CATHERINE SPICE

Fourteen

Nesta stared at the man before her, covered in pipes and cables that were plugged into various machines. The last time she had seen anyone in a state like that she had been the one to put them there. She hardly got ill, every hospital visit she had made in the past five years was to finish off a job someone else couldn't. Standing there, seeing him in a coma she pitied him for Damian's sake and struggled to fight the urge to pull the plugs just inches away from her.

"the shock from the impact was too much for his system so we had to induce a coma. He has a fracture in his left arm", explained the nurse, " he is stable for now but we keep him here in the ICU for the next eighteen hours before moving him to the VIP ward." "Thank you sister," Damian replied and returned to Nesta's side. "Are you sure you want to be here?" he hesitated. Nesta swallowed hard and nodded gently placing her hand on his forearm. She was sweating, trying to overcome the killer instinct that the sight evoked in her.

She wanted to speak, to comfort and console him but she choked on the words before she could even open her mouth. "fucking Boulevard" he murmured. "Boulevard?" she echoed. The name sounded so familiar to her, perhaps it was attached to some memory that she was yet to recall. Damian sighed and ran his fingers through his head in frustration. I'm sorry Nes, I promise I'll explain everything later", he sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders, " since we are here why don't you get checked out too and get some rest till I have things sorted out? I can't send you home yet, I need you within my proximity"

His eyes were tear-stung and his voice almost trembling. He was trying to be as calm as he could. He was never that close with his brother but seeing him in that state must have hurt him more than she could imagine. Nesta obediently nodded and left the room. One of the nurses led her to the VIP ward where she would be resting. She could finally breathe now that she was away from Alessandro. The smell of peracetic acid and hypochlorite made her feel uneasy. Alessandro was his moody self when she lasts him at Lynn's place. " Boulevard" she muttered. It had been two hours since Damian and she arrived at the hospital and she still had not heard from him yet. 'Come on Nes, think, you know this name. Think Nes, think.'

Something big obviously happened but what? From what she saw he wasn't burnt so it wasn't a bombing but he couldn't have been in a crash as well. Nesta knew this from having put several people in the ICU multiple times. The nurse made it sound like he was in a crash but the bruises around his chest suggested otherwise. She suspected it was a direct attack but from who? She had no idea whom the Castillos' were in business with and who their enemies were. No one she had interacted with so far stood to gain anything from hurting Sandro.

"delivery for Mrs Castillo," said a familiar voice from the doorway, snapping her out of Nesta's thoughts. He was in a blue and white delivery uniform and had covered his face with a cap. Nesta's eyes widened when he closed the door behind him and ran to place his fruit basket on Nesta's bedside table. "Why are you here, are you stupid!? What if someone saw you!?" she hissed. Biggie chuckled and removed his cap letting his sweaty hair loose.

His eyes shone with excitement. "nobody saw me" he stuck his tongue out, " you always think so little of me you're not the only one who..." She cut him off by jumping off her bed and clinging to him. " I've missed you. I'm so sorry for the other night" she cried. "dang sis, you've lost so much weight. You used to be a mini elephant." He teased earning him a smack on the head. "Oh before I forget," he began and dug through the pocket of his jeans, "the chief said to give this to you"

The small white envelope was now creased up with faint oily fingerprint stains here and there. 'Typical Biggie' she thought and accepted the parcel." I wish I could stay but I don't want to risk blowing your cover" his voice laced with disappointment. Nesta hugged him once more. " it's okay, I'm glad you came to see me and that you doing so well on your own, oh look how you've grown!" She cooed. He wiggled free from her grip and rubbed his cheeks dramatically. " I'm never visiting you in a hospital again" he scoffed playfully, "bye gorilla" . "gorilla!?" Nesta gasped reaching for a pillow and threatening him with it. His playful jog was brought to halt at the sight of a tall fit and serious brunette.

Her peacock-shaped eyes seemed to glare into his soul. They almost sent shivers down his spine. She side-eyed him and walked over to Nesta who was frozen still by her bed. "A friend of yours?" Said the woman in a judgmental tone." More than just a friend", Nesta managed to reply. She was trembling. She didn't want to show it but the woman before was anything but amused. Nesta had always feared her growing up and yet a small part of her still worried about her from time to time. "Good to see you're okay, Evander" ."I'm not happy with the security you're being given, I'll talk to Castillo for you" commented Evander. Placing her Prada bag on the hospital bed and gesturing to her guards to leave the room. No sooner did the guards close the door did Evander move closer to cup her little sister's face. " I'm so glad you are alright, father is so worried about you"

Father, that's right. She wasn't an orphan. That was the identity she was given by Peter cause he couldn't trace her family. She had a family, some of which she wished she never remembered. She hated her sister's behaviour but, to some extent, she understood her. Evander was meant to be the perfect child, the one who would keep the family together and the legacy going even if something were to happen to her parents. She was forced to take all sorts of business-related courses and classes she even found herself in a marriage she never wanted all for the family's sake. She pitied her, she loved her so much she pitied her. Nesta knew Evander did the things she did not cause she wanted to but cause she had to but she hated her for never trying to cut her puppet strings off. "How are you doing?" Nesta asked gently. Neither of them wanted to speak about the harbour. None of them would bring it up, that was business this was their personal life.

Evander smiled at her. She didn't want to show the pain she was feeling inside she never liked to show that she was under pressure, it's the way she was taught to be but Nesta could tell. After all, she was her blood. Eyeing Nesta worry filled Evanders eyes. Reading her thoughts Nesta clasped her sister's hands in hers and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Evander, what a surprise!" Exclaimed Damian. "Castillo" she acknowledged. Letting go of Nesta she composed herself. "We need to talk Castillo, it's urgent I'm afraid". He nodded and gestured for her to lead the way. "I'll be back" he laid a soft kiss on Nesta's cheek before leaving.

The rooftop garden of the hospital was gorgeous. It felt like a whole new world with water fountains and dragonflies buzzing about. But what Evander had told Damian at that moment made the colours of the flowers around them go dull in his sight. "I don't understand how but I know he is behind it" she finished off. "Thanks, ill be in touch and ill have some of my men work on it." As he made his way back to Nesta's room his heart rate wouldn't go down. Nes, how could you? he thought.