The Kiss that Sparked it All

Clutching her head in agony, Victoria slumped to the floor.

Balfour stepped forward and took hold of her. It’s all over now. All the kidnappers have been caught.” NôvelDrama.Org holds text © rights.

“Is it really over? But how can my life ever go back to what it was before?”

Victoria forced a wan smile, but Balfour remained silent.

Gently pushing him away, Victoria said, “You better keep your distance from me, just like Mara said, I’m bad luck, and anyone who gets too close to me ends up getting hurt.”

Balfour grasped her arm and said, “Calm down, your sister was just lashing out. You don’t actually believe that stuff, do you? She was just speaking out of anger. You can’t take it to heart.”

Victoria seemed dazed, unsure if she was even processing Balfour’s words.

Alyssa couldn’t stand by any longer and pulled the two of them up. “Balfour, she’s not in a state to listen right now. Let’s go home and find her a therapist. A professional might get through to her better than your words right now.”

Balfour’s frown deepened, but ultimately he nodded.

Though it seemed the ordeal was over, as she watched the distant look in Victoria’s eyes and Balfour’s concerned glances back at Victoria, Alyssa sighed heavily, suspecting there was more to come.

Both youngsters were taken straight to the hospital. Despite appearing unharmed, being in the clutches of those criminals meant they certainly hadn’t had an easy time.

Captain Aidan, on the other hand, was beside himself with excitement. The operation gone incredibly smoothly. They had anticipated a tough fight with Jaxon, the ringleade but things had fallen into place almost magically! Though Elton had sustained serious injuries, the outcome was much better than they had feared.

They had braced for the possibility that all three of them might be hurt, but it seemed Victoria and Balfour were relatively okay on the surface. They sincerely hoped Elton would be unscathed; after all, he was the pillar of the family.

At the hospital, it became clear that both Balfour and Victoria showed signs of being physically assaulted. Victoria’s injuries were minor compared to her psychological trauma.

“Grandma, I’m not going home tonight; I’ll stay with my friend,” Balfour said, concerned about Victoria being treated indifferently by the doctors. His grandparents, of course, agreed.

“Just make sure you take care of yourself too. The doctor just gave you a shot for the inflammation. If you start to run a fever in the night, call for help immediately, understand?”

Balfour nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of myself.”.

He had bruises on his chest from the beating, which had become inflamed, hence the shot from the doctor. If he didn’t develop a fever overnight, he should be fine.

He was young and resilient, and everyone expected a quick recovery, not making too much of the situation.

His grandparents had considered taking Victoria home with them, but since their grandson had offered to stay, they let him be.

After all, the hospital was part of their family’s holdings, so there was no concern about him lacking care if he fell ill during the night.

Victoria’s father had acted as bait to draw the kidnappers’ attention and save the two kids. Without his sacrifice, the kids might not have made it. Dean and Alyssa were well aware of this; they were not ungrateful people.

Elton’s condition was also being closely monitored, with top-notch doctors attending to him, and even a leading surgeon flown in from a neighboring city, all to ensure the best possible care.

After a long, harrowing day, the elderly couple didn’t linger and went home to rest.