I groaned as I moved on the uncomfortable hospital bed. It was more than 6 hours after the accident and I was still on the bed, attached to an IV although I was only feeling a mild ache in my arm and leg that I have fallen on after the accident.

Turned out, that a driver who had passed the red light had hit me. I had gained consciousness when they were putting me in the ambulance.

"Don't move and for God's sake don't groan too much."

I groaned again as I heard Jax's voice. Yes, my idiot self asked the paramedics who were adamant to call someone for me to call my big brother instead of my parents. I didn't want to make my mother worried.

"You are going on my nerves." added Jax who had sat beside my bed on a chair without taking his eyes off of his phone.

"I don't know why the fuck they are keeping me here." I grumbled. "I'm fine. I want to go home."

"They are only keeping you here to make sure you are fine." explained Jax patiently like he was talking to a fucking 4-year-old. He finally put his phone aside and looked at me with a twinge of worry in his eyes.

"Although the CT scan shows no damage in your brain and you feel fine but you were unconscious for 8 minutes, dude."

Yes, I was unconscious for 8 minutes until the ambulance came finally. My right side had taken the most of the hit when I had fallen to the ground. My right arm had a long wound from my bicep to a bit below my elbow. My right calf had a large bruise and a few scratches. I was lucky that I had a helmet on or I would have told you this story from hell.

"Just be a good boy for a little more and you will be released," said Jax teasingly and leaned on his chair again. "Then maybe I will buy you ice cream."

"Fuck you!" I cursed him as I saw him smirking while scrolling through his phone. Don't get me wrong. I love my brother. He was great and we had so much fun before he leave the house. We still would spend time together even though he was so busy with his hotel management.

But, man, he could walk on my nerves greatly if he wanted.

"Did you know how much you look like dad?" I asked with a deep frown on my face, wanting to talk to kill the time. "I hate you even more now."

"Dude, have you looked at yourself in the mirror?" he scoffed and looked at me. "Believe me, he had put some effort at the two times he had helped to create us to make sure whenever anyone glances at us knows that we are his sons and no one else."

And he was right. We both looked alike and both of us were carbon copies of dad. Only Jax had a short beard that had made him look even more handsome but he would say he was only keeping it to be different than me and dad.

"Believe me, he would have taken back his effort if he knew who I will become." I grunted under my breath and looked away.

"Hey," said Jax, and his brows furrowed at hearing my words. "He loves you so much, okay? He is a stern man and doesn't know how to express his feelings but he loves you more than his life. Even more than me."

"Yeah, that's for sure." I scoffed and looked at Jax. "He hates my existence while you are his golden boy. He just won't shut up talking about you."

"Chris, stop being a baby and grew up." sighed Jax and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't be such a stubborn asshole. You know he is only worried for you and he has every right to be. Bro, if we don't consider football, you are shitting to your future. He only wants you to be more responsible and think about your future. If he hated you that much he would have kicked you out of his house the moment you turned 18."

"I just want to live my life like all of the teenagers my age." I snapped.

"And if you take your head out of the circle of the idiots you call friends you will see there are so many teenagers who are planning their futures already." snapped Jax back. "You just like to be blind, drowning yourself in partying, smoking, girls, and useless shits like that."

I huffed and looked away, knowing that he was right. Just then a nurse walked in. I watched amused as Jax stood up quickly and his glare turned to a soft look. Shit! The beautiful young nurse had him bad. I could see he was controlling himself badly from drooling over her.

The nurse smiled at Jax professionally, completely unaware of his heated gaze before turning to me. "Well, how do you feel, Mr. Harrington?" she asked kindly as she pulled out the IV needle from my hand.

I should admit she was so beautiful. Her long blond hair had been french braided and her kind blue eyes had a sparkle in them. She was slim and short with curves in the right places and her face was beautiful without any makeup.

"Oh, he is fine." said Jax and leaned on the foot of the bed. "He was whining like a baby about why no one was coming to release him."

I was too amused by Jax's actions that didn't mind his insult to me. I never had seen him act like this even when he was a teenager. It was always girls who were trying to gain his attention and after he grew up he turned a bit cold toward girls.

Now, he was leaning on the foot of the bed, trying to look casual and nonchalant. But I knew him better and I was a man myself. He had crossed his arms, trying to bulge his muscles to impress her more. But he more look like a baby who was offered candy or more like a desperate puppy. I'm sure if he had a tail it would be wagging happily around now. Boy, he looked already whipped and the girl was not even looking at him.

"Well, good news for you." answered the girl while looking at me. "You are released to go home. Just take it easy for the next few days and you will be all fine. The doctor will come shortly to give you more instruction."

She then left with one smile to each of us, leaving Jax to stare at the closed door.

I smiled wickedly and whistled, making Jax's head whip to me with a murderous daring glare on his face.

"It was the first time your charms and muscles failed you, wasn't it?" I asked smugly.

"Shut up, Chris." snapped Jax. "Or I will do something so they keep you here so much longer."

"Wouldn't be so bad for you, would it? You will be able to see your angel more." I laughed. "Her name is Emmy if you don't know already. Make worry for your little whiny brother's wellbeing a reason to talk more with her and give her your number. Go until I change."

