Gabrielle stared at the computer like it was going to change the harder she stared. She checked other website but all that was on it was either; 'how to cast out a demon out of a witch, a witch must die, It is impossible for a person's wish to come to pass or Magic.' but none makes sense to her.
Tears dropped from her left eye alone. She didn't wipe it but just let it flow.
"I cant be a witch?" She whispered and they wiped her eyes.
'I should be able to save Joan?' she thought but fear was louder than the faith she had.
She stood up suddenly. The chair dragged loudly against the floor, some people turned to look, she didn't care. She packed the books on Magic that she found then signed it out of the school's library thenwalked out fast without looking back...like she was avoiding someone.
So absent minded, she turned a corner and hit someone, not so hard to cause a great impact.
The person fell.
Immediately and started convulsing.
Gabrielle froze in panic. Her eyes widened.
"No…" She said then stepped back shaking.
People rushed in.
"What happened?!"
"Call someone!"
"Help him!"
Gabrielle didn't stay, she ran, faster than she did before.
Out of the school.
Straight to the hospital. By the time she got there, her chest was tight and she was breathing heavily.
She walked in slowly this time not running just tired.
An ambulance drives in, with a full speed, the guy that was convulsing was brought in with a stretcher. Gabrielle watched from a distance before going to Joan's ward. She stood outside Joan's ward looking through the glass.
Joan was still there.
Still and covered with different type of bandages.
Gabrielle placed her hand on the glass.
"I'm sorry…" she whispered.
She stayed there watching and blaming herself.
Then;
Voices not so far but clear even though they tried to whisper.
Doctors.
"She slipped into a coma," one of them said. "The chances of her waking up are very low." He added.
Gabrielle froze, her heart dropped.
"No…" she whispered.
She enters the bathroom, someone in one of the crib comes out, she was on a call…..
"I just wish her quick recovery." She said, washed her hands and then left.
Gabrielle face brightened up, she jumped happily….
"That is it." She jumped shouting.
Someone walked in, she paused look straight. This made the person feel so inconvenient and then walked out.
"Jane, I wish you quick recovery." She said happily. She exits the bathroom happy.
She went to Joan's ward but she was still at the position. Gabrielle enters the ward, sits beside Joan. She cried until her head hurt. Until her body felt weak and she had no strength left and then slept off.
Meanwhile at the Yungie's house, at their dinning room.
Not just big but wide, spacious, almost too perfect for this world. A long table sat at the centre, polished to the point it reflected light. The chairs were arranged evenly on both sides, each one placed with precision like it had a fixed position no one was allowed to change. Above it hung a chandelier bright, elegant, probably priceless.
The walls were decorated, not crowded, just enough to remind anyone walking in that this house wasn't normal. Everything about the room spoke one thing;
Wealth.
Maids moved around quietly dressed in neat uniforms, black and white.
Clean.
No one spoke. Only the soft sounds of movement that came form the arrangement for the meeting the family is about to have.
Then,
Eadlin walked in. He was the first to arrive. He didn't look around much, didn't admire anything. He pulled a chair slightly and sat. Calm, he brings out his phone and plugged his ears.
One of the maids stepped forward immediately. "Good evening, sir."
He nodded once nothing more. After a while;
Footsteps, Erica walked in. Elegant in a soft, effortless way. Her dress fitted perfectly, simple but expensive. Her hair was neatly styled, falling just right like it had been planned. Her face carried a constant smile so warm and friendly.
"Eadlin," she said softly as she tapped him. Her voice matched her appearance, gentle. He looked up at her and gave a blank expression.
"Good evening," she added with a small smile as she took her seat beside him.
"Evening," he replied shortly.
She watched him for a second. Still smiling.
"You came early," she said.
"I had nothing else to do."
She gave a soft laugh.
"You should try resting more," she said. "You look tired."
"I'm fine. You should worry more about your husband" He replied coldly but she didn't react, instead, she smiled again like nothing ever got to her.
"You still don't like me. Do you?" She asked but Eadlin did not respond.
The maids kept arranging the table.
Ashley, Mr. Yungie, the family lawyer Mr. Felix, and the secretary Mr. Delson entered the dining room together.
Ashley walked in first, she was in her early forties, dressed in a soft, her hair was neatly packed, her makeup light but precise. Everything about her looked intentional, like she never allowed herself to appear out of place. As she entered, Eadlin smiled happily.
Mr. Yungie followed behind her. He was dressed in a dark tailored suit, but his health showed through it. His steps were steady, yet slightly slower than usual. He coughed as he walked in, once, then again. His face remained composed, but the strain lingered in his expression.
Mr. Felix came in next. He looked like the kind of man who never raised his voice. Middle-aged, clean-shaven, wearing thin-rimmed glasses that caught the light when he moved. His suit was neat, his briefcase firm in his hand. He had the calm seriousness of someone who dealt with problems before they became visible.
Mr. Delson, the secretary, followed closely. Younger than the rest, sharp in appearance and alert in movement. He carried a tablet and a thin file, eyes constantly moving as if he was already tracking every detail of the room.
One by one, they took their seats around the long dining table.
Mr. Felix opened the meeting without delay. He spoke, laying out updates success from two of the companies, but complications in three others. Numbers, reports, and concerns filled the room in a steady, controlled tone. No one interrupted him.
"But when we tried to strike a deal with the manufacturing company, they kept declining. That is where we are for now, but the miners asked for a pay raise, we agreed and gave them a two percent raise. " They laughed.
