Chapter 497 - Back Home (1)

The plane ride to Seattle passed in silence.

Hunter, Mia, Quentin, and Brianna slept through the flight. After a stressful night without sleep, they were exhausted. 

Liz didn't want to go to a hospital, but she promised to go when they reach Seattle. That is why they headed straight to the airport from the small hotel where Dr. Snow booked a room.

Liz took painkillers which helped her sleep, but it was a restless one and she would twitch and move.

Max wanted Liz to get a checkup right away, but he understood her need to leave Las Vegas as soon as possible. The previous night was stressful, and Max was amazed at how Liz braved through it all.

On the plane, Max was unable to sleep. He cradled Liz in his arms, and he felt relief that she was back in the touching distance. Every time she grimaced or let out a whimper in her sleep, his heart tightened.

He ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her forehead repeatedly as if to make sure that she is with him and safe and he hoped that she will feel that in her sleep.

Each of Liz's bruises scarred Max's heart and increased the hatred toward Irene. He blamed himself for allowing it to come to this point. He had many regrets and his mind projected numerous scenarios in which Liz would not end up tortured by Irene. If he was more decisive or if he changed one small thing, Irene would not reach the point of slipping through his fingers, disappear, and then resurface four months later and torture Liz.

Max did his best to suppress any thoughts of Irene because she was not going anywhere, and he wanted to focus on Liz. Until she recuperates, nothing else matters.

"Don't do this, Max…", Liz said in a small voice.

Max craned his neck to see Liz better. He thought that she was sleeping. "Do what?"

"Blame yourself."

Max let out a long exhale. How can he not blame himself? It was his responsibility to protect Liz, and she ended up hurt because of him.

Liz looked at Max with eyes full of love. She understood what he was going through.

"No one saw this coming, Max. You can't take all the blame. It's not fair. I should have known that something was off with Dr. Snow, but I brushed it off. I mean… the guy was obsessed with me and there was no way that he would accept calmly that I'm out of his reach. You warned me about him, but I didn't listen believing how that is your jealousy talking. And I knew that Irene is out there, waiting for her chance to get to us, but I still left the hotel. I don't blame you, so don't blame yourself. I need my fiancé to be in good spirits and to cheer me up as my body heals. I may be bruised up, but that's only skin deep. My spirit is as strong as ever and so is my love for you."

Max smiled a little. "You are amazing, you know that?"

"I must be because you would not be with me otherwise."

Max hugged Liz and took a shaky breath.

"For a moment there, I thought I've lost you.", he spoke into her hair.

Liz buried her face in his chest, fisted his shirt, and sniffled. "I was scared that I will not see you again."

Max felt Liz's shoulders shivering and he knew that she was crying. He rocked her gently and whispered that he loves her and that things will be alright.

From the airport, Max and Liz headed to the Franciscan Medical Center while others went home. They wanted to join them, but Liz told them that they should go by their business and that Max will let them know the results as soon as they find out.

Liz was immensely grateful for her girlfriends who came to rescue her. Before parting ways from the airport, they hugged.

"I think you have left Dr. Snow an easy way out.", Mia said.

Liz shook her head. "I know he did bad things, but he took me out of that place and called Max when it counted. If he didn't…", Liz didn't finish voicing that thought. "It's not my place to punish him. I will stay away from him and I hope that he will reflect on his actions. He is smart enough to know that if we called the police, his career and life would be ruined. I am an engaged woman and I want to focus on my fiancé and the bright future ahead of us."

Brianna understood the sentiment of keeping bad things in the past and focusing on the future. But… "What about Irene? Will you give her an easy way out?"

Liz was not sure how to answer this. She turned to Max. "Irene is Max's ghost, and I will let him decide on this."

"Let's not concern ourselves with Irene now.", Max said. "She is not going anywhere, and I want to focus on Liz getting better."

At the hospital, Max and Liz met scrutinizing gazes. Liz said that that she was in an accident but anyone who had any experience with injuries knew that Liz's condition was not due to accident, but due to beating.

While Liz was in radiology, Max thought of their remodeled apartment and he remembered that for the previous night he made arrangements. He called Olivia and asked her to go to their apartment and remove flowers from the bedroom.

"We didn't make it home last night, so please help me clean up before Liz sees it. Pick a few non-withered bouquets and keep them in the living room, and with the rest, you can do whatever you want."

"Can I keep some?", Olivia asked.

"As many as you want."

"Max, how come you didn't come home last night? What happened?", Olivia had to ask. She knew that the romantic setting was Liz's welcome, and they would not abandon it for no reason.

"We had a minor incident. Liz will tell you about it later. She is fine now, but we are at the hospital. I want her to get checked, just in case."

"OK.", Olivia responded. She got the hint that this was not a good time to talk about it. "I'm heading to your place right now, and it should be cleaned within an hour."

"Thanks, Olivia…" 

After the scans and exams were done, Liz and Max were in the VIP room, waiting for the results.

Max saw Liz shaking her head.

"What's wrong, love?", he asked.

"I was just thinking that if Dr. Snow is here, he would be the one checking my x-rays now."

Max sat on the edge of Liz's bed and looked into her eyes. "Don't beat yourself over this."

Liz pressed her lips into a line. "If I was more decisive in drawing the line between me and Dr. Snow, he would not keep on harboring ideas about me."

"And if I was more decisive the moment Irene showed up at the Alpha Group, she would not reach the point where she can hurt us. And even before that, if I was not so ashamed that she played with me seven years ago, my family would know about her and my dad would not hire her. How about that for if-then scenarios?"

Liz smiled sadly, realizing that Max was having similar doubts and regrets as she had, and she decided to stop with hers so that she can support him.

"It's hard for both of us, but let's try to give each other strength by focusing on positives…", Liz said. "I am alive, and we are together, and we will be more careful going forward. I love you, Max."

Max leaned closer and gave her a light kiss on the lips. "I love you, Elizabeth Williams, and I am glad that you are in my life."

"Thank you for rescuing me."

"In a way, I was rescuing myself."

The two of them kissed and professed their love for each other and the time trickled away.

The wait was much longer than usual, and Liz had a good guess of what was going on. She was wondering if an official from the hospital will come to talk to them, or the police.

"May I come in?", chairman Lee peeked in after a quick knock.

Liz saw chairman Lee's concerned gaze and she knew what he was thinking.

"Please, come in."

"Can we talk in private?", chairman Lee asked while glancing at Max, indicating that he should leave.

"There is no need. Max is not the one who hurt me.", Liz went straight to the point.

They've seen many victims of domestic violence and usually, when a partner sticks so close to the victim, he is the one who harmed her and is preventing her from exposing him.

"I was kidnapped, and Max rescued me this morning."

Chairman Lee frowned when he heard Liz's words. "Did the police catch the culprit?"

"Yes. It was a local gang. The incident happened in Las Vegas, on the last day of the symposium. I didn't want to stay there longer than necessary, so I came here for a checkup. I hope you can help me clarify this with other employees without making it a front-page story."

Liz had the story ready how a local gang kidnapped her while asking for five million dollars ransom. It was the truth, but she omitted to mention Dr. Snow and Irene.

Chairman Lee asked a few more questions and he shook his head in disbelief while looking at Liz with a troubled expression. 

"Take the next week off.", Chairman Lee said to Liz, thinking that she will probably want to stay out of the limelight until her bruises heal. "And… congratulations on your engagement."

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