"Why are you walking like one who has been run over by a truck, Jovita? Are you alright? Come closer...you look pale to me."

Jovita stopped. Her brain got confused as her body started sweating with fear. Tears were running down her cheeks. She lost track of her voice and it came out in a small cry. Her heart began to pound wildly. Her body felt cold and heavy as the night chill penetrated her skin.

"This is serious, Jovita. Crying like this and holding your breasts and your crotch like that scares me. What happened? Please talk to me, Jovita."

These were questions he had pondered over the past few minutes while strolling slowly beside her around the hotel that night, like an anxious and nervous stranger. He had been trying to gauge her emotions by the expression on her face, but it was too dark to observe any features, except the dark circles under her eyes. This was just a few more things that bothered him about her.

Jovita's eyes were closed, and she was trembling in obvious pain. Tears were pouring from her eyes, and they were making tracks down her pale cheeks. Her breasts were covered in sweat and they hung in front of her like fruit in a bag.

"Young master Aden..." Jovita mumbled, swallowing each word with difficulty.

"Yeah? Talk to me. You know you can speak to me, right?"

Her head was starting to nod again. Her shaky hand was clutching the walls of the hotel corridor. Her hand was trembling more with each word. Her eyes were red from weeping. He gently stroked her face with his hand. Her tears fell on his warm skin, like a burst of dew from a flower. Her eyelashes fluttered in quick succession, as though she was still dazzled by the light of the moon.

"I think...I think I was...I mean…" Jovita's voice was weaker now. She was speaking as though to an invisible audience. She paused, took a deep breath, a shaky breath.

"I don't think I follow, Jovita. What are you trying to say?" The man's hand still brushed over her soft flesh.

He let go, and his hand slipped into his pocket, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. He leaned forward again, almost in her face, his gaze fixed on her, studying her from head to foot. The nearness of him made her breath catch in her throat. He glanced over her shoulder at the door, the scent of her rose from the ground like a fresh ocean breeze.

"I think something must have happened to me in-in my room or something."

"What do you mean? I mean, why do you say that?" The impatience in his voice betrayed his confusion.

She blinked her eyes slowly. She wiped at her eyes with her hand. Her mind had begun to race.

"I'm not so sure, young master. But I think it's around my...you know...down there…it hurts so much." She ran a shaking hand over the place between her legs. Her breathing had picked up speed.

Aden sniffed the air deeply, his eyes narrowed and his body stiffening. As she looked up at him, his fingers came down like lightning on her cheeks, raking her skin as though he would not let them escape his grasp.

"Really? You look really pale. Come with me, I'll take you to Dr Kingsley."

"No." Jovita shook her head, choking back her emotions. Taking a deep breath she forced her tone to stay calm. "I mean, I'm sorry, young master Aden. I can't go there, especially with you. You know the senior mistress won't like it. I'll get into trouble." Tears pooled in her eyes then slid down her face and over her neck.

Jovita breathed deeply to regain control. Along with her refusal, she took another breath. The flush on her face melted into a deeper shade of pink as her throat constricted.

"You won't get into any trouble, I promise."

Aden's words were soothing as he pulled her to him. The warm force of his chest squeezed her heart until she thought it would explode out of her chest and onto the cold ground.

"Do you think I'll leave you in this state? Move or I'll be forced to carry you out to the car and drive you to the hospital myself."

Jovita bit her lower lip as his words sunk in. She held her breath, waiting for the next threat.

"Move, Jovita?" His smooth voice broke into her quiet moment with a sigh of displeasure.

"Yes, young master." Her voice crept from her throat into a whisper, and she lowered her eyes again.

She watched as he walked over to the door and leaned his back against it leaning his head against the cold wood.

"I see you want me to carry you on my shoulder then." His voice was teasing, causing a small smile to spread across her face.

"I'll go with you now, young master."

"Good."

Jovita whispered and he offered his hand so that they both went through the main door together. They exited and the chilly air rushed up her throat and through her body. They rushed down the stairs and made their way out of the building.

***

Forty-three Minutes Later...

They entered the hospital. To their left was a narrow hallway with hospital beds and monitors. They were on the other side of the hallway and then there was a large glass wall allowing them to see both the patients and the nurses and doctors attending to them. The long, wide room they entered was clean and well maintained. Jovita trailed behind Aden as they slowly made their way to a private area where the doctor was.

"Good evening, young master Aden."

"Hello, Dr Kingsley. Run all necessary tests on her, please."

"No problem, young master. We'll be done in a few minutes." Dr Kingsley bowed as he finished speaking and then he left the room.

Aden turned to Jovita but she was staring at the door as if she was lost in thought. He gently placed his hand on her shoulder and they followed the doctor out into the examination room. A few minutes later, the doctor came back into the room with a chart in his hands. He began explaining the results. They were struck dumb at the information he gave them.

"Jovita?" Aden tried to catch her eye but it was impossible to do.

She was frozen. All the blood that had been there was drained from her. The doctor cleared his throat and continued to read to them from the chart.

"I don't-th...no. I swear I-I didn't give any man my body, young master! Who must have done it? I've never had anything to do with any man ever. Who did it? Who?" Jovita started crying and softly pushing the hair from her face with her shaky hands, she cried some more as she spoke.

"Are you sure about this, doctor?" With a firm voice, Aden asked, hugging Jovita gently and wiping away her tears. "I don't get this craziness. I mean, how can this be true." Aden sounded like a mother forcing her daughter to tell the truth.

The doctor looked up at Aden again and nodded, his eyes now moving off his face and focused on the chart he had placed in front of them. It was a thick piece of lined paper covered with facts and calculations. Aden ran his fingers through his short hair and rubbed his face as he looked back at the doctor. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, and looked back down at Jovita.

"Yes, young master. She feels that way now because her hymen has been torn off. I am afraid that this damage was done in a recent sexual encounter." He paused and took a deep breath. "Since this wasn't consensual sex, I believe that she may be the victim of rape." The doctor's face turned hard as he spoke. He had the look of an older man with his white hair and a small moustache.

Jovita was trembling now, and Aden tightened his arms around her, patting her on the back. Aden's eyes were squeezed shut, and it took him a moment to even force them open.

"Young master...young-young master..." She whimpered into his chest, closing her eyes as the tears rolled out, once again falling down her cheek.

The pain between her legs became suddenly worse, but she was fighting it back, keeping her body rigid with effort. Her chest heaved now as the constriction between her thighs came close to tearing her apart. She felt the doctor looking at her, and she opened her eyes again.

"I'm going to kill that bastard who did this with my bare hands! I'll kill that idiot!" Aden's fist clenched, unable to contain the rage.