Chapter -133


    Rick''s father sat in solitude within the stark waiting room, his gaze fixed somberly on the sterile white walls stretching before him. The untouched cup of steaming coffee sat forlornly beside him, a silent testament to the weight of his thoughts.


    "Hello? Are you still the there?" A soft, pleasant voice at the other end of the phone snapped him out of his thoughts.


    "Yeah," he cleared his throat. "Sorry. Got disconnected there for a bit. So Rick did note homest night. I thought maybe he would, but never mind. I will talk to him soon.


    You don''t need to worry. I will take care of everything."


    Just as he was trying to focus, the door creaked open with Rick and Olivia strolling in. Rick''s father did a double-take before ending the call he was on with a brisk, "I will call you back." He quickly rose from his seat, grabbing the coffee cup from the seat beside him, a mix of relief and anticipation evident in his eyes as he turned his attention to Rick and Olivia.


    "Rick," he said, his voice carrying both warmth and concern. "Olivia, I hope you had a good rest."


    Olivia nodded appreciatively, a small yet sincere smile ying on her lips. "Yes, thank you. It really helped out a lot." Her gaze momentarily flickered towards Rick, who stood fixated on the circr ss window, his thoughts seemingly lost in the room where Emilyy.


    The memories of a passionate night with Rick flooded Olivia''s mind, but she swiftly pushed them aside, focusing on the present.


    Rick''s attention finally shifted from the window, and he mustered a faint smile in response to his father''s greeting. "Yeah, a bit of rest did wonders," he admitted.


    Rick''s father gestured towards the coffee machine tucked in the corner. "How about some coffee? It''s not the finest, but it gets the job done."


    Olivia declined, shaking her head, her focus returning to Emily''s room. Meanwhile, Rick weed the offer, appreciating the potential distraction that a warm cup of coffee could provide in this tense atmosphere.


    As Rick''s father carefully poured a steaming cup of coffee for his son, Olivia couldn''t help but feel the heavy atmosphere in the hospital waiting room. She anxiously inquired, "So, any updates? Has there been any improvement?"


    A weary sigh escaped Rick''s father as his gaze flickered towards the ss window. "No, not yet. The doctors are doing all they can, but it''s still a waiting game," he replied, his voice carrying the weight of uncertainty. He hesitated, choosing his words carefully, not wanting to extinguish Olivia''s fragile hope. With a solemn nod, he ced the freshly poured coffee in front of Rick.


    Taking the cup, Rick''s unchanging expression remained fixed on Emily, whoy inside the ICU. His father motioned for Olivia to take a seat, settling beside her. The two shared a silent conversation, eyes reflecting the unspoken fears and concerns they couldn''t voice.


    Meanwhile, Olivia stole furtive nces at Rick, who seemed rooted in ce in front of the ICU door. His unmoving figure heightened the tension in the room. Her gaze shifted from Rick to the window, each passing moment adding weight to her already heavy heart.


    She knew whaty beyond that door, her daughter unmoving in a sterile hospital bed, connected to machines that monitored every heartbeat and breath. She had memorized by now the venttor that caused the delicate rise and fall of Emily''s chest.


    So much love spilt from Olivia for her daughter. Olivia just had to close her eyes and she could see crystal clear, all the good times they''d shared—theughter, the dreams, the special moments that had carved a space for themselves in time, and the ones they were yet to create.


    Each flutter of Emily''s eyshes held a lifetime of memories, and Olivia clung to the hope that thoseshes would open to a world that desperately needed her light.


    Yet, Olivia knew she had to tread carefully. Emily was not yet out of danger. Anything could go wrong, and she''d need to be prepared. She hated the thought, but she would need to learn how to live without Emily. Her daughter would want that. Fear etched lines on Olivia''s face, her brows furrowed as she wrestled with the uncertainty of whaty ahead.


    But no matter what, she''d be there for Emily, and they''d face whatever challenges arose together. The pain would always linger, but she held onto the belief that, in time, one day, it wouldn''t sting as much.


