Chapter 5 Five

CHAPTER 5

First Step Hospital, Seattle.

"Alex, here's a drink," Charlie said as he handed Alexandra a can of soda. "You look a little shaken up and I don't think coming here is a good thing."

Presumably the man was confused because the woman in front of him now had puffy eyes with messy hair and no longer appeared to be wearing her favorite fascinator hat. Charlie also cast his eyes around the hospital corridor to make sure, but there was no one there but the two of them. So, after Alexandra opened her drink and took one sip, the man who was Alexandra's uncle and manager ventured to ask. "Alexandra, did something happen while I was gone? Where are Mr. Harisson and those two men?" Charlie asked curiously. "They didn't say anything horrible or treat you badly, did they?"

The woman smiled slightly, "No." then went back to drinking. "But it looks like Louis didn't really die in an accident, Charlie."

Charlie's eyes bulged instantly. He hurriedly brought his face closer to Alexandra and looked at her questioningly. Charlie then whispered, "Do you mean maybe Louis was killed by someone?"

Alexandra mumbled in agreement and handed the empty can to Charlie. "These two men are the detectives working on this case. After finding irregularities in Louis' autopsy results, they were very adamant about catching the culprit," Alexandra told him. Charlie just nodded his head in understanding. "It seems that the two men are quite persistent, so I'm trying to help."

Charlie widened his eyes again in disbelief. "Help?" seemed to be a difficult sentence for the lanky man to interpret, given that Alexandra was a model who never sympathized with others. "How do you help?"

Alexandra's blue nets looked at Charlie awkwardly. "That is--I will join the investigation, Charlie."

This time it wasn't just her eyes that seemed to jump out of place, but it felt like Charlie's heart was going to burst out of her and she would die instantly. The man was so shocked that he suddenly stood up and pointed at Alexandra's face with his hand still holding her empty soda can. "You? How could you?"

Alexandra looked left and right, making sure her manager's shriek didn't disturb anyone in the hospital. "Charlie, calm down," she pleaded softly. She then pulled the manager to a sitting position, though the look of shock had yet to leave Charlie's face. "I'll explain."

Charlie nodded quickly and folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, sure. Explain. Now!"

"Uncle Matthew will hold a press conference and say that Louis died in an accident to protect his business. So, this investigation is practically top secret and no one should know about it," Alexandra said.

"What about the director? What should I tell him later, hm?"

Alexandra looked at Charlie unpleasantly and rubbed the manager's arm pleadingly. "You can tell him that I have a busy schedule. He won't scold you because it was my negligence."

Charlie sighed in frustration and looked at Alexandra in surprise. "I think you've gone completely mad, Alex. But either way, I'll be on your side. You have to be careful."

Touched, Alexandra hugged Charlie. "Thank you, Charlie. You're the best uncle I have."

Without realizing it, Charlie smiled proudly and returned Alexandra's hug. "You're not sad anymore?"

Alexandra shook her head and tightened the hug. "Uncle Matthew will be holding a press conference soon, we'd better be there."

"Okay."

The hospital hall rented impromptu by the founder of the New Diamond Group, Matthew Harrison was now bustling. There was a commotion as the journalists scrambled to get into the hall just to get a front row seat before the press conference began.

After being assisted by hospital security, the situation was finally brought back under control. The portly man with an expensive black suit covering his body sat down on a chair that had been prepared. There was a small stage and podium visible at the front of the room. Meanwhile, the air conditioner in the corner of the ceiling has not been able to cool down the hot issue about Louis' death on social media pages, which is still going on today.

Judging from the size of the hall itself, it seemed like the right choice for Matthew Harrison to hold the press conference there. Alexandra then joined Charlie right next to Matthew and the two bodyguards who were always on standby at their side.

The brunette woman just stared at the floor beneath her feet expressionlessly. She bowed her head sadly and occasionally whispered to her manager as reporters continued to shoot at her.

After a few minutes had passed and the situation in the hall was conducive, Matthew got up from his seat and walked towards the podium on stage. He cleared his throat loudly and tapped the surface of the microphone before starting his press conference. "Good morning everyone," Matthew greeted politely. "I'm very grateful for your sympathy with the death of my son, Louis Harrison. Perhaps the news that has spread on the web has now led to many opinions that are not entirely true.

But I would like to say that our proud son has indeed passed away due to an accident that occurred in the early hours of the morning. So, please stop talking about his death." She took a deep breath as the noise in front of her began to fall on her ears. "I would like to represent Louis, as a person who once lived in all of our hearts so that all his mistakes can be forgiven, also in this press conference, I will announce that the wedding that was supposed to take place tomorrow between Louis and Alexandra, with a very heavy heart I declare it canceled."

Another commotion ensued as the media began to ask overlapping questions in the predominantly white room. The flashbulbs from the reporters' cameras flashed back and forth like lightning in a downpour.

Matthew then glanced at Alexandra who was sobbing in her place and said, "But for me and Paula, Alexandra has been part of our family since the beginning whether she married Louis or not. Alexandra is like my own daughter, so I hope you don't hurt her with the bad news out there. I hope you can understand the situation and understand us. Again, thank you."

Matthew stepped down from the podium and approached Alexandra. He hugged the young woman like he was hugging his own child before the two left through the crowd of reporters who continued to swarm like flies. Alexandra didn't even care and pretended not to listen to the people who continued to pepper her with questions about Louis' death.

Not even a few of the media members who came to the press conference that day also tried to forcefully point their microphones and cameras at Alexandra, trying to pry more information about her feelings because her dream wedding was canceled.

However, Alexandra herself couldn't explain her current feelings to anyone. She just felt that there was a big hole deep inside her heart that felt hollow and completely empty because something meaningful had disappeared forever. []