The first who emerged were Mr. Kolson and Mr. Hampson, pushing a gurney with Zachary lying on it.
âZac!â Kareen screamed, her eyes red and puffy. She lunged forward and threw herself onto the gurney. âZac, wake up! Zac?!â
Desperation filled her as she frantically shook his body. Memories of their last conversation flooded back. Heâd told her he was going to Adania, worried about Cherise and Damien after their reconciliation.
âWhat does it matter if sheâs doing well or not?â Kareen had snapped back then. âEnough about her!
Sheâs not worth your time!â
But for the first time ever, theyâd argued. Having lost their mother young, theyâd always been each otherâs rock. Zachary never raised his voice to her, always indulging her every wish.
âHey, listen,â heâd said sternly, âEven if you hate Cherise, sheâs Aunt Charisaâs only daughter! Belittling her is belittling Aunt Charisa! She should have been there for Cherise, but she lost her. Instead, she raised us.â
âWe wouldnât have the life we have now out Aunt Charisa. Weâd have been thrown out by that wicked woman, Patricia, and her son raised us. Now that sheâs gone, can you honestly say Cheriseâs fate doesnât matter to us?â
Kareen was rendered speechless. She hung up and felt guilt gnawing at her.
Now, here was Zachary, the one who had argued with her and gone to see Cherise, lying injured after an accident in Adania.
Seeing Kareen shaking him violently, Cherise frowned. âYou could hurt him like that,â she said gently.
Kareen slammed to a halt, her eyes red and narrowed as she glared at Cherise. âDonât you tell me what to do! My brother went to Adania to see you; he was perfectly fine! Now heâs back like⦠a ghost of himself!â
Grief finally spilling over, Kareen raised her head, her eyes locked on Cherise as she started towards her, her voice thick with anger and despair. âThis is all your fault! Give me back my brother!â
She looked like she might attack, but a dark figure stepped between them â Damien.
âKareen, calm down,â Damien said, his voice firm yet calm. âThis isnât Cherryâs fault. Weâve looked into what happened to Zac. Itâs true; itâs connected to Cherry only because your brother chose to save her.
Heâs a hero, but you canât blame the person he rescued for needing rescuing.â
Kareenâs eyes remained red, but a flicker of understanding passed through them. âEven so, you both still have to take some responsibility! Zac was perfectly healthy when he went to see you, and nowâ¦
look at him! Donât you dare try to shrug this off!â
Damien held his ground, neither retreating nor advancing, forming a protective barrier around Cherise.
Lyra, watching the tense scene unfold, hesitantly approached Cherise, tugging at her sleeve. âIs that Zacâs sister? She seems⦠quite intense.â