Bless The Broken Road

Chapter 6. The boss got sick.

She watched in horror as the fire turned into hell. It would only take a matter of time before she would be swallowed by the raging flames.

Was she ready to die? But there's nothing she can do about it. The inevitable had come for her.

'Ely! Ely! Can you hear me?'

"Ely!"

Ely woke up from a dream again. Somebody was calling her name. But when she opened her eyes, she saw Adeline.

"Mom?"

"Are you alright?" Adeline asked. "I heard your cry from the hallway."

"I was crying?"

True enough, she wasn't only soaked with sweat this time but also her eyes and cheeks were still wet with tears.

"Ely," Adeline held her face and wiped her tears. "I know someday you will remember everything. All I pray for is that you will not get hurt again."

"Thank you, mom. What will I do without you?"

Adeline smiled and pulled her into a hug.

"I'll always take care of you, Elyana."

Since it was the weekend, Adeline invited her to visit the orphanage. But first, they went shopping to buy the kids some presents.

"How are things going with Kristoff?" Adeline asked while they were inside a toy store. She was currently looking at a battery-operated robot.

"I have yet to ask him about you," Ely answered, studying Adeline's reaction while looking at the toy. "But he treats me as a sister. Not in a good way but, I'll get used to it."

"Back when Kristoff was still with me, I cannot even buy him the toy that he wanted. But he never complained. As long as we're together, he was fine with anything that I can afford to buy for him." She pushed back a tear before looking at Ely. "I'm sorry if he had to treat you badly because he hates me."

"Don't worry about it, mom. I'm a big girl. I can handle him. Besides, he acts childish sometimes. I know, that boy who loves you is still inside him."

Adeline just smiled at her. She was hopeful and she appreciated such encouraging words from Elyana.

She put the toy in the cart and pushed where the dolls were.

"I'll get one for Kelly," Ely excitedly picked the most gorgeous doll she saw.

The sweet image of the little girl appeared in her mind. She couldn't wait to see her.

Kelly was the youngest among the over thirty children that the orphanage had. She always wondered how heartless her parents were to abandon such a wonderful kid. They didn't know what they missed.

"I see that you and Kelly have a special connection."

When she looked at Adeline, she was smiling at her like she was pleased that she likes Kelly so much.

"She's a darling," she smiled back. "I actually missed her, mom. I can't wait to see her and pinch her chubby cheeks."

After shopping, they went straight to the orphanage. The happy kids gathered at once to greet them.

Ely played a little with the kids. But after lunch, all her attention was with the four-year-old Kelly.

"Thank you for the doll, mommy." Kelly kissed her cheeks several times, her little arms were around her neck.

The first time she met Kelly, the then two years old girl, ran to her and called her mommy. She felt awkward at first but later on, she was feeling the warmth inside her heart whenever she calls her mommy.

If in the future she would get the chance to adopt her, she would do it in a heartbeat.

"I'm glad you like it," it was her turn to rain her with kisses.

"I don't like it, mommy. I love it!"

She giggled. Kelly let her go and ran to get her other dolls that mostly were gifts from her.

"Mommy, let's play dolls!" Kelly called her.

"Okay, Kelly."

*

The next Monday, Ely arrived early in the office. But to her surprise, the boss was already in. No, in fact, it seemed that he spent the night there.

Which, according to Zack, really happens whenever the boss has so much work to do. Inside the lounge, was Kristoff's private space. There was a bed where he could sleep and a rather huge bathroom with a jacuzzi for him to relax.

"Good morning, Mr. Hansen," Ely entered his office intending to tidy first before he arrives, but instead, she saw the boss and it was too late to withdraw. Kristoff already saw her.

"Get me my coffee, Ms. Green," he said, his voice a little hoarse.

"Yes, Mr. Hansen."

When she came back with the coffee, she noticed that Kristoff didn't look fine. Yes, he was his usual handsome self, but Ely thought that something's off.

She carefully placed his coffee on his table and without a word, made a beeline to the door. She wouldn't dare ask if he was okay. He might find it an intrusion and she might end up getting scolded by him.

She'll just go back later to tell him his schedules for the day. And if by then, he still isn't looking fine, she'll have to pass him a pill.

The other secretaries came one by one and became busy at once. Ely reviewed the CEO's schedules for the day before entering his office at exactly eight in the morning.

Kristoff was leaning back on his chair and his eyes were closed. He looked tired. Ely had second thoughts about whether to interrupt his rest or not. Favoring the latter, she was about to leave when Kristoff called her name.

"Ms. Green, what's in my schedule today?" he asked but not changing his position.

Elyana walked closer and opened her tab to discuss the schedule of the CEO.

"You have a lunch meeting today with the Director of ZK Enterprises. At three in the afternoon, Ms. Sofia will come to the office to discuss with you the latest development of the project in the North. That's all, Sir," she finished and contemplated if she would say her next words. It was just that he seemed to look paler by the minute. "If you like to reschedule, I can do changes while it's early."

Ely braced herself for any violent reaction from Kristoff. But he was calm when he answered her.

"No, don't reschedule. Have Zack meet the Director on my behalf. About Sofia, ask Paul to meet her instead," as he said his instructions, his eyes remained close.

