Chapter 134: How Does He Know Her?

CALEB. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Those men didn't belong in a hospital, especially not in the middle of the night. They moved with purpose, one that did not look like it had anything to do with visiting a patient. My curiosity got the better of me, and before I knew it, I was following them down the hospital's corridor. My footsteps were soft against the cold floor, the echoes of distant voices barely reaching my ears. As I neared Cynthia's ward, I slowed my pace, careful not to draw attention to myself. The door to her room was slightly open, just enough for me to peep inside without being noticed. They were there, the same men I had seen earlier, standing around Cynthia's bed. They were quiet, too quiet, and their stillness put me on edge. Something about their presence felt wrong, like they were guarding something…or someone. I paused when I noticed one of them move slightly to the side, revealing another figure standing at the head of the bed. Cynthia lay still on the hospital bed, her face pale and lifeless, almost ghost-like in the dim, flickering lights. Her hair was spread across the pillow in messy strands. An oxygen mask covered her mouth and nose, and her breaths were shallow and steady, barely making a sound in the quiet room. Her eyes were closed, dark circles showing the strain she had been through. The hospital gown hung loosely on her thin body, the fabric wrinkled from how still she was. She had bandages basically everywhere. An IV line ran to her arm, giving her fluids while the monitors beeped softly, keeping track of her vitals. Even though she was unconscious, she seemed so fragile, like she could break with just a touch. Seeing her like that made my heart tighten in my chest for some reason. She looked so small, so vulnerable. Unlike the feisty young woman I had known her to be. I squinted, trying to make out who was standing on the edge of her bed. The dim lighting didn't help, but there was something familiar about the way he stood, his posture rigid, yet calm. He reached out and brushed a strand of hair from Cynthia's face, and that's when I saw him. The realization slammed into me, nearly making me step back in shock. It was Uncle Kelly. What the hell was he doing here? My mind raced, trying to piece together what I was seeing. Why would Uncle Kelly, of all people, be here in the middle of the night, surrounded by these men, looking over Cynthia like that? It didn't make sense. I wanted to barge in, to demand answers, but something held me back…fear, confusion, maybe both. Just then, a hand gripped my shoulder, nearly making me jump out of my skin. I whirled around quickly, ready to defend myself, but it was only Brielle. Her eyes were wide with curiosity and amusement. 'What are you doing?" she whispered, her voice low. I exhaled, and put a finger to my lips, signaling her to keep quiet. 'Shh... not so loud. Not arguing with Kyle anymore?" I hissed back, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one inside the room noticed us. Brielle raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. 'Spying on someone, Caleb? Didn't know you were into that sort of thing. And Kyle is asleep. Guess he wasn't as strong as we thought. He still needs rest." Fair enough. I shot her a look, half-annoyed, half-nervous. 'It's not what you think. Just... keep it down, will you?" She tilted her head, and I could see her curiosity was piqued. 'Who's in there anyway? Some secret lover?" I almost rolled my eyes. 'Not even close. Look, just take a peek, but be careful." Brielle glanced past me into the room, her expression shifting from amused to confused in an instant. She leaned in closer, narrowing her eyes as she tried to get a better look. And then the recognition dawned on her face. 'Is that... Uncle Kelly?" she whispered, her voice now dead serious. 'Yeah," I whispered back, trying to calm my heart. 'I didn't believe it at first either." Brielle looked at me, then back at the room, clearly just as baffled as I was. 'What is he doing here? And who are those men?" 'I don't know," I said, keeping my voice low. 'But something's definitely not right." Before we could say anything else, Uncle Kelly moved again, this time bending down slightly. His face was inches from Cynthia's. He whispered something to her, though she was unconscious and didn't react, and then straightened up, his expression softening for just a moment. It was a strange, almost tender gesture, and it threw me completely off balance. What the hell? 'Do you think he knows her? And, is that Cynthia?" Brielle asked, her voice barely above a whisper now, and her earlier humor completely gone. 'Yeah, that's her. And I have no idea," I replied, shaking my head slightly. 'But whatever this is, it's not just a regular hospital visit." We stood there for another few moments, both of us trying to make sense of what we were seeing. Inside the room, Uncle Kelly seemed to finish whatever he was doing and started to turn away from the bed. I realized he might see us if he walked to the door. 'Let's go," I muttered, grabbing Brielle's arm and pulling her back from the doorway. 'Wait, we can't just leave without finding out more!" she protested softly, though she didn't struggle with me. 'We don't have a choice. If he sees us, we're done for." I insisted. I didn't dare to think what could happen. I glanced back one last time. Uncle Kelly was saying something to one of the men, his voice too low for us to hear. Then, as if sensing something, he glanced toward the door. Shit. I quickly pushed Brielle down the hallway, out of sight. We kept walking until we were well out of earshot, my mind still reeling from what just happened. Brielle looked just as shaken, her earlier bravado completely gone. 'What the hell is going on?" she muttered, more to herself than to me. 'I wish I knew," I replied, my voice strained. 'But one thing's for sure, we need to find out what's really happening here." Brielle nodded, her face serious. 'But how? It's not like we can just walk back in there and ask him." 'We can't…" I said, trying to think of a plan. But nothing came to mind. All I knew was that we needed answers, and we needed them fast. We walked in silence for a few moments, both lost in thought. My mind was racing with questions, each one more confusing than the last. How did Cynthia know Uncle Kelly? Why were those men there? And what were they doing, just standing around her bed like that? Brielle broke the silence first. 'You don't think... she's involved with him, do you? Like, in some kind of..." I shook my head, cutting her off before she could finish. 'Not likely." Cynthia didn't seem like that. 'But whatever it is, we're missing something. Something big."