what her mother had asked as she three her gaze away from her and she closed her as though she was asleep.

Her mother looked at her again and repeated her question and this time a little bit louder.

With a horrific look, she responded," I don't know mom".

She knew that her daughter was avoiding the subject so she smiled over it and helped her to sit up to feed her.

"That young man has a good heart and rare are bosses who do this for their personnel", she went on.

Crustal took the bowl of soup from her mother and began drinking it slowly as it was hot.

" I had never met him properly because I never got the chance to see my boss before this unpleasant circumstance.

As their gazes met, she turned her eyes,

"I know when you do that Betty", her mother let out.

" I am not doing anything wrong mom I just don't like how pompous all these rich people behave", she explained.

"You know you can tell me everything you know that Betty?", she asked her daughter.

Bethany nodded calmly and kept on drinking her soup.

There was a long silence that followed in the room and she asked her mother,

" How are why going to pay for the bills in the hospital mother?", with so much sadness.

Her mother smiled and answered her, "Here is the thing, your boss has already settled for all your bills".

"What?", she dripped the soup dish that she was holding and she got burnt from the hot soup.

" What was that for Betty?", her mouth yelled at her.

"Mommy how could you agree to that knowing full well that we don't even know him". She said angrily.

Her mother was mad at her for always leaving her pride to cloud her sense of figuring out even when she med got to ask for help.

She grumbled and remained silent and her mother cleared the dishes and left her to take some rest again.

Duke and Henry were having some good time at the Cave when abruptly a beautiful damsel walked in.

" Duke takes a look at that beauty who just came in", he said to his friend.

When he took up his head to look at the lady his friend was talking about, he saw one of his college girlfriends back in his school.

He immediately called out her name and she recognized him too,

"Is this you Duke?", Lisa asked in wonder.

Duke smiled and nodded happily.

Lisa rose to her feet and hugged Duke as he was a tall man but she was of an average height.

Henry who has been looking at them said from the back,

" so I don't deserve a hug from you too Lisa?".

She was delighted to see her old friends.

"How long had it been?", she asked.

" more than 8years or so", Henry answered.

Duke pulled the stool and she sat down on it. Yes, Lisa was his ex-girlfriend from high school, and their love, or let's say their obsession was so strong that they almost eloped together.

High school days were crazy but here we were like strangers after so many years of not seeing each other.

"So tell us, Lisa, what has been happening to you all these years? Henry asked.

Lisa took a deep breath as though she was in a hot place, fixed her hair and swirled her body, and responded,

" I have been all over the place living life to its fullest".

Lisa was the kind of girl that believes in life and all the good things it has to offer. She was amongst those who were proud and loved to showcase whatever they or their family had.

"Wow, that is great. Did you ever get married or have kids?", Duke asked.

It took her a minute as she had to compile her answer in her neck as if someone was living her life with her.

" No I never found the perfect man for me and as far as kids are concerned, I can't ruin my shape just to have babies". She narrated.

Henry looked at his friend and they burst out laughing so hard that Lisa felt uneasy.

"You haven't changed one bit, Lisa, you are still that same egoistic young lady I courted years back". Duke spoke out.

Lisa got pissed by his words and she stood up to leave but she was stopped by Henry who told her to ignore Duke as he was in a bad mood.

Lisa took a look at him and agreed to sit there for some more time as her companion had not yet arrived.

" So tell me how is Toronto?", Henry continued.

She narrated her experience over there and how beautiful the city is with its fine roads and easy access all over the country.

She bragged about her fashion business that was doing well and her last relationship which happens to be with a footballer.

Her life sounded so well though she said she doesn't want to get married to him because he is not the perfect one for her. The day had passed by so fast and it was evening as the streets became darker.

"It seems like your date stood you up", Duke muttered.

The nerve she had when he said that and she exploded,

" Do you kind of have a problem with me Duke, because I have noticed that you keep throwing words at me"? She spoke irritated by his behavior.

Turning to her with a loud laugh he said,

"Cheer up Lisa you are too serious.

Okay I feel you what, why don't we finish the bight somewhere else only the two of us", He raised a question that gave Henry cold feet.

I love Connor, she said reverently as she sipped from her glass of wine.

Looking at her more closely he asked as though to spike her," Are you very sure of that?".

She drank up her glass and responded, "Yes, I do".

He beamed through his teeth and said, " In that case then, I am very happy for you and cheers to that".

Bethany was lying on her hospital bed retracting the awful incident that had taken place that almost led to her losing her life and tears rolled down her eyes.

For a moment she thought she had died in that fire outbreak but life had given her a second chance to live again.

She took a deep breath of relief and thought about her boss that had saved her life.

Duke told Henry that he was going home as he wasn't feeling too good.

His head was aching and he needed some rest as he had not rested enough last time.

"Bro you take care and also take care of Lisa", he told Henry.

Henry nodded in confirmation as he saw his friend off the door.

Duke entered his car and drove to his house and he had forgotten that his mother is still planning for his wedding ceremony without his consent.

He played smooth music in his car as he drove singing at the top of his voice as nothing else mattered.

It was a song from Harry Styles, and he loved it as it cuts down deep in his soul though he can't a romantic person.

He drove with a high speed and then decided that he didn't want to go home so soon so he called his contact to arrange an ole beautiful lady for him to spend the night with to calm down his nerves for that day.

Bethany felt the urge to ease herself and there was no one there to help her. She struggled on her own holding the walls of her ward like someone who had been hit by a truck driver.

Her life has been complicated and now, she is hospitalized with no job and the worst is that she had to be indebted to the arrogant man.

She swore to find a job and pay him back for every single franc he had spent on her hospital bills because she doesn't want to be at his mercy.