Chapter 5

Freya was lying down on the bed, Wilhelm was examining her once again, Hendrik was standing nearby, closely observing Wilhelm, and Anika was watching the two men in front of her. She had already sensed some tension in the room and knew that something very interesting was about to happen.

" Well, the vital signs are good, I believe it was just stress. Probably didn't eat or sleep well and her body couldn't handle it. But she should wake up soon. I don't think it's necessary for you to stay here since you're not a relative. We'll take care good care of her," Wilhelm said arrogantly, glaring at Hendrik.

Hendrik raised an eyebrow. He knew who Wilhelm was, Freya's ex. Konrad had done a good job, as always, and provided Hendrik with a report on Freya, including the fact that Tobias had been treated there by Freya. Anika discreetly started recording because she could tell things were about to heat up. She put her cellphone in her front pocket and began biting down on her nails.

Hendrik smiled and approached the bed where Freya lay. Wilhelm had his hand on Freya's pulse and seemed unwilling to let go of her hand.

Hendrik took Freya's hand in his and held it with both of his hands, looking straight at Wilhelm as he replied, without averting his gaze, " I may not be a direct relative of her's, but I am her boyfriend. I think that counts as family, doesn't it, doctor?"

Anika gasped at what she heard the handsome man say. She looked from one man to the other and could see the sparks in their eyes. Hendrik was clearly trying to provoke Wilhelm, and he would continue with this act for as long as he could .

" She never mentioned she was dating someone. How do we know if you're really telling the truth?" Wilhelm retorted angrily.

"But why should my darling have informed you about our relationship? Aren't you two just colleagues?" Hendrik replied.

Anika couldn't help but burst into stifled laughter upon hearing the term " my darling." She liked the idea of Freya dating that man, but she knew it wasn't entirely true. They might have just met recently and were not exactly dating. Freya saw her reaction and tried to hold back her own laughter, covering her mouth. She considered Anika her confidante and hadn't told her anything about being in a relationship.

"Wha... what did you just call her?" Wilhelm made a funny face after hearing Hendrik's words.

" Sorry, I shouldn't have called her that in front of you, since it's something intimate between us. But, as I said, would she have had to inform you about our relationship?" Hendrik asked.

Wilhelm made a disgusted face and before he could say anything, Anika timidly spoke out.

"Absolutely not," she replied, seeing both men turn to look at her at the same time. " What? I didn't say anything wrong. She wouldn't have told you about her personal life, and you know that," Anika said, looking at Wilhelm.

Wilhelm looked back at her with a scowl, but Anika just shrugged and turned her face away.

Hendrik observed Wilhelm's reaction, noticing that he was clearly bothered by Hendrik's declaration. He still hadn't let go of Freya's wrist and it was starting to annoy Hendrik.

"Well,well, well, now that she's fine, you can go attend to your other patients. I'll stay by my girlfriend's side until she wakes up." Hendrik said to Wilhelm, his tone serious.

" By whose side?" Freya spoke up, and both men looked at her simultaneously.

Neither of them had noticed the moment Freya had woken up. Freya looked at her wrist being held by Wilhelm, who immediately let go. Hendrik, on the other hand, didn't release his hand, shamelessly continuing to hold onto it.

Wilhelm said his goodbyes and left the room. Freya looked at her hand, but Hendrik pretended not to notice and didn't let go.

"Are you feeling better? I was worried about you," Hendrik said.

" I'm fine, it was just stress. You don't need to stay here. I imagine you have many other things to do." Freya replied, feeling embarrassed with Hendrik holding her hand and staying by her side, especially after hearing him openly declare that they were dating.

"Well, yes, I do have a lot to do. So get well soon, doctor, and take good care of your girlfriend. Make sure she eats something," Anika hurriedly left as fast as she could after dropping the bombshell. She didn't want to be around when it exploded.

Hendrik released Freya's hand and placed it on the bed. He looked at Freya, who at that moment had one eyebrow raised,as if waiting for an explanation.

"The doctor didn't want to let me stay in the room and I was really worried about you, since I'm not a relative, so I said I was your boyfriend. I'm sorry If I offended you in any way."

" It's okay, you didn't offend me," Freya replied, trying to imagine the scene of this tall, tough-looking man pretending to be a concerned boyfriend.

"I really was worried about you, I don't want anything bad to happen to you," Hendrik said, his hands now in his pockets, and he seemed sincere when he spoke. " Do you and your ex still have something?"

Freya was surprised by the sudden question.

"Uhmm? What do you mean?" Freya had no idea how Hendrik knew about Wilhelm.

" The doctor who just left, he seemed bothered by the fact that I said I was your boyfriend, it seems like he still has feelings for you," Hendrik said, observing Freya's reaction.

