Chapter 6: Bumpkin

Words : 2175 Updated : Sep 25th, 2025

Just then, the housekeeper stepped out and startled at the sight of Bella Doyle. "Miss, thank goodness you're back!" Bella frowned. "Ma'am, why is the house empty? Where's Grandpa?" "You haven't heard? You were in trouble and away these past two days. The old man panicked, had a heart attack, and they rushed him to the hospital. I heard there were complications. He's in critical condition-the hospital told us to prepare for the worst." Bella froze, her eyes went wide. What? Grandpa was critical? A film of tears blurred her vision. What was happening? First Hugo Ferguson had fallen ill, and now her grandfather too. Kingston Doyle had adored Bella more than anyone. She'd grown up under his care, so her bond with him ran deeper than even with her father, Dante Doyle. At that, Bella grabbed Fabian Farrell and bolted for the door. Dexter's face grew serious. The three of them piled back into the car. Dexter floored the accelerator and sped toward the hospital. The pink Maserati blew through several red lights and finally screeched to a halt at Haltoria Hospital. Her heels clicked against the floor as she hurried to Kingston's room, only letting go of Fabian's hand once they arrived. Outside the room, a crowd of relatives and family friends had gathered. Outwardly they looked worried, but their eyes betrayed other motives. "Bella!" a young man called. Dylan Briggs stood there in a crisp suit, looking concerned as he watched her. Bella brushed past him and went straight to her father, Dante, who sat off to the side, eyes red. Ignored, Dylan's gaze narrowed, a flash of malice flickering and then vanishing, replaced instantly by a gentlemanly demeanor. Fabian caught the look and gave a short, derisive snort. Didn't expect him to be so two-faced. Dylan came from a prominent Haltoria family as well. At twenty-three, he came back from studying abroad, took over his family's company, and did well for himself. Dante had every intention of marrying Bella to Dylan, and Dylan hoped to wed her to strengthen his own position. "Dad! How is Grandpa?" Bella asked, eyes brimming. "You remember you have a grandfather now?" Dante barked. "After you shook off those hitmen, why didn't you come straight home? If it weren't for you, would your grandfather be like this?" His suit was rumpled, stubble darkening his jaw. He rounded on her, voice raw with anger. "Enough. The kids just got back-they were chased within an inch of their lives and barely made it. How can you talk to them like that?" A woman in her forties, elegant in a white dress despite the exhaustion etched on her face, broke down in tears. "If anything had happened to the kids, I wouldn't want to live either." At Amara's words, Dante's anger fizzled out. Everyone in Haltoria knew he was afraid of his wife. "That's not what I meant," he muttered, moving to comfort her. Bella, eyes red, hugged her mother and wiped away her tears. Her voice trembled. "Mom, how is Grandpa?" "The hospital said your grandfather is already in critical condition. The doctors are in there working on him right now," Amara said, and fresh tears streamed down her face. Tears streamed down Bella's cheeks. She pressed her face to the small window in the door, peering in, but could only see a blur of white coats. Before long, the doctors filed out. Dante rushed forward. "How is my father?" The lead doctor shook his head. "I'm sorry. We did everything we could. We got his heart stabilized, but there were neurological complications-a likely stroke. You should go in and see him one last time." He pushed the door open. Dante hurried inside. Fabian stood thinking. Two patients in a row, both connected to Bella; could this be the opportunity Hunter had mentioned? He looked over at Bella. She seemed frozen, too afraid to move, as if stepping inside would make death real. With a small sigh, he took her hand and led her to the bed. Kingston lay there, a web of tubes trailing from his body. Bella dropped to her knees and clung to the bed. The old man's breath was so faint it might disappear at any moment. He lifted his hand; Bella grabbed it. "Grandpa, I'm back. I'm safe," she sobbed. "Please get better." Kingston opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. The monitor's beeps grew weaker and farther apart. Everyone understood what that meant. At the doorway, Dylan watched, putting on a suitably stricken face, though the sorrow never touched his eyes. He wished the old man would hurry up and die; then no one in the Doyle family could stop his marriage to Bella. "Bella, don't cry. I can save your grandfather." Dylan's pleasant fantasy shattered at the sudden voice. Heads turned toward Fabian. Bella wiped her cheeks and looked up at him, relief flaring in her eyes. He had pulled Hugo Ferguson back from the brink just hours ago; surely Grandpa's illness would be no problem. In her panic, she'd forgotten that. She gripped his hand. "Okay. Fabian, please save my grandpa. I'm begging you. Just cure him. If you save him, I'll do anything you ask." Fabian smiled, glanced at her fingers wrapped around his, then met her anxious gaze. "Trust me. I won't let anything happen to your grandfather." Dante turned on him, eyes bloodshot. "Who are you?" "Dad," Bella said quickly, "this is Fabian Farrell, the man who saved me at the foot of Seize Mountain. He's skilled in medicine. He even saved Grandpa Hugo Ferguson on the way back. If he says he can do it, I believe him." "Nonsense," Dante snapped, ignoring her. "Who is he, exactly? Look at him-does he look like someone who can save lives? If he's so capable, how come I've never heard of him?" Dylan added in a grave tone, "Exactly, Bella. I brought in the best doctors at Haltoria Hospital. They were out of options." A voice chimed in from behind. "And look at what he's wearing. He doesn't look like a doctor at all. He's just some bumpkin trying to play the hero." A boy of sixteen or seventeen stepped out from the crowd, his features resembling Bella's. "Carlos Doyle, shut up," Bella snapped. The Doyle family had plenty of money but few members. Kingston had only one son, Dante, and Dante had only two children, Carlos and Bella. Carlos was the sole male heir, spoiled to the point of naivety, as trusting as a child in a world that wasn't. Lately he'd fallen in with Dylan. Dylan took him out all the time, and Carlos trailed after him like a lackey, picking up every bad habit along the way. Eyes red, Carlos mocked Fabian as soon as he spoke. "Carlos is right. This guy doesn't look like a doctor. He's a country bumpkin," a relative chimed in. "The old man can't take any more." "Exactly. If he was that amazing, the hospital could just close up and let him handle everything," another scoffed. Laughter and snide remarks rippled through the group. "You all… Dad, Fabian really does know medicine. Let him try," Bella pleaded. "With Grandpa like this, it can't hurt to try."

Chapter 6: Bumpkin

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