Chapter 1

Schuyler Savannah's P. O. V.

I felt someone watching every step I make in the middle of the darkness. I can feel my heart slowly beating fast and my breathing was hitch in nervousness as I continued to make my way in the hospital entrance.

I could already see the guards in front of the entrance when I heard footsteps from behind me, tears were building in my eyes as my imaginations started to scare me and my body started to feel cold.

What if I get kidnapped here? I heard from the news that a lot of women are mysteriously getting kidnapped in the city and the people to blame are still unknown.

'Maybe I should hurry up…' I told myself and another set of images crossed my mind. I imagined being pulled away just before I got to the hospital.

So my adrenaline rush acted to where my body was comfortable. I ran fast just to reach the hospital and when the guard saw me, he gave me a familiar look and opened the door for me.

I got inside while catching my breath and they eyed me with questioning looks. I stopped and looked outside, my eyes widened in fear when I saw a dark silhouette of a man, standing in the darkness beside an abandoned building, looking straight into my direction and though he's away from me, I still saw when a smirk slowly made its way to his lips.

And it only took me one blink before he disappeared in my sight, making me question myself if he really was there or maybe that was only a fragment of my imagination.

I took a deep sigh and faced the guard who had been asking me in a worried voice.

"Are you okay, Miss Savannah?" He looked at me.

"D-Did you…" I pointed the way where I think I saw someone. "Did you… see that?"

I felt when the guards checked the direction I was pointing at before they all looked back at me.

"Saw what, Ma'am?" The other one asked me.

"T-The.." I don't know what to say. There was no one there so what's the point if that was a real person or just my imagination? "Nothing.. Sorry, I'm just tired from work."

Pity crossed their eyes. These guards had known me for five years already and I have grown close to them, in fact, I think I had always been here, longer than some of their physicians and other staff.

Just like what I usually do, I logged in to their records and went inside with a visitor's ID. The hospital is no longer welcoming visitors at this time, but the staff knew that I'm the only guardian who can look out for my parents so they made an exception for me, besides, I'd been coming here for years.

After some greetings, I went to my parents room and I sighed deeply when I saw a nurse charting and doing her job. When will this sight end?

The nurse looked at me with a smile, "Good evening, Miss Savannah. I'm done charting your parents records. Don't worry, I'll leave now so you can rest."

I nodded and smiled back at her. "Thank you, nurse."

She went out of the room so I closed the door and went towards my mother's bed. The incubation tube is still on her mouth and the doctors will only remove it once she wakes up, same with my father.

"Hey, mom.." I silently greeted, not even enough to win over the beeping sound of the machines connected to their bodies. I looked at my father beside her bed. "Hi, dad.."

Tears were already in my eyes just after greeting them. I should be resting now, I'm too exhausted with my part time work today, but I just couldn't bring myself to rest. I feel so down and in deep need of talking to someone, but clearly, I have no one right now.

I held my mother's hand and bit my lower lip as I prevented myself from crying, "Please… just hang on tight and wake up for me. I need you two."

I feel tired begging my boss to not fire me earlier, but my pleas went to a deaf hearing. It's me over a VIP customer. Of course, it'll be better to lose me than someone who can spend a lot to grow his business more.

Kaela… that spoiled brat! Just because her parents are millionaires, she thinks she can already control everyone in this town.

But honestly, she really can. They have money and connections to aid them. And people like me have no choice, but to obey and kiss their feet.

I looked at the machines in front of me and the doctor's offer last week rang in my ears, "It's been five years, but no changes still. The choice of now turning off the machines is in your hands, Miss Savannah."

How can someone tell me to do that? It's hard, yes, but I can never.. These patients are my parents. The two people who brought me to this world and raised me as I am now.

Working to earn the money for their financial expenses is hard, yes, but I would never turn the machines off and kill them. Because.. I'm still hoping.. that maybe, they can come back to me and I can be with them more.

I HEARD KNOCKS on the door so I quickly got up and fixed myself. It was my parents' doctors and they were looking at me with pity in their eyes.

It pained me to see that emotion, but it's not like my situation isn't really pitiful, right?

"Good morning, Miss Savannah." The older doctor said and motioned the door to me. "A word while they check on your parents?"

I silently nodded and followed him outside. The doctors inside quickly shut the doors to do their job.

The doctor showed me something. "You know, showing this to you isn't my job anymore, but you're tending to both your parents' needs and doing work all alone, barely even having time for yourself. So, why not lift your finger a little, yeah?"

I opened the folder and quickly closed my eyes shut after I saw the total debt I have in the hospital.

"F*ck…" I muttered a curse and I felt like my head was throbbing.

In order to give my parents the best treatment, I freaking send them to a private hospital and now I'm suffering from it. It costs thousands of dollars each in every thirty days period and I only earn a few, not even half of the money I need to pay.

"Are you okay, Miss Savannah?" The doctor asked me and I only nodded at him.

"Thank you, doc." I said while reading through the hospital bills.

"You know, if you're having a hard time already and so does your parents… I'm sorry to say, but you have the option to—"

"I'll make a way to pay this." I quickly cut him off and he ended up sighing and just nodding his head at me.

"Goodluck with that, then." The doctor told me and tapped my shoulder. "Just remember, you already own the hospital a million per each of your parents' bills, I don't think they'll give more than that for the next week."

The doctor went inside and helped his interns to check on my parents while I sat outside and lost with my own thoughts. I didn't speak with anyone when they went out and left.

When I stood up to get back inside, I looked down at my cellphone when I heard it beeping. A tear made its way to my eyes while reading the message.

I sat down on the bench again and looked up at the ceiling. The pay is low compared to the last restaurant I worked for, but at least, I can use a weekly payment to cover up my parents' medicines.

Sighing in relief, I went back inside and prepared myself to rest when I suddenly felt a different kind of cold. I turned around and saw the window, it was open. Well, that was strange. The aircon is always open in this room so how is the window open?

Maybe one of the interns opened it? I shrugged off my questions and just got into the window. I was about to closed it when I had a suddenly glimpse of someone outside, standing and looking up at my direction, but the moment I blinked, the person disappeared as well.

It sent shivers down my spine, so I quickly closed the window in a real hurry. I was holding my own breath until I finally managed to lock it with my shaking hands.

I sighed and went beside my parents to kiss them before I made my way to the sofa bed, but my body froze while eyeing my blanket.. where a bloodied claw mark was.