32. Caleb
CALEB
The car swerved violently out of control, tyres screeching against the road as we spun across the intersection.
The impact came out of nowhere.
Metal slammed into metal with an explosive crash that rattled through my bones.
My seatbelt locked brutally across my chest, jerking me backward while Jiya’s body snapped forward beside me before the restraint yanked her back just as hard.
Even with the seatbelt holding her, the force threw her sideways. Her head struck the window with a sickening crack.
“Jiya!” I shouted.
Instinct took over instantly.
I twisted toward her, my arm bracing across her shoulders as the car spun again.
Adrenaline surged violently through me while the vehicle whipped us from side to side despite the restraints digging painfully into our bodies.
Then, suddenly, everything stopped.
The car jerked to a halt.
Silence rang loudly in my ears.
For a second, I could not breathe.
I could not think.
All I could see was her.
Her eyes were closed.
My breaths came fast and shallow, matching hers.
Panic gripped my chest with crushing force, squeezing the air from my lungs.
The driver twisted around from the front seat, pale and visibly shaking.
“Are you guys okay?”
I barely heard him.
“Yeah,” I managed hoarsely. “You?”
“I’m fine.” His eyes darted toward Jiya. “Ms. Flores?”
I turned back to her immediately.
“Jiya?”
Panic sharpened my voice as I carefully helped her upright, my trembling hands moving over her shoulders and face, checking for injuries.
“Are you okay?”
“Yes… I think so,” she whispered weakly, rotating her shoulder carefully. “My arm hurts a little. You?”
“I’m fine,” I replied quickly, still scanning her frantically from head to toe. “The car hit your side. Are you sure you’re—”
The words died in my throat.
Oh my God.
A thin stream of blood trickled slowly down the right side of her face.
Cold terror slammed into me so brutally that my stomach dropped.
“Jiya—”
Her eyes rolled back.
Before I could catch her, her body went limp.
She collapsed against me.
“Call 911!” I shouted at the driver.
I turned back to her immediately, gripping her shoulders carefully.
“Jiya? Jiya?” My voice cracked despite my effort to stay calm.
I lifted her upright gently, supporting her head against the seat while blood continued to trail down the side of her face.
My ears pounded violently, the sound of my own heartbeat roaring inside my skull. Fear burned through my chest, quickly morphing into rage.
I didn’t want to leave her. Every instinct inside me screamed to stay beside her, to keep holding her, to make sure she opened her eyes again. But the sight of the other car sitting there twisted something vicious inside me.
I shoved the car door open and stepped out, fury surging through me like fire. Every muscle in my body locked tight as I looked toward the other vehicle. Grinding my teeth, I marched across the road, my hands curling into fists.
All I could see was Jiya unconscious and bleeding in my arms.
If this bastard had hurt her any worse than he already had, I honestly didn’t know if I’d be able to stop myself from putting him through the same pain.
The driver toppled out at the same time.
As I reached the car, the smell hit me first.
Alcohol.
The sharp, sour stench filled the air.
My vision blurred as I grabbed the middle-aged man by his collar and yanked him forward with enough force to make him stumble.
“I swear to God,” I growled, my voice low and deadly, “if something happens to her, you’re going to regret this for the rest of your life.”
The words came from a place driven by fear, desperation, and love so fierce it frightened even me.
Because I could not lose her again.
Not when I had only just found her.
Not when there was still so much left unsaid between us.
I was not ready to let her slip away again, not when I had only just started to hope.
Seconds later, I heard the wail of emergency sirens growing louder in the distance.
The sound snapped me back to reality.
I released the man immediately and ran back toward the car.
The sight of her slumped motionless against the seat nearly stopped my heart.
I scooped her carefully into my arms, holding her close against my chest.
Her body felt far too still.
“Stay with me, Jiya,” I whispered urgently, pressing her closer. “Please, baby, stay with me.”
The ambulance doors burst open the moment we arrived at the hospital, and Jiya’s stretcher was rushed through the emergency entrance.
Bright fluorescent lights flashed overhead as doctors and nurses surrounded her immediately.
Her head was wrapped in a temporary bandage, and one arm rested awkwardly against her body.