"That is all for now." He rounded up.
Silence settled briefly.
Mr. Yungie leaned back slightly.
"I will be travelling," he said.
His voice was firm, though the cough from earlier still lingered in his chest.
"For treatment."
A pause.
"I will be away for a month."
Ashley gave a small, composed nod.
"You will be in charge," he added, looking at her directly.
Her expression softened into a confident smile.
"Of course."
"Any other thing before we close this meeting."
"Yes." Erica spoke. "I have something to say."
"I'm fine. You should worry more about your husband" He replied coldly but she didn't react, instead, she smiled again like nothing ever got to her.
"You still don't like me. Do you?" She asked but Eadlin did not respond.
Eadlin picked up a drink.
"I'm pregnant."
Eadlin spits out the drink.
"Congratulations" The rest greets.
"How is that even possible?" Eadlin asked after being silent all through.
"What are you trying to say? I cheated on your father?" Erica fired back, not so calm this time.
"I don't trust girls your age." He replied and then take another
"But you trust the girl you slept in her house." She fired back. "I am sorry" She apologizes unable to take her words back.
Mr. Yungie turned to Eadlin. "Where were you last night?"
Eadlin didn't answer immediately.
The question hung in the air longer than it should have.
"I asked you a question," his father added, voice tightening slightly.
"I was out," Eadlin finally replied.
"Where?"
"With a friend."
Mr. Yungie's eyes stayed fixed on him.
"You seem to like that word recently," he said quietly but Eadlin didn't respond.
The room remained still and the tension didn't leave, it only settled deeper.
"I don't think it is a girl, it might just be a mistake. We know our dear Eadlin, even the dates I set for him, he avoids it." Ashley said defending.
"Erica my love, who is this girl?"
"I have said to much and Ashley is right." Erica replied.
"Humm, protecting your son." Mr. Yungie said. He stands.
"I therefore call the end of this meeting. Erica, come lets go."
Everyone left except Ashley and Eadlin.
"Who is she?" Ashley asked.
Morning came, soft light filled the room from the sun.
Gabrielle is still sleeping. One of her leg on the floor while her body and the other leg on Joan's bed. She dangles but with this position she still slept.
The beep from the Electrocardiogram woke Joan up. Still weak, she turns her head, moved her hand a bit to touch Gabrielle's head. Gabrielle kept turning her head, then she opened her eyes slowly.
She blinked, confused. Gabrielle sat up immediately and her eyes filled with tears.
"Joan…? You're awake…" She said happily. "I will go get the nurse." Gabrielle runs out.
Joan let out a slow breath, as if even breathing had become something she had to relearn. The faint beeping of the ECG filled the room again, steady now, almost comforting.
Her fingers curled weakly against the bedsheet.
"Gaby…" she tried to call, but her voice came out barely above a whisper.
The door swung open almost immediately.
Gabrielle rushed back in first, followed closely by a nurse in pale blue scrubs. Gabrielle's face was still wet with tears, but now there was relief mixed in bright, overwhelming relief that made her hands tremble.
"She's awake, I told you she's awake," Gabrielle said quickly, almost breathless, as if saying it again would make it more real.
The nurse moved straight to Joan's bedside, checking the monitors first, then her pupils with a small penlight.
"Hey there," the nurse said gently. "Welcome back."
Joan blinked slowly, trying to focus.
"You're stable now," she said calmly. "Weak, but stable." The nurse said and then adjusted the IV line and checked the ECG readout again.
For a moment, the room went quiet except for the steady beeping.
Then the nurse smiled faintly. "We'll let the doctor know she's awake. But for now, she needs rest. No stress, no long talking."
She turned to leave, pausing at the door. "I'll be back shortly."
The door clicked shut.
Gabrielle pulled the chair closer and sat, still holding onto Joan's bed like she wasn't fully convinced she was real.
Joan's eyelids fluttered, heavy again but this time she didn't fight it.
"Gaby…" she murmured again, softer.
"Yeah?" Gabrielle answered quickly.
Joan managed the smallest hint of a smile. "You're… loud."
Gabrielle let out a shaky laugh through tears. "And you're annoying for scaring me."
But her hand stayed there, gently resting on Joan's arm like she wasn't planning to let go anytime soon.
The room stayed quiet for a while after Gabrielle's shaky laugh faded while the steady beeping of the ECG filled the silence again, like nothing in the world had changed except everything had. Joan's eyes slowly drifted shut, not fully asleep, just resting.
Then,
The door creaked open.
Gabrielle didn't notice at first till the person called out,
"Joan."
The voice cut through the silence.
Gabrielle froze instantly. She turned her head sharply.
Eadlin stood by the doorway. His eyes weren't on Gabrielle but were on Joan.
"Joan…" he said again, softer this time, like he had been holding the name in his chest for too long as he walked over to her.
Gabrielle expression changed confusion first, then shock, then something she couldn't even name properly.
"You…" she whispered, barely audible. "You know her?"
Eadlin didn't answer immediately.
He walked closer to the bed, ignoring the question completely.
"Why didn't anyone tell me she was awake?" he asked quietly, his voice low but sharp with something deeper underneath.
Gabrielle blinked, stunned.
Her gaze moved from him to Joan.
Then back to him again.
"You're… close to her?" she asked, voice breaking slightly.
"Yes," he said simply.