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
“You are not fit to travel, Dr. Morgan.” Dr. Allen’s voice was firm, his sharp gaze fixed on Emma as she sat on the hospital bed, already dressed in casual clothes. He held her medical chart in one hand, tapping it lightly against his palm in frustration. Emma sighed and took a deep breath. She'd already lost count of the number of times Dr. Allen had tried convincing her to stay back in New York.She felt fine, and had recovered quite significantly. She wanted to return back to Switzerland, to her old, safe haven.Afterall, Henry had recovered quite well and Dr. Allen could monitor his recovery and take good care of him. There was nothing left for her in New York anymore.“I know my body quite well, Dr. Allen. I can travel,” Emma stated firmly.Doctor Allen shook his head and let out a tired sigh. It seemed he was also tired of arguing with Emma, but wasn't ready to give up yet.“Knowing your body doesn’t change medical facts. You had surgery, Dr. Morgan. Flying is not advisable i
The tension in the airport lounge was thick, pressing against Emma as she tried to make sense of the situation. Just moments ago, she had been ready to leave New York behind. Now, she stood in the middle of a bureaucratic nightmare, unable to board the plane despite having done everything by the book. Her fingers curled tightly around her phone as she listened to the airport official explain—again—that they had received strict instructions preventing her from traveling. “We have been informed that you recently underwent major surgery, Dr. Morgan,” the airport manager said, his tone polite but unyielding. “For your own safety, and based on medical advisories, we cannot allow you to fly at this time.” Emma’s heart pounded. How did they know that? The only ones who were supposed to have access to her medical records were the hospital staff and herself. Her gaze flickered to Christian, who stood beside her, arms crossed, lips pressed in a thin line. He had sensed something was w
Papers were stacked neatly on Dr. Allen's desk, medical journals piled in one corner. Emma sat opposite him, her hands resting on her lap as she listened to him speak. “I’m truly grateful you reconsidered, Dr. Morgan.” Dr. Allen's voice was filled with warmth. “Staying in New York to recover is the right decision. Your health should always come first.” Emma gave a small, polite nod, but internally, she scoffed. Reconsidered? That made it sound like she had made the choice willingly. If it were up to her, she and Claire would be on a flight out of New York long ago. But she hadn’t been given that choice. The city—no, someone—had made sure of that. Dr. Allen continued, his smile widening. “And I must say, I’m beyond pleased that you’ve also decided to accept our offer as a visiting medical consultant. It's our privilege to officially have you here, Dr. Morgan.”“Thank you, Dr. Allen,” she said, maintaining a composed expression. Medical consultant.That was the formal title. Sh
The days passed in a blur as Emma worked tirelessly to settle back into New York. Between her new position as a visiting medical consultant and her ongoing recovery, she barely had a moment to herself. But despite her packed schedule, one thing took priority above all else—finding the perfect school for Claire.After thorough research and numerous calls, Emma had finally settled on one of the most prestigious private schools in the city. The curriculum was excellent, the environment warm, and most importantly, it felt like the right place for Claire to thrive.The final step in the process was the admission interview. Emma had expected it to be routine—just a few questions about Claire’s background, education, and personality. But as she sat across from the school's admission panel, she quickly realized the interview was more intrusive than she had anticipated.“Ms. Morgan, could you tell us a little about Claire’s father?”Emma stiffened slightly. The question wasn’t unexpected, but
Emma approached the meeting place Allison had chosen. It was an outdoor café, where people walked past in hurried strides, lost in their own lives. The sounds of traffic hummed around them—cars speeding by, horns blaring, the occasional screech of tires as a driver hit the brakes too late. Allison sat there, leisurely taking her drink, with a smug look on her lips as she patiently waited. She had chosen this place intentionally—open, public, with the rush of moving cars close enough to be unnerving. It was a setting that ensured Emma wouldn’t react too impulsively, and wouldn't lash out the way she probably wanted to.Emma knew this was a trap, yet she had come anyway. She wanted to find out Allison's true intention for suddenly inviting her out and also to dig out more information of what Allison knew about the accident. But what she encountered was totally unexpected.“Right on time,” Allison mused, tilting her head as Emma sat across from her. “I was starting to think you’d be
Emma gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles turning white as she drove through the city. The confrontation with Allison had left her a bit shaken. Even though Allison hadn't figured out the entire truth; the thought of someone like her knowing about Claire’s existence made her stomach churn. She had done everything to keep her daughter a secret, to ensure that no one—especially David—ever found out. And yet, with just a few photos and some speculation, Allison had come dangerously close to unraveling everything. Emma exhaled sharply and tried to push the thoughts away. She needed a distraction. Something—anything—to clear her mind. It wasn’t until she slowed at an intersection that she realized where she had driven. Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at the familiar gate in front of her. The amusement park. Her amusement park. Or at least, it used to be. Her eyes wandered to the park, closed off from visitors. The park had been closed off ever since David gi
David stood motionless in the middle of the hospital parking lot, watching the tail lights of Christian's car disappear into the distance, taking Emma with them. His heart felt like it had been ripped apart and left open in the cold. The wind picked up again, fluttering his shirt, but he didn’t feel it. Not really. Not when the weight of those messages he had once thought were filled with hope had now become a cruel reminder of what he had lost.Slowly, he turned away, each step heavier than the last. He didn’t know where he was going, didn’t even care. His body just moved, his feet dragging him forward, down streets he didn't recognize, past people he didn't see. All the while, his mind played the memory of Emma's voice again and again."I thought I was texting Christian."Those words. That mistake. That accidental plea for help that had revived the hope in his heart only to crush it completely.By the time David became aware of his surroundings, he had already left the hospital gro
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