Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
Thankfully, Ruth got the bleeding part under control, although he lost a lot of blood and needed a transfusion. In one word, if Victor survives tonight, he should thank the lord for his life in his favorite church. It was a good thing that Lukas brought him to Ruth’s place on time without calling and waiting for his doctor to arrive else it would have been too late.
“You should calm down. If Ruth is anything I remember, then Victor is in safe hands.” Natalie said, placing her hand on her knee and squeezed it tenderly.
“Huh?” Rhea arched a brow at her mother, “You do know Ruth?”
Natalie snorted with laughter, “The world is a small place. The both of us worked together as nurses while I was pregnant and the day I gave birth to you, I left you with her before your father arrived to pick you up. Daniel found out I worked at the hospital and I couldn’t let him find out that I had you. God knows he would hold you hostage just to make me stay by his side. “
Rhea’s jaw dropped open so wide a swarm of flies would have flown in with no obstruction. What in the name of creepy coincidence was this? The woman that she had been working with in the past was the same woman who carried her at birth.
By chance, could it be that Ruth knew her identity all this while? Was that why she treated her well and wouldn’t let her go? It wasn’t surprising, after all, with the risky business she run, the woman made sure to do a background check on all her employees. If Ruth knew her father from when she was born, then she could have easily made the connection.
That woman!
Rhea gritted her teeth in annoyance. She knew about her mother and didn’t say a word. But then it was actually nice to know that she acted like her guardian angel all this while.
“Wow…” Rhea breathed. Her mind was blown off right now and it took the tension off her body. But not for long.
Rhea received a call not long after and her face distorted at once.
“What is it?” Natalie knew something was wrong the instant she saw her expression.
“Ruth wants to move Victor. The incident drew attention to her shop and now the police -“
“Say no more. Give me the phone,”
Rhea had never loved her mother more than that moment when she took charge and concluded Victor be moved to her hospital instead. She already made plans and he was to be received without questioning. Hence, Ezra had to reverse and drive to her hospital instead.
As soon as they arrived and stepped out, there were doctors lined up at the entrance as if they have been informed of her mother’s arrival and they acknowledged her presence.
“I told you not to make a huge deal out of this,” Natalie scolded an older doctor with bald hair in their midst who seems to be the chief resident. The man laughed, scurrying over to her mother’s side and flattering her.
Rhea was left dumbfounded by the scene, she never knew her mother was this powerful until now. Even she was a bit intimidated and lingered behind Natalie, hoping none of them questions her identity. She was like a fish out of water, unlike Ezra who looked more relaxed and in place. It wasn’t his first time here.
While some of the doctors left – whom she assumed to be resident doctors and trainees- the professionals remained and her mother got into doctor mode immediately.
“How’s the patient?”
“He was wheeled into the surgery room moments ago and is lucky to be alive. By chance, do you want to be a part of the operation or supervise it?” The bald man asked her.
And at that question, Natalie stopped and looked at her daughter. The man sensed her mother’s gaze and turned to look at her.
He asked out of curiosity, “If I may ask, who is she? “
“She’s my daughter,” Natalie announced with pride and one should see the shock on the faces of the doctors present.
Suddenly, all eyes were on Rhea, making her uncomfortable and she wished the earth would open up and swallow her. The intensity of their gazes was enough to bore a hole in her head and she didn’t know how to behave. Was she supposed to wave or introduce herself?
The expression on their faces was a telltale sign that her mother liked to keep her life private. They probably couldn’t believe that she had a grown-up daughter – who was currently pregnant with a grandchild that she had no idea about. That was a matter for another day.
“The patient is very important to me so I’m taking part in the surgery,” Natalie said and Rhea’s heart surged with warmth. The fact that her mother was willing to go all out for Lukas’s cousin whom she has never met touched her. At that moment, she regretted ever treating her harshly in the past. Her mother was a good person.
“Thank you,” Rhea told her with a smile and her mother acknowledged it with a nod.
“I need to change,” Natalie said and headed into the lobby, followed by an entourage of doctors while Rhea and Ezra followed at a slower pace.
Rhea knew she couldn’t follow her into the surgery room. While she was good at assisting and stitching one or two things, this place was full of professionals that would do their best to save Victor’s life.
At that moment, Rhea resolved inwardly that she would take up her mother’s offer and be her successor. If it wasn’t for this place, they would have lost Victor tonight. Rhea knew she had to make plans not to lose Lukas in the future as well.
Rhea Was Mad At Lukas
“Lukas!” Rhea was relieved when she saw him in the waiting room and ran over to him. She literally jumped into his arms, breathing in relief that he was alive. And he looked fine. Or so she thought.
Although he caught her as usual, the sound of a pained groan escaped his lips and she definitely heard that. With a furrowed brow, Rhea broke apart from him and took a few steps back, taking him in.
There were a few bruises on his face, his hair was ruffled and he generally looked like he had been dragged out of a bin. Yes, his clothes were dirty but he looked fine physically, still yet, Rhea was not convinced and that was confirmed by the way he tactically averted her gaze.
Rhea knew Lukas too well and right now, her stubborn boyfriend and father of her child was hiding something from him. Her lips pressed together, she strode over to him and grabbed the hem and his eyes widened.
Gotcha.
“Rhea….” Lukas pleaded, placing his hand over her grip to try to stop her from lifting his chest. But Rhea was not listening, he dared to lie to her.
She shrugged his grip off and lifted his shirt only to see the vest-sized bruise on his torso from the impact.
“Holy mother of God,” Rhea gasped from the shock, lifting her other hand to her trembling lips while her eyes grew wide.
“H-how…” She tried to speak, but no words would come out of her mouth, still stunned by what she saw.
…..
“It’s not a big deal,” Lukas said, lowering his chest and trying to convince her that he was okay. But the words alone made her eyes flash in anger instead.
“What do you mean by this is nothing?! Does this look like nothing?! Were you waiting until you died before you asked for treatment?! You’re in a fucking hospital, Lukas?!” She scolded him, intensely.
Rhea had been through so much in one night and the thought of losing Lukas made her so emotional that she took it all out on him.
“Rhea…”
“No,” She cut him off, “How are you even moving right now? With such bruising on your chest, even breathing should be worse.”
Lukas gulped nervously, should he or should he not tell her?
“Lukas Xavier Luciano!” She used her serious tone on him and stepped closer to the point where she was looking straight into his eyes – even though he was a head taller.
“Morphine!” He breathed out, unable to longer withhold the truth anymore. God, she was scary.
Her face distorted, “What?”