Not alone

Rian appeared with an ice pack in his hand. He stopped when he saw Nathan crouched in front of me, his hand still on mine.

“Dr. Morrison.” Rian moved closer and extended his hand, “Thank you for helping her.”

Nathan stood slowly and shook it. “You must be the stepbrother. She mentioned you once or twice.”

“Did she?” Rian’s grip lingered just a second too long. “Funny, she never mentioned you.”

The air went still.

Nathan pulled his hand back. “I’m her fertility specialist. Been working with her for three years.”

“Three years.” Rian’s jaw ticked. “That’s a long time.”

“It is.” Nathan’s eyes stayed on mine. “Long enough to know when something’s wrong.”

He glanced at my cheek.

“Rhea, are you sure you’re okay?” His voice dropped. “That’s not from the accident.”

Rian stepped closer to me. “She’s fine. I’m taking care of it.”

“I can see that.” Nathan didn’t move.

Rian stretched his arm forward, “Let’s go.”

I wanted to say I could manage on my own but I know how stubborn Rian can be and a nurse was already glancing over at us, and I didn’t have the energy to make this harder than it needed to be.

“I’ll call you later,” I said to Nathan. “Thank you. For everything.”

Nathan’s eyes held mine. “Anytime, Rhea. I mean that.” He glanced at Rian, then back at me. “Take care of yourself.”

“I will.”

He walked away. I felt him look back once before he turned the corner.

Rian’s hand tightened around mine. “Let’s go.”

-----

Once we were in the car, Rian turned to me. His hand came up, gentle, tucking my loose hair behind my ear. His jaw went tight when he got a better look at my cheek.

“This looks bad.” He pulled out the ice pack.

“I can do it myself.” I reached for it.

“I know you can.” His hand covered mine, stopping me. “But let me. Please.”

I hesitated for a moment then dropped my hand.

He pressed the ice pack against my face, careful, like I might break. His other hand cupped my jaw, steadying me.

“Thank you,” I said when he was done.

He pulled away, nodded and started the car.

We drove in silence. I watched the city slide past the window, trying not to think about what was waiting for me at home.

“Where are you driving me to?” I asked as he took an unfamiliar route.

“To another hospital, you need to heal completely.”

“Take me home, I’m fine.” I cut in.

“Rhea…”

“Don’t ask me why.”

“I wasn’t going to.” He paused. “I was going to ask if you’ve lost your mind.”

My brow furrowed slightly.

He took a deep breath. “You can’t go back there,” he said. “Not tonight.”

“Yes, I can.”

I didn’t know what I was going to say when I got there.

I just knew I wasn’t going to let them rewrite my life while I sat somewhere else pretending to recover.

“Riri?”

I blinked and turned to him.

Rian was watching me closely, like he’d been calling my name for a while.

“What’s going on in your mind?”

“Nothing important.”

He heaved a sigh. “Why are you hell-bent on going back home? To do what—face him? Face her? You have a concussion. You can barely stand…”

“I’ll manage.”

“Manage?” His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter. “You drove into a tree last night. You were unconscious. And now you want to walk back into that house like nothing happened?”

“What else am I supposed to do?”

“Get some rest in a hospital or at my house, I’ll bring in a doctor to take good care of you.”

I turned to look at him. “Your place?”

“I have a guest room.” He kept his eyes on the road. “You’d have your own space. I’m just saying you have options. You don’t have to go back there tonight.”

“Yes, I do.”

“Why?” He pulled over suddenly, tires scraping the curb. He turned to face me. “Riri, talk to me. What’s the rush? Why tonight?”

I didn’t have a good answer. Not one that made sense anyway.

“Give yourself a break. Sleep. Eat something. Think without him in your ear telling you you’re overreacting.” He paused. “Please.”

His voice cracked on that last word.

I looked at him. The exhaustion in his face. The wrinkled shirt he’d probably been wearing since he got the call about my accident. The way he was looking at me like I mattered.

“Please,” he said again, quieter this time. “I just got you back. Don’t make me take you straight back to hell on the same day.”

Something in my chest twisted.

I hated that I wanted to say yes. Hated that he always came to my rescue anytime I needed help and I had no choice than to accept it.

“Fine,” I heard myself say. “I’m staying one night and that’s it.”

“What?”

“One night Rian, don’t make me change my mind.

He scoffed. “You’re still this stubborn.”

I rolled my eyes and leaned my head against the window.

He pulled back onto the road, heading away from my house.

For tonight, at least, I could breathe.

Even if I didn’t deserve to.

-----

I woke up before the sun came up.

I hadn’t really slept. Just lay there staring at shadows on the ceiling, listening to unfamiliar sounds. His air conditioner. Distant traffic. Everything that wasn’t home.

I couldn’t stay here.

I sat up slowly, testing my balance. My head throbbed, but the room didn’t spin. Good enough.

I found my shoes by the door.

I needed to get home, but I had no way to call a cab. No money. No cards.

I could wake Rian and ask him to drive me.

But then he’d try to talk me out of it. He’d ask questions I didn’t want to answer. He’d look at me with those worried eyes and I’d feel guilty for leaving.

I couldn’t do that.

I scribbled a note on a napkin:

‘Had to go. Don’t follow me.’ — R

Then I slipped out before I could second-guess myself.

The lobby doorman looked surprised to see me at 5:30 AM.

“Miss, do you need me to call you a car?”

“Yes, please.” My voice came out hoarse. “Can you charge it to the apartment? I’ll settle it later.”

He studied my face—the bruise on my cheek, the exhaustion and nodded. “Of course, miss.”

A few minutes later, I was in a taxi.

The driver didn’t ask questions. Just drove.

Minutes later, we pulled up in front of my house.

“Take care, miss,” he said.

I nodded, already reaching for the door.

My feet got heavier as I walked toward the house.

I pushed the door open.

The house was quiet.

I stepped inside slowly, my gaze sweeping across the living room.

Something felt… wrong.

A pink suitcase sat by the staircase.

My stomach dropped when I heard familiar voices drifted from upstairs.