And just like that, the fairy tale was shattered.
Will surged forward, his heart pounding against his ribs. His polished shoes slipped on the glossy floor as he dodged a tangle of guests. Their faces blurred past him, expressions ranging from shock to disbelief.
"Make way!" His voice, firm and authoritative, cut through the clamor. “I’m a doctor!”
The lights overhead flickered, casting an eerie glow across the scene before steadying. Time seemed elastic, stretching and collapsing with each step he took toward the motionless figure.
"Call 911!" someone shouted behind him.
"Already did!" another voice responded, tinged with panic.
He reached the circle's edge. The fallen guest was face down. Will crouched, his fingers searching for the pulse at his neck—there was none.
"He’s in cardiac arrest. Help me turn him over," he instructed, looking up at the hesitant bystanders. A pair of hands joined his, and together they gently rolled the guest onto his back.
"Clear some space!" His voice pierced the chaos, his command resonating in the suddenly hushed room. He started to perform CPR, grunting as he pressed on the man’s chest. Frantically, he continued until the man came back to life.
"Someone get a cushion or a jacket!" Will's gaze didn't waver from the guest's pale face, now groaning softly, life fluttering back into alarmed eyes.
"Here!" A jacket was thrust into his hands, which he folded and placed under the man's head.
The guests receded like a tide going out, their murmurs fading. Angela remained rooted to her spot, watching Will with an intensity that spoke volumes. She could sense the danger lurking beneath the surface, the darkness that had been threatening to spill forth all evening.
"Stay with me," Will urged the guest, whose eyes fluttered open once more.
"Wha—what happened?" the guest croaked.
"We're figuring that out," Will assured him, his focus unwavering. "You're safe now."
"Safe," the man echoed weakly, a tremor in his voice.
"Paramedics are here." The groom’s statement was both gentle and decisive.
"Good." Will nodded, rising to his feet. “You’re going to be okay.”
As medics arrived, a stretcher weaving through the thinning crowd, the once-celebratory atmosphere was now laden with concern and whispers of speculation.
"Will?" Angela approached tentatively, uncertainty etched into her features.
"Everything's under control," he told her, though his expressive eyes hinted at the storm raging inside him.
"Thank you," the guest mouthed to Will as he was carried away.
"Take care," Will replied, the gravity of the night pressing down upon him.
Angela reached out, her touch light on his arm, grounding.
"Come on," she whispered, guiding him away from the center of turmoil. "Let's find some air."
The night air engulfed their skin as they emerged from the chaos, a cathedral of silence enveloping them beneath the moonlit sky. Angela's grip on Will's arm was both delicate and determined, her presence an anchor in the tumultuous sea of the evening's events.
"Deep breaths," she coached softly, her voice cutting through the quiet with precision. "You were amazing in there. You saved that man’s life. You really are a hero."
A shared silence fell between them, comfortable yet charged, their connection deepening beyond mere words. The night stretched on, witness to the subtle shift in their dynamic, a newfound intimacy blossoming under the watchful stars.
Angela looked at him, her eyes filled to the brim with admiration. Then she rose on her tippy toes and kissed him.
Chapter 7
