Scars of Time

Chapter 27: "Hospital"

Jo's POV

I recently realized I must have left a mountain of clothes at Alex’s house. It’s the only explanation for why my closet feels so empty, why I’m constantly staring at the same few outfits, rotating them like a broken record. However I couldn't find the courage to ask Alex about them. I told him I'd never see him again.

Against all odds, I made up my mind to go. I told myself it was practical—I needed my things, and it was ridiculous to keep avoiding him. Despite what happened between us in the past, that's still Alex.

I can't just not see him.

It's hard to say if it's a wise decision, but I was already on my way to his place.

I don't want to admit it, but deep down, I really miss those late-night chats with him, where we would discuss the simplest of things.

Maybe there is a chance for us to stay friends.

However, just as I arrived, he burst out of his house, his movements hurried and unsteady. He practically threw himself into his car, the engine roaring to life before he even had the door fully closed. My stomach twisted. Something was wrong. I could feel it in the way he moved, in the way his car screeched out of the driveway like a bat out of hell.

Maybe one of his friends needed help again, and he would never turn them away. Despite our constant clashes on this matter, he continues to land himself in trouble time and time again because of them.

He’s always been like this—running headfirst into trouble, never stopping to think about the consequences.

That's why I decided to follow him.

Eventually, he ran inside a house and left the door open behind him. Growing concerned as minutes ticked by without his return, I resolved to enter the house myself.

But what greeted me inside was more shocking than I could have predicted.

Time was sitting on the couch, his shirt stained with blood,his demeanor unsettlingly relaxed. And Alex was standing in front of him, his hand tightly clasped around hers-the girl from the photo.

Their fingers fit together perfectly, his grip firm, protective, almost possessive.

"Jo?" Alex called out, his voice sharp with surprise, his eyes widening as they landed on me. But I barely registered his reaction. My attention was locked on the girl standing beside him.

What was she doing here? Or what was Time doing here?

How do they know each other?

Time remained comfortably seated, his posture relaxed, as if the chaos around him was nothing more than background noise.

Meanwhile, Alex slowly loosened his grip on her hand, his fingers slipping away from hers as he stepped toward me. His eyes searched mine, a mix of confusion and guilt flashing his face. "Why are you here Jo?"

"She’s at her boyfriend’s house," Time stated casually, his tone light, almost dismissive, unbothered by my presence. OR by the blood on his shirt.

My mind raced. Is this Time’s house? If it was, then what were Alex and this girl doing here? The questions piled up, each one more urgent than the last, but no one seemed in a hurry to answer them.

"Is anyone going to tell me what's going on or...??"

"Let me explain," the girl said, stepping forward with a calmness that felt out of place in the chaos. She extended her hand, her voice steady. "I'm Hope. Time's sister. You must be Josephine. Time has told me so much about you."

I stared at her, my eyebrow arching as I ignored her outstretched hand. "That’s crazy," I said, my tone sharp, "because he never mentioned you before. It’s a big coincidence that you’re siblings."

The word coincidence hung in the air, heavy with suspicion. My mind flashed back to the day I was kidnapped. The pieces were starting to fit together in a way that felt too convenient, too calculated.

I was kidnapped by Time, and now Alex had somehow ended up with his sister? And he’d shown me that photo of them in bed, pretending he didn’t even know her.

But was I surprised? Not really. You could expect anything from Time. Still, the most pressing question wasn’t about their tangled relationships. It was about the blood on Time’s shirt. Why was he covered in it?

"I had a fight with an intruder," Time explained, before I even asked. As if discussing the weather. "He learned his lesson, though. He won’t be showing up here again." He leaned back on the couch, his bloodstained shirt a stark contrast to his relaxed demeanor. "All of you can leave now," he added, waving a hand toward the door as if shooing away an inconvenience.

"Can I have a talk with you Time?"

"Of course," he replied, his lips curling into a faint smirk. "Just say whatever you need, babe."

"In private." I shot back, my tone icy.

He looked around the room and instead of getting up himself, he simply waved a hand at the others. "Leave us alone," he said, his voice carrying a quiet authority.

Alex hesitated, his eyes darting between me and Time, but he eventually nodded, leading Hope out of the room. The door clicked shut behind them, leaving me alone with Time.

