The Devil's Sweetheart

Nick cursed at himself for slipping his tongue at the last minute. He didnot intend to tell the truth, for he knew Leena would break down instantly. For the past week, Nick had seen how crazed Leena had turned when Devin was not around. Even Kurt witnessed it because he often visited their office to check up on Leena. That's the reason Kurt warned Nick to bring Leena to the hospital without planting a doubt on her mind, but alas, he couldn't keep up with the truth.

''Take me to him.'' Leena quietly whispered, stepping out of the car. She knew Nick wouldn't tell what exactly happened to Devin. She could feel nothing but blind terror when the thought of something that happened to Devin has crossed her mind. Her fear had become a palpable force that snaked over her like a hungry beast, immobilizing her body. Not before Leena's legs touched the ground, her body quivered, and if not Nick's fast reflexes to hold her hand, Leena would have fallen onto the ground.

''Leena, are you okay_.''

''I want to see him. Please take me to him as soon as possible.'' She begged, looking at him with teary eyes. She has to see Devin with her eyes.

Wordlessly, Nick brought her to the Venus hospital's top floor, where Devin was getting the emergency operation. It seems Leena was the last one to get to know about Devin. Almost all her friends and family members were standing outside the Emergency room. As if terror mounted on their hearts, everybody was standing in the corridor in a complete state of panic.

Seeing Leena has come, Wilbur, Evelyn, and Francis rushed towards her. Francis's heart hammered in his chest to see Leena weighing down by dead already. He dared to imagine her state when she knows the truth.

 ''Leena!'' Francis and Evelyn called up.

Leena raised her hand and stopped Francis and Evelyn from taking further steps.

Gripping her hand over her chest, Leena slowly walked towards the operation theatre door. Through the glass doors, she saw Devin lying on the hospital bed with various tubes inserted into his body which she is not aware of. Closing her mouth, she couldn't hold back the heartbreak any longer. Her grief poured out, and she fell on the floor in a messy heap. Her tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. Her heart was wounded and inflicted with pain she can't explain. ''Why is he in the hospital bed?'' She buried her face on to her knees, her body wracked with the onslaught. Her wrenching sobs were so grievous that they tore through everyone's chest.

''Leena!'' Wilbur rushed and hugged his sister. ''Nothing will happen to Devin. Please stay strong.'' Wilbur felt his throat closing up. Two important people in his life are hurt, but he couldn't do anything. He didnot know his sister's love for Devin was so deep that she has turned insane for him.

''W_hat happened to my Devin!'' All Leena could say were stuttering words. Just yesterday night, she had a silly fight with him over a chilly, and today morning, he texted her the moment he landed what went wrong in an hour that he ended up in the hospital. Leena still has no idea where exactly Devin was hurt. ''Please tell me, Will.''

''A bullet was shot into his heart,'' Wilbur hugged her tightly and rubbed her back to soothe her. Axel was the one who has seen Devin fell on the ground at first. Until he closed his eyes, Devin was whispering Leena's name like a hymn.

''He suffered a cardiac compression due to severe bleeding from the heart wound. So he was shifted to the emergency. With the amount of blood loss, Devin was fortunate enough to reach the hospital alive. Currently, doctors are operating on him for an emergency. W_e still don't know if he is _'' Wilbur dreaded to speak the last words when Leena's cold eyes shot at him.

''Nothing will happen to my husband!'' Leena pushed Wilbur away from her. ''Don't speak nonsense.'' Nothing will happen. Leena whispered to herself repeatedly as if she has gone out of her mind.

Francis's throat tightened, watching Leena in agony. It's not even two months since his baby daughter got married, her life is turning into a nightmare.

Just then, the emergency room pushed open, and the team of doctors arrived. Everybody standing on the ground around rushed towards the doctors.

''H_ow is my son?'' Fredrick asked, his voice croaked with each word he uttered. He was the last to hear his son's scream in the call.