    As Olivia''s gaze remained fixed on the ss door, she silentlymunicated with her daughter, sending waves of love and strength, hoping that, somehow, Emily could feel the unwavering support that surrounded her and just wake up.


    Right then, the door to the waiting room swung open with a resounding creak, breaking the hushed tension that had settled among the upants. In marched two uniformed men, their authoritative presence immediately drawing the attention of everyone present. Olivia, anxiously awaiting news, sprang from her seat and hurried toward them.


    Standing before the one with greying temples and a wearied countenance, she urgently addressed him.


    "Officer Martin," she eximed, her voice betraying a mix of concern and impatience. "What are you doing here?"


    The officers nodded in acknowledgment, and Martin, with a solemn expression, replied, "Ma''am, we need to talk to you."


    Rick''s father, sensing the gravity of the situation, joined Olivia at the forefront, his eyes filled with apprehension. "What is it, officers?"


    Olivia, her nerves palpable, fired off a barrage of questions. "What happened officers? How did Emily end up here, did you find out?"


    Martin took a deep breath, exchanging a meaningful nce with his colleague before proceeding. "We''ve gathered information from witnesses and pieced together the sequence of events." His gaze softened momentarily, preparing them for the distressing news that would follow. "Emily attended a party at a boy named Roy''s house.


    It seems there was a considerable amount of alcohol consumed during the gathering."


    Rick''s father''s brows furrowed deeply, etching worry lines on his forehead. He couldn''t help but interject, his voiceced with concern, "Alcohol? Was Emily drinking?"


    The officer responded with a solemn nod, adding gravity to the already tense atmosphere. "Yes, it appears so. Witnesses mentioned that she went upstairs for reasons unknown, and that''s where the unfortunate incident urred. She slipped off the balcony and fell."


    Olivia''s eyes widened, registering shock, and her hand instinctively clutched Rick''s father''s arm for support. "Why would she go upstairs alone? What was she doing there?"


    The officers exchanged nces, their expressions betraying the uncertainty of the situation. "That''s not entirely clear. It seems Emily might have been searching for, you know... a washroom. That is a usible reason at the moment, based on the information we have gathered."


    The second officer, a younger counterpart to the aged Martin, chimed in, creating a stark contrast in the room''s atmosphere. "It seems most of the partygoers were downstairs at the time. There were only a few people on the balcony, and by the time they realized what was happening, it was toote."


    Olivia''s eyes brimmed with tears, the weight of the tragic revtion settling heavily in the room.


    Rick''s father took a deep breath, attempting to steady his voice, "And you''re certain there was no foul y? No one pushed her?"


    Officer Martin''s solemn expression betrayed the weight of the news he had just delivered. "All indications point to it being a tragic ident," he stated, his voice a low murmur that echoed through the room. His eyes, worn and tired, spoke of the countless scenes of sorrow he had witnessed in his career. "We''ve conducted preliminary investigations, and there''s no evidence of any intentional harm."


    Olivia, standing on unsteady legs, felt the ground give way beneath her as if the world had slipped out of its orbit. Her hand trembled uncontrobly as she reached for a nearby chair, copsing onto it with a desperate need for support. Palms pressed against her quivering lips, she tried to stifle the gut-wrenching sobs that threatened to escape.


    Streams of tears traced a path down her cheeks, mirroring the torrent of emotions flooding her heart.


    Rick''s father, sensing her overwhelming despair, immediately sat down beside her. With a gentle touch, he wrapped an arm around Olivia, pulling her into aforting embrace. Silent, shuddering sobs wracked her body, and she clung to Rick''s father as a lifeline.


    All this while, Rick continued to stand away from everyone else, staring right at the officers, trying to notice any change in their expressions. He did not their words that Emily might be heavily drunk.


    He was actually the one who knew her very well. That girl wouldn''t mind exchanging her liver for a carton of beer. But... And right then, there was a chime in Rick''s head, the system has woken up for the day. And it was for a quest.


    [


    Quest: Find out what really happened that night


    Time Duration: 24 hours


    Rewards: Ero Points: +10,000; Cash: $300,000; Lottery Spin: 1


    ]