His Devious Rule

Unlike Alvin and Anya's side where everyone relaxed, Liam failed to stop himself from rushing to the hospital where Casper was admitted. He did doubt Casper might be putting on an act but he couldn't just ignore the news of his father.

The doctors and nurses were busy and reported to him about the critical condition of the two men Liam had known since childhood.

As a family member, he signed all the necessary papers without delaying the treatment and anxiously waited.

As per Alvin's instruction, Rob informed Harrison that Casper's actions were taken advantage of by Miles and Ricardo to kill Alvin's men. 

Harrison who had returned from his vacation also reached the hospital irrespective of the differences they parted ways. He just couldn't sit and wait for the next news.

The creative stories of Alvin and Anya behind the accident didn't bother them. Nevertheless, the news of Alvin and Anya meeting with an accident panicked them more.

Their efforts to reach Alvin and Anya failed. The butler and the housekeeper of the Oasis mansion were no less anxious. In the end, busy Ean and Rob updated them on the situation. 

At dusk, the Skylark published a statement on Alvin and Anya's escape from the brutal accident which relaxed them significantly.

….

The clock ticked by. Many dropped by at the hospital including Linus Collins, the CEO of Matthews Industries. They had to return to avoid crowding in the hospital.

Linus grimaced in the company where he had to listen to the shareholders' demands who just cared about the company and he didn't even get the chance to visit Alvin. 

….

Nearly twelve hours had passed from the time of the accident but there was no positive reaction from the doctors. Whoever came out just said, 'The patient's condition is not favorable. We are doing our best.'

The driver's family continued to cry at the side but the two men sat, without leaving the hospital even for food. How horrible Casper might have been, they just wanted to see him come out alive.

The two men barely grabbed a shut-eye. They got on their toes every time somebody came out of the operation theater. 

In the middle of the night, unconscious Casper was moved to the ICU but the doctors said the same thing, 'The patient's condition is critical.'

Whereas the driver's family wailed when a body was moved out of the operation theater and the doctors reported that they failed to rescue the heavily injured driver.

Well, that panicked Liam more by thinking of Casper. He almost reached his mobile to call Alvin but controlled himself without knowing how he might be doing.

It was dawn when a group of exhausted doctors approached them. But they didn't look as eager and hopeful as they looked the whole time. 

"What's wrong? How is Dad doing?" It was Liam's desperate effort for some positive news.

The leading doctor looked empathetically at the two men, and notified them after their intense effort to save Casper, "We want to be completely honest with you. We've been doing everything we can, but we are deeply concerned about the current situation. Despite our best efforts and the treatments we've administered, the patient's condition is not improving as we had hoped."

Horrid, Liam stumbled back unable to believe what he just heard. Harrison was in no less shock.

The doctors looked at each other. They ended up assuring them again, "Mr. Matthews, I want you to know that we are doing everything within our power to provide the best care. We have a dedicated team working around the clock. Let's remain optimistic that the patient begins to show a positive response to the treatment."

Liam slumped on the chair once the doctors left. He knew well what doctors meant. There were high chances that Casper might not be able to come out alive.

Out of everything that could happen, Harrison hadn't expected Casper to have this end. When he recovered, he dropped the news to Rob, and Linus to keep them in the loop.

––––

At the Oasis mansion,

Alvin woke up to Anya who was sleeping and Zane was cuddling him. Brushing the tips of his fingers on her long lashes, he sighed looking at the dark circles. He was sure she went out after he dozed off.

'Did she catch the perpetrator?'

He was confident that she and her team had solved the case. He guessed the person to be Ricardo's younger son who was eager to enter the company and dreamed of a high position.

Grabbing his new mobile from the side table, the first message that caught his attention was a message from Rob stating Casper might not be able to come out alive and the driver was braindead.

Alvin breathed out through his mouth. No, this wasn't the end Alvin wished for Casper. Such thoughts never once crossed his mind. 

How did it make him feel?

Probably a bit shocked. Casper doesn't deserve to die. He still needed time to process. 

He looked at Anya again. She, Sophia, and Oliver will wish to visit Casper. Catalina and Dennis will also show their respect but he didn't want to trouble them.

He informed the butler about the situation. And the latter didn't think twice before saying they would visit the hospital. Well, Alvin asked them to get ready.

Groggy, Anya woke up to the low voice and asked him in worry, "What happened? Is the pain unbearable? Shall I bring you to the hospital?"

He just had to display a message, her sleep blinked away in a second. "Shall- Shall we visit him?" She sincerely asked.

Alvin shook his head in resignation. These five people in his life won't change. 

––––

Thus in less than two hours, the hospital hallway had a mini crowd to take a look at Casper. The Matthews family without kids, the Collins family, Krystle, Harrison and his wife, Sophia, and Oliver.

Krystle whined in a low voice to Anya when they noticed a few doctors rushing inside the ICU and nurses running in and out with the trays of medicines. "I don't want your birthday to be remembered as the death anniversary of Casper Matthews." Although she hated Casper, she was uneasy with the development.

Anya was momentarily speechless. Well, she sighed seeing Krystle nervous but stating her worry in her way. She rubbed her back and asked Harrison, "What happened?" She looked optimistic.

Harrison tried to compose and responded to her, "We don't know." His voice trailed when he noticed the doctors from different departments running inside the ICU saying nothing.

Suddenly the air turned intense. Most of their faces were etched with worry and disbelief. Their expressions reflected a mixture of fear and hope. The silence was mirroring the tension in the air.

When everyone's eyes etched on the closed door of the ICU, Alvin watched his wife holding her breath, clutching his hand, "Breathe..." He whispered. 

Recently she started understanding Casper. She revealed what she wouldn't tell anybody else, "I'm scared."