Page 81 of The Billionaire's Betrayal
"Eva is my partner.I want her to stay," I replied firmly, feeling panic wash over me at the thought of her leaving.
Eva placed her hand on mine, and I squeezed it, clinging to her desperately to keep from slipping away.
"Very well," the doctor nodded."How are you feeling, Mr.de La Tour?"
"Like I've been beaten to a pulp," I tried to joke, but my voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.
Dr.Lefevre fixed his gaze on me, his somber look and grave expression ratcheting up my anxiety.
"You have a concussion and three broken ribs.The ribs will heal with time and plenty of rest, but the concussion will take longer to heal.Specifically, you'll experience frequent headaches, fatigue, and possibly difficulty concentrating for several weeks, perhaps months.It's essential that you avoid all stress and rest as much as possible.No screens, no intensive reading, and above all, no physical exertion."
I absorbed the news, my thoughts already racing, evaluating the impact this would have on Community Pilot.The recovery would be long, and each day of absence weighed heavily on the company.
"That's not all.We found traces of drugs in your blood work."
"That's impossible!Tristan would never do such a thing!"Eva protested.
The doctor gave her a calm look.
"It was GHB," he specified gently."It's a drug used in sexual assaults, often administered without the victim's knowledge."
I turned to Eva, shocked, the memory of the whiskey I'd shared with Audrey suddenly coming back to me.Everything fit together with brutal clarity.
"Audrey wanted to talk about the cyberattacks, so I let her in," I whispered, my throat tight."She must have put something in my drink..."
Eva tightened her grip on my hand as understanding gradually dawned in her eyes.
"Did she...?"I asked, my voice barely more than a breath, terrified of what her answer might be.
The doctor seemed to understand my question and responded kindly.
"No, rest assured, there was no sexual intercourse.The nature of this drug prevents any physical reaction of that type in men and primarily causes loss of consciousness."
I didn't know whether to feel relieved or ashamed.Rage bubbled up inside me at the thought that Audrey might have undressed me while I was unconscious, that she might have put her hands on me and tried to defile me just for revenge—it made me sick.
Eva had warned me about her manipulative side, but I hadn't wanted to believe it, too blinded by her angelic smiles.
"What a bitch!"I swore under my breath, my entire body trembling with anger.
Dr.Lefevre didn't react to my outburst and continued in a professional tone.
"You'll need to stay in the hospital for a while to monitor your recovery," he explained."We'll be here to support you, but it's essential to inform the police about what happened.This is a serious matter."
I closed my eyes, exhausted by the pain and shock.
"I'll talk to the police, doctor.Thank you for informing me."
Dr.Lefevre nodded, seeming satisfied, before leaving us alone.Eva remained silent, her fingers gently squeezing my hand, providing the comfort I so desperately needed.
"Audrey came to our place last night..."I finally sighed, breaking the painful silence."She claimed she wanted to talk about the cyberattacks against Community Pilot.She asked for a drink, and then...everything became confusing.I remember she wanted to blackmail me to get control of the Hope Foundation.When I refused, she got angry, and...after that, it's blank."
Eva listened, her lips pressed together, her eyes searching mine as if to pierce through to the truth.I squeezed her hand tighter.
"I promise you, Eva, it was only for Community Pilot.She said she had evidence against Aron Capital."
She blinked, fighting to hold back tears, but didn't look away.
"I believe you," she finally whispered, her voice barely more than a breath."It's just that...it was so painful."
