With a deep breath, Isabel straightened and put on a remorseful expression. "Fine," she said softly. "I admit it. I hid Allison’s asthma. Only because I wanted to protect her.” She turned to Mathew, tears in her eyes, and added, "I did it because I knew how much Allison's success meant to you. Ever since she was little, you would tell her stories of how you started your company and how much hard work, dedication and effort you put in. Allison looked up to you as her hero, always saying she wanted to achieve great things just to make you proud. I thought that if I kept her condition hidden, she wouldn’t feel weak and could still be the daughter you were so proud of.”Mathew’s jaw tightened, but he let her continue."I only wanted the best for her," Isabel pressed on. "I didn’t want you to see her as weak and useless. I wanted her to succeed without being treated differently. But the swimming incident..." She shook her head. "That was a mistake. I truly believed I had it under contro
Allison and Isabel stormed into their room angrily, their carefully crafted pretentious faces crumbling the moment the door shut behind them. Allison sat on the edge of her bed, fists clenched, while Isabel paced back and forth, her mind already working through the implications of what had just transpired downstairs.“That wench! She humiliated me,” Isabel spat angrily. “How the hell did she get your past medical records? I've lost my shares and position because of that stupid girl! Arrgh!”Allison, however, was too preoccupied with a more pressing concern. “I don’t care about that right now, Mother. What if Emma tells David about my medical reports? He doesn’t know I've had asthma since I was 7, and if he finds out, everything will be ruined.” Isabel paused mid-step, deep in thought. She really couldn’t allow Emma to keep disrupting their lives. Today, she'd made Isabel lose a lot; who knows what she probably had up her sleeves tomorrow?After a moment, Isabel let out a slow, deli
Emma opened her eyes and found herself trapped in a vast and endless darkness. What was she doing here? She wondered and tried to speak, but realized that she couldn't even make a sound.Panicking, she tried to move and look for help, but all to no avail. She couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, yet she was aware of everything—her thoughts, her emotions, and everything happening around her.At that moment ,she noticed things that looked like revolving distant lanterns in the night. She tried to look closer and realized those lanterns carried some sort of images and videos within them.At first, there was only a comforting silence that enveloped her as the lanterns slowly approached her, but then, memories from the lanterns began to surface, one by one, forming a sequence that she couldn’t control. They were hazy at first, like distant images reflected in water. Then they sharpened, one after another, playing before her like scenes from an old film.Then she saw David.Emma saw the way the
David stood frozen in the doorway, his sharp gaze locked on the scene before him. Emma, still pale and weak from her coma, sat upright in her hospital bed while Christian stood close…too close for David’s liking. From the angle he had walked in, it looked as if Christian had been leaning in toward Emma, hugging her intimately, their bodies inches apart. A slow, simmering anger built in David’s chest. His fists clenched at his sides as he took a step forward, his voice cutting through the tense silence. “What the hell is going on here?!”His eyes, burning with fury, locked onto Christian, who remained irritatingly composed.Emma parted her lips, about to speak, but before she could utter a word, Christian gently placed a hand over hers, his touch light yet possessive. “Don’t stress yourself, Emma,” he murmured, his voice soft, almost affectionate. “Let me handle this.”The way he said it—so effortlessly intimate—made David’s vision blur with rage. His hands, already curled into f
The doctor had barely left the room when David let out a long breath, attempting to release the tension that had been gripping him. His hands, which had been clenched into fists for what felt like an eternity, finally eased as he raked his fingers through his hair. It was only then that the weight of his own actions hit him. He had been so consumed by his emotions, jealousy, and frustration that he hadn’t even asked the most important question. How was Emma feeling? What had even happened to her? His jaw tightened at the realization. He had let his emotions take control, completely overlooking the fact that she had just come out of a coma.He turned his attention back to her. She looked so fragile sitting in that hospital bed, her face slightly pale, yet there was something in her eyes that made his heart tighten. Without thinking much, he walked over and pulled a chair beside her bed. “How are you feeling?” His voice was lower now, softer than before. Emma hesitated fo
