The Woman He Loved

No! Angel screamed as she sat on the bed. Her eyes were wide open, reflecting the horror she had just seen.

Leoric was dozing off on the couch when her scream abruptly awakened him. He rose from his seat and quickly made his way to the bed in just two strides. However, he paused briefly when he saw her eyes filled with fear.

"What happened?" He asked coldly.

"Nothing, it was just a nightmare," she mumbled.

She wondered if it was a nightmare, but the scenes were so vivid that she remembered every detail. The names and faces of the people were clear as if she had watched a movie. One name stood out - Tala. She was the baby the King had saved and also called his angel.

How can she recall the names of people in her dreams? Toren, Zurin, Narida, Lando and Yuri. These were not even the characters' names in any of the books she had read.

Angel, lost in thought, ignored the man standing by her bed.

"Cough ... cough.. cough!"

Angel, still muddle-headed from waking up from a nightmare, heard the cough. She became fully awake when she saw that the person who was standing beside him was her 'devil' husband.

Just as her gaze darted around the small room as if she was looking for someone, the sliding door to the right opened.

After hearing a scream, Doctor Gavin Reeves approached the bed with a concerned look. "Miss, are you alright?" he asked.

Leoric frowned when a man of similar height as him, took Angel's pulse and checked it. The room was narrow, and with the two men, it was difficult to move without bumping each other. 

"Mr. Graystone, can you excuse me? I need to check her temperature and her blood pressure." Doctor Reeves spoke professionally.

Leoric glared at the doctor before stepping back.

"You are getting better, Miss. Other than your temperature being a little lower, your other vitals are already within the normal range," the doctor said casually.

He took a pen light. He pressed his middle finger on her lower lid and pushed it down gently, then he did the swinging-flashlight test. Angel was underwater for a long time, and when he found her, he had the impression that her eyes were wide open as if in a trance.

"What are you doing?" Leoric asked in an irritated tone. He did not know why but felt uncomfortable watching the doctor touch Angel. Was it because men, by nature, are possessive? They did not like other men touching their possessions, even if that thing was of little value.

"I am checking her pupils for any possible damage, as she was in the water for some time," the doctor responded expressionlessly.

The doctor's eyes froze when the flashlight hit Angel's black pupils. He thought he saw Angel's iris turned into amber, or was it gold?

After blinking, he looked again and saw Angel's eyes had turned green. Perhaps it was just an illusion.

"Are you not done yet?" Leoric asked impatiently.

Gavin Reeves adjusted the flow of the IV drip before turning to leave.

Angel panicked. She did not want to be left alone with her 'devil' husband.

"Wait a moment, Doctor. Did you find the other woman? She was wearing a white dress and her name is Tala." Angel spoke fast, afraid that the doctor would leave.

Doctor Reeves stiffened. He looked at Leoric meaningfully.

"Did sea water seep into your brain? Or are you finding an excuse for your ridiculous action of committing suicide? Don't forget your mother is still in the hospital, and your father..." Leoric did not finish his sentence. Angel could sense the threat in his voice.

Doctor Reeves frowned. He sensed that there was something wrong between the two people.

Angel released a deep sigh. She did think of ending her life. She was sure that her parents did not want to see her suffer.

"I did not commit suicide. I was trying to save Tala. She jumped into the water first." Angel retorted.

Doctor Gavin Reeves stared at the young woman sitting on the bed for a long time, pondering something. He only looked away when he felt an oppressive aura from the man behind him.

"I asked around and even checked the manifesto. There is no one from the crew named Tala." Leoric said sarcastically before turning to the doctor, who did not intend to leave the room.

"Doctor Reeves, I want my wife transferred to the stateroom in thirty minutes." He did not wait for the doctor to reply but barged out of the room.

Angel heaved a sigh of relief. She felt like she was treading on eggshells whenever she was around Leoric.

"Who saved me from the water?" Angel asked. She had a vague memory of the strong hand holding her before she lost consciousness.

The doctor did not reply. Angel was a smart woman. She could deduce that the man who saved her was the doctor standing beside her.

"So it is you? Thank you for saving my life, Doctor. I owe you one. But I'd like to know if you did not see another woman with me? I was holding her hands but she just ..." Angel paused. Could she say that the woman just vanished into thin air?

"I had glimpsed the white dress, but she probably drifted downward. I was also losing air, and I needed to get back to the surface. I can only bring you up. Sorry." The doctor was full of melancholy.

"You have been underwater for a long time, and I don't know how you could hold your breath for so long. If I did not bring you up at that time, you will definitely drown. So I am not sure if the white thing I saw was a woman or I was also hallucinating due to lack of air."

Angel's eyelashes fluttered.

"Is it true that no one among the crew has that name? Maybe she is one of the guests?" Angel asked.

"Perhaps it is a nickname of one of the guests. However, I heard that all twenty crew and fifteen guests were accounted for. There is no missing person from the yacht, Miss."

"You can call me, Angel," she said. She wanted to be friends with the doctor. She did not know why, but she felt a certain affinity for the young doctor. "How do I call you?"

"My name is Gavin Reeves. You can call me Gavin in private, but Doctor Reeves while you are still my patient."

Angel smiled and said cheerfully. "Okay, Doctor Reeves."

Gavin Reeves felt a tug in his heart. Her smile reminded him of the woman he loved for a long time.