My pulse thundered violently as I walked beside the stretcher, refusing to let go of her hand. Her fingers felt cold against mine while each breath scraped painfully through my lungs.
“Please be okay,” I murmured under my breath.
The second we entered the emergency room, the staff surrounded her and began assessing her injuries. Someone tried guiding me aside, but I wouldn’t move farther than arm’s reach, needing to feel the rhythm of her pulse beneath my fingers.
A nurse turned toward me, her eyes scanning my face.
“Sir, we need to check you as well,” she said. “You were in the accident too.”
“I’m fine,” I replied sharply, never taking my eyes off Jiya. “Check her first.”
“You could have internal injuries.”
“I said I’m fine.”
The nurse exchanged a quick look with the doctor beside her.
“All right,” the doctor said calmly. “We’ll examine you here.”
I barely acknowledged him.
My attention remained fixed on Jiya as they placed a blood pressure cuff around my arm and shone a light into my eyes. Someone pressed gently along my ribs and shoulders.
“Any dizziness?”
“No.”
“Pain anywhere?”
“No.”
My fingers curled around Jiya’s hand.
The doctor finally nodded.
“You appear to be fine, but we’ll keep an eye on you. If you feel anything unusual, let us know.”
I gave a distracted nod before looking back at Jiya just as another doctor carefully removed the temporary dressing from her head.
The sight of dried blood along her hairline twisted something painfully inside me.
Watching her lie there, unconscious and vulnerable, dragged me somewhere I hadn’t allowed myself to go in years.
The same cold fear crept back in.
The same helplessness.
The same suffocating feeling that I was about to lose her.
It hit me all at once—the memory of her lying in a hospital bed years ago on her birthday, for her heart surgery.
“How is she?” I asked, pulling myself back to the present.
“She’s stable,” the doctor replied while cleaning the wound carefully. “It looks like a concussion and a laceration on her head. We’re going to stitch it now.”
Relief hit me so hard my shoulders nearly sagged.
A concussion.
Thank God.
It could have been worse… so much worse.
The nurses positioned her carefully beneath the surgical light, and I moved closer immediately, reaching for her hand again, wrapping my fingers around hers.
“I’m right here, Jiya,” I whispered near her ear. “You’re safe. I’ve got you, baby.”
She did not respond.
Her eyes remained closed, her breathing steady but slow, and the silence from her frightened me.
As the doctor stitched the wound on her head, I stayed beside her. Every careful movement of the needle made my chest constrict. My thumb moved gently over the back of her hand, tracing slow circles.
I was not leaving her.
Not for a test.
Not for a minute.
Not until I knew she was safe.
Several hours later, I had barely sat down beside her bed after speaking to the doctor again when I saw Jiya’s fingers twitch slightly against the blanket.
I immediately pushed my chair closer, my pulse quickening as her eyes began fluttering open.
“Hey,” I said softly.
I cupped her face gently between my hands, needing her to feel my presence, to know she was safe.
“You’re okay. You’re fine.”
Her breathing quickened instantly, and her eyes darted around the room before locking onto mine. Her fingers curled tightly into the bedsheet as her eyes searched mine for answers.
“What happened?” she asked, reaching up to touch her head.
Her fingers brushed against the bandage wrapped around it, and she glanced down at her hands, noticing the dried traces of blood. She tried to push herself upright and winced immediately, her right arm shifting awkwardly in the sling.
“We were in an accident,” I explained.
I slipped one arm carefully behind her back and helped her sit upright, supporting her weight.
“A drunk man ran a red light and slammed into our car on your side.” I searched her face. “How are you feeling now?”
“I’m all right. Are you okay?”
I sat down beside her and gave her a small, reassuring smile, holding her gaze.
“I’m fine if you’re fine,” I said quietly.
A loose strand of her hair fell across her cheek, and I reached up and gently tucked it behind her ear.
The curtain moved again, and a doctor stepped inside, breaking the silence between us.
“How are you feeling?” asked the young, ginger-haired man.
“I-I’m fine... I’m good,” she replied.
“That’s good,” he said, glancing down at the chart in his hand.
