Exposed to the CEO Behind the Mafia Mask (by Silver Spoon) novel Chapter 212

Chapter 212: Chapter 212 Eyes Open Again

Chapter 212 - Hospital Recovery and Family Peace

Ivy’s POV

I sat motionless beside his hospital bed in the private wing reserved for Thorne family emergencies, my fingers interlaced with Caleb’s still hand. Days had crawled by since the surgeons wheeled him out of that operating room, and the silence was suffocating me. The steady beep of monitors provided the only soundtrack to my vigil, punctuated by hushed conversations from our security detail stationed just outside the ICU.

The family doctor’s words echoed in my mind on repeat. Stable condition. All we can do is wait. But waiting felt like drowning in slow motion while knowing Roman’s network might still have sleeper agents hunting us.

Then I felt it. The slightest pressure against my palm. My heart lurched as I snapped my head up, searching his face desperately. Those steel-blue eyes I’d fallen in love with years ago flickered open, bringing light back into my shattered world.

"Caleb." His name fell from my lips like a prayer answered. "Thank God, you’re awake." My voice cracked with relief as I squeezed his hand. "Don’t move, baby. I need to get the doctor right now."

I forced myself to release his hand and hurried to our private medical team, my legs unsteady beneath me. "He’s awake," I managed to tell Dr. Grant, already turning back toward his room before he could respond.

"I was terrified I might lose you," I whispered, reclaiming my place beside him and grasping his hand like an anchor in this storm of violence that had become our lives.

Dr. Grant appeared moments later, his expression professionally warm despite knowing exactly who his patient was. "Well, our most formidable don has decided to rejoin us," he said with a careful smile before addressing Caleb directly. "You’re in our secure wing because you sustained a gunshot wound during what I’m told was a family dispute. I’m Dr. Grant, and I need to run some tests to assess your condition."

I watched anxiously as the doctor checked Caleb’s reflexes, tested his grip strength, and monitored his vital signs. The medical equipment surrounding us felt like a barrier between my husband and the deadly world we ruled together.

"I’m going to remove the breathing tube now," Dr. Grant explained. "You’ll likely experience some throat discomfort for several days, but that’s completely normal."

Caleb winced as the tube was extracted, his first independent breath in days raspy and labored. Even wounded, his presence commanded the room.

"How are you feeling?" the doctor asked once Caleb had adjusted.

"Like I got hit by enemy fire," Caleb croaked, his voice barely above a whisper. "But grateful to be breathing on my own."

"Understandable. You endured a lengthy surgical procedure to extract the bullet, and you’ve been unconscious for several days," Dr. Grant explained patiently. "Your body needs time to recover from the trauma."

After the doctor left us alone, Caleb’s eyes found mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten. I knew that look. He wanted answers about the syndicate’s status, and he wouldn’t rest until he had them.

"Tell me everything," he said, his voice gaining strength. "What happened after I went down? And what about Roman?"

"You remember me being in that warehouse?" I asked, studying his face for any signs of confusion.

"Fragments. But I distinctly remember seeing you there, and it scared the hell out of me." His jaw clenched despite his weakened state.

"I couldn’t sit at home knowing you were walking into a trap," I said firmly. "I wasn’t going to hide while the man I love faced that bastard alone."

Caleb’s expression shifted between admiration and frustration. "How long have you been camped out here?"

"I’m not neglecting our children, if that’s what you’re worried about," I assured him. "I come here in the mornings, go home for lunch and to care for the babies, then return in the afternoons. Xavier and the boys have been rotating security shifts, though this wing has strict visiting protocols. Actually, Xavier’s planning to stay overnight with you once you’re moved to a regular room."

Caleb tried to shift position and grimaced. "Roman. What happened to that piece of shit?" 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

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