" Well I highly doubt that, if he still felt something for me, he wouldn't have done what he did, I think he was bothered by the that I had finally moved on." Hendrik approached Freya, who was already sitting on the bed. He took his hands out of his pocket and placed it close to Freya's body on the bed, leaning towards her, getting very close

" And what's stopping you from moving on, doctor? Hendrik's close proximity made Freya tremble. She parted her lips in an attempt to say something, but the door was opened, interrupting Freya from speaking. Hendrik just tilted his head to the side without changing his position, gritting his teeth as he saw it was Wilhelm once again. He was slowly losing his patience with this guy. He looked at Freya again, taking his other hand out of his pocket and bringing it to her face.

" See you later, babe."

Hendrik straightened his body and turned to leave the room. Freya didn't even have time to process what had just happened.

Hendrik passes Wilhelm, giving him an intimidating look, and Wilhelm swallowed hard, feeling the intimidating aura oozing out of that man.

After Hendrik left, an awkward silence settled in the room. Freya, who was uncomfortable with the situation, broke the silence.

" Why did you come back Dr. Wilhelm? Do you need something?"

Wilhelm sat on the bed, looking at Freya, and put his hand over her's, speaking softly.

"Is there still a chance?" Freya looked at him shocked and confused before Wilhelm repeated once again.

"Is there any hope for us?" Freya opened her mouth, unable to pronounce a word for a while. She couldn't believe what Wilhelm was asking. After all, did he want to come back? Did he miss her? Or did things not work out with his current girlfriend? Freya was completely confused by this question and totally surprised, wondering what had made Wilhelm change her mind.

" Why are you asking me this? What made you change your mind about us?" Freya managed to ask these two questions after a while.

Wilhelm smiled to himself, looked at his own hand before answering.

" I have missed you all this time, and on that day, seeing you take control of that situation, acting on impulse, made me realize that was the woman I wanted to see in you and that you can be that woman all you needed was time."

Freya couldn't believe what she was hearing. So, that was what had happened? Seeing her there, in danger, facing a mafia, that's what he wanted from her? So who was supposed to be the man in the relationship?.

" But it was you who didn't give me a chance to be that woman. You know how frustrated I felt, knowing that I lost a battle without even having a chance to fight? Not to say just a month after my aunt's death." Freya replied, deciding that it was time to let out everything that had been bottled up for so long.

" In my head, everything was fine, okay between us, living together, s*x, everything. My world shattered into a thousand pieces when I found out you were with someone else, and when you told me all those things, I didn't even know what to cry about, I... I felt destroyed. I loved you so much that I was willing to forgive your betrayal and change anything necessary to not lose you, but you just threw away all our years of being together. Why didn't you tell me before anything that you weren't happy? Or whether you needed me to change, learn new things. Or that you weren't satisfied, or whatever the hell it was. Why didn't you give me a chance to fight for us?"

Tears had already streamed down Freya's face without permission. These questions had been gnawing at her for a long time, and in a way, it was a relief to let it all out.

" I thought you would never be willing to change for me. I let myself be carried away when I met someone who was what I wanted you to be. But I still have feelings for you, and I know deep down you still love me," Wilhelm said, touching Freya's face.

That touch, those hands on her face, how she missed them. Freya closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel the touch of those hands again. She shouldn't have, but she enjoyed feeling it again. Freya opened her eyes and looked at Wilhelm.

" I was afraid they would hurt you. When I saw them pushing you, I just acted out of impulse, didn't think about anything else. I don't know if I can be that woman all the time."

Deep down, Freya knew she couldn't be the way Wilhelm wanted. And despite saying she would change for him, she didn't think it was right to have to change to fit someone else's standards. If Wilhelm wanted her, wouldn't it be right to want her as she was?.

The more Freya thought about it, the more convinced she became that it wouldn't work out. During all those months when Wilhelm left her, she always thought that if he changed his mind, she would say yes immediately. But at that moment, she wasn't sure if she wanted to get back together with him anymore. What had changed, she didn't know, but she was questioning his feelings.

Wilhelm approached Freya, still with his hand on her face.

" Just give us one last chance, Can we try?"

Freya opened her mouth, but couldn't emit any sound. Wilhelm wanted to kiss her, but Freya turned her face away. She didn't know why she had done that, but she did. She wanted that kiss, but it wasn't right. Wilhelm was still with someone else.

" Give me some time, I'll think about it. I can't give you an answer now."

Wilhelm stepped back, standing up, he smiled awkwardly, thinking Freya wouldn't hesitate to get back together with him.

" Is it because of him? Are you falling for him?"

Freya didn't understand the question right away, but she imagined Wilhelm was talking about Hendrik, since the other guy said he was her boyfriend ."

" It has nothing to do with him. I just need to think carefully if this would really be the best for the both of us."

" Okay then, I'll wait for your answer. Please rest now."

Wilhelm left the room and Freya began to think about everything that had just happened. Until all these events unfolded,she wasn't sure if she still wanted him, but until then, she only knew that something had changed. Wilhelm's question " Are you falling for him?" echoed in her mind, and she wondered if the change really had something to do with Hendrik.