“We had to stitch and bandage the cut on your head. You do have a mild concussion, and we did find some swelling in your right arm, hence the sling.” He looked back at her and continued, “You need to rest and relax for a week. I have prescribed some painkillers and anti-inflammatories that you need to take every day after food. Any questions?”
She shook her head.
“I have filled out your discharge papers, and you will be free to go soon. Take care,” the doctor said before turning and leaving, the curtain falling back into place behind him.
“Did Liam call?” Jiya asked, lowering her gaze toward her feet.
“Yes,” I replied. “I told him what happened, and he said he’ll see you at your house in the evening.”
“Okay.”
My throat tightened as words I had been holding back pressed forward.
“Jiya, I—”
“All right, guys,” the nurse said brightly, stepping into the room and cutting me off mid-sentence. “Looks like the IV solution is done.”
She walked past me and took Jiya’s hand gently, removing the needle before placing a Band-Aid over the spot. Then she smiled warmly at her.
“You’re good to go, my dear. Take care and feel better soon.”
Carefully, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed to steady herself as she stood. Her movements were slow, and I stayed close, ready to catch her if she lost her balance.
I crouched and helped her put on her shoes, fastening the straps gently so she would not have to strain her injured arm. Then I picked up her jacket and draped it carefully around her shoulders, making sure it sat comfortably without disturbing the sling.
“Let’s get you home,” I said softly.
I pulled my phone from my pocket and called for a cab while we slowly walked toward the hospital entrance together.
I stayed close beside Jiya, carefully matching her pace as she protected her injured arm against her body.
By the time we stepped outside, a cab was already pulling up to the curb.
Walking toward it, my cell phone rang.
I glanced at the screen and saw Sophia’s name flashing.
Answering the call, I already knew the conversation would pull me back into the world I had temporarily forgotten.
“Will you be coming back anytime soon?” she asked.
“I might be a little while longer. Is everything alright?”
“Did you forget about the meeting with the Jackson clients? They were sent over by your future in-laws, so you might want to be here for that.”
“Can we postpone it?” I asked, my gaze drifting toward Jiya as she stood beside the waiting cab.
“This is the third time.” She sighed. “They might think we don’t want their business. What’s going on, Caleb?”
I did not want to lie to her, but I also could not tell her the truth.
“Nothing. I’ll be there soon.”
I ended the call and let out a slow breath, the weight of responsibility settling on my chest.
Turning toward Jiya, I began, “I’m really—”
“Don’t worry, I can make my way home,” she said gently, reassuring me with a small smile. “You’ve done more than enough.”
Her words should have eased my conscience, but they didn’t. I wanted to take her home myself and make sure she rested and was okay.
However, I knew that if I did not show up, questions would be asked, questions I was not ready to answer.
“But I want—”
My phone rang again before I could finish.
Tatiana’s name flashed across the screen.
A knot formed in my stomach, and I let the call ring out.
Seconds later, another notification appeared, reminding me about our meeting with the wedding planner that evening.
“I’ll be fine,” Jiya said softly.
She stepped carefully into the cab, keeping her injured arm close to her body. After giving the driver her address, she looked back at me. “Take care of yourself,” she said.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing myself to hold her gaze even though something inside me felt like it was cracking.
“I’ll see you soon.”
The cab door closed with a dull thud, and I stood there on the pavement, watching as the car slowly pulled away, disappearing down the street, taking her with it.
A sick feeling turned in my belly.
What the hell am I doing?
I was engaged to another woman, yet I found myself drawn to Jiya. From the moment she had walked back into my life, I had told myself that I was out to win her trust, get answers, uncover the truth, and then walk away from her life, the same way she had once walked out of mine.
But somewhere along the way, that line had blurred completely.
I was no longer pretending not to care.
Raising my hand, I hailed another cab and climbed inside, giving the driver the address of her office so I could catch the helicopter back to the city.
The wedding date was inching closer, and I needed clarity before things spiralled any further.
I told myself that this would be the final weekend I spent with her.
I would do what needed to be done and walk away before she consumed what little control I had left.
I would never step foot in this city or her village again.
I would delete every picture of her from my phone, burn every photograph I still had, and force myself to let go of every memory tied to her.
She had to get out of my system.
Out of my head…
And out of my heart.