Loving You Too Long

“What do you want?” Haisley asked, her remaining courage intact.

“Are you really going to get engaged to Dean?” the man asked coldly.

“That’s none of your business, Nath,” Haisley reminded him.

“Are you planning to play my brother and cousin?” Nathan asked again.

“What do you mean?” Haisley asked, confused.

“You’re flirting with Gilbert. You said you were with Gilbert on the yacht earlier, but now you’re with Dean. Are you planning to hurt both of them to get back at me?” he asked again.

Haisley snorted. “Does that bother you?” Haisley challenged. “No, right? So why should I fulfill your thoughts?”

“You’re cunning,” Nathan sneered.

Haisley looked up at him. Fortunately, the dark alley could hide her blushing face. “I’m just taking advantage, Nath.”

“Advantage of what? Fooling Dean for the rest of his life?” he challenged. “Pretending to love him when you really love me?”

Haisley laughed hysterically. “You’re really arrogant. Just because I love you doesn’t mean I can’t move on. What’s the difference between me and you? After Crystal rejected you, what did you call your relationship with Loretta? Rebound?” she asked challengingly. “Didn’t you deceive her too? Planning to marry her while your heart still belongs to Crystal? So why can’t I?”

Haisley continued, “It’s not a secret anymore. Everyone knows I’ve liked you for a long time. And you don’t like me. That’s a fact.

“And Dean, he really loves me even though he knows my heart isn’t his. If he can love me like that, why can’t I try to do the same? As time goes on, I’m sure my feelings for you will fade. And my love for Dean will grow.

“He’s a man who has everything I need. He’s handsome, he’s rich, he’s kind. And most importantly, he pays attention to me, and he loves me. So it won’t be hard for me to love him.

“So what happens between us, it’s not a lie. I am going to have a serious relationship with Dean,” Haisley replied firmly.

Nathan froze. Hearing Haisley’s firm statement made him doubt himself. Earlier, when he was about to confront Haisley, he was so sure that she would confess her true feelings to him. That she truly loved Nathan and didn’t want Nathan to be with Loretta. Even with his confidence, he felt certain that Haisley would beg him to leave Loretta and choose her.

But he was wrong. Haisley was beyond his predictions.

“Just as I pray for your happiness, you should pray for mine, Nath,” she said more gently. “Loretta is a good girl. She seems to really admire you. So don’t waste her.”

Haisley was about to turn and walk away, but Nathan pulled her hand again. He pushed her body against the wall so quickly that Haisley didn’t realize she was groaning softly in pain because something was stabbing her back.

Even roughly, he intended to kiss Haisley. But Haisley quickly came to her senses. With all her strength, she tried to resist.

“Stop, Nathan!” she commanded. “If you do this, I will hate you for the rest of my life!” she screamed with the remaining strength she had.

But Nathan ignored her threat. He still tried to kiss Haisley.

“Dean! G! Help!” Haisley yelled with the little voice she had left, attempting to push her face away from Nathan.

Somehow, someone managed to pull Nathan away from Haisley. Haisley looked at Dean, who stood tall in front of her, blocking her view of Gilbert, who was now beating Nathan. With gentleness, he tilted his head.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly.

Haisley’s breath was erratic, and tears of fear flowed freely. Her body trembled violently while the pain in her back throbbed intensely.

“We’re going home!” that voice belonged to Gilbert. Haisley looked in his direction, wanting to see Nathan’s condition, but both men blocked her view. “Ignore that bastard. I’m even ashamed to admit he’s my brother,” Gilbert sneered again. They pushed Haisley out of that narrow alley onto the main street.

Once on the main road, Gilbert hailed a taxi for them. Meanwhile, Dean still lightly held her shoulders, his hands patting Haisley’s shoulder comfortingly.

“H, are you okay?” Gilbert, who had walked back to them, looked at her with concern. Coinciding with the taxi door opening for them. But as Haisley was about to step in, Dean stopped her.

“Blood?” his eyes pointed at Haisley’s back. “H, your back is bleeding.” Haisley turned, following Dean’s gaze, but before she could see the blood he referred to, her head felt light, and everything seemed to fade from her view. “Haisley!” Just as the shout was heard, Haisley’s body fell limp.

Dean effortlessly lifted Haisley’s petite body. He even cradled Haisley throughout the journey to the hospital. Gilbert, who sat in the front seat next to the driver, kept looking back throughout the trip. Both of them seemed very anxious.

“Her body is hot, G,” Dean said in panic.

“Stay calm. The hospital is just up ahead,” Gilbert said, although he was panicking himself.

The driver stopped the car right in front of the emergency entrance. A duty doctor immediately welcomed them upon seeing Haisley in Dean’s arms.

Dean and Gilbert quickly exchanged information with the doctor. At a time like this, Dean should have been dependable, considering he was a medical student himself. But because of his panic, he became confused.

The duty doctor examined the wound on Haisley’s back after hearing their story. The blood Dean pointed to came from a deep tear in Haisley’s back.Material © NôvelDrama.Org.

“I will clean it,” the duty doctor said, starting the cleaning process. The doctor even used a scalpel and cut out some of the flesh from Haisley’s back. “It seems her back was pierced by a rusty nail,” the doctor said again. “I have to remove it because I’m afraid of infection, which could be even more dangerous than that.” The doctor skillfully began to close the wound using medical sutures.

Gilbert, who fundamentally didn’t like the sight of blood, could only shudder every time the doctor stuck the needle, which, according to Gilbert, looked more like a fishhook.