With a heavy tone, the doctor started. ''At present, Devin's is blood pressure has reduced to 50 mm, and respirations are 36 to 40 per minute, and we have incubated him. We don't know what kind and size of a bullet lodged because we couldn't find the exit.'' The doctor continued. ''One more thing, we are still not able to clarify whether the bullet is outside or inside the heart sac even after the initial CT scan. We have to discuss this with the hospital directors before we conclude.''

''Also...'' The doctor hesitated, looking at everyone's distressed faces. He doesn't know how the family would take it with the news he is going to break.

''Please tell it, Lucas.'' Taking a deep breath, Evelyn muttered. ''I am also a doctor. You don't need to hide it from me.'' Evelyn understood the weight of the situation now. She only prayed Devin would stay strong and fight for his life.

''I am sorry to say this. But please brace yourselves.'' Lucas breathed in and out before he spoke up. ''We found a lead fragment while internally cleaning Devin's chest wound. Our speculation is, the object must be airgun bullet which is used for hunting birds.'' The doctor's explanation turned the atmosphere frigid all of a sudden.

''A hunting bird bullet!'' Leena sniffed quietly, turning around. Her eyes were bleeding with pain the more she heard the doctor's revelations. Devin would never harm anyone unless they touch his bottom line. Which bastard was so cruel to use an air gun used on animals? How much pain would Devin have suffered when the bullet hit his chest? Her heart was screamed in pain for him.

At the end of the corridor, Kurt silently clenched his fists. The more he listened to the doctors, the more he wanted to bring the person to ruins for hurting his friend. For a second, Kurt kept aside his identity aside, and he vowed to kill whoever the bastard was with his own hands.

''We have closed his heart, unable to locate the bullet,'' Lucas said. ''If the bullet is not removed within 72 hours, the infection will spread, and the survival chance will be less than 10 percent.''

With the doctor's cold-blooded words, the atmosphere around the family members turned ashen. All of a sudden, their concentration shifted to Leena, but the girl was nowhere in sight.

''Leena! Where did she go.'' 

...

Tears streamed down her eyes as Leena touched Devin's face. She squeezed her eyelids shut in hopes her tears would stop, but the pressure only intensified. ''You promised me, idiot. You promised you would come back safe. Open your eyes, Devin. I want to talk to you.'' Her screams reverberated in the room. Listening to her cries, even the nurses welled up.

''Please stay with me. You are all I need. I promise I will not buy dresses anymore. I will listen to your every word.'' Her teardrops continuously rolled down her cheek and befell over his hands. As if her sobs triggered an involuntary pain in his chest, Devin's fingers trembled.

''Leena, let's go.'' Wilbur tried to pull her, but she held Devin so tightly that, surprisingly, his strength was in no match to her.

''Get out of this room. I am talking with my Devin.''

 ''Devin is under anesthesia. He can't listen to anything.'' Wilbur's pleas didnot reach Leena's ears. Turning insane, she was speaking all random things until her body was exhausted. Before Leena collapsed, Wilbur caught her and carried her out of the room.

''Don't leave me, Devin, please... '' Even in her sleep, she was mumbling incoherently.

...

In a vast room, a team of cardio surgeons gathered up discussing Devin's critical wounded surgery.

''A thoracic radiologist may interpret the exact bullet location.'' One of the doctors suggested.

Looking at the x-ray over the computer, Lucas said. ''Doctor Evelyn is one of the best Cardio Surgeons in the city, but we cannot allow her to operate on Devin. We need an expert doctor who can tackle this situation.''

''I have a person in my mind.'' The head doctor suggested.

''Who?'' Lucas asked.

''Doctor Heather.''

''Are you serious, doctor Lynch?'' Lucas flared up. ''Heather didnot practice medicine for two decades. How could you allow_.''

''I trust in her, Lucas. Each surgery she has taken up in the past was a success. You have witnessed it already.''

''It's all in the past. I cannot recommend_.''

''Then do you have a choice, Dr. Lucas?'' A booming voice, followed by a woman, pushed open the door, stepping into the room.. Her aura and confidence echoed in the room, terrifying the doctors.