CHAPTER 140: YOU SCARED ME

Before anyone could respond again, the double doors finally swung open.

A doctor in pale blue scrubs stepped out, removing his gloves. Stefan was on his feet instantly, followed by Ethan and Rayna.

"Doctor," Stefan said, his voice strained. "How is she? Ruby and the baby? Are they okay?"

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The doctor raised a calming hand. "She’s stable. Both of them are."

Stefan blinked. "But she was bleeding earlier. Are you sure she and the baby are fine? I don’t want false hopes please. Ruby wouldn’t like it either."

"Yes, we saw that and I understand your concerns," the doctor nodded. "But the blood and her passing out is as a result of shock. The fall and emotional stress triggered some light bleeding, but it wasn’t a miscarriage. The baby’s heartbeat is strong, and Ruby’s vitals are steady too. It took us this long because we needed to be sure before relaying any information to you."

Rayna let out a long breath of relief. Ethan placed a steadying hand on her back.

"However," the doctor added, "we need to keep her from experiencing anything that extreme again. Another shock like that could put the pregnancy and her at serious risk."

They all nodded in understanding. Stefan exhaled in relief, glad that no only was the love of his life okay but their baby was fine too. He’d somehow lost the hope that the baby would he fine and had instead been thinking of ways to console Ruby.

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He couldn’t be happier knowing both baby and mother was fine and very much healthy.

"Can we see her?" Ethan asked before Stefan could seeing as he was lost in thoughts.

"She’s still sleeping. I gave her a mild sedative so she could rest properly. She’ll wake up in a few hours. You can stay here in the meantime."

"Thank you, doctor," Stefan said softly.

As the doctor walked away, Stefan sat back down, leaning forward with his head in his hands. Relief flooded his chest, but the fear hadn’t entirely gone. Rayna sat beside him again, glancing over.

"She’s okay," she whispered.

"For now," Stefan muttered. "But whoever did this... they’re still out there."

Ethan remained standing, his hands in his pockets, eyes fixed on the double doors.

And in that quiet waiting room, the three of them sat in silence again—grateful that Ruby was safe, but knowing that the danger wasn’t over yet.

Stefan decided there and then to quickly convince her and have her return with him to Zeden. Her life was in danger here in Florittle and he couldn’t risk it.

A few hours later, the soft beeping of machines echoed faintly in the hospital room. The scent of antiseptic lingered in the air, clean and sharp. Light filtered gently through the white blinds, casting thin shadows across the bed.

Ruby stirred.

Her eyelids fluttered open slowly, her vision blurry at first. For a moment, she didn’t recognize where she was. Then, the white ceiling came into focus. The steady beep. The quiet hum. And most of all, the dull ache in her lower body reminded her.

The hospital. She was in a hospital but why?

Just then, everything rushed back.

The car... the screeching sound... the way her body refused to move... and Stefan’s arms around her just before everything went dark.

Her fingers twitched and she slowly turned her head to the side. She was a little surprised to see that he was there, next to her bed like it was his.

Sitting right beside her bed, his hand gently holding hers, his eyes red from fatigue but still locked on her face as if he hadn’t looked away once.

"Stefan..." she croaked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Instantly, he straightened, his eyes widening. "Ruby," he breathed, his voice trembling. "You’re awake. Thank God."

Ruby could see the raw relief that passed through him as their eyes met briefly.

She tried to sit up, but he gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "No, don’t move too much. Just rest."

But Ruby gave a small smile. "I’m okay," she whispered. "I think."

Stefan exhaled sharply, relief pouring from his body like a flood. He looked at her, and only then did he realize how scared he’d been even though a part of him had known it probably wasn’t something so serious.

"You scared me," he said, leaning closer. "God, Ruby... I was so scared. I thought...." he let his words trail off when he remembered just how scared he’d been when he saw the way that car had been charging toward Ruby.

She looked at him then, really looked at him—his expression raw, vulnerable. It wasn’t the Stefan Winters she’d grown used to, the one who always had control of everything. No. This was different. He seemed scared and it was visible.

"You thought what?" she asked softly, even though she already knew.

"I was nearby, you know?" Stefan began, his voice tight. "I was following from a distance, content with just catching a glimpse of you. When I saw that the car stopped, I’d wanted to come help but I didn’t know if you’d want that. But then I saw it—that car speeding straight at you. Ruby..." He looked down, his voice catching. "I thought I was going to lose you. I didn’t even think. I just ran from my car. I didn’t even have a second thought. All I could think at that moment was your safety."

Ruby blinked, her throat tightening. She remembered it now—those arms, that warmth, the pressure of the fall. He had saved her. He’d been there right in time. What if he hadn’t been there?

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"I guess I owe you my life now," she whispered. Her hand moved instinctively to her belly. "Our baby’s life too. We both owe you our life now."

Stefan shook his head. "What, no. Don’t say that. You don’t owe me anything."

"But it’s true," she said. "If you hadn’t been there—"

"I was there," he interrupted gently. "And I’ll try to always be there. That is if you’d let me."

After he said that word, silence stretched between them for a few seconds, filled only by the hum of the machines. Then Stefan took a deep breath and said, "Ruby, I need you to know something."

She turned toward him slightly, listening.

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