BE MY ONLY // Harry Styles

Before The Storm

This is the last chapter of book 2! Read it now and don't forget to tell me what you think about the ending! Thank you sooooo much for your support! 😍 - Allie.

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The cameras flashed and the intrusive questions hurled at Ruby as soon as she stepped out of her car. Turning a blind eye to the paparazzi, she hung her head and quickened her pace while navigating herself toward the hospital entrance. It wasn't until the automatic sliding door shut behind her, and all the screaming was muffled that she took off her sunglasses and heaved a sigh of relief. All eyes were on her as she walked up to the front desk. She supposed some people knew who she was, but thank God, no one came up to ask for a picture.

"I'm here to see a patient named Theadora Emerson," Ruby said to the nurse who wasn't even looking at her as she held up a finger, telling the actress to wait.

"Good morning, Patricia!" A man walked past the front desk and waved at the nurse. Ruby didn't pay attention to him until Patricia called out his name.

"Yo, Bradford!" The dark-skinned lady snapped her fingers as he turned around. "This rich white girl is here to see your daughter."

Daughter?! Ruby was startled, her mouth was agape, but the man had already walked over to shake her hand.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Thea's dad," he said, pointing to the nurse. "Don't mind Patricia. She's always kidding."

"No, it's fine, I—"

"Next time don't show up at a hospital in an Audi. This ain't your runway," Patricia said as she eyed Ruby up and down.

Fortunately, Bradford changed the subject, "are you a friend of Thea's?"

"Uh...yeah." She nodded. "Nice to meet you, sir. My name is Ruby."

"Call me Bradford," he said and jerked his head toward the double door to the corridor. "Follow me. I'll walk you to her room."

Ruby thanked Bradford and Patricia as well, but the nurse didn't seem very impressed as she gave the actress the side-eye until she was gone. Seeing worry etched on her face, Bradford had to reassure her, "Patricia says things like that all the time but she's actually very nice."

"Do you know all the nurses here?"

"Only some." He shrugged. "I've been here with Thea for a week. There's nothing to do but talk to the nurses."

"Wow...Thea is um...she's very lucky to have a loving father like you."

The corners of his mouth turned up as he thanked her and they kept on walking. "Her boyfriend is very helpful too," he added. "He's spent every night here since he got back from France."

"Her boyfriend is...an actor, right?"

"Yeah," Bradford said, but then doubt overtook his face. "Did you get that on the news or—"

"No, no, I...um...I know both of them," she admitted while twisting the ring on her middle finger.

"Aaaah, I see." He nodded. "I don't keep up with the news, but my wife does. She's told me about what the people online are saying about Thea and it just breaks my heart. I can never read those things, you know? It'll only drive me crazy knowing I can't protect my little girl."

Ruby only gave a quivery smile yet her silence urged Bradford to continue.

"What model is your car?"

His unexpected question caught her by surprise. "Uh...it's an Audi R8 Spyder."

"Oh my." His eyes went round. "Are you famous like Harry?"