Royce Miller's POV

I decided to get inside my brother's private room in the hospital when I heard steps hastily walking closer to my direction. I turned around and noticed they are dad's men. But I noticed Arthur wasn't around.

Arthur is a 38-year-old man with well-built muscles, an expert in martial arts and all types of guns. He is my father's most trusted bodyguard who had been working with us for quite a long time and his loyalty to the family is already proven and tested. But this time, he is not around maybe, he was called by dad, I thought.

Dad's men approached me and showed me some respect.

"Where have you been? I'm sure dad instructed you not to get out of your post. You are supposed to be watching my brother for 24 hours! ", I said roughly. The men lowered their gaze.
"We apologize, sir Royce. We are--", one of dad's men spoke but he was not able to finish what he wanted to say because Uncle Sam and the doctor went out of the room. Uncle Sam approached me and gave me a slight hug. I shifted my gaze to Doctor Smith and greeted him.

Uncle Sam looked at dad's men, giving them a hostile glare, showing his clenched jaw and furrowed brows.
"Where the hell have you been? Why did you leave Reid unattended?", Uncle Sam shouted angrily.
"We are sorry sir, we just went out to take our lunch", the men said in chorus showing remorse on their faces.
"Go back to your post now!", Uncle Sam commanded. The men went back to their posts near my brother's room. But I guess they are feeling uncomfortable as if they are hiding something. They could not even look straight into my eyes and I find it very strange. 

I set aside those thoughts and asked Doctor Smith about my brother's condition. But he told me that it's better to talk about it when my parents are already here. I got what he mean to say, so I nodded, and after a while, he left because he has to attend to patients on the 9th floor.

Uncle Sam told me to take our seats on a long waiting chair. When were seated already, he asked me what are my parents' plans about META, now that Reid is still in coma. I was supposed to tell him that dad wanted me to take Reid's position but the other side of my brain told me not to. So I just replied that dad and mom did not mention their plans to me because in the first place, they know business isn't my priority. I looked at Uncle Sam's reactions but I could not find anything suspicious. But why, did I see him with Doctor Smith talking privately inside the closed area? That remains a puzzle to me.

After some time of having a conversation, Uncle Sam said goodbye because he still need to go to META for some signatories. It seems he is dedicated and committed to his work yet, I am not fully convinced.

I stood up and headed towards my brother's room to take a look at him. As soon as I stepped inside, anguish and somberness envelop my heart as I went closer to him. Though his eyes are closed but I can see he is breathing through the aid of a ventilator. Other machines are also placed on one side in order to monitor his heart rate and blood pressure.

I feel like I am the one lying in the hospital bed. He is my twin brother who has exactly the same face as mine and seeing him in an unconscious condition really makes me sad.  Why does it have to be him? Reid has been a good and obedient son. He did not give any problems and headaches to our parents like I did. He is responsible and trustworthy and most of all, dad's right hand in running our business. I wished I could be like him. How I wished I could do something for him.

I pulled on the couch and sat beside the hospital bed. I held his hand in order to let him feel that I am here for him and how much I wanted him to survive. Suddenly, I wasn't able to hold back my tears. I may not be a good person like my brother, but seeing him in this difficult situation softens my heart. After all, he is my brother and he is my family. As they say, blood is thicker than water. I bowed my head, folded my hands, and closed my eyes as I am silently praying for Reid's recovery.

After a silent prayer, I took a handkerchief from my pocket and wiped my tears away. I did not realize I have this soft side of me because Reid is always known to be the emotional and soft-hearted one.

My eyes were still focused on the floor tiles, looking at every corner of the room when suddenly, my handkerchief fell off.  I bent over to pick it up but my eyes landed under the bedside table as I spotted something that caught my curiosity. I pulled closer and picked it up. It was a small empty bottle that reads, THIOPENTAL SODIUM. I quickly kept it inside my pocket when I heard someone turning the doorknob. It was a nurse assigned to check my brother's heart rate and blood pressure.

She smiled while intently looking at me.
"Good noon sir, you must be the patient's twin brother", she uttered while her eyes were looking around. 
I nodded and tried to ask her if she is looking for something but she shook her head and hurriedly went out of the room after she is done checking my brother's vital signs. 

When she already left, I took my cellphone in my pocket and tried to research what is thiopental sodium. After knowing its meaning and uses, I began to have doubts and apprehension, as to why there is an empty bottle of it inside my brother's room? I believe it is an anesthetic agent to be administered to prolong the state of unconsciousness during the process of surgical operation but my brother was not undergoing such.
It was totally strange!
I need to talk to dad and mom about this because I feel like there is something wrong. I suddenly remembered about Uncle Sam and Doctor Smith secretly talking with each other, then dad's men who went out and left the post. Then this empty bottle of thiopental sodium.

I dialed dad's phone number and asked him if he could spend time talking with me privately on a very important matter. Dad did not have any more questions but just agreed to our meeting place. I could sense he was delighted maybe because he was expecting it's all about taking my brother's position in META.

Reid is not anymore safe here, I thought. I have this negative vibe that someone has intentionally given him the thiopental sodium to prolong his state of unconsciousness. And if it would continually be administered to him, there might be serious complications that will happen ahead. 

Suddenly, my stomach grumbled and I feel like I'm really starving. I remembered I had only taken a cup of coffee this morning and I haven't yet taken my lunch. I went out for a while to see if dad's men were on their post. Gladly, I saw Arthur so I asked him to buy something for me to eat. Although I don't like to eat inside the hospital but I don't want to leave my brother alone not until mom will be here.

After some time of waiting, Arthur arrived, bringing my favorite foods; scallion pancakes, pork dumplings, beef noodle soup, and tuna crispy rice. I placed them on the bedside table and began to eat. I looked at Reid and I feel pity for him.

"Bro, I know these are also your favorites. Please get well soon and we will eat together, I promise", I softly uttered, before I partake the foods.

A few hours had passed, the nurse who was assigned to check my brother's vital signs went back. She was smiling at me as soon as she entered the room. I looked at her and again her eyes were busy roaming around every corner. 

"Are you looking for something Miss?", I asked.

"Uhm. I'm looking for my wallet, sir. I accidentally dropped it off last night when I was here", she responded with a stuttering voice. Then she softly smiled while intently staring at me and bit her lower lip.

"What is it Miss?", I asked, pretending I did not get it.

She just shook her head as if to say, it's nothing. Then she left, giving me a flirty gaze and showing a few wiggles of her curvy hips. I used to it anyway and I understand what exactly that means. Well, she is pretty and sexy in her above-the-knee white skirt. But not now, and I need to suppress whatever thing that is bulging inside. 

"For God's sake, Royce! " The other side of my brain shouted.