Chapter 5

NYLA

The beeping sound woke me before anything else. At first, I thought I was dreaming. The sound was rhythmic, insistent, like a pulse reminding me I was still alive. I blinked against the harsh light above, trying to make sense of my surroundings. Soft white sheets, sterile walls, a chair pushed against the far side of the room. For a moment, I didn’t move. I couldn't even move. I thought maybe I had died and it was heaven.

Then reality began to seep in. The room smelled of antiseptic and faint perfume. I could hear the distant echo of voices outside. My head ached, it was throbbing, but it was nothing compared to the confusion curling inside me. Where was I? How did I get here? I tried to lift my hand but I felt really weak to do so.

“What is happening?” I couldn’t remember. Nothing beyond fragments.

The door opened and a nurse stepped in, her expression a mix of relief and surprise. She adjusted my pillows before whispering something into a phone. I caught her words. “The patient is awake. Yes, she’s awake.”

My pulse quickened as I realized someone had been worried about me.

Soon, the door opened again, and a man in a white coat entered briskly, a clipboard in hand. His presence was steady, commanding, yet gentle. He gave me a quick, professional scan, checking my vitals, examining my reactions.

“Hello,” he said softly, glancing up at me. “I’m Dr. Emerson. Can you hear me?”

I swallowed, my throat dry. “I… I think so,” I croaked.

He nodded, jotting something down. “You’ve been through a lot. You were in an induced coma, but you’re awake now. You’ve had significant trauma. A fall, and complications that could have been life threatening.”

My stomach dropped. “Fall....?”

He exhaled gently, as if bracing himself for the next words. “You were rescued in time. I want you to rest, but I also need to be honest. You lost the pregnancy. I’m very sorry.”

I felt my chest constrict. The room tilted for a moment. I tried to breathe, tried to hold back tears. My hand trembled as I clenched the sheet. “My… my baby, I was pregnant?” I whispered.

“Yes,” he said softly. “We couldn’t save it. I know this is devastating, but you are alive. That is important. And you'll recover in no time.”

I shook my head, unable to respond, unable to move past the hollow ache that filled me. The doctor’s words hit hard.

“How did I get here?” I questioned.

“You were saved by someone,” he continued, almost reluctantly. “A man found you in time. He brought you here and made sure you were stabilized. He’s outside right now. He has asked to see you.”

I swallowed again, the dryness in my mouth making the simple act of speaking impossible. “He… he’s outside?”

“Yes,” Dr. Emerson said, a soft but firm edge in his tone. “I have already explained everything to him. He’s waiting. He wants to meet you, to see how you are. But I need you to rest too. You might have memory loss, and we need to assess what you recall. Can we do that?”

I nodded, though my mind whirled with questions. “I… I can’t remember anything,” I admitted, voice small.

“That’s okay,” he said gently. “We’ll help you. We’ll administer some tests to assess memory retention. It’s normal to have gaps after trauma. You’re not alone.”

The next hour passed in a blur of soft voices, gentle hands adjusting pillows, and injections I barely felt. My eyelids grew heavy, but my mind refused to rest. Questions clawed at me. What happened to me? How did I fall?

Finally, Dr. Emerson returned. His expression held a small, approving nod. “Tests show that you'll be fine,” he said.

“And you will keep picking up fragments of your memory. He has been patient. He asked to be let in, and you agreed, correct?”

I nodded again, my hands trembling. “Yes… I want to thank him, he saved my life after all.”

The doctor nodded and signaled for the nurse to call him in. The door creaked open like it was scared to disturb the quiet.

I stared at the gap, heart punching my ribs, half expecting no one to be there.

Then he stepped in.

Jet-black hair was messy in a way that looked accidental but perfect. Sharp grey eyes that were so alluring. He carried himself like someone who had nothing to fear. Something about him felt safe, and I am not just saying that because he saved me life.

He stopped a few feet away and just looked at me. Like he was trying to decide if I was real or he was still in disbelief that I had survived.

“Hi,” he said, voice low, rough around the edges but warm underneath. “I’m Kael. Kael Arden.”

My mouth went dry. I wanted to hide under the thin hospital blanket, I felt very shy that he was seeing me in such a difficult state.

“You…” The word cracked. “You saved my life.”

He didn’t flinch. Just nodded once, slow. “Saw you lying almost lifeless. I couldn’t just stand there.”

“Thank you, thank you so much,”I tried to swallow but it was difficult, I guess my body was still recovering. My throat still hurts, everywhere still hurts.

He sat beside me as I let the words out. “I can't even remember my name,” I whispered. “I don’t remember anything else. I woke up and I can't recall anything.”

“You'll recover with time, but for now. I will call you……” He thought for a moment and smirked like he had gotten a suitable name.

“Bumble, I will call you bumble.”