Rise of Ryan Conner

chapter 5

"It seems he wasn't injured that badly," The doctor replied with relief in his eyes.

He had narrowly escaped a rift with the Caden family, but he still didn't understand how the young man had suddenly healed up quickly.

The doctor wiped sweat off his forehead, "Maybe I was just too terrified to notice it wasn't some serious injury," he muttered under her breath.

"Oh he doesn't need blood anymore. He is healing and it appears he didn't lose much blood like we thought."

"That's great," The girl wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes. She felt relieved that he didn't lose his life because of her, she would have lived with guilt all her life.

"Uncle he must be hungry I'll go get some food." She turned to her uncle and noticed a frown on his face.

"Aren't you happy he is fine?" The girl asked looking closely at his face.

But Mr.Mateo only shrugged his shoulders. "I'll go check on him. You can go get the food."

"Okay then," The girl nodded then slipped out of the room, her steps echoing softly in the quiet corridor.

"Be careful, niece," Uncle watched her as she walked out. Deep in his heart he was elated that she was fine and had not been hurt by those gangsters.

He walked towards the door and turned to the doctor. "I'll like to examine the young man."

"You can come in sir," The doctor led Mr. Mateo into the private ward.

When Mr. Mateo walked in, he saw Ryan lying in a sterile hospital bed, his

breathing steady, a tangle of wires and monitors attached to him.

His injuries, though visible, were minor: a few scrapes and bruises that spoke of a lucky escape. The air was thick with the scent of antiseptics and the beeping sounds of the machines.

His eyes, scanned over him, checking each bandage, each small wound. His eyes, sharp and assessing, moved over Ryan, taking in every detail as his face turned into a mocking frown.

Suddenly, Ryan stirred and his eyes fluttered open, slowly focusing on the white ceiling above. He blinked, disoriented, as the images slipped out from his mind.

But the strange feeling still lingered on around him and the ring seemed to pulse with an unseen energy. Ryan was still caught between reality and the fading dream so he lay there trying to make sense of what just happened.

But suddenly Mateo's sneer cut through the air of the hospital room, "You think you can fool us, Ryan? Pretend to be more injured than you are to gain sympathy?" His words were laced with scorn and disbelief.

He leaned in closer, his eyes cold and calculating. "Don't try your tricks here. That girl, she's from the prestigious Caden family, and you? You're just a nobody. Remember your place."

Ryan lay there with confusion and a stir anger swirled within him. The girl? Prestigious Caden family? A nobody? What was all this? His head swirled with confusion.

He had just woken up only to be accused of playing tricks? Who was this man? He wondered as he tried to stared at him. He had saved a young girl to only get beaten up then had a strange dream only to wake up to be threathened.

"You do want our sympathy so bad that you had to pretend." Mr. Mateo scoffed and shook his head.

"Who are you?" Ryan struggled to speak as his lips parted open.

"I'm her Uncle and I don't want to see you around her with your pathetic tricks anymore." Mr. Mateo adjusted his suit as he warned him pointing his finger at him.

"To think I was almost falling for your tricks by thinking of compensating you but now just leave." He sneered again as he his eyebrows slanted upwards.

Why was he so arrogant? Ryan rubbed his head confused as he tried to sit up. The nurse went to his side and helped him sit up well.

"I'm fine," He coughed then looked up to observe the middle aged man with a tough build standing in front of him.

He had acted selflessly, stepping into danger without a second thought, and yet here he was, being treated as a deceitful opportunist?

Ring*

Suddenly his phone in his pockets suddenly rang and he reached into his pockets pulling it out it was his wife.

"Hello –" He said as he put the phone to his ear.

"Ryan! Where are you?" The shrill voice of his wife sounded at the other end.

"What is it?" Ryan rubbed his hands on his forehead and pulled out the tubes that were connected to his hands.

"Come home, I have something to talk about." She answered from the other end.

"Did anything happen? It will take some time for me to get home." He groaned a little as he watched the Mr. Mateo expression turn into a grin.

His wife paused for a moment before reply, "I have something to talk about this medical certification I just saw." She hung up leaving him in a daze.

Ryan shook his head, she had found it. "Doctor, I'll have to leave now." Ryan picked up his shirt and slipped into it.

"You're really a jerk, you have a wife at home but you still tried to get close to the Caden's family daughter?" He sneered and the doctor looked at Ryan incredulously.

Ryan stood up and was ready to go but Mr. Mateo walked closer to him and tapped him on his shoulder, "I'll let you off this time because you saved her. Next time…" Mr. Mateo beamed an evil grin as he looked at Ryan coldy.

Ryan began his voice low but firm and laced with anger, "I certainly didn't do it for sympathy." His gaze met with Mr. Mateo. "I saved her because it was the right thing to do, not to gain anything from it."

Ryan paused to fire him a cold gaze, "Not everyone is a bad person." He added as he walked past Mr. Mateo.

"Haughty huh?" Mr. Mateo scoffed as he cocked his head to the side.