"Paul is occupied. Would you like to assign another secretary? How about Steve? Or me, I have nothing else to do."

"What is Paul busy about?" Kristoff sounded irritated.

"He's having a video conference with Mr. Leith. You told him to monitor the New York project, Sir," she explained.

"Cancel the meeting then. Steve is new. He's still in training. And I need you to drive me home," Kristoff opened his eyes but they were puffy. He closed the laptop in front of him. "We're leaving in ten minutes," he dismissed her as he leaned back on his chair again.

Elyana did not want to say no to Kristoff. He seemed really unwell and he was still her boss so she got to obey even he just asked her to be his driver.

Exciting his office, Elyana asked Zack for their boss's address.

"He's not well, right?" Zack asked.

"Yeah, he looks like he's got a flu," she answered while turning off her unit.

"That's because he'd been staying here since Friday night, he overworked himself again," Zack shook his head. "Take care of him, Elyana."

"I will," she smiled as a reply.

She was genuinely concerned about Kristoff. Besides, in his eyes and Zack's, she was the sister and she ought to take good care of her older brother.

Kristoff was really sick but he managed to go down without Elyana needing to assist him. But once he got into his car, he slept at once.

Elyana looked at the man with a tender gaze.

'I could not imagine how you managed to handle every situation like this in the past without your mom,' she thought before starting the car.

'I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive her. Your mother did not stop loving you, Kristoff.'

'I pray that I'll be able to help the two of you to be together again.'

When they reached his house, Elyana was in awe. It was far different from the huge house of Adeline though that was big already. Kristoff's house was a mansion.

Pulling over in front of the house entrance, Kristoff's butler helped her bring the boss inside.

With the help of another house employee, Kristoff was safely brought to his room. When Elyana was sure that he's okay and that the butler would take it from there, she decided to leave.

But as she said her goodbye to the butler, Kristoff who they thought was lying asleep suddenly spoke.

"No, John," he told the middle-aged butler. "Let my sister take care of me," he added but not even opening his eyes.

"What?" she couldn't believe him. First, he made her a driver, and now, he wanted her to take care of him. Given that he looked really sick, but wasn't he too much? He's got his butler and the other house helps.

"What?" John also asked, but it was not because the boss wanted her to take care of him. But because Kristoff said that the lady was his sister.

John was with the Hansens since he was young. Their family had served them for decades and no inside story about the Hansens has ever passed without his knowledge.

For instance, he knew how badly Kristoff's mother was treated back then. John's heart also bled out when Chris, Kristoff's father committed suicide and he was the first to discover him.

He was also very happy when the little Kristoff arrived at the mansion nine years later. But not once did John believe that Adeline sold his son. He knew the simple woman that Chris married. She was never after the money of the Hansens.

But Christopher Hansen pushed his own son to his death when he drove away the woman he loved most.

He had watched Kristoff grew up, from the lonely little boy, to the rebel teenager to this matured man in front of him.

When did he ever have a sister when it was just him and his grandfather all this time?

Unless... John looked closely at Elyana. But the beautiful lady had no resemblance whatsoever to Adeline. Or did she inherit her looks from her father? Did Adeline remarry after Chris died?

"With all due respect, Sir, I need to go back to the office," Ely said. "John here said he would take care of you."

"Are you afraid of your brother, Elyana?" he smirked even when he could barely move. "I'm your boss, Ms. Green. Do as I say."

Elyana held her temper by counting down from ten. When she thought she was calm, she looked at John and smiled.

"Please, show me what to do," she told the confused butler.

Maybe he was surprised to know that Kristoff had a sister?

"Of course," John snapped himself back to reality and smiled politely at her. "Please, follow me, madame."

"Oh, call me Ely," she replied as they leave Kristoff's huge bedroom.

'Ely,' Kristoff wasn't sure if he heard someone said Ely or he was already hallucinating as he already feels hot all over his body.

But just like that, his memory brought him back to seventeen years ago when he was just twelve.

Back to that time when his happiness had a name. And her name was Ely. A beautiful eight-year-old girl he met by the seaside.

He could still remember her sweet smile and her innocent big eyes... Those eyes, those pair of eyes that were not unique. Because just five years ago, she saw someone with the same pair of eyes.

But she was not his Ely. She was someone he wished never happened.

Kristoff suddenly felt cold. He was shaking.

"Sir, you have to drink your medicine," he heard Elyana's soft voice. "This would help to lower your temperature."

And for some reason, he thought her voice was soothing.

Elyana helped Kristoff to sit so he could drink the medicine. He has a fever. And his skin felt too hot to the touch. He was sweating, and honestly, Ely knew she had to change his clothes.

But could she do that?

When Kristoff was done with the medicine, he immediately returned to his original position and dozed off.

She knew he was really asleep this time because his breathing was even.

"Sir Kristoff," she gently poked his arm to test if he was really sleeping. "I have to change your clothes, okay?"

Elyana reached to unbutton his polo. But she barely managed to finish a button before she decided that she could not do it. Her hands were trembling as she pulled her hand away from his body.

"John can do it," she told herself.

She was about to leave when Kristoff pulled her arm. As a result, she fell on top of her boss.