The doors of the operation theater swung open, and the doctors emerged. The Crescent family, who had been waiting outside the theater with worried faces, promptly stepped forward to inquire about Mr. Allen's condition. Mark, asked the doctor in a worried tone, "Doctor, how is he? Is everything alright?"
The doctor's gaze swept over Mark before asking, "You are the patient's...?" Mark quickly clarified, "I'm not related to the patient, Doctor. We just brought him to the hospital." Mark understood that the nurse might have already informed the doctors about the patient's identity, which is why they were being cautious before sharing the patient's condition.
The doctor nodded, seeming to piece together the information. "Oh, it's you. Don't worry, the patient is alright. It was just a minor surgery. Given his age, he'll need to take good care and follow his medication regimen diligently. With proper care, he'll be perfectly fine."
As the doctor spoke, the Crescent family exchanged relieved glances, the tension in their bodies easing slightly, and they felt a collective sigh of relief wash over them.
"Thank you, Doctor," Mark said with a nod of appreciation. The doctors nodded in response and departed, their white coats fluttering as they walked away. Following the doctor's exit, the hospital staff efficiently shifted Mr. Allen to the VVIP ward as per the prior instructions from higher officials. The officers who had been left earlier returned to guard the Mr.Allen with a few more officers at the hallway of the ward.
The Crescent family waited until Mr. Allen was safely settled in his ward. Once they were certain that there were no further complications and that Mr. Allen's family members were on their way, they decided it was time to leave. The police officers were already stationed there to ensure Mr. Allen's security.
As they prepared to depart, Mark turned to the officers and said, "Officers, we're going to take our leave now." The officers exchanged a brief glance and nodded in approval. "Thank you for your help," one of them said.
The Crescent family smiled, and Mark said, "It was what we could do." the officers nodded understandingly.
With that, the Crescent family bid the officers farewell and left the ward, they made their way to the elevator. While waiting for it to arrive, Lily's phone suddenly rang, piercing the silence. She retrieved it from her pocket and glanced at the Caller ID, her eyes locking onto the name flashing on the screen.
A subtle change washed over her, like a shift in her demeanor. The gentleness in her eyes vanished, replaced by a focused seriousness. Her parents, standing beside her, sensed the shift in atmosphere and noticed the change in her expression.
Lily excused herself, her voice low and polite. "Dad, I'll take this call. You two go ahead." Her parents nodded and stepped into the elevator as it arrived, the doors closing behind them. They knew Lily well enough to recognize that she wouldn't keep them waiting unless it was something significant.
Lily stepped aside to answer the call, her voice firm and controlled. "Hello~" she said, the warmth and softness she usually carried replaced by a hint of strictness.
"Did you reach there?" a voice inquired from the other end of the call, the tone direct and to the point.
"Yes, I'm here," Lily replied, her voice maintaining the same level of formality. The response was met with silence from the other end and then the call was abruptly disconnected. The line went dead, leaving Lily standing alone with the phone still pressed to her ear.
Lily didn't mind the caller's behavior and slipped her phone back into her pocket before heading to the elevator to leave. She pressed the button to summon the elevator, and a few minutes later, it arrived on her floor with a gentle ding. As the doors slid open, she noticed that the doors of a second elevator also opened simultaneously. Lily stepped into her elevator, while a person emerged from the second one.
The doors of Lily's elevator closed behind her with a soft whoosh, and she pressed the button for the ground floor to head down. Meanwhile, the person who came from the second elevator halted in his steps for a second and looked at the first elevator which was going down, he frowned at his action and started walking purposefully towards the VVIP ward, his footsteps echoing softly down the hallway.
He found the ward where his grandfather was staying, easily identifiable by the officers guarding outside the room. He approached them directly, his tall, lean frame and intimidating aura drawing their attention. Given the patient's high-profile status, the officers could guess that he might be a relative, but they still on the alert.
"Sir, you are...?" one of the officers asked, their eyes narrowing slightly as they took in his imposing presence.
