Chapter 2

Half an hour later, I finally saw Felix in the VIP suite.

He looked thin and pale, tubes running everywhere. Machines kept track of every heartbeat and breath.

Penelope wiped at her eyes. "He suffered a traumatic brain injury. The surgery went well, but recovery takes time. Maybe six months. Maybe three years.

"We wanted someone to stay by his side. Not because we need help changing his sheets or cleaning him up—we can hire nurses for that."

I understood what she meant.

For coma patients, emotional connection mattered.

Someone needed to talk to him every day, keep his mind engaged, give him reasons to come back.

But Felix's condition couldn't be made public.

And Penelope was busy holding Floyd Corp. together.

Sienna had been the obvious choice.

Instead, it ended up being me.

Felix's spirit stood beside the bed, looking miserable. "I really thought Sienna would stay with me. Guess I was wrong. All I wanted was someone dependable to read me the financial news every day. Why is that so hard? I don't even know if Ruth can pull it off..."

After listening to him complain for a while, I figured it out.

His consciousness was separated from his body.

That's why I could see him.

The moment he woke up, his spirit would return to where it belonged.

Once I had a plan, I laid it out.

"I'll read the news to Felix every day. I'll keep movies and music playing. I'll tell him about the weather and bring in different scents so he stays connected to the outside world."

I paused.

"As for taking care of him, I'd like to handle that myself if that's okay. It'll help us build a stronger connection."

Penelope and Felix both looked skeptical.

Neither of them believed I'd actually follow through.

They changed their minds the next day.

When Penelope came into the room—

I had just finished shaving Felix.

He looked a lot more like himself.

A newly released movie played on the TV while I quietly explained parts of it.

At the same time, I was reading financial news from a tablet right on schedule.

A cup of fruit tea sat beside his bed, its scent covering the sharp smell of disinfectant.

I'd even set up a small bed in the room.

I planned to stay with him twenty-four-seven.

Penelope looked genuinely touched. "You can go back to the estate at night."

I smiled.

As long as I didn't have to go back to my parents' house, I was good.

"Staying here helps strengthen my connection with Felix. It'll help him wake up."

As I spoke, I secretly glanced at Felix's spirit.

His expression had softened. "Sienna's always been spoiled. Even if she'd come, she wouldn't have taken care of me like this. Ruth actually seems dependable. Maybe this accident wasn't all bad."

Looks like I passed Felix's personal review.

Everything after this should be a lot easier.