The fire escape room was dimly lit, the air inside thick with tension between the two men who now stood facing each other. David was the first to speak, his voice sharp, cutting through the silence like a blade. “What do you want with Emma?” he demanded, his gaze fixed on Christian. If looks could kill, Christian would already be buried six feet under from the intensity of David's glare. It felt as if he were in an interrogation room, accused of a serious crime.Christian arched a brow, surprisingly unfazed by David’s aggressive stance.“I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” David stepped forward, closing the distance between them, his eyes dark and probing. “It is my business,” he countered. “Emma and I—” “Are nothing,” Christian interrupted smoothly, his voice calm, unbothered. “You both have nothing to do with each other. You clearly made sure of that five years ago.” David’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “I’m not going to ask again
After David left Emma's hospital room, the police came to see her. They explained that the driver who had hit her was DUI, and had been arrested. So, Emma didn't really think much about it at the moment.But when she lay quietly on the bed, thinking about the whole incident…the more odd it seemed to her. Infact, the more she thought about it, the more uneasy she became.Her fingers clenched the sheets as fragmented memories of the accident replayed in her mind. The moment of the crash. The way her body had been thrown forward. The pain that had spread through her like wildfire. Then—darkness. But there was something else.A man.She had seen him, standing over her as she lay helpless on the cold pavement. He had pulled out a phone, speaking to someone, but before she could clearly see his face, she'd lost consciousness. But his voice had been steady, too calm—nothing like someone who was drunk or high.Emma frowned. If he had truly been intoxicated, how could he have spoken so cl
Christian had just stepped out of the elevator, heading towards Emma's room when he spotted a group of people leaving Emma’s hospital room. His gaze instinctively swept over them, taking in the sight of the older man at the front who wore a resigned expression, his shoulders slightly hunched as if carrying a weight too heavy for him. Beside him, a woman walked with a stiff posture, her lips pressed into a thin line of irritation.It was the last person in the group that caught his attention. The young woman walked slightly behind the others, her head bowed low, long strands of dark hair flowing over her face, hiding her features. But Christian’s eyes lingered on her for a second longer than necessary. Something about her presence triggered an odd sensation within him—a sense of familiarity he couldn’t quite place. His brows furrowed slightly as he tried to recall where he had seen her before. He could only catch a glimpse of her delicate nose, the curve of her chin beneath her lo
David froze when he saw that several text notifications had suddenly appeared at the top of the screen.And they were all from Emma.One by one, he opened them.Emma: Where are you?Emma: Please...Emma: Can you come?Emma: I'm really scared right now.Emma: Please...Emma: I don’t know who else to call.Emma: Are you coming?Emma: Please answer me...Emma: Are you there?Emma: I need you.He stared. Stared like the wind had been knocked out of him. The silence of the hospital room suddenly felt deafening.Ten messages.All from Emma.His fingers trembled as he held the phone. His breathing became shallow. Every part of him froze, as though struck by lightning. He blinked, but the messages remained on the screen.What happened to Emma?!His mind was full of questions he couldn’t answer. But then something hit him…Emma had texted him.When she was afraid.When she didn't know who else to call.She had thought of him first.A wave of emotion surged through him—disbelief, hope, relief,
David walked slowly into his hospital room, his eyes dull, his steps heavy. His two closest friends, Max and Felix, stood up from the chairs near his bed the moment they saw him."There you are!" Max said, walking toward him. "We were just about to go look for you. Where the hell did you go? Why did you leave your room in your condition?""Yeah, man, we came in and didn’t find anyone here. Not even Allison," Felix added. "The guards outside said you left without telling them where you went. We’ve been really worried."David didn’t answer. He didn’t even acknowledge their presence. He just walked slowly toward his bed and sat down, staring blankly ahead.The two friends exchanged glances."David," Max said carefully, bending down a bit so he could meet David’s eyes. "What’s going on with you? You okay? Did something happen?"Still no reply.Felix pulled a chair closer and sat beside the bed. "Talk to us, man. We’re not just here to visit. We’re your friends. You can tell us anything."