"I'm Mr. Felix Allen's grandson, Elisha Allen," he replied, his deep, hoarse voice commanding attention. As a formality, he pulled out his ID and held it out for verification. "Here's my ID. You can check it. I'm family." The officers nodded, their expressions professional, as they took a moment to verify his identification.
The officers nodded their heads and stepped aside, allowing him to enter the ward room. Eli stepped into the room, his eyes immediately falling on his grandfather, who lay unconscious in the hospital bed. A bandage was wrapped around his head, and another around his leg, a stark reminder of the injuries he had sustained. A saline drip was attached to his hand, the clear liquid flowing steadily into his vein. Eli's gaze lingered on his grandfather's face, his expression a mix of concern and worry.
Eli walked towards his grandfather's bed and gently took his hand, his fingers wrapping around it with a tender touch. "You're always worrying us," he uttered, his voice laced with a hint of complaint and affection. He held his grandfather's hand for a few minutes, the warmth of his skin a slight comfort.
After a while, Eli gently placed his grandfather's hand back on the bed, his eyes never leaving his face. Despite the plush chair beside the bed, Eli chose not to sit, instead he leaned against the wall opposite his grandfather's bed. The VVIP ward was luxuriously appointed, with high-end medical equipment and comfortable furnishings and with soothing atmosphere for the patient despite the soft hum of the muted beeps of the monitors. Eli's gaze remained fixed on his grandfather, his expression etched with concern.
••••••••
After Lily finished her phone call, she headed down to the car, where her parents were waiting for her. She slid into the backseat and said, "Dad, we can leave now." With a nod, her father started the engine, and the car smoothly pulled out of the hospital parking lot.
As they drove away, the chaos of the hospital faded into the distance, the sounds of sirens and chatter gradually replaced by the hum of the engine and the gentle rustle of the wind. With her family by her side, Lily settled back into her seat, feeling the warmth and comfort of being home with her loved ones beside her.
•••••••••
At the hospital, two middle-aged men entered the Felix Allen's ward. They were Felix Allen's second son, Noah Allen, and his third son, William Allen. Eli who was already in the room, greeted them. Their eyes were fixed on their father, who lay in the bed, surrounded by the sterile hospital environment.
Upon learning of the patient's family arrival, the doctor visited the ward of Eli's grandfather. Normally, they wouldn't make a special effort, but given the family's respectable military background, the doctors felt obligated to follow the protocols set by their higher management.
As the doctor approached, Eli's uncles, Noah and William, greeted him. "Doctor, how's my father's condition?" Noah Allen, Eli's second uncle, asked.
"Mr. Allen, we've done a minor surgery on his leg, and he sustained a head injury, but it's nothing to be overly concerned about," the doctor explained. "He may experience mild headaches for a couple of days. With proper rest and recovery time, he should be fine." The doctor then outlined the necessary precautionary measures for the family's awareness.
Just then, Grandfather Allen regained consciousness and slowly opened his eyes. It took him a moment to adjust to the light before he opened them fully. William, noticing his father open his eyes, immediately said, "Doctor, my father is conscious." Then the doctor checked on Grandfather Allen. "Hello, Mr. Allen, How are you feeling?"
"Not so good," Grandfather Allen replied calmly. "I'm feeling pain everywhere." His face, however, remained stoic, a reminder to his military background and remarkable endurance. The doctor nodded understandingly and said before administered the shot. "I'll give you a painkiller, but the discomfort might persist until tomorrow."
After the doctor left, William and Noah exchanged a concerned glance before William asked, "Dad, why did you went out alone without taking anyone with you?"
Grandfather Felix looked at his sons and his grandson. Instead of answering William's question, he fired off his question feigning sterness "Who's that idiot informed you I was here?" His tone was stern, echoing his former life as a respected military commander. However, his family can easily detect his deliberate avoidance of his son's question.
The room fell silent, punctuated only by the soft beeping of the hospital equipment. Noah and William exchanged glances, familiar with their father's temperament. After their mother, Alicia Allen's passing, coupled with his retirement, his father adventurous spirit and strong will often led him to do risky things, disregarding security measures despite his influential position.
