Countdown to "I Do" novel Chapter 4

**Midnight Roads Unseen by George Orwell – Chapter 4**

Ella felt a wave of desperation wash over her. She couldn’t linger here any longer, the weight of the moment pressing down on her like a heavy shroud. Just as she pivoted to leave, the shrill ring of Adrian’s phone sliced through the silence of the ward.

“Ella?”

His voice, once filled with the usual bravado, now softened, laced with concern. “What’s wrong?”

Ella’s voice trembled on the other end, her sobs muffled and distorted, making it difficult for Adrian to decipher her words. Yet, he could sense the fear radiating from her, and in an instant, his demeanor shifted dramatically.

With a fierce determination, he flung off the covers and ripped the IV needle from the back of his hand. Crimson droplets seeped from the wound, but he ignored the sting, driven by an urgent need to be with her. He snatched his jacket and barreled toward the door.

“Adrian!”

Julian’s voice sliced through the air, thick with anger and disbelief. He reached out, grabbing Adrian’s arm with a grip that was both firm and desperate. “What do you think you’re doing? You’re not healed! The doctor specifically said you can’t leave the hospital!”

Adrian shook off Julian’s grasp, his voice cold as ice. “Ella’s terrified of thunder. I need to be there for her.”

Julian’s frustration boiled over. “Are you out of your mind? You’d throw your life away for her? And what about Isabella? She just sacrificed her blood for you! Did you even think to ask about her condition?!”

For a fleeting moment, Adrian hesitated, his resolve wavering, but he didn’t turn back. He didn’t even bother to take his jacket; he simply pushed the door open and stepped out, oblivious to Isabella standing silently just outside.

Isabella watched him walk away, her heart heavy with a mix of emotions. She remained quiet for what felt like an eternity before a soft, bitter laugh escaped her lips.

She should have been accustomed to this by now. The moment Ella shed a tear, Adrian’s entire world crumbled. But for Isabella, it was a different story; he wouldn’t spare her a second glance, even if she were to bleed dry.

Two days later, Adrian returned home.

As he opened the door, the familiar scent of their shared space wrapped around him. Isabella was perched on the sofa, meticulously organizing plane tickets and various documents, her concentration unwavering.

“Isabella.”

He approached her, his tone surprisingly gentle, almost tender. “I heard you donated blood for me? That was reckless of you.”

Isabella, without lifting her gaze, calmly tucked the documents away. “As long as you’re okay,” she replied, her voice steady, but the chill in her words was unmistakable.

Adrian didn’t seem to register her coldness. He settled beside her, taking her hand in his, a gesture that felt both intimate and distant.

“Ella interrupted the proposal last time,” he said, his voice filled with a mix of regret and determination. “I’ve organized a new party to make it up to you.”

Finally, Isabella raised her eyes to meet his, and in that moment, she noticed the pallor of his face, a stark reminder of the blood loss he had endured and his stubborn refusal to stay in the hospital.

“Never mind,” she replied softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

“What if Ella faints again?” she added, a hint of concern slipping through.

“You ruined my company and drove my wife to jump off a building! Now, I’m going to make you lose the one you love the most!”

Adrian stepped out of the car, rain soaking through his suit, yet he seemed impervious to the chill as he advanced, each step calculated and deliberate.

“You’ve got it wrong.”

His voice was frigid, cutting through the chaos. “The person I love most isn’t her.”

The man froze, his grip on the knife faltering as he processed Adrian’s words. “What?”

Adrian’s tone remained icy. “Didn’t you do your homework? The one you’ve kidnapped is my ex. She left me when I was at my weakest, and I harbor nothing but disdain for her.”

Adrian sneered, a bitter smile playing on his lips. “The person I truly love is the one who has stood by me through thick and thin.”

With that, he turned his gaze toward Isabella in the car, his eyes brimming with a depth of emotion she had never witnessed before.

Isabella felt her heart skip a beat, her breath hitching in her throat.

This was the first time Adrian had ever looked at her with such intensity, such love.

But of all the moments for him to realize it, it had to be now.