"Don't talk about this in front of mom." he warned before leaving which made me laugh harder.

Once the doctor came and gave me some instructions, I changed into the new clothes that Jax had brought for me in the bathroom before taking my things and leaving the room. I found my dipshit brother at the reception where Emmy was organizing some files. He was leaning on the counter and was talking to her, looking completely pleased with himself for making her smile and laugh.

I groaned and walked toward him, but stopped in my tracks when I was only a foot away from him. It was as if time slowed down when I saw Eleanor walking from in front of me into a corridor that was a bit further on my right.

She was in the clothes my mother had described and still looked awfully tired but had a beautiful smile on her lips while carrying a bouquet of Daisies in her hand. Her long hair was free and her soft-looking curls were bouncing a bit as she walked away, unaware of me standing there.

Curious and unable to stop myself, I began to follow her, ignoring Jax's calling my name, making sure to keep my distance to not reveal myself. What was she doing here?

Soon she stopped in front of a room and after taking a deep breath and taming her hair a bit, she knocked and walked in. I knew I shouldn't have followed her or eavesdropped on her conversation, but I couldn't control myself. It was like a magnet was pulling me forward.

"Hi, mom." I heard her chirp happily.

"Eleanor!" answered a woman in a soft but obviously a bit weak voice. "God I have missed you a lot."

I peeked inside the room and saw her hugging a frail woman on the bed tightly. "I have missed you too, mom." she sighed in contentment before kissing her mother's face a few times. "Sorry that I come lesser than before. I'm a bit busy these days."

"I know, honey." answered the woman, looking adoringly and at the same time sadly at her daughter who was busy putting the flowers in the vase that was there. "And I'm sorry for that. Instead of enjoying your life like anyone at your age, you should work for the family and more importantly for my treatments."

The words hit me like a truck and my eyes widened. My breathing become uneven as I listened more to the conversation and at the same time tried to digest what I was hearing.

"I'm fine, mom." answered Eleanor with a soft smile that made her look even more angelic.

"Don't lie to me now." scolded her mother. "I can see how tired you are. You didn't do a good job at hiding those bags under your eyes with concealer, dear."

"Mom, please." said Eleanor and sat at the edge of the bed, grabbing her mother's hand.

"Chris!"

I jumped out of my wits when I heard Jax whisper-yell from behind me. I turned to him with a hard glare.

"What are you doing?" he scolded quietly. "This is inappropriate and creepy. Let's leave."

I hushed him and turned to the room again. I couldn't stop my heart that was jumping out of my ribcage. Every word that was spoken in that room was stabbing me through my heart. I wanted to know more. More about the girl that had filled my life and thoughts with herself for the past week. More about the mystery that I was desperate to solve.

"How is school?" asked Eleanor's mother while watching Eleanor pouring a glass of orange juice.

"Like always." answered Eleanor and my heart skipped a bit. She was lying so easily to her mother. She had quit school for fuck's sake. Didn't her mother know?

"And the diner?" asked her mother and me and Eleanor gulped together. "I know it's not a pleasant place to work and you are even working there at weekends for two shifts."

"The same." answered Eleanor and turned to her mother with a smile. "Mr cruise is the same grumpy man, but Jenny and Kyle are having my back. It's fine. Plus as you can see I work in a supermarket a few days a week after school now. So I'm not at the diner much."

Another white lie. She was fired from the diner.

"I'm sorry, my dear Ellie." said her mother and grabbed her hand. "Because of my disease, all of the weight of the family is now on you. I know it's not easy to take care of a 7-year-old girl and a 13-year-old boy on your own and work so hard to make the ends meet plus going to school and trying to be a teenager. It's better I come out of hospital and ..."

"No!" snapped Eleanor sharply. "Look, mom, we had this talk before. You will stay here and I swear to everything that I will gather the money needed for your surgery. You should gain back your health. Daisy and Liam need you, I need you. Just focus on healing and leave the rest to me, okay? I will quit school and work as much as I can If I had to. You are too precious and important for us."

I couldn't listen more. I just leaned on the wall for support and closed my eyes tightly. I felt dizzy and nauseous. Now I knew what I have done to Eleanor's life. Now I knew the reason behind the emotions in her eyes when she was fired. Now I knew the reason behind all of her doings. And I had dared to call her names last night.

Who wouldn't do what she was doing for her family or their mothers? Fuck I was ready to kill for my mom, let alone work in the shittiest place ever.

"Chris!" Jax's whisper and his hand on my shoulder brought me out of my miserable trance. He was looking at me worriedly, searching for any signs of pain. "Are you fine? Do you want to get checked again? Should I call the doctors again?"

I opened my mouth to answer him, but just then, the door of the room opened completely and Eleanor walked out with a dropped head. Her head was down and she seemed so deep in thought that she didn't see me and Jax until she closed the door softly and looked up and then her eyes widened at the size of saucers as we locked eyes.

For the first time in my life, I was speechless as I stared into her blue eyes. For the first time in my life, I was looking down at her with emotions other than hatred or distaste. For the first time in my life, I was facing one thing that I had never thought of facing ever:

The consequences of my actions

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A/N: Now he knows:')) What do you think? Please don't forget to vote if you liked this chapter.

Thank you so much

Ela :)))