Chapter 33: DISCHARGED
Back in the hospital room where Erika was admitted. Erika’s mother and father were there with her brothers as well. Erika didn’t want to worry anyone about what happened but they somehow found out about it and immediately booked a flight from San Francisco to New York.
Sophie was sobbing uncontrollably like the world was going to end soon and James went to her side to try to console her but it didn’t work.
"Who are the horrible monsters who did this to you?" Sophie asked in between her sobs.
"Don’t worry, Mum. They have already been caught and are in jail right now. Please stop crying already," Erika pleaded cleaning the tears on her mother’s face. She didn’t include the part where the criminals have already confessed to who instructed them to do what they did.
Her mum was a fragile person and might worry even more when she finds out who it was. James looked at his sons but they looked away not meeting his eye contact.
When they went to New York, they promised that they would protect Erika but they failed. They knew they were all in trouble. James found something to be amiss but he would discuss it with them later.
"What do you mean by I shouldn’t worry? Look at yourself, you look pale and have also lost weight." She faced her sons and yelled, "Aren’t you three providing food for your sister? She has lost so much weight", she questioned.
The three brothers didn’t know how to reply to that question. Erika was the foodie among them, but lost weight? Michael gave her a very healthy diet plan since she woke up, so how could she possibly have lost weight? The three brothers cried internally.
"Mum, that is enough. I have not lost weight in fact I feel completely healthy," Erika tried to convince her mother.
"Yes mum, I always make sure the nurse serves her her meal on time and they are extremely nutritious," Michael interrupted to try to save his neck.
"You, shut up!" Sophie yelled at him. Instantly, he closed his mouth shut. Daniel and Felix quietly snickered but a glare from their father stopped them.
"Okay sweetie, I will listen to you," Sophie said caressing Erika’s hair gently. "When will she be discharged?" She asked.
Michael didn’t need to be told to know the question was directed to him, "Well, since her wound has started closing, she can be discharged today," he responded.
"Good", Sophie cheered happily that her daughter won’t be staying in the hospital like a sick person anymore.
James called out his sons to discuss what happened.
"So what really happened?" He asked not buying the story that they told them in the room earlier.
"The criminals have already confessed who asked them to kidnap Erika," Felix replied not beating around the bush.
"Who is it?" he asked.
Daniel looked around the hallway to make sure no one was listening. Felix smacked his head because of his behavior, "This is a private hallway, you idiot. What are you looking for?"
"I was just making sure", poor Daniel rubbed his head where Felix hit him. "Anyway Dad, it was Jasmine. You remember her, right?" Daniel asked James.
"Jasmine Davis?", James asked to be sure.
"Yes, that which. She is the one and that is not all. She asked the leader of the kidnappers to rape Erika and upload the video online", Daniel informed.
"What? Where is she?" James asked with rage already going out of the hallway to reach the elevator. The sons stopped him.
"Dad, don’t stress yourself. She is already in prison", Michael spoke.
"But why would she do that anyway, does she know Erika?" He asked because he was confused.
"Well, she eventually confessed that she saw Erika with Ethan so she was jealous and wanted to ruin her image", Daniel said.
"Is she crazy? Who does she think she is to do that like she owns the world? Wait!.....you said she saw Erika with Ethan?.... how? When?" He asked for more information.
"You see Dad, you are going to have a son-in-law very soon", Michael said with a smile.
Felix smacked Michael’s head this time. "Are you crazy? They are not even official yet and you are already talking about son-in-law?"
From what his sons were talking about in front of him, James could make out what was happening. Ethan loves Erika but Erika doesn’t love him or is afraid to be in another relationship after what happened to the first one.
He knew Ethan well and treated him like a son but wasn’t he expected to marry Jasmine? Perhaps he has changed his mind after what his fiancée did to Erika.
Felix and Michael were still arguing when he got off from his train of thought. "Tell me more about this whole courting thing", James asked.
The three sons explained to James how Ethan had been trying to win Erika over. They also mentioned when Ethan would feed Erika when her body was still weak. They gave so many compliments to Ethan which made James a little suspicious of their action. He would need to talk to Ethan about his intentions face to face.
They went back inside the room and Erika had already changed her clothes and was all ready to leave.
Michael signed the discharge papers and they went back home, to the mansion where their children were staying.
Ethan wasn’t able to join them as he was busy in his office signing some papers. He had a grim expression on his face.
The documents on his desk were so many that they were stacked up tall and they looked heavy as well. Ethan wanted to go through them as quickly as possible so that he could go see Erika. But any stack he finishes, Peter will come in with more documents. Ethan felt like crying.
He wanted to rush the documents but he wouldn’t because it was still business. He didn’t want to make a mistake he would regret lately so he calmed himself down and went through them diligently. A message came in on his phone. He read it and quickly bolted from his headquarters.
