Forced by fate – Destined to be his Wife

TangShi blinked open her eyes, her head throbbing from the impact, her eyes blurry as they rolled around inside her skull and she slowly came to. Aware of her body being heavy and still, warm and somehow relaxed, as nausea swirled and her head thumped so painfully she couldn’t move properly.

“Linlin?” She mumbled with effort, woozy and disorientated and reaching out to feel out her friend beside her. “Are you okay?” Knowing the crash would have hurt her too. Only she found she wasn’t sitting forward at all but lying down and flat on her back and there was a hum of noise gently pulsating around her while her hand paused in midair finding nothing close. Confusion rising as she turned her head and forced her eyes open properly.

“It’s okay Miss. Lei. It’s okay. Just relax and stay still while we finish tending to you.” A sweet female voice drifted, gently washing over her, and was accompanied by a warm soft palm on the back of her hand that helped ease her arm down and laid it on the soft platform beside her body. Bringing TangShi to the present and aware she was staring at a ceiling with a large fan, and the beep, beep, of machines was close by.

“What’s happening?” TangShi could barely talk properly, her voice was slurred, and raspy. Her throat burning and any attempt at moving made her vision swim. Confused at how she got here.

“You’re in Parkway Health Medical Centre. You were in a car Accident and brought here as we’re the closest to where you were. Your guardian is on the way. Don’t be alarmed, you are completely fine.” The sweet and gentle tone soothed her panic but TangShi couldn’t relax. Tensing her body to move but gentle pressure kept putting her back where she was.

“What? We……. Linlin? Where is she? Rong Cai…. the man who was…..”

“Shhh, now. You had a nasty knock to the head and have a moderate concussion. The MRI showed nothing serious though and a few days rest will see you right. The woman you came in with is in another treatment room. She’s fine too. A little banged up and being treated for minor toxins in her system and a mild concussion.” The nurse continued tending to TangShi’s superficial wounds on her body, wiping away dirt and debris to fully inspect each one and finding nothing too deep. TangShi was coming out of a state of numb and starting to be aware of her surroundings through her hazy fog as her senses re-engaged.

“How did my guardian know to come….. I have no phone. I couldn’t call them.” TangShi blinked with pain, making little sense, her eyes adjusting to the whiteness of the room slowly and it made her eyes water. Her brain slow to process as though she’d been asleep for days.

“You were recognized by the paramedic who brought you in. You’re a famous face in Shanghai, Miss. Lei. And your fiancée is very well known. Other than that we would have had no clue as you have no ID or phone and the car was unregistered. The cell you had with you was a throwaway.”

“Phone….. Car? We crashed! …. His phone, he was chasing us…. Did a man come here too?” TangShi’s fear rose up in her throat, her body tensing as she gripped the sheet below her hands, remembering his vacant eyes and the wild expression as he pursued them. Instant terror rising as she strained to sit up but the nurse was quick to hold her down once more.

“Only two of you were brought here. I heard there were two male drivers at the scene but neither have arrived here. They may have been taken to another hospital. I don’t know anything but the police are in the relatives room waiting for you to be able to talk.”All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.

“I’m pregnant? What about the baby?” TangShi was slowly recovering her memories as all her woes and worries slowly came seeping through as though she was filtering them one by one. Remembering the impact, and not sure if she hurt her body or just her head. Remembering the confessions, the chase, the fear. Mild panic stirring her up once more.

“We were informed by your guardian you were. The doctor did an ultrasound while you were still unconscious and the baby is fine. Everything looks healthy and normal and you sustained no abdominal issues. We just need to keep you calm. You were out for quite a while and have a pretty substantial bump on your head. You’ll have to stay to be monitored.”

TangShi exhaled with relief, sliding her hand to her belly and covering it instinctively, filled with warmth. A tear rolling down her cheek with utter relief and a sudden intense ball of emotion growing inside of her. The urge to sob even though she was happy and the memory of Rong admitting he never touched her came slicing through it all. Making her think of how YuZhi would react when she told him and suddenly she felt like she needed to do it right now.

“My guardian, when will he get here?” TangShi was confused about how long she had been here or how far away from home they were. She had no idea where Rong took them at all.

“They said he was on route about ten minutes after you got here.” The nurse applied some band aids to minor cuts she had cleaned and took TangShi’s hand. Feeling for the girl, who was pale and trembling and had been through an awful ordeal.

TangShi’s tears let loose. Knowing YuZhi was coming and she was okay, the baby was okay, and everyone she cared about was here, or coming. It’s like a dam opened up and she began to tremble as drips ran down her cheeks and soaked the pillows under her head. Her body jerking with the sniffs and gasps as she cried it out. Relief, shock, gratitude, for waking up safe. Her nightmare ordeal hadn’t been a dream and so much pent-up mess was now flowing out with need for a release.

“TangShi? TangShi? Where is she? Where’s my girlfriend? I’m YuZhi Leng, I talked to you on the phone.” A husky strained male voice came echoing her way from the corridor. The sense of urgency and familiarity making her turn her head at his panicked tone and she could almost taste his hysteria in trying to find her.

“YuZhi? I’m here.” She called out to him, straining an already raw throat as the suited figure of her handsome man came sliding in the open doorway with fumbling steps. Rushing and looking ruffled and distraught. His tie was loose, his jacket open, hair disheveled and his normally pulled together façade was rumpled and wrinkled as was his shirt. He looked like hell.

“Oh my god. I’m here, baby. I’m here. Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He flew to her side, cupping her hand in his and bent down smothering her face as he tried a hug in an awkward position and somehow squashed her nose against his chest and yet still managed to get his arms under her and squeeze her. YuZhi’s emotions on full display as he sniffed back the worried tears he had been keeping at bay. His body trembling with both adrenaline and fear at not knowing how hurt she was or what had happened until he got here.

Feeling like he was going crazy driving here to get to her after the cops called him and said they found them. YuZhi broke down, covering her fragile tiny body with his and pushed his face against her cheek as he cried too. Never in his life had he been so scared or overwhelmed and he couldn’t contain his relief at finding her alive. He had almost knocked the policeman over downstairs as they tried to give an update in his haste to find her.

YuZhi and ZhengLi had found Linlin’s car abandoned by the café they must have eaten at not long after leaving MinXo Corp. The boot open, a flat tire, and TangShi’s cell phone lying beside it with a cracked screen. No one had seen anything and the complete disappearance of the women had pushed them to file a police report in urgency, afraid something had been done to them both. They managed to track Linlin’s cellphone just as a call came in that the women had been found and hightailed it here like maniacs.