Thirty Three

CHAPTER 33

Golden Hospital, 19:00

After finding Alicia's body lying unconscious on the floor, Nicholas immediately called an ambulance and took her to the emergency center at Golden Hospital. Fresh blood flowed from the seventeen-year-old girl's head on the way and several wounds--as if they were cuts--were visible on several parts of Alicia's arms.

The white-dominated room was a silent witness to the existence of Nicholas who had been sitting waiting for the girl for the past few hours. The doctor had indeed confirmed that she would be fine after the attack. But just in case, Nicholas decided to wait for her until she woke up.

"Nic," Brittany called.

The girl was sitting in a wheelchair with Luke pushing her from behind. Brittany was said to have suffered minor injuries and slight trauma from the incident. Of course her presence there made Nicholas gasp instantly. Meanwhile, Ace was seen trailing behind the two people.

"How are you, Britt?" asked Nicholas.

And the chubby-cheeked girl just smiled slightly. Her brown eyes scanned the three men in turn. "I'm fine, though it feels like death is right in front of my eyes," she said hoarsely. "Thankfully those two managed to hold my body."

"Tsk, I was the first one to bring you that mattress," Luke interjected proudly.

Ace and Nicholas suddenly glared in disgust at Luke. Must he be such a show-off? But Brittany turned her face to Luke and chuckled softly. "Then I'll have lunch with you tomorrow in the cafeteria," she said.

Luke widened his eyes in disbelief, then the corners of his slightly thick lips turned up. "You're not joking, are you?"

"I don't think so," Brittany replied with a meaningful smile.

"So you two are planning a date in front of me?" Ace sighed harshly. "This is disgusting," he finished in a displeased tone.

The only son of the Golden Group CEO immediately moved to a sofa in the corner of the room. Crossing his legs, he looked at Alicia's body--which was unconscious at the moment. Nicholas sat right on the side of the bed and that partially obscured Alicia's face by his large body. Ace then cleared his throat, "Can you move from your place, detective? You can't possibly let me stare at your back like this, can you?"

Nicholas let out a short sigh and got up from the chair. He turned around and paused for a moment, before deciding to sit next to Ace-on the same sofa.

"Hey?!" snapped Ace.

Nicholas turned his head with a flat look. "What?"

The dark-haired man immediately twisted his head and swallowed. "Who told you to sit next to me?!" Nicholas just looked at him coldly. "You're so annoying, you know," Ace continued.

Luke who was asked for help by Brittany immediately helped her approach Ace and Nicholas. Of course, before the war between the two men got worse. Brittany looked at Nicholas and then Ace--who were now staring at each other with displeased eyes--alternately. "I saw the culprit," Brittany said.

Both young men immediately turned their heads. Brittany's topic of conversation had piqued their curiosity. "Ah, I had forgotten about that," Nicholas said regretfully. "Are you feeling better enough to talk about it?"

Brittany nodded. "He sent me a message earlier."

"Message?" Ace leaned forward, while Luke pulled the chair behind him to join the others. "Do you know each other?"

Brittany shook her head. "He made me believe it by texting me using Alicia's number."

"Where's your cell phone?" asked Nicholas.

"I think it fell out when he pushed me out the window." Brittany exhaled heavily. "I felt weird from the start, I should have just gone back to my room and done Mr. Wilson's work."

"You mean he used my cell phone?!" screeched Alicia suddenly.

Alicia's voice - which had been unconscious for a while - suddenly made everyone in the room startle and move. They moved closer to Alicia who casually sat down and removed the IV from her body; it was as if she was not in any pain.

"Alicia, you should rest," Nicholas suggested.

Alicia snorted amusedly and crossed her arms over her chest. "Someone attacked me and almost killed my best friend there," she explained in a high tone. Her eyes looked straight into Nicholas's brown bead. "Then you told me to rest?"

Luke shook his head in disbelief. "Oh, my God. This girl is crazy."

Brittany immediately grabbed Alicia's palm and squeezed it lightly. "I saw her strangle you," she said softly. She then scanned the eyes of the men beside her in turn. "But I think the person who attacked me and attacked Alicia... was a different person."

Alicia frowned. "What do you mean?"

The three men also turned their faces towards Brittany. Watching and waiting curiously for the New York City police chief's daughter's explanation. "I saw a girl standing by that window." Brittany began. "Looking at her from behind like that, she did look like you. Her hair was ash-colored, and her body was thin and tall. If I had to guess, she really did look like you." Brittany then leaned back and looked at Alicia intently. "But the one who attacked you--"

"It was a man," Alicia said.

Brittany gasped. "How do you know?"

"He attacked me from behind. Pulled my body with a metal wire until my back crashed into his body." Alicia explained. "His chest was noticeably more broad and solid, and his shoulders were also wider than a girl's body. I also noticed that his fingers were longer and bigger. I'm pretty sure it was a man."

Nicholas muttered under his breath before turning to Brittany. "Did you see both of their faces, Britt?"

"Yeah, I'm curious too," Ace said. "I'm sure your faces crossed when he pushed you against the window, right?"

"No." Brittany rubbed her chin, seemingly trying to recall the incident from the past few hours. "The girl was wearing a mouth mask while the man who attacked Alicia was wearing a mask and it covered all of his face," she explained.

"Wait a minute," Alicia interrupted. "If the girl was just wearing a mouth cover, did you see her eyes, Britt? Or anything specific from the upper part of her face?"

Brittany frowned. "I don't think so. But in case you're wondering, she had luminous blue eyes, rather thick eyebrows and I think her eye shape was one of the most idealized I've ever seen."

"Asshole!" cursed Ace suddenly.

Of course, the whole room turned to Ace who was now girdling his loins and clucking in annoyance several times.

"Hey, calm down!" Luke lightly tapped the shoulder of Ace who was standing next to him uneasily. "What's wrong with you, buddy?"

Ace raised both eyebrows and shook his head quickly. "Don't you guys realize?!" Everyone in the room just threw confused glances at each other and turned back to Ace with mounting curiosity. Until finally Ace let out a short breath and continued in an annoyed tone,

.

.

.

"Brittany just mentioned the girl's features and did you guys realize," he paused. "That girl wants to look like Alicia!"