25. Shocking by Samuel Hamilton

The door to the hospital room opened again. This time, a tall, well-dressed man stepped in, his presence immediately commanding attention. His eyes softened as he saw Emma, but before he could say anything, Shirley's protective instincts kicked in.

"Who are you?" Shirley demanded, her voice sharp as she stepped in front of Emma. "You can't just barge into someone else's hospital room like this!"

Emma quickly intervened, recognizing the man immediately. "Shirley, it's okay," she said, her tone gentle but firm. "This is my brother, Samuel Hamilton." There was a brief pause, and then Emma added, almost as an afterthought, "Or at least... he used to be."**

Samuel's expression faltered, a pained look flashing across his face at Emma's words. He had expected hostility, but hearing the cold detachment in her voice cut deeper than he anticipated. He stood there, momentarily at a loss for words, before he finally managed to speak.

"Emma," Samuel began, his voice thick with emotion. "I'm so sorry. We... I misunderstood you all these years. I didn't know the full story, and I let my pride blind me. If I could go back, I would—"

But Emma cut him off, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She laughed bitterly, the sound filled with years of pain and betrayal. "And what good does that do now, Samuel?" she asked, her voice trembling as she tried to keep her composure. "You say you're sorry, but where were you when I needed you the most? When everyone turned their backs on me? Now you show up, out of the blue, expecting what? Forgiveness? Understanding?"

Before Samuel could respond, his assistant, a young woman who had accompanied him, stepped forward, her expression indignant. "Mr. Hamilton has already apologized," she snapped, her tone condescending. "You should be grateful he's even here! Do you have any idea how many people would—"

The room fell silent as the sound of a slap echoed through the air. Samuel had struck his assistant, the force of the blow sending her stumbling to the ground. Everyone in the room stared in stunned silence, including the assistant, who looked up at Samuel with wide, disbelieving eyes.

Samuel's face was cold, his usually calm demeanor replaced by a fierce protectiveness that took everyone by surprise. "How dare you speak to my sister like that," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "When I'm talking to my sister, you do not interrupt. And you certainly do not insult her. She may not be my sister by blood anymore, but she is still my family. Understand this—disrespect her again, and I won't be as forgiving next time. Consider yourself warned."

The assistant, now trembling with fear, nodded quickly, too terrified to speak. She remained on the floor, not daring to move as Samuel turned his attention back to Emma.

"Emma," Samuel said, his voice softening as he looked at her. "I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, and I won't ask for it. But I'm here now, and I'm not leaving until I make things right between us. You can hate me, yell at me, or ignore me, but I'm not going anywhere."

Emma stared at Samuel, her emotions in turmoil. She had spent so many years resenting him, resenting all of them for abandoning her, and now here he was, trying to make amends. Part of her wanted to push him away, to tell him it was too late. But another part of her, the part that had once loved her brothers dearly, wanted to believe that maybe, just maybe, things could be different.

She took a deep breath, her gaze softening ever so slightly. "I don't know if things can ever be the same, Samuel," she admitted quietly. "But... maybe we can try."

Samuel's expression brightened with a glimmer of hope, and for the first time in years, a genuine smile touched his lips. "That's all I ask, Emma," he said. "Just a chance to try."

Shirley, who had been watching the exchange in stunned silence, finally found her voice. "Emma... if you want me to leave, I can... I didn't mean to intrude," she said, her voice hesitant.

Emma shook her head, reaching out to take Shirley's hand. "No, Shirley. You're family too, and I need you here with me. Whatever happens, I'm glad you're here."

Shirley squeezed Emma's hand, her eyes filling with tears again, but this time, they were tears of relief. "I'm not going anywhere, Emma," she promised. "We'll get through this together."

As the tension in the room slowly dissipated, there was an unspoken understanding between the three of them—a fragile, tentative hope that maybe, despite everything, they could find a way to heal the wounds of the past and build something new.