Another Chance To Live

Chapter 17

Anthony sits in the waiting room, hands clasped together, eyes staring straight into nothingness.

Fish stood there hands behind his back and his lips pressed in a straight line as he watched his boss worry.

He knew quite well that he boss was deeply in love with Avery but he had no idea why he was still cruel to her.

His boss had ordered him to watch her since she was in her sophomore year but he never made any moves on her.

As if fate already had everything planned out, Avery got into an arranged marriage with him but he was still cruel to her and it puzzled him.

"Doctor!" Anthony sprang up as he spotted the doctor "is she alright?"

Fish just stood there watching, his boss's legs trembled even as he walked, but those legs were the least of his problem now, in fact his health didn't even matter. All that mattered now was Avery.

"She will be fine but the baby did not survive." Anthony's heart shattered at those words, his eyes dilate "we have to carry out a surgical operation in order to save her, but we need you to sign here before we can........"

Anthony snatched the paper from the doctor and scribbled his signature on it. "Do what ever it takes to save her."

He handed the paper back to the doctor and he scurried away.

Anthony ran both hands through his hair. His jaw clenched. For the first time in his life, he feared loosing someone so much like it would be the end of his world.

***********.

Anthony sat on a chair by the bed side, dark circles had formed under his eyes from lack of sleep. He probably deserved worse. Now, the child was gone and Avery was in a coma.

His trembling hands hovered over Avery's hand before finally placing it over her fingers.

The monitor beeped slowly, the room was cold and sterile. Avery laid still, her chest rising up and down. The perfect image of sleep but with none of it's promise.

"I'm sorry!" Anthony muttered. He hated her for hurting him but he had never thought of loosing her.

The thought of loosing her now sent cold shivers down his spine and his stomach twisted in knots.

"Anthony." Mrs Valerie's voice called softly from behind. "You should go home and get some rest, you haven't slept properly for a week now."

Mrs Valerie had been unusually calm throughout the whole situation. She had wanted to yell at Anthony for not being careful with her knowing she was pregnant but seeing how miserable he looked, she had to be strong. Someone had to be strong to console the other.

"Mom, I can't" Anthony mumbled.

"Please" she placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed lightly. "You need to rest"

"You don't understand mom" Anthony muttered. "She almost died because of me, I'm the cause of this pain she's going through right now"

Mrs Valerie could hear his voice crack at intervals.

"Why couldn't you love her, Anthony? She's a nice person" Mrs Valerie asked. It also puzzled her that Anthony acted so cold to her but here he was depriving himself of sleep and refusing to take his eyes off her.

Anthony was quiet. He didn't know what to respond. Why didn't he love her when he had the chance? She probably didn't know that she had hurt his feelings, she probably didn't know that he had existed before the arranged marriage. But he was there, watching her like a hawk.

"Do you have someone else?" Mrs Valerie broke the silence.

"Tell me Anthony do you have someone else!" She asked again when Anthony was silent.

"No." He mumbled, his eyes staring intently at Avery she was the one and had always been the only one who owned his heart since the day he saw her at that meeting.

She had unknowingly interrupted them in the living room that day as he sat there trying to fix a proper appointment with her father. She had stolen his heart that day but she had no idea.

"Then why did you keep acting like her presence was separating you from who you truly wanted, you treated her like she was trash"

Anthony couldn't utter a word, his mother was right, he had treated her like trash, he treated her like she was worthless.

" She deserves to be happy" mrs Valerie cooed "I'll get the lawyer to find a way to cancel the contract, so she can be free and can find happiness, you truly don't deserve her."

Anthony froze, he opened his mouth to speak but his brain couldn't form any words. She was right, he didn't deserve her. She should be freed from such a monster like him.

He stood up and turned to his mother. "You're right, she deserves to be happy" he held her hands and squeezed them softly before walking out of the room.

Mrs Valerie's heart sank in disappointment. She was expecting him to oppose it, she expected him to plead for her to stay. She was hoping he would try to change and love her. Maybe she had to give up the hope of having a grandchild, Anthony would never change.

Anthony punched the steering wheel a couple times. "s**t!" He yelled.

He couldn't love her. It would be better if he let someone else love her.

He pulled out his phone and called fish. "Let's pay Elliot a visit"