KEY TO HAPPINESS:(My mute devil)-Chapter 83

"Carmela."

Nix stood dumbstruck, his eyes locked on the woman in the wheelchair. His heart pounded violently against his ribs, as though trying to break free.

"I’m a pregnant woman, for goodness’ sake! Don’t you have any women at home?" she snapped, bursting into tears completely unaware that the man before her was frozen to the ground. "What kind of bodyguard are you? Give me your identity number, I’ll have Liam fire you immediately!"

Tom, who was returning with the cake he’d promised, couldn’t help but notice the growing crowd of onlookers. Their attention was fixed in one direction. He followed their gaze and froze seeing Nix rooted there like a statue, while Elisa sobbed uncontrollably. His heart skipped a beat; it felt like his worst fears had just come true. Without wasting a second, he hurried over.

"Elisa, what’s going on? Nix?" His eyes darted between the weeping woman and the motionless man.

"He... he snatched my ice cream cup and threw it in the trash!" Elisa cried, her voice trembling. "I told you I’m being mistreated at home! He’s probably one of the people my dad sent to spy on me!"

Nix exhaled softly, regaining some composure as he noticed the small crowd forming around them. His gaze swept over the woman again her rounded belly finally making sense of her outburst.

"Elisa, please calm down," Tom said gently, crouching to her level. "I’m sure he had his reasons. Look, I brought the cake you asked for." He opened the box slightly to show her, but she waved it off with frustration.

"I don’t want the cake! I just want my ice cream and.. "

"Uncle, just apologize to her, please," Tom interrupted, clearly panicking as he tried to defuse the tension. "She’s pregnant, and pregnant ladies get very emotional and sensitive. I heard she’s been craving ice cream but couldn’t get any, so imagine how upset she must feel that you took it away.."

Before he could finish, Elisa suddenly let out a piercing scream, her voice echoing through the street. Everyone turned toward her.

"Elisa, are you.." Tom’s words faltered as his eyes widened. Blood was soaking through her dress, spreading slowly and staining the fabric.

"The baby... it’s coming," Elisa gasped, clenching her fists in pain.

Nix and Tom exchanged a startled glance, panic flashing in both their eyes.

"What do we do?" Tom whispered, his voice trembling. Nix was still unsettled her face, her voice almost everything except her name it all mirrored that of his beloved.

"Aren’t you her friend? Call her family," Nix said sharply, narrowing his eyes.

"I.. I don’t know her family! I met her here And she just mentioned she came here with her brother.. "Elisa screamed again, louder this time, cutting him off.

"My car’s nearby," Nix said quickly, his tone firm now. "Let’s get her to the hospital."

He started toward the car, but Tom grabbed his arm, stopping him

"Give me the car key I’ll drive, while you stay and comfort her in the back seat," Tom said, stretching out his hand expectantly.

Nix gave him a questioning look, one brow arching so high it nearly disappeared beneath his messy red hair. His tall frame leaned lazily t the side his arms crossed like a man who had already lost his patience for the day. A faint breeze ruffled his shirt collar as his cold grey eyes flicked between Tom’s eager hand and the pregnant woman moaning dramatically in the wheelchair.

"Weren’t you grinning from ear to ear just a few minutes ago?" he asked dryly, his tone caught somewhere between disbelief and amusement. "So why are you suddenly handing me the responsibility? What happened did your backbone take a lunch break?"

Tom blinked, thrown off for a moment, while Nix tilted his head slightly, that faint, mocking smirk tugging at the corner of his lips the kind that said I’m enjoying this way too much.

"Do you honestly think I can carry a pregnant woman?" Tom shot back, eyes widening dramatically. "Look at your build and look at mine! Do you want us both to collapse halfway, and then she’ll blame me for injuring her baby?"

Nix blinked at him, unimpressed. "Tom, she’s not a piano. You’re just lazy."

"I’m realistic!" Tom countered, placing a hand on his chest. "And I happen to value my spine."

Nix sighed, long and weary, like a man rethinking every life choice that led him to this moment. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed Tom the car key and muttered, "Fine. Don’t drop the car." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Tom caught it with a grin. "Don’t drop her."

Ignoring him, Nix strode toward Elisa. He crouched beside her, his voice low and gruff as he muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer for patience. Sliding one arm under her knees and the other around her back, he lifted her effortlessly well, almost effortlessly.

"Careful!" Elisa yelped, gripping his collar so tightly he nearly lost balance. "Do I look like a sack of rice to you?"

"Well," Nix grunted, adjusting his grip as she wobbled in his arms, "you’re heavier than one."

Her mouth fell open in shock. "Excuse me?!"

"Relax, madam," he said, a smirk curling at his lips as he started toward the car. "I’m just trying to make you laugh before you give birth right here on the street. You know, keep the mood light."

The small crowd burst into laughter at his deadpan tone. Elisa, however, glared up at him with a look that could curdle milk.

"You think you’re funny, don’t you?" she hissed.

"Not really," he replied, adjusting her again as Tom hurried ahead to open the car door. "But I do think I deserve a medal after this."