"Are you going to pretend you didn’t see me?”Emma froze. Her fingers tightly clutched the clipboard as she closed her eyes.“Stay away from him, Emma,” She said to herself. “Stop caring. Draw the line.”Yet just as she opened her eyes, hardened her resolve not to meddle into David's affairs anymore, and turned to leave again, she heard it—a low, painful groan.Emma turned around sharply.David had slumped down to the floor, holding his side, his face twisted in pain."David!" she called, rushing toward him without thinking. Her heart thudded in her chest as she knelt beside him. Her hands trembled as she touched his arm.He shouldn’t have been out of his room. His body was still weak, still healing. He had no business walking around the hospital like this."You shouldn’t be here," she whispered, trying to steady her voice.David groaned again.Emma glanced around. It was obvious he wouldn’t be able to return to his ward in that condition. Emma didn’t have a choice. She had to take hi
Dr. Allen had seen enough patients to know when someone was pushing themselves too far. And David, seated upright on the bed with a restless expression and an IV line still in his arm, was doing just that."I just need a walk, Dr. Allen," David muttered. "I’ve been in this room for too long. I feel fine now."Dr. Allen arched a brow, folding his arms. “You feel fine? David, you were brought in barely breathing a week ago. Your body’s still recovering. Walking around unsupervised is not just reckless—it’s dangerous."David exhaled, his eyes fixed on the window. His once sharp features were now pale and hollow, his frame thinner than usual. The last seven days had taken a toll, though he would never admit it aloud.“I hear you,” David said after a pause. “I do.”Dr. Allen studied him for a long moment. There was something else behind that tired gaze—impatience, yes, but also pain. Emotional, not physical. But he had done his duty.“Good,” Dr. Allen finally said. “Get some rest. I’ll che
(Flashback continues…)Early the next morning, Dr. Allen came to the ward to check up on David.“All signs show he’s on the road to recovery,” he said, glancing at the readings. “He should regain consciousness soon… probably in a few hours’ time.”Allison, seated by David’s bedside, clasped her hands together tightly. Her eyes glistened with relief. “Thank goodness… Thank you, Doctor Allen,” she said in a sincere tone.“You're welcome, Mrs. Lawson. Dr. Morgan should be given all the accolades for Mr. David's fast recovery. She'll soon be here to check up on him.”Allison's smile faltered when she heard Emma's name, but said nothing.Dr. Allen excused himself after making sure everything was in order, and the ward returned to a quiet stillness.About an hour later, the door creaked open gently. Emma stepped inside, a clipboard in one hand.She noticed that Allison was not in the room, and her eyes automatically sought David’s face. Seeing his resting form—the soft rise and fall of his
David’s low groans of pain pierced the hospital room like sharp needles, each sound tugging at Allison’s nerves. She stood at the edge of the bed, her hands trembling as she watched him writhe in discomfort. His body tensed, his fingers curling tightly around the hospital blanket. Sweat dotted his forehead, his breathing ragged.Doctor Allen had warned her earlier that such episodes were expected. Post-operative pain, especially after major abdominal surgery, often came in waves. David had undergone multiple incisions, internal stitching, and extensive suturing. Nerve endings disrupted by the trauma often sent confused pain signals as the body tried to heal. This was a normal part of the recovery phase—unpleasant, but manageable.Still, seeing him like this unsettled her."Nurse!" Allison shouted, pressing the emergency bell frantically as David let out another cry, clutching his side.Within seconds, Nurse Gina appeared at the door. She was calm and experienced, a woman in her late t
"Mom, I'm so tired!" Allison groaned, pacing back and forth around the hospital garden in angry strides as she spoke into her phone. "Can you imagine? I’ve been tending to him for days now, and it’s like nothing I do even matters. He just stares past me. He complains that I disturb him. He won’t talk to me. And when he does, it’s like I’m some stranger! Cold. Indifferent. Why can’t he just show me a bit of gratitude?"Isabel’s voice came through the line, gentle yet firm. "Allison, take it easy on him. The accident might have hit him harder than you think. You can’t expect him to just bounce back like nothing happened."Allison let out a loud, bitter hiss. She turned away from the flowerbed, wrapping one arm around herself as she paced. "Hit him hard? Oh please. How then does he still remember Emma's name? Explain how he can still manage to call out her name in his sleep every damn night. Every. Single. Night, Mom!"There was a short pause on the other end of the call."Emma?" Isabe
The hospital room, over time, became too boring for David's liking.Visitors had come and gone since his accident. Too many of them. With each face that walked through the door, he felt more irritated and exhausted.The visits were starting to feel like noise. Everyone had something to say, and yet none of it mattered to him.Everyone except Henry.His seven-year-old son and Grandfather were the only people David didn’t mind seeing. Henry had come by after getting better from his own little accident. When he walked into the room, David’s chest had softened for the first time in days.“Daddy,” Henry had said quietly, his big eyes looking unsure.David had managed a weak smile. “Hey, champ.”Henry tiptoed closer and gently placed a small toy car on the edge of the bed. “I brought this for you. It's my favorite, but... you can borrow it till you get better.”David reached for the toy, his fingers brushing the smooth plastic. “Thanks, buddy. That means a lot.”Henry didn’t ask a lot of qu
David felt like he was floating. Somewhere far away, he heard voices. They sounded blurry, like someone speaking underwater. But one voice stood out—it was soft and feminine. And the scent… it was familiar, comforting. His heart stirred.Emma.That was the first person that came to his mind. It had to be her. She was here, by his side. He could almost feel her presence. Excited by the thought, David tried to open his eyes. But the moment he did, a sharp light hit his vision, making him squint and shut them quickly. It was too bright.He waited a few seconds, then tried again. Slowly, the light became bearable. His vision cleared a little, and the voice he had heard earlier came again—this time louder and full of emotion.“He’s awake! Doctor, he’s awake!”David blinked a few more times, now able to focus on the face leaning over him.It wasn’t Emma.It was Allison.He didn’t know what to feel about that moment. A small wave of disappointment washed over him, but he pushed it down. Righ