Before Love Fades - Chapter 56：Waiting for her

“Cole, here’s the update on your grandfather.”

“Cole, we got the name of the person who help him escape. It seem it’s related to your grandfather.”

“Cole, here’s the report that your P.A. collect for you. When you have the time, take a look at it.”

Every person who try to talk to Cole has been ignored the moment Aurora fell into deep sleep. After the attack three weeks ago, Cole has never left by her side. Silently just sleeping by her side on their bed. He has been a full time caretaker ever since then. Taking care in washing her up, massaging her muscle and even changing her clothes. Her brothers couldn’t even make him leave the house no matter how many times Caleb told him that she will be fine after she wakes up. He ate only because Caleb threatened to bring Aurora away for her treatment. It was only then he listen to them. Zeus automatically deal with his company while Tristan had to leave the Underworld behind for a while as he dealt with SKY Corporation. No one can seem to move Cole away from the spot. It’s like he plant himself there as he watched Aurora who’s asleep.

Today just like any other day, he had just finish washing Aurora and changing her clothes. He look out the window to see the sun has set. Painting the sky to orange red. Then he look at Aurora who’s still sleeping and sighed. Closing the curtain, he lay himself next to her as he watched her chest going up and down indicating she’s still breathing. Holding onto her cold hands and rub against it. He could not help but broke down and cry. He ignore everything that’s happening in his life. Ignore the revenge that he wanted to get. Ignore his dream to make it to the top just like her. To be on the same platform with her. He decided to shut his world the moment she fell into sleep. When he learn the truth from Caleb about her toxic poison that’s been residing inside her body ever since she was small, he felt so useless. He abandoned his company and his initial plan to deal with his ex-bestfriend and as well as his grandfather just to be with her. Fearing if he leave to work, she would leave him forever. He didn’t want that. All of his wealth and his success is all useless if she’s not there for him. It really tear him apart to not hear her voice and to wake up not to see her usual teasing face. Their weekend feels dull when it was something that he would look forward to. He would quickly finish all of his work the day before but now, he’s not even willing to look at the pile of work. It’s meaningless. Enough crying, he stare at her face for what seem forever. He didn’t know when he fell asleep. But it was his usual routine. He would stare at her and he would fall asleep only to wake up when Caleb enter the room to check on her condition and send his dinner. He would take his dinner under Caleb’s watch and after he took a couple of bites that would satisfy Caleb, he would stare at her once again before he fell asleep.

It was the same like tonight. Except that he dream about Aurora smiling at him. Teasing him for being shabby and he would rub his stubble on her face and neck making her shriek avoiding the ticklish feeling. He feels alive just to hear her laugh and teasing. It’s something that he miss a lot. But his dream turn into a nightmare when she suddenly stopped laughing but coughing up blood. She kept on trying to talk to him even if he tell him to stop but just like that day, she insist on saying the ridiculous thing. When she became lifeless in his hand, he call out her name before waking up with a start. He got up with sweat trickling onto his face and he turned looking at her. He looked at the machine by her side and indicates she’s still breathing. Unsatisfied, he put his finger under her nose and he even put his ear close to her chest to hear her heartbeat. Thump, thump, thump. It’s the best sound he ever heard after she falls asleep. He sighed with relief. But was stunned when he could feel a hand caressing his hair softly. It was slow but he knew the feeling well. She would always do it for him whenever he lay on her lap after a troublesome day at work. He got up and saw her eyes fluttering staring at him as she flashed him a smile. Cole felt he was given the best present that let him alive once more. The world seem colorful once again when before it was just black and white. Waiting for her day by day is worth it the moment she open her eyes and staring straight at him. He kissed her a couple of times and his tears start falling out again. She chuckled before pinching his face. She took his palm as she wrote on his palm slowly. W…A…T…E…R She traced those letter on his palm. He nodded before getting up quickly to get the water from the side table. He helped her into a comfortable position and let her sipped the water slowly. After awhile, she push the water away. Her hand brush away his remaining tears on his face.

“How did my husband become like a hooligan?” She asked teasingly. He laughed heartily before rubbing his face towards her face making her scream ticklish. It was then, the bedroom door open with a bang as all her brothers enter the room feeling relief to see her awake and well. And to see Cole back to being Cole again is another good news for them.