Chapter 26
1173words
They were all starving and for the past 2 and a half hours, they'd been waiting on the meal Asher promised but it wasn't forthcoming. Her eyes went to the phone, and she tapped it awake, thinking she might have missed a text from him telling her he couldn't prepare the meal anymore but there was nothing. Was he trying to pay her back for cancelling? He wouldn't go that far, right?
Sighing, she looked at the faces of her hungry teammates. They've been here for at least 5 hours, and they all have been working nonstop piecing ideas together for the project, it would be totally unfair to keep them waiting when they've already waited this long.
"I'm sorry for keeping you all waiting for so long," she said and she could see the anticipation on their faces as they waited for her to finish her sentence, "I'm going to order something for us now. We can wrap up after our dinner." Relief instantly washed over their faces, and their previously tensed shoulders relaxed and slumped.
Shooting a forced smile at them, she picked up her phone and walked away to place the order. She thought of reaching out to Asher to inquire about what happened but instantly decided against it. However, just as she was about to call the order line, the doorbell rang, and her heart skipped a few beats.
"I'll get it!" She said, a bit too excitedly when she heard one of them stand up to go get the door. Her lips immediately thinned and she stared at the floor when she noticed the teasing and questioning looks on their faces at her outburst. "Be right back." She hurried off to the door, and pulled it open just as the person was about to ring the door bell again.
Her brows scrunched up at the unfamiliar face that stood before her, holding bags of food. "Hi.."
"Good day, are you Lily Allard?"
She nodded. "Yes, I am. Is everything okay?"
"Yes ma'am. These were ordered for you" he brought the bags of food to her face and she instantly drew back before she sceptically took them from him, and looked inside. "Please sign here." She did as she was told and with one final nod, the driver walked away.
She stood a little while longer after he drove away, recollecting herself from the disappointment that she was feeling. She thought he was going to cook and deliver it himself.
Her phone chimed with two notifications, snapping her back to reality and she finally walked in to give the food to others. Once she set the food down, and motioned for others to dig in, she stepped aside to check her notifications.
The hairs on her body immediately stood erect when she saw her dad's name. He sent her a text. He never does, unless it's something really important... And whatever was important to him, 90% of the time was detrimental to her.
Her palms suddenly got sweaty as she thought of all the possible things he could be texting her for, and how she'd have to decline if it'll interfere with her work. "It's just text, it's just a text," she chanted, but she knew it wasn't just a text. Swallowing, she finally swiped on the message opening it.
"Your sister is in the hospital, Overview Hospital. Be here in 10 minutes."
" How on earth did she land herself in a freaking hospital?!" She shrieked and immediately went in search of her car keys. "I'll be heading out first, feel free to enjoy your dinner and head home for a needed rest afterwards." She said to the team as she hurriedly packed her bag.
Without waiting for a response, she dashed out of the house and got into her car. Her mind raced with different thoughts as she made her way over there. In exactly 10 minutes, she pulled into the hospital's parking lot. Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself for whatever she was going to encounter in there. Chances are she would get blamed for whatever happened to Charlotte despite not being there or having even know who it prior.
Her composure was however knocked out of her when she walked out and saw one of Asher's car parked in the lot. Her steps slowed down considerably as she checked out the car to confirm if it was truly Asher's. It could be another person's, but it wasn't.
It was Asher's. The license number showed that.
Did they call for him, her husband, before her? Is that why...? She closed her eyes and shook her head. It can't be. The Asher that possibly spent all night fixing Charlotte's mess wouldn't do this. The Asher that set up a date for them wouldn't just leave her hanging without letting her in on what was going on.
She clenched her fists and looked away from the car. It wasn't Asher's. That was what she decided as she walked away, heading into the hospital.
Her father was the first person she saw when she walked in, and the look in his hooded eyes told her all she needed to know. Whatever happened to Charlotte was now her fault, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Why are you coming just now?!" Mr Morgan bellowed the second he set eyes on Lily.
She gulped and made to answer him, he however cut in with another question. "Where were you all the while your sister was in here fighting for her life? Lazing around in the Allard mansion, right?" Lily's hands clenched tightly beside her, and she bit hard on the insides of her cheeks. "Can't you be more sympathetic towards your sister, Lily. You're the reason she left the house in the first place, and now that she's back you are still making things so difficult! Can't you be more hu-"
"I did nothing to..." Her words died down in her mouth, and all the energy to defend herself sapped out of her the second she caught sight of Asher walking out of the room, looking distraught.
It was really his car. He left her hanging. Her own family, called her husband before her. She felt tears pool in her eyes and she dragged her gaze away from Asher to get a good look at her father, and he stared back at her with accusing eyes.
Would there ever come a time where those eyes of his weren't accusing her? A time where he'd finally accept that she was part of his family, and not some outsider?
She bit her trembling lower lip and sniffled, nodding her head. "My regards to Charlotte. I hope she recovers well." She said and walked away despite her father yelling at her to come back.
She had no place there and she wasn't going to act like she did.