Tom fumbled with the car keys like a man defusing a bomb. "Okay, okay, seatbelt, ignition... where’s the hospital again?"

"It’s called Google Maps, genius," Nix muttered, sliding into the back seat with Elisa still in his arms. He tried to adjust her gently, but she groaned in discomfort.

"Ow! Watch it!" she snapped. "You’re crushing my ribs!"

"I’m trying not to drop you," he said flatly. "Maybe next time, give me a warning before your baby decides to make a public appearance."

Elisa gasped, clutching his shirt. "How dare you! I’m in pain and you’re making jokes? What kind of man are you?"

"The tired kind," Nix replied dryly, leaning back with an exaggerated sigh. "I haven’t even had breakfast yet."

Tom threw a nervous glance in the rearview mirror. "Guys, please! Let’s not start World War III in the car. I just got this seat cover cleaned."

Elisa glared at his reflection. "Drive, Tommy! Before I have this baby in this precious seat cover!"

"Yes, ma’am!" Tom squeaked, hitting the accelerator a little too hard. The car jerked forward, sending Nix and Elisa slightly off balance.

"Careful!" Nix barked. "You trying to send us into early labor too?"

"Sorry! Sorry!" Tom said, gripping the wheel as if it were his last lifeline. "I’ve never driven a pregnant woman before!"

"You’re doing fine," Nix said sarcastically, holding onto the seat as Elisa groaned beside him. "Just don’t kill us before we get there."

"Can you both stop talking!" Elisa snapped, breathing heavily. "You’re stressing the baby!"

Nix shot Tom a look through the mirror. "You hear that? We’re stressing the baby. Add that to the list of today’s achievements."

Tom groaned. "I swear, after this, I’m quitting friendship."

Nix smirked. "You’ve been saying that since 2019."

Elisa suddenly clutched his arm, her nails digging into his sleeve. "It hurts.. it really hurts!" she cried out.

Nix’s expression softened for the first time. He instinctively brushed her hair from her face and said in a calmer tone, "Hey, breathe. We’re almost there. Just hold on."

Tom, stealing a glance in the mirror, caught the rare look of concern on Nix’s face and raised a brow. "You okay back there, tough guy?"

"Just drive, Tom," Nix muttered, his voice quieter now.

Elisa groaned again, and Tom’s foot hit the gas pedal harder. "Don’t worry! We’ll make it!" he shouted.

"You better," Nix warned. "Because if she gives birth in my car, you’re the one cleaning it and I mean every inch of it."

Elisa let out a weak laugh between breaths, while Tom’s horrified, "That’s not funny!" echoed through the car.

Meanwhile, Liam was forcing his way through the gathering crowd, muttering quick apologies as he brushed past people. "Excuse me, sorry coming through!" His sharp eyes stayed locked on the figure moving swiftly ahead of him.

"Babe!" he called out, but there was no response.

He quickened his pace. "Babe, wait!"

The woman stopped abruptly, spinning around with an exasperated glare. "Stop calling me Babe! I’m not your girlfriend and I have a name." Her voice was sharp enough to slice through the murmurs around them.

"But you said you liked me," Liam replied defensively.

"I said I like the way you shoot, not you!" she snapped.

"We went on dates not once, but twice."

She folded her arms. "You offered to take me out the first time because I helped you. The second time was pure coincidence we just happened to end up at the same restaurant, and you insisted on paying. Don’t twist things, Liam." Her eyes narrowed. "I’ve only met you a few times, and already your father’s sending me threats."

"Babe, listen.. "

"Luna Dean," she corrected sharply. "And don’t you dare call me ’Babe’ again. Tell your father he’s lucky I didn’t mention his little stunt to my brother, or heaven knows what would’ve happened."

"I know what he did was wrong," Liam said quickly, voice trembling slightly as he ran a hand through his hair. "But please don’t talk like that. I’m just.. " He paused, searching for words, his throat tightening. The defiance in his eyes faltered for a second, replaced by something soft and desperate. "I’m just trying to make you understand how I feel."

Luna sighed deeply, rubbing her temple. "Listen, Liam, I’m older than you, and it’s perfectly normal for your father to be worried about you getting involved with someone my age. But the issue here isn’t your father it’s me. I’m not interested in you."

"But I am," he said, his voice low and unwavering. His eyes held hers with such intensity that Luna felt her patience thinning. She exhaled sharply, tilting her head toward the sky as if praying for strength.

"Why won’t you just listen to me?" she muttered.

"Because I listen to no one," Liam shot back, a mischievous grin tugging at his lips. "And for the record, I didn’t kiss you that day because I was drunk and I’m not going to apologize for it, either."

"Liam.. "

He stepped back, his expression softening slightly. "I won’t bother you anymore... at least not for now. I only came here with my sister, but don’t think I’ll let you slip away so easily. I don’t care if it’s your brother, my father, or the age gap I’ve given you my heart, and I’m not taking it back."

With a confident smirk, he threw her a playful flying kiss before turning away.

Luna stood frozen, speechless, watching him disappear into the crowd. "Unbelievable," she muttered under her breath, fighting the urge to smile.