Chapter 125 - 125: It Was My Fault

Elle arrived at the hospital.

She didn't know how to describe her feelings right now but one thing is for sure...she was very afraid!

She was afraid of losing someone once again. It was the same fear she felt 16 years ago.

She saw Bryan sitting in the waiting area outside the operating room. His face was painted with worries and concern.

As soon as he felt Elle's presence, he looked up to met Elle's dark eyes. He stood up right away and walked towards her.

Bryan held her shoulders as he said: "Elle I am sorry, I was not able to protect Erick. It was my fault. Chief...he was shot and his injury was severe."

Elle just stared at Bryan silently devoid of any emotion. She knew what he meant as she saw Bryan's clothes stained with so much blood. It was Erick's blood.

Then someone came out of the operating room. Bryan didn't waste any more time as he ran towards the man wearing a white surgical gown.

"Doctor, how is chief?" He asked him right away.

The doctor shook his head.

"I am sorry. The patient did not make it." The doctor said with a sad tone.

Bryan's eyes widened. He couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"What....what do you mean doc? What did you say again?" Bryan's entire body trembled.

"The patient is dead. You can go inside and see the patient for one last time." The doctor said once again as he patted Bryan's shoulder. Then the doctor walked away together with other nurses.

Meanwhile, Elle was frozen on her spot. She also heard what the doctor just said.

Even she could not believe it. Erick's handsome face popped up in her mind, his sweet smile, his gentle voice, and his breathtaking dark brown eyes.

'NO! This is not true! Erick is not dead. This is just a joke!' she was screaming in her mind. 

Her expression was blank but deep inside she felt a series of different emotions, her mind was in a chaotic state right now.

Her heart was about to break and burst in her chest. She felt suffocated.

Bryan entered and ran towards the operating room. Elle wanted to run away but she needed to confirm it so she took all her remaining strength to follow Bryan.

Bryan was hugging the body which was covered by the white cloth. He was sobbing, no... Bryan was weeping. Tears were just falling in his face.

"Chief forgive me! I failed to protect you! I came late!" He said in between his cries.

"Erick... Buddy wakes up! Please..."

Elle was just watching the scene in front of her. She couldn't cry even if she wanted to.

She tried her best to step forward. She stared at the person whom Bryan was hugging.

'Erick you had just confessed to me... you said you will wait for my answer. Did you just lie to me?'

'You also said that I should wait for you tonight. I am sorry if I did not listen.'

The desolation she felt was consuming her right now. Her mind was swirling in darkness and her heart was wrapped tightly that it almost stopped beating.

Then suddenly there was a fire in her dark eyes. It seemed like her terrified soul was ready to unleash her demon.

She wanted to kill whoever did this to Erick. She wanted to give that person the taste of hell.

Finally, she reached the hospital bed. She raised her trembling hand to remove the cloth covering the body.

Elle's eyes widened the moment she saw the person in front of them. Her grip on the cloth tightened. Her expression darkened.

"Is this really a joke?" Elle couldn't help herself but mumble. Then she turned to Bryan who was still sobbing.

Bryan turned to look at Elle after he heard her. He was confused then he followed Elle's line of sight.

Bryan gasped in surprise. And he stood up right away.

"Oh no! Who is this person Elle?!" Bryan asked her.

Elle shot him a sharp glare.

"I. SHOULD. BE. THE. ONE. ASKING. YOU. THAT!" Elle emphasized her every word.

Bryan was frightened and was rendered speechless.

"Where is Erick?!" She asked him with a stern cold voice.

"I don't...know." Bryan stuttered because of nervousness. Elle really looked so frightening right now.

"Ahuh...I think...we entered the wrong room. No wonder the doctor we met a while ago looks different." Bryan said as he scratched his head while feeling so guilty.

Elle clenched her fists. She was trying to control herself from attacking the idiotic person in front of her using the scalpel which was scattered there.

Then suddenly two persons entered the room crying. Those newcomers were confused when they saw the two unfamiliar faces inside.

The woman who had just entered there was the wife of the deceased person there whom they thought was Erick.

