Chapter 64
The room fell into a heavy silence. The reality of the situation hit them all—no one had expected the alcohol to take such a toll on Rosalie, but the aftermath was painfully clear. Julian’s face was a storm cloud as he scooped the drunken Rosalie from the glass shards, settling her onto the sofa. His eyes blazed with a mix of anger and concern as he barked at the stunned Anya, “What are you standing there for? Call a doctor. Now!”
“Okay,” Anya blinked, still dazed from the shock. She didn’t even take offense at her brother yelling at her. Instead, she scrambled to dial the doctor’s number, her fingers trembling as she pressed the buttons. Anya’s Lounge had a full-time general practitioner on call, and within minutes, a doctor and his assistant arrived with a medical kit.
Seeing the scene, even the doctor was momentarily stunned. “Quick check on Rosalie,” Anya said urgently, her voice tight with anxiety. The doctor didn’t waste a second, signaling his assistant as they rushed to Rosalie and knelt, moving with practiced efficiency. The cleaning crew had already cleared away the larger shards of glass, but the bright red stains on the carpet were a glaring reminder of the chaos.
Julian’s face remained grim, a storm brewing behind his eyes. He held Rosalie carefully in his lap, her body limp against him. She seemed so deeply intoxicated that, after her earlier outburst, she had fallen into silent submission. Even the pain in her foot seemed to register no longer.
“Remove the glass shards from Ms. Talley’s foot,” the doctor instructed his assistant, his voice professional yet urgent.
“Got it,” the assistant replied, nodding as she reached for a pair of tweezers. Just as she was about to begin, Julian’s voice, low and sharp, cut through the air. “Be gentle.”
The quiet pressure in his tone made the assistant flinch; the tweezers in her hand trembled briefly. “Understood,” she stammered. With the doctor’s arrival, Anya finally exhaled in relief. But as the situation settled, her mind caught up. She looked at Julian, his mood as dark as a thunderstorm, and couldn’t help but ask Kaleb, “Did that jerk just yell at me?”
Kaleb was at a loss for words, thinking, Is your brain working in slow motion? It’s been ten minutes since he yelled at you, and you’re just now catching on?