"Tell me what happened." I demanded, my voice sharp, cutting through the room like a blade.

"I told you, we had an intruder."

"Who?"

"I don't know him."

"Why didn't you call the police?" I pressed, my voice rising slightly.

"Because I could handle it myself," he replied, his tone dismissive, like it was the most obvious answer in the world.

"Is this how you handle things? With violence?" I asked, my words deliberate, my gaze locked on his.

He didn’t answer immediately, his jaw tightening as he looked away. The silence stretched between us, heavy and charged.

I'm not really sure who this intruder was, but I could see his sister seemed in shock and even though he tried to look tough, he was too.

Is he really capable of hurting someone as much as to stain his clothes with their blood?

I wonder what happened to that other guy!

However, as I pressed him with questions, I noticed something off. Time was deliberately restraining his movements, his posture stiff, his gestures careful, almost calculated. There was an unmistakable flicker of discomfort in his expression, a tension in his jaw that he couldn’t quite hide.

A thought crossed my mind, sharp and sudden. If the blood on his shirt was someone else’s, it would’ve been a small mark, a splatter, maybe a smear. It wouldn’t have spread. It wouldn’t have grown darker, more prominent, as the minutes passed.

My eyes narrowed, my instincts screaming at me. Without hesitation, I stepped forward, closing the distance between us. Time’s eyes widened slightly, but before he could react, I reached out and lifted his shirt, my fingers brushing against the fabric soaked in blood.

................

Time's POV

Startled by her sudden action, I watched in disbelief as Jo confidently strode toward me, her determination clear in every step. Before I could react, her hands were on my shirt, lifting it before I had a chance to stop her. I froze, my mind racing, but it was too late.

I’d been hoping she wouldn’t notice, but the wound wouldn’t stop bleeding.

Thinking I could have a logical conversation with him, I directed Ian to the garage, away from Hope. But I’d forgotten who I was dealing with. He had a knife in his hand and it happened so fast I couldn't defend myself. Before I could even react or call for my bodyguard, he darted out of the garage door, disappearing into the distance.

Alex and Hope arrived at the door and I had to quickly put on a brave face, concealing any signs of what had just happened. My priority was to spare Hope from any unnecessary worry or anxiety.

But nothing could escape Jo's eyes.

"Are you crazy?" Jo snapped, her voice sharp and laced with anger. "Why would you try to look tough at a time like this? Get up. We’re going to the hospital. Now."

I shook my head, wincing as the movement sent a fresh wave of pain through me. "No. Don’t tell Hope. She’ll think it’s her fault."

Jo’s eyes narrowed, her tone leaving no room for argument. "I said IMMEDIATELY. You can think about your sister later."

Before I could protest further, she turned and called for Alex. He rushed into the room, Hope close behind, her face pale with worry.

"Time’s hurt," Jo said, her voice steady but urgent. "Help me carry him to the car."

Alex’s eyes widened as he took in the blood staining my shirt. "Hurt? Is that his—"

"Alex," Jo cut him off, her tone firm. "You can be in shock later. I need your help right now."

Alex hesitated for only a moment before nodding, his expression shifting from shock to determination. They helped me into the car, and though I knew I had to listen to Jo, I couldn’t help but feel it was unnecessary. It wasn’t that bad—the wound didn’t hurt much, and if Jo hadn’t noticed, I could’ve handled it without dragging anyone else into this mess. But now, here we were, racing to the hospital, and I had no choice but to go along with it.

At the hospital, the nurse declared that only one person could stay overnight. Hope immediately stepped forward. But I couldn’t let her do that. S

"Wait, hold up! Where do you think you're off to? Who said I even wanted you to stay? All I want is my girlfriend," I admitted, realizing that this wasn't the most considerate statement to make, especially in front of Alex, who seemed deeply affected by my words.

Nevertheless, I couldn't bear the thought of burdening Hope any further. I could clearly see the state she was in.

"Then I’ll take Hope home," Alex said finally, his voice quiet but steady. I had so much to be thankful to him and yet I was still continuing to hurt him.

I nodded, guilt twisting in my chest. "Before you go," I said, my tone softening slightly, "can we have a quick word?"

Alex hesitated, then nodded, stepping closer as Jo and Hope headed outside.