The fine print of faking it

Chapter 006

Chapter 006: The Longest Night

The rhythmic, sterile beep... beep... beep of the heart monitor was the only sound cutting through the quiet ICU room. The morning sun began to creep through the heavy hospital blinds, but the light did nothing to warm the cold, pale room.

Elena had still not woken up.

Cole sat frozen in the hard plastic chair by her bedside, exactly where he had been for the last twelve hours. He hadn't changed out of his suit, which was still wrinkled and darkened with dried blood. His jaw was covered in dark stubble, and his blue eyes were bloodshot, staring fixedly at Elena's still face. Her head was wrapped in a thick white layer of gauze, making her look incredibly small against the massive hospital bed.

A quiet knock at the door broke the silence. Cole didn't look up as his mother stepped into the room, carrying a paper cup of coffee.

"Cole, honey," she whispered, placing a gentle hand on his tense shoulder. "The doctors said her vitals are completely stable now. The blood transfusion is working. You need to close your eyes, even if it's just for an hour. Go home and wash up.""No," Cole said, his voice incredibly rough and hollow. He didn't move an inch, his fingers remaining tightly laced with Elena's cold, limp hand. "I’m not leaving this room until she opens her eyes, Mom."

His mother sighed softly, placing the coffee on the bedside table. "Your grandfather handled everything with the police. Justin was arrested at his family's estate hours ago. He’s being charged with aggravated assault and breaking and entering. He won't ever come near either of you again."

Cole’s grip on Elena’s hand tightened. The news of Justin's arrest didn't bring him any joy or relief. It didn't change the fact that Elena was lying in a hospital bed because she had jumped in front of a blow meant for him. She was a brilliant finance student with a bright future, someone who calculated every risk—yet she had thrown all her logic out the window the second his life was in danger.

"This wasn't part of the fine print," Cole murmured into the empty air after his mother quietly exited the room.

He leaned forward, resting his forehead against the edge of Elena's mattress. "You weren't supposed to get hurt, Elena. You were just supposed to fake a relationship, get your tuition paid, and walk away. Why did you do it?"

The heart monitor continued its steady, agonizing rhythm. Elena remained completely still, her breathing shallow and even, trapped in a deep, concussive sleep.

By mid-afternoon, the harsh hospital light had softened into amber streaks across the floor. Cole hadn’t moved from his spot. The coffee his mother left had gone completely cold, untouched on the bedside table.

Suddenly, a tiny tremor rippled through the fingers Cole was holding.

Cole froze, his heart jumping into his throat. He looked up instantly, his eyes scanning Elena’s face. Her eyelashes fluttered, casting small shadows against her pale cheeks. A soft, pained groan escaped her lips as her head shifted slightly against the pillow.

"Elena?" Cole breathed, standing up quickly and leaning over the bed. "Elena, can you hear me?"

Her eyes opened slowly, wincing against the bright afternoon light. She blinked several times, her hazel eyes unfocused and confused as she looked around the white walls, the medical monitors, and finally, down at Cole’s exhausted, tear-stained face.

"Cole...?" her voice was barely a whisper, incredibly dry and raspy.

"I’m here. I’m right here," he said, his voice breaking with sheer relief. He carefully reached up, his hand hovering near her cheek, terrified of hurting her. "Don't try to move. You're in the hospital."

Elena swallowed hard, a small frown forming on her forehead as she tried to piece her thoughts together. The concussion made everything feel foggy, like she was trying to think underwater. "What... what happened? The dinner..."

The dinner went perfectly. But Justin..." Cole’s jaw tightened, a flash of anger crossing his face before he softened it for her. "Justin tried to attack me. You jumped in front of him, Elena. You took the hit for me."

Memory flashed back into Elena's eyes—the shattered glass, the masked men, the heavy bottle swinging toward Cole. She looked down at her own hands, noticing the hospital gown and the IV line hooked into her arm.

Is your family... did they find out about the contract?" she whispered, her first instinct still being the business agreement they had spent all night preparing for.

Cole let out a ragged, breathless laugh, a tear finally slipping down his cheek. He shook his head, looking at her with an intensity that made her breath hitch. "Nobody cares about the contract, Elena. My grandfather knows exactly what Justin did, and Justin is in police custody. But right now, none of that matters. You almost died for me." He pressed her hand against his cheek, his blue eyes fiercely locked onto hers. "Why did you do it? It wasn't in the fine print."

Elena looked at him, the fog in her mind clearing just enough to realize that the fake boundaries they had built were completely gone. "Because," she murmured softly, her heart monitor speeding up just a fraction, "I couldn't let him hurt you."