The Med Area in the hotel had been equipped with all the latest medical equipment and machines. Xiran had made sure that it was always well maintained in case of an emergency like this. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

With every step, he took toward the med room, fears clutched his heart to what he might find. Her smiling face was etched in his mind and that’s what he wanted to see, not her wounded body.

Reaching the med room he found a nurse standing outside. Seeing him approach her she spoke: "Señor, Dr Wanstine is currently operating on the patient. She told me to wait for you here and provide you with the update."

"Yes, go on." He prepared himself for the worst.

"We have stabilized her for now with the transfusion and ran an X-ray, MRI scan and CT scan. She has no brain injury but three of her left ribs are broken, and she has multiple broken bones in her right hand and arm, there are deep wounds and lacerations on her neck and wrists. And there are several abrasions on her whole body, especially her abdomen. We believe some internal organs have been damaged. Dr Wanstine is operating to access and repair that damage."

Xiran inhaled sharply at her words. He felt his legs had no strength in them and his mind was going numb from the details she had provided. The information was going to take time to sink in. How did he let this happen under his roof? He can’t even manage a hotel let alone a whole city. He was too indulged in the life of luxuries and pleasure and it had led to disaster after disaster.

"Ok, keep me updated." His reply was curt, he was trying to hold himself together. The nurse nodded and went back inside, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

He needed to sit down, so he slumped against the wall, bending his right knee he planted his foot on the floor and placed his arm on it for support. He didn’t know how to deal with all these emotions.

His mother used to hug him when she was alive, whenever he was going through emotional turmoil. She would calm him down, talk to him, and always provide the gentleness he needed. After her passing, he was left with his raw emotions and didn’t know where to channel them.

He started this lifestyle to find solace and consolation from past wounds. He tried to fill that gap by having numerous girls in his life. But he never really found that comfort until Aselia. She had that effect on him that no one else had. She had the power to calm the raging storms inside of him. He was sure she didn’t feel that way about him but he was in no way ready to lose her. The incessant need to own and protect her was overwhelming him. He wasn’t sure if he could handle the heartache of something happening to her.

He wanted to severely punish everyone involved including himself. He wanted to inflict the same pain on Sohlia and Treia, the one they had caused Aselia. But his mother’s words would echo in his mind: "Xiran, be a better man. Don’t raise your hand to a woman. Promise me you will never physically hurt a woman." This promise became his biggest weakness, no matter what happened he couldn’t raise his hand at them.

He was lost in his mother’s memories. Her light Grey eyes which he had inherited from her were full of life. Her silver hair flowed behind her as she moved around their house making them delicious food. Although they had numerous servants, she always prepared food for her family.

Her melodious voice and ever-smiling face gave him strength and courage. But no matter how hard she tried to hide her pains and scars behind those smiles and clothes, Xiran always knew she was suffering. Sometimes he would wake up to her screams at night and would bang at her door. The door would never open at night no matter how hard he tried.

In the morning he would find her with fresh wounds and injuries. He would touch them but she would always assure him that it was nothing.

The need to protect his mother from the monster that was his father was deeply rooted in him. Every time he would try to interfere, he would get beaten up himself. She would cry and shield him with her body only to end up being kicked and beaten up.

Tiny Xifin who was three years younger than him would only watch from a distance with a grim expression. His mind adapted to the fact that women are meant to be treated this way. It was strange how both boys grew up with different approaches while living in the same household and experiencing the same horrors.

While Xiran was constantly beaten by his father for being too soft, Xifin was always cold-hearted. Although their mother tried to shield Xifin from the horrors that took place in their home, he seemed unfazed by them. His father liked him and spent more time with him, leaving Xiran to his mother.

He gradually grew up but the torture didn’t stop. His mother grew weak with all the torture and blood his father took from her. He wasn’t strong enough to protect her and at the age of fifteen, his mother became severely ill and died. The pain of her loss was so immense that he wanted to rip his heart out.

Nothing gave him solace, nothing comforted him, and he had no one to turn to except Rivan. They had lived side by side and were best friends. Rivan told him it was time to face the world on their own so they both left their homes to wander the world together and make their destiny.

Now after almost 40 years, he had achieved so much. He had become a successful man some would say even a better man than his father. But there was no love in his life, only lust. Had he actually achieved anything substantial? He wasn’t sure anymore, his mind was not in the right state and he needed his friend.

"Xiran..." a voice called from the distance and he ultimately sunk back to reality and looked in the direction of the voice.