Heartstrings on Fire (Agnes and Jared)
Chapter 920

The volunteer said, "You can't take any more painkillers, you know the side effects can be serious, irreversible even. Just hold on a little longer, medical help is on its way and soon you'll be airlifted to the nearest city hospital for surgery. I hope to God your hand can still be saved."

Ryder didn't say a word, just furrowed his brow a little deeper.

But the volunteer couldn't hide his regret as he added, "Though, after all this delay, even with surgery, I'm afraid you might never perform surgery again."

At that, Agnes felt like she'd been struck by lightning. She called out from the doorway, her voice frail, "Ryder..."

Inside, Ryder and the volunteer named Isaac both turned to look.

Ryder quickly tried to stand, but the movement seemed to rip through his wound, and he winced, sinking back down in pain.

Agnes stepped inside, "Ryder, your hand..."

Instead of showing pain, Ryder tilted his face up, his brow smoothing as he forced a reassuring smile, "It's okay, Agnes, really, I'm alright."

Agnes looked at Ryder's arm, her hand flew to her mouth, and she couldn't help but burst into tears.

Ryder's arm was almost black with bruising.

His once deft hands were marred with wounds and streaks of blood.

There was hardly an inch of skin left untouched.

Agnes knew he had moved the rubble with his bare hands.

His fractured hand was nearly too gruesome to look at, a sight that turned the stomach.

She didn't dare touch it, only covered her mouth and wept.

Isaac, equally shaken, hurriedly said, "Ms. Pritchard, please don't cry. It's making Ryder feel worse. He said that as long as you're safe, he can handle losing the use of his hand."

"Ryder, why? Why do you always have to be the hero?" Agnes felt utterly powerless, her only response to cry.

Why was it always because of her that Ryder got hurt?

Her thoughts flickered back to years ago. During a stage play, Cecile Higgins had tampered with the riggings. It caused the stage scaffolding to collapse, and just like now, it was Ryder who had thrown himself into harm's way to shield her from the falling debris.

But that time, he'd been seriously injured and hospitalized for a long while.

Agnes was pulled into a sea of guilt as she thought about how she had let Ryder down.

Isaac, sensing he was intruding on a private moment, felt it was time to excuse himself.

Ryder was not primarily a doctor anymore. It was for Agnes that he had risked his life to come here. And now, he'd been gravely injured for her.

They must have so much to say to each other.

Isaac discreetly left the medical tent.

Agnes continued to cry, and Ryder was at a loss for comfort, "Agnes, you know I'm in pain, but your tears, they hurt me more."

Agnes felt a vulnerability she had never known before. Even when she had held Yara in the collapsing building, brushing shoulders with death, she hadn't felt like this.

Even if it meant losing her own hand, she wouldn't have been this heartbroken.

But her guilt was crushing, worse than death itself.

Finally, Agnes stemmed her tears, reclaiming a shred of composure, "Ryder, you need to hang on just a little longer. I heard the rescue team is almost here. You're going to be okay, you have to be." Deep down, Agnes knew Ryder's condition was dire.