The Enigmatic Bachelor (Unedited)

Part 3

As I stood inside the hospital room, a curious thought about nurse Kelly crossed my mind. She seemed like a delightful creature—beautiful, intelligent, and well-proportioned. However, her inability to keep things to herself was rather bothersome. The vision of my future partner certainly didn't involve excessive chatter. It was quite irritating, to say the least.

Why was finding someone who spoke less so challenging? I had come to the conclusion that the issue lay with me. It was clear that I hadn't surrounded myself with individuals who were more laconic. How peaceful it would be to sit in silence, simply appreciating each other's presence without the need for words. Communication through actions and glances alone was a splendid concept.

"Get off me," a muffled voice muttered. I turned my head to see the woman talking in her sleep. "Kill me, please—I want to die," she cried.

It appeared that she was experiencing nightmares. "No!" she screamed as I made my way to call the nurses. I looked back, only to find her staring right at me. She was drenched in sweat and fear consumed her as she curled up in bed.

"Where am I and who are you?" she inquired.

"You are in the hospital, and my name is Mr. Park. You collapsed in front of my car, and I brought you here," I explained, enunciating each word carefully for her understanding.

"I'm in the hospital?" She glanced around the room, then reached up to touch her face. As her fingertips grazed her skin, her eyes widened, and she attempted to rise from the bed to look in the mirror. However, her injuries prevented her from doing so, prompting a pained gasp.

I moved closer to assist her, but she recoiled at my touch. "Don't touch me," she demanded.

I pressed the call bell to alert the nurses of the patient's awakening. It didn't take long for them to arrive in the room. They helped her sit upright while I observed from a distance. The nurses diligently carried out their duties as I waited. Glancing at the clock, I realized it was already 10:09 p.m.—too late to contact nurse Kelly and too late for me to be away from home. Yet, I couldn't simply leave the woman behind. Once the nurses had departed, it was just the two of us. She began eating the food I had brought, then apologized unexpectedly.

I looked at her, taken aback. "Why are you apologizing?"

"For my earlier behaviour when I woke up and when I ran in front of your car."

"Would you mind telling me why you ran in front of my car?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. Just finish your food."

"I couldn't go on living," she managed to utter. "It hurts so much to be alive."

"Please finish your meal and gather your strength," I told her, feeling a wave of compassion.

She stared at the food with disgust evident on her face. It was clear that my cooking wasn't the issue; perhaps it was something deeper within her.

What a thoughtless thing for me to say. Who cared about the food? She was far more important. How foolish of me to even consider such trivial matters. "What is your name?" I asked her.

"Hannah."

"Hannah, I shall take my leave now. It is late, and I am glad to see you awake and eating. I hope for further improvement," I said before making my way to the door.

"Please don't leave me here. They'll find me," she pleaded.

"Who are 'they'?"

"My uncle and aunt."

I paused, contemplating her words. "You are not fit to be discharged—"

"I will never be fit for discharge if I remain here," she interjected. Realizing her interruption, she apologized. "I can clean, I can cook, I can read, I can wash your car, shine your shoes...anything."

"You could find a job and become independent," I suggested.

"Allow me to work for you, sir."

I grabbed my coat and faced the door. "I would kindly reject your offer."

"What's the point of saving someone's life if you're just going to throw them back to the sharks?"

Would she ever give up? How exasperating.

Though I had no intention of employing her, I knew someone who might. Gideon.

***

"I have a better idea," Gideon smiled. "Why don't you rent a place for her to stay and have her clean your house twice a week?"

"Are you out of your mind? Absolutely not."

"Are you afraid she'll discover your secret?"

"What secret?"

We exchanged serious glances, surprised by the intensity of the conversation. "That you're gay," he stated.

I gritted my teeth at his response. "If I say yes, will you help her?"

"I'm just a phone call away when it comes to matters concerning females. But today, I'm putting my foot down, brother. You won't die if you let her into your house."

"So you won't help her?"

"I won't help you, brother, but I love you," he replied.

I turned and headed back to the car where Hannah was waiting. She was seated at the back, and instead of sleeping, she remained wide awake. I had no desire to take her to my house.

Annoyed didn't even begin to describe my feelings.

At the end of the day, I decided to rent a house for her. It wouldn't be too far from my own residence but distant enough to keep her unaware of my whereabouts. A week had passed, and I still hadn't figured out what kind of job to offer Hannah. Her lack of education was an initial obstacle that could be overcome with time, but it posed a risk for her to work at my company. She appeared intelligent, neat, and tidy. I couldn't judge her cooking since I hadn't tasted it. Overall, I remained undecided about her situation.

"Why don't you let her be your maid? I don't understand why it's such a big deal. Alternatively, she could prepare your meals," Joshua suggested.

Joshua was one of my closest friends. We had met in university, and our friendship had endured since then. He was loyal and dependable, although he always seemed to have a trick up his sleeve. "Nope."

"You're not letting her be useful to you at all."

"I don't need anything from her."

My thoughts drifted back to when I asked nurse Kelly to join me for dinner. Why hadn't I suggested coffee first? I still had the slip of paper she had given me. Perhaps it was time to give her a call.

POV: Author

On that fateful night, as Mr. Park arrived home, he discovered his dogs hadn't rushed to greet him. Walking towards the backyard, he stumbled upon a distressing scene—four burglars systematically piling up his unalived Rottweilers. Upon spotting Mr. Park, one of the criminals alerted the others. Confused and stricken with panic, they shot at him before fleeing the scene. Mr. Park collapsed to the ground. Summoning the last of his energy, he managed to retrieve his phone from his pocket and dialed his emergency contact—Gideon.

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