Novel-novel oleh Sunlacious Parker

LilaThe first thing I saw when I opened my eyes was the drip and for a moment, I just stared at it, my mind completely blank. After a few seconds, it hit me. Hospital bed. I was in a hospital bed and soon enough I remembered everything that had happened.Theo’s office, my raised voice, the sudden weakness in my legs and then darkness.Great, Lila! Absolutely fck.ing great!I tried to sit up and immediately regretted it. My head throbbed and my stomach rolled. I groaned and fell back against the pillow. I needed to leave. My fingers went to the tape securing the plastic line to my hand ready to rip it out.“I really wouldn’t do that.”I froze. A man in a white coat stood in the doorway, a sympathetic smile on his face. I could read his badge from my bed. Dr. Ellis.“You need those fluids, Ms. Hale. You’ve run your tank into the red.” He moved into the room, his eyes on the monitors before they settled on me. “Do you remember what happened?”“I’m fine,” I croaked. I even sounded pitifu

Theo“Sera?” I called only for her head to loll against my arm as her hair spilled forward, her skin gone frighteningly pale.“Hey. Look at me,” I pleaded, but nothing happened, and the panic hit me immediately.“Mara!” The shout tore from my throat and I did not look away from Sera’s face.Mara appeared on the doorway immediately, “Mr. Starvos? What..”“Call my driver!” I barked. “Tell him to be at the private elevator, the engine running. Now, Mara!”The sight of Sera limp in my arms seemed to short circuit her too as she stood frozen for half a second, her eyes wide looking at both of us.“Is she..” she started, but I cut in.“Now!” I snapped, and that did it. She jumped, scrambling for her phone.On my end, I didn’t wait as I adjusted my grip, one arm under Sera’s knees and the other cradling her back and head as I lifted her. She was lighter than I expected. Too light.I strode out of the office, past Mara who was frantically whispering into her phone. “He is coming down now, sir

TheoI had tried everything to stop thinking about her. Work. Whiskey. Women I didn’t care about. Long runs at ungodly hours. Even grief, God help me, even grief hadn’t been enough.I could not outrun her. I could not outrun Sera.I saw her everywhere, even at Lila’s burial, of all places, and I wasn’t proud of that.Lila deserved better than the kind of distraction I was having. Than another woman invading my head while I buried her. But it happened anyway.It always did. There was something about Sera that I could not put my finger on. Which was why I had started digging. Quietly.“You look like you’re contemplating murder, not mourning.” I heard the words behind me. I didn’t turn from the window.“What do you want, Max?” I asked. I had come to the office earlier than usual for some peace but give it to Max to decide this was the best time to pester me. It was not even eight o'clock yet.He walked in, helping himself to the expensive Scotch I kept for clients he would never be.“W

LilaI woke up on Monday for the first time feeling… light. It surprised me and I felt like I had borrowed someone else’s good mood and forgotten to return it. Between my mother and the handsome doctor, I wondered who was responsible.Either way, I was humming while getting dressed.I caught my reflection in the cracked mirror above the sink, toothbrush hanging from my mouth, eyes brighter than they had been in weeks.“Don’t get used to it,” I told her. It was only a moment before the other shoe dropped.By the time I stepped into Starvos Global Holdings, I was dangerously close to believing I was actually going to have a good day.That illusion lasted exactly twelve seconds.Mara was at her desk when I arrived. She didn’t look up and all she said was, “He is back.”Two words. I stopped, my bag strap biting into my shoulder. “I’m sorry?”She finally lifted her gaze, “Our boss. He is back. He asked for you the moment he walked in.”The lightness in my chest immediately disappeared.The

Lila By the time Saturday rolled around, I had convinced myself that the hospital visit would be quick and entirely uneventful. A break from my thoughts on Theo, the club and my mysterious “stalker”.But I was wrong.Weekends at the hospital were surprisingly quieter. Fewer nurses were rushing past me in the hallways. When I reached my mom’s room, I lifted my hand to knock and I froze.I heard laughter. It was my mother’s laugh mixed with a man’s voice. I peeked through the narrow window in the door.She was propped up on pillows, a shawl around her shoulders, her face animated. Sitting on the edge of her bed, his back to me, was a man in a white coat. He was leaning forward, one hand gesturing as he finished a story. My mother laughed again, swatting weakly at his arm.I cleared my throat and both of them turned toward me at the same time. And suddenly there was an awkward moment where I didn’t know whether to step in or slowly retreat and pretend I never existed.My mother brighte

LilaThe car that had been parked outside was gone by morning. I had watched for it all night. Every set of headlights that slowed outside made my breath catch but the car never returned. The absence did not exactly make me feel safe. Whoever they were, they knew where I lived, and they could come back anytime.I needed something to do. Something that didn’t involve watching the street obsessively. I started pulling things out, not sure what I was looking for. I found jewelry, old notebooks and planners but nothing substantial.From one of the many notebooks, a card slipped free and landed face up on the carpet.I stared at it, hopeful that I had found something.It was plain white and in a minimalist font.Dr. Alistair Thomas, MDOncology & HematologySt. Mary’s Memorial HospitalIt wasn’t a clue but a reminder. I hadn’t visited my mother in over a week and I strangely felt guilty. I had no money for the pending payments, but I could just visit and maybe ask for a grace period. It wa