Just then, a knock at the door interrupted the tense atmosphere. After receiving permission to enter, Felix Allen's security's team leader, Jason Lee who was responsible for his safety and security, stepped into the room, along with the officers who investigated the accident. Mr.Lee and the officers greeted the Felix Allen with a Salute in unison. Grandfather Felix nodded curtly. Mr.Lee explained them about the officers purpose of inquiring about accident from Felix Allen and their investigation regarding the accident.
Grandfather Felix cooperated with the officer as he calmly told the details of his accident and providing his statement. The inquiry concluded that accident happened due to Felix Allen felt sudden dizziness during driving and he lost the control for a moment and then car was crashed to tree trunk. After recounting the details, Grandfather Felix's thoughts turned to the family who had saved him. He vividly remembered their help, even in his blurry state. Their faces, their voices, their concern. "Officer," he called, his voice softer now, "I remember a family helping me. Who were they? I want to meet them."
The officer hesitated before answering, "Yes, sir. A family witnessed the accident and informed us. They also admitted you to the hospital in time. They stayed until your surgery and left just before your family arrived, after confirming you were stable. We have their contact information."
Grandfather Felix nodded in understanding and asked the officers to provide the contact information before dismissing them. As the police officer departed the ward, With the room finally quiet, Grandfather Felix's gaze drifted into thought as he looked at the contact information, before finally settling on Eli, who had been silently observing the scene. "Did you tell your father not to come here?" he asked, his tone firm but measured. Grandfather Felix suspected his eldest son might have gotten wind of the situation and could be on his way.
"I didn't," Eli replied calmly, his voice low and hoarse. Grandfather Felix's eyes narrowed slightly. "Then tell him not to come" and he turned towards his third son William and instructed him "Call David to be here."
Eli and his third uncle William calmly complied with their elder's request, considering his health condition. William dialed to their family's butler David, and summoned him to the hospital before hung up the call. Meanwhile, Eli called his father, relaying the message and fielding a few concerned questions about Grandfather Felix's condition. The sound of Eli's voice was steady and reassuring as he spoke with his father before hung up the call.
Grandfather Felix's gaze still settled on Eli, as he was observing his grandson deep in thought and said, "Do something for me." Eli's eyebrow arched slightly, "What is it, Grandfather?" he asked, his tone tinged with skepticism.
With a calm demeanor, a stark contrast to his usual gruffness towards his sons, Grandfather Felix replied, "Help me contact the family who helped me and thank them personally behalf of me."
Eli also felt a sense of gratitude toward the family, knowing they had saved his grandfather's life and agreed to his grandfather's request. "Hmm" Eli said lightly, but that word is a promise to his grandfather.
Grandfather Felix's eyes seemed to hold a hint of mystery, and he nodded slightly, a small smile playing on his lips. Then, his gaze landed on his second and third son in the room before shifting to the Mr.Lee, who was calmly stood their with guilty expression, and questioned him. "It just you or your team is already here?"
After Felix Allen's retirement from the military, a team was assigned to responsible for Ex-Military general Felix's safety and security because of the successful missions he done during his military days and possible chances of getting attacks on him for revenge or whatever. Still, he was part of military discussions regarding higher, secretive or sensitive informations. So, a group of people always follow him for his safety. Mr.Lee was currently responsible for Grandfather Felix's security. He was appointed five years ago after transmission of ex- security team leader. So, after getting five years of experience, Mr.Lee could predict Grandfather Felix's current mood and responded with his firm voice. "My team took over the duty from the officers, sir." He was bit hesitant but continued after giving a look towards Eli and Eli's uncles. "Sorry sir, my team was too careless. It's our mistake that Sir.Felix went out without security."
Grandfather Felix sons shook their heads and exchanged glances as they could easily predict that someone from the security team was easily tricked by his father again. They felt pity on Mr.Lee. Third son William sighed and second son Noah wear a serious expression as he warned. "Mr.Lee, It's not that I want to entirely blame you, but make sure your team must be alert from now on. Your mistakes doesn't matter to us if my father was safe. But, as you see, my father is in the hospital now. So, I hope your team won't do any mistakes from now on and i don't accept any next times."