"Who are you?" the woman asked Bryan and Elle.

Elle wanted to punch Bryan because of this embarrassment. They entered the wrong room and had mistaken someone.

It was all because of this idiot Bryan!!!

"Sorry, Ma'am. We heard the news. Condolence for your lost." Bryan said right away. The woman just nodded at him and she continued to hug the body of her deceased husband.

They grabbed that opportunity to leave the room right away. As soon as they were out, Elle hit Bryan in the head. She was really dying to do that.

"Ouch!" Bryan grunted from pain.

Bryan was about to apologize to her when another doctor came out from the other operating room.

This time Bryan recognized the doctor who entered the same operating room with the wounded unconscious Erick.

"Doc how is Erick?" He asked him.

"We managed to remove the bullet in his shoulder. But there is still one bullet buried near his heart." The doctor explained to them.

"Then why are you here? You should be there removing the other bullet!" Elle said with her angry tone.

"Sorry, I just want to tell his guardian that the next operation is critical. Are you one of his guardians?" The doctor calmly said. He understood the guardian's feelings.

He was used to how the guardian react sometimes so he didn't mind Elle's words just a while ago.

"Alright doc...please do your best to save him," Elle asked politely this time.

"I will do my best Ma'am!" Then the doctor went back to the operating room.

Elle and Bryan went back to the waiting area outside the operating room.

"Bryan who did this to Erick? What happened?" Elle asked Bryan.

Bryan was contemplating whether to tell Elle the truth about their mission. Elle was still a civilian and their mission tonight was confidential.

Elle knew what he was thinking. It was a protocol. But she really wanted to know who is the person responsible for this.

"Bryan...please tell me. I promise I won't tell anyone. You can trust me. I know your operation tonight is confidential but I really wanted to know who did this to Erick?" Elle was trying to convince him to talk.

Bryan sighed deeply as he stared at Elle.

"Elle, how do you feel about Erick?" Bryan asked her instead.

"Why are you asking me that?"

Bryan just smiled at her sadly. "Do you know that even at that moment before Chief loses his consciousness he was still thinking of you."

Elle was taken aback when she heard him.

"Elle...your name, that was the first word I heard from him when I ran to him."

"Protect Elle" that what he said to me. He asked me to protect you." Bryan said to her.

Elle looked down. The tears that failed to come out in her eyes a while ago started falling in her face.

She hated herself. All she was thinking today was how she could stay away from Erick while Erick was still thinking to protect her despite facing death.

As much as she tried to hold it in, the emotional pain came out like an uproar from her throat in the form of a silent scream.

"Stupid Jerk!" She mumbled.

Bryan knew Elle was hurting. He knew that Elle truly cares for Erick so he decided to tell her what really happened. Besides he couldn't bear to see a girl shedding tears.

"We are on the mission to catch Black Shadow. He is the only one who knows the whereabouts of Catseye."

"Erick managed to corner him however one of Black Shadow's friends arrived to rescue him."

"When he arrived at the scene, that man immediately shot Erick on his back while he was restraining Black Shadow."

"I was too late to protect him. Saving Erick was my priority at that time so they both escaped. Black Shadow called him Reaper."

Elle stayed silent while listening to Bryan. 

"That's what happened. We brought Erick here because this is the nearest hospital." Bryan said to Elle.

After her long silence, Elle spoke up.

"Bryan, call Erick's parents and inform them about what happened to Erick. I have to go somewhere." Elle said as she stood up.

"Where are you going? You should stay here with me. Erick needs you here." Bryan said as he gave her a confused look.

"I have to prepare something. I forgot to bring Erick's clothes. Don't worry, I will be back before Erick wakes up. I promise. Please update me right away after Erick's operation." Elle gave Bryan an assuring smile.

Bryan just nodded at her.

Elle stared at the close door of the operating room one last time before she walked away.

'Erick please stay alive. Wait for me.'

Elle's murderous expression appeared when she turned around. She was really furious right now.

'It's payback time, Reaper! How dare you touch my man?'