Nathan lowered his eyes and ordered, "Return to the downtown."
The cars started to head back, only leaving some bodyguards at the scene to investigate the accident.
Eric was now on the verge of death; Joyce was dead, and Crystal was still suffering from shock.
There was no other witness at the scene, so Nathan had no way to know about the accident process.
He had been late.
"Crystal, I'm here... I won't let you suffer again…."
Nathan cuddled her and kissed her on the forehead.
Still, Crystal did not react at all. Her nonresponse made Nathan's heart sink to the depths.
"Crystal Smith, look at me!"
Nathan held her chin again, trying to wake her up; Her mental state was worrying.
All of a sudden, Crystal seemed to come to herself. She googled her eyes and stared at Nathan.
"Nathan Davis?"
"Yes, it's me."
"Where am I?" She looked around, finding herself in the car; the car was moving, and it was raining heavily outside.
Nathan grabbed her hands and replied, "You're in my car."
"Where are we heading to?"
"Hospital."
"Why do we go to the hospital?" As she spoke, she supported her head with one hand, rubbing on it, and seemed to have a headache.
Nathan took her hand anxiously, "Does it hurt? Did you hurt your head?..."
Crystal's reaction scared him; she forgot what had happened in the twinkling of an eye!
"Speed up!" He yelled at the driver.
The car they were in and those following them advanced at full speed in the drenching rain.
Nathan quickly checked her head.
There's no wound.
Then he examined her body and found no cuts at all, though there were a lot of bloodstains.
By contrast, Eric was severely injured in the car accident.
Why was Crystal safe and sound while an alert and cautious man like Eric almost died?
Nathan could not figure it out.
"What on earth happened? Did you forget everything?" Nathan probed again.
Blood, the picture of the car crash, and Joyce's ferocious and angry face were filled with Crystal's mind, making her tremble with fear.
The scene where Eric had been protecting her in his arms and his blood flowing out was still vivid before her eyes.
If only she could forget those...
Eric's blood seemed to be dripping drop by drop on her; she stretched her hands and muttered, "Blood...all is Eric's blood..."
Nathan picked up the towel and wiped her hands.
However, Crystal saw more and more blood.
"Eric's blood... all over my hands..."
"Crystal Smith, don't scare me!"
Nathan gazed at her. He wished he could have suffered all these for her.
"Forget it; it's best to forget it."
"I want to forget it, but I can't..." Crystal seized Nathan's shirt and questioned, "tell me, I'm in a nightmare, right?!"
"I see you in my nightmares every night. You're here, so it must be a nightmare. Everything is all a fake...right?"
See me in the nightmares every night?
Nathan knitted his brows.
From the moment of seeing Crystal with blood all over her, his heart ached without a moment's pause.
He patted her on the back gently, consoling, "Yes, you're in a nightmare. Sleep, my dear. When you wake up, everything will be fine. I promise."
Crystal seemed to be exhausted. She leaned against Nathan's chest, slowly closed her eyes.
The storm outside did not stop.
****
At the hospital
When Eric was pushed into the emergency room, Crystal was also sent into a ward.
In the VIP ward, the doctor was examining Crystal.
She turned over Crystal's eyelids, then closed the medical record.
"According to your description, I believe that the accident was so horrible that the patient could not accept the fact, thus resulting in nerve stimulation," the doctor diagnosed.
"Nerve stimulation?" Nathan repeated.
His expression was as cold as frost. A hint of cruelty flickered over his eyes.
He was extremely sensitive to the two words because as long as he heard the words, he would associate them with the old Mrs. Bush.
"Er... I mean, this is temporary, she'll be fine after waking up."
"No more problems?" Nathan asked.
"There's no big problem. Her condition is good."
When the doctor answered, he stole a peek at the bodyguards behind Nathan.
Nathan's momentum was terrifying enough, not to mention with the expressionless bodyguards standing behind him.
The whole hospital was shrouded in gloom and caution.
The doctor hastily added, "She's caught in the rain and is in weak health. I'll put her on a drip with glucose. She will recover soon."
"Are you sure all her organs and viscera are fine?" Nathan pressed.
"As for internal injuries, we need to make further examinations..." the doctor answered timidly.
"Do it now!"
"It's better to wait until the patient wakes up!"
"I said, do it now! And her brain, examine it in detail!" His strong voice startled the doctor.
"Okay, okay, I'll do it!"
A few hours later, the doctor showed Nathan the X-rays and CT images and made a detailed explanation to him.
Only when hearing all Crystal's organs and viscera were as good as new did Nathan finally relax his taut nerves.
He drove the bodyguards and doctors who were crowded in the ward out. The room eventually regained quiet.
Crystal's breath sounded in the ward, even but heavy.
She must be tired out.
Nathan sat by the bed, holding her hands, and fixed his affectionate gaze at her for a long time…
Later, Vic brought the sketchbook over.
"Master Davis, Master Bush is still in surgery," reported Vic.
"How is he?"
"He's alive when being pushed into the emergency room, but whether he could go through it or not depends on himself..."
Nathan's eyes turned cold.
He certainly did not care about Eric's life and death. It's just that what Crystal had reacted before the coma indeed frightened him.
She had freaked out to be mentally disordered...
As Nathan closed his eyes, the scenes of Crystal kneeling to beg him to save Eric leaped before his eyes.
By reminding himself that his jealousy was the prime culprit that pushed Crystal away from him, he managed to suppress the wild envy inside his heart.
He opened the sketchbook, looked over the confession on each page repeatedly; they were the proof of Crystal' love for him.
In their relationship, Nathan was undoubtedly in an inferior position.
He never trusted Crystal's love, so he continuously verified it by all means.
He sneered weirdly.
Even he could not believe that a proud and arrogant man like him turned out to feel inferior in terms of love.
He was like a child afraid of being robbed of his beloved toy, thus wished to hide it and let no one covet it.
"Did I do it wrong?"
Vic did not answer.
"I'm asking you!"
Nathan was getting impatient.
Vic confirmed cautiously, "Young Master, are you talking to me?"
"Who else is in the room in addition to you and me?"
"I thought you were talking with Miss Smith..." Vic murmured with his head lowering.
Then he raised his head and looked at Nathan, added, "Young Master, you're always right. Even if you did wrong, you're right."
That was the creed and consciousness for a loyal servant to his master.
Nathan ridiculed himself, "You're satire me, aren't you?"
"How dare I do that..."
"What does Eric have that makes him better than me?" Nathan grasped the sketchbook and put the question to Vic again.
This question put Vic in an awkward situation....
"In terms of appearance, family background, and talent, Young Master, you're neck and neck with Master Bush. It's difficult to say who's better and who's inferior. You have your personality charm, and he has him, it's not appropriate to make a comparison."
Vic thought his answer was to the point and safe.
However, Nathan seemed not to think so.
"Neck and neck? Difficult to say who's better?" Nathan gave a brittle laugh, "That's to say, I have no advantage, right?"
Vic dared not speak again. At this moment, no matter what he said was wrong.
The only advantage he had was that Crystal loved him, yet, he had ruined it in person.. Furthermore, he wasn't confident whether Crystal still loved him after being cruelly treated by him.