Jasper and Landon rushed to the hospital with urgency.
Upon reaching Lauren's ward, they were met by a group of medical professionals exiting her ward.
"How is Lauren?" Landon's voice quavered with worry as he grabbed hold of the doctor-in-charge.
"Her body's weak," the doctor replied, wiping sweat from his brow with a worried grimace. "The news was a heavy blow. She went into shock earlier, but oxygen stabilized her. It's her mental state that's concerning."
Landon's heart ached as he entered the ward.
A heart-wrenching scream pierced the air. Javier and Rory struggled to restrain Lauren on the bed. Her frail form, adorned with medical tubes, writhed against their hold.
Her eyes, bloodshot and unfocused, darted wildly as panicked shrieks escaped her lips. Her hands flailed, clawing at the air as if trying to ward off unseen demons.
"Ms. Lauren, calm down! Please!" Rory pleaded, his voice laced with a desperate gentleness as he gently restrained her.
"Lauren, don't do this! Don't you scare me!" Javier's face flushed crimson, his voice cracking with a mixture of fear and helplessness.
Landon rushed to the bedside, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He reached out, intending to offer comfort, but only a sharp crack filled the air.
Lauren, in a moment of uncontrollable frenzy, had lashed out. A stinging pain erupted on Landon's cheek, a red handprint blooming against his pale skin.
Jasper and Jordan froze, their initial shock giving way to concern. "Are you alright?" they chorused.
Javier flinched, but his focus remained solely on Lauren's deteriorating state.
"I'm fine," Landon rasped, his voice thick with emotion. Ignoring the throbbing pain on his face, he sat beside Lauren on the bed. With a resolute gentleness, he scooped her trembling form into his arms, his embrace a firm and unwavering anchor in the storm of her despair.
Lauren's voice was hoarse, her face drained of color as she continued to cry out, her lips cracked from the strain.
"Don't worry, Lauren. I'm here. Everything is going to be okay," Landon whispered, his voice trembling with emotion as he tried to comfort her.
He didn't know what else to say.
"A-Angelina..." Tears welled in her eyes as she spoke the name, her voice a fragile child's attempt at communication.
Landon's breath hitched. "Lauren," he said softly, "Angelina's gone, but I believe she's never truly left us. She'll always be a part of us, here in our hearts."
Alyssa received Jasper's call on her way back to Solana City. She quickly slammed her foot down on the accelerator and raced to the hospital.
She hurried into the hospital, visibly distressed.
"Ms. Alyssa!"
A gentle voice called out from behind, causing her to spin around. There, at the bottom of a steep wheelchair ramp leading into the hospital, stood Justin. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his face etched with determination as he attempted to propel himself up the incline.
He looked like he was in a hurry to get to her.
But then, something went wrong. The wheelchair seemed to catch on something, causing it to roll backward uncontrollably.
For a horrifying moment, Justin's eyes widened as he lost control, his chair tilting precariously backward.