Chapter Three

Maya's POV 

As I slowly opened my eyes, the bright fluorescent lights above my bed pierced through my brain like a thousand knives. I winced and raised a hand to shield my face. But as I did, a sharp pain shot through my head, making me gasp.

Where am I? The last thing I remembered was...was...nothing. My memories seemed to be shrouded in a thick fog. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't remember anything. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, forcing me back onto the pillow. I groaned.

A hospital bed. I was in a hospital bed. But why? I looked around the room, taking in the beeping machines, the sterile smell, and the faint sound of murmured conversations outside her door.

A faint memory stirred in the back of my mind. A car accident? Was I in a car accident? I tried to recall more, but my memories remained frustratingly out of reach.

Just then, a gentle voice spoke from beside my bed. "Hey, welcome back. My name is Nurse Thompson. Can you tell me your name?”

I stared at his face in confusion. “What am I doing here?”

“You were in a car accident but someone brought you here on time so you didn't sustain any major injury.” My head banged and a painful moan left my mouth as I tried again to recall what had happened to me.

“You don't need to force your memory. It will come back to you slowly.” He smiled down at me.

My baby. My baby.

I couldn't decipher the look on Nurse Thompson's face as I drifted into unconsciousness.

I opened my eyes slowly. My head no longer banged.

“It's a miracle that she survived.” I turned my head, slowly. Every movement was a quiet protest from my body. There was a man in a lab coat speaking to another dressed in plain clothes. The second man had his back to me, but there was something about the way he stood still, tense, as if waiting for something. It made my skin prickle.

“Ah! She's awake now.” The doctor exclaimed and the other man turned around. He oddly looked familiar but I couldn't pinpoint where I saw him.

“Who are you?” My voice came out croaked, embarrassing me. I looked to my left and creased my forehead trying to remember where I had seen him.

A look of pain spread across his face and he replaced it with a small chuckle. Or maybe, I did imagine that look because it couldn’t have disappeared so quickly if it was there.

“Soren Stefan.” Stefan. The name does ring a bell. Then, it clicked.

Now, I remember. I’ve watched too much of his videos to know how he works. I can’t believe I forgot the company’s major competitor and one of the biggest names in the business world.

And somehow,he was here, standing at my bedside.

“How did you end up here?” I asked, brow furrowed. “I don’t think we’ve met formally.”

“I can’t remember anything.” I winced when my head hurt as I tried hard to recall the recent events.

“Don't stress it please. You will remember everything.” The doctor assured me and I nodded.

“Hottest news in town.” the news anchor announced bringing my attention to the television. my vision blurred at the headlines.

“BILLIONAIRE MOGUL, AIDEN KENSINGTON ANNOUNCES HIS ENGAGEMENT TO CHILDHOOD SWEETHEART, ELENA MONROE.” 

My chest tightened and I could no longer breathe. Everything hit me at once. The wedding, the pregnancy test, the incident in the office, the argument with Elena and lastly, the accident. I could remember everything.

“Are you okay? Do you feel any pain?” The doctor asked as he placed his stethoscope on my chest.

“How is my baby?” I asked him with teary eyes as I recalled the blood dripping down my legs.

“Where's Gideon? Is he in a different ward?” Lucas looked at me in confusion.

“Gideon is my driver and he was also involved in the car accident.” He looked at me painfully and I shook my head. No, that can't be true.

“When I met you, you were outside the car and I could only save you. He was already burnt when I arrived at the scene.” More tears flowed down my cheeks as I thought of Gideon and his kind gestures. Oh God! I am the reason that kind, lovely man lost his life. I will never forgive myself.

My eyes were drawn back to the television. My ex-husband was on air smiling ear to ear as he conversed with the TV presenter.

It had been barely five hours since he served me divorce papers and he had gone ahead to publicly announce his engagement to my sister. Soren moved to switch off the television but I stopped him.

I watched as he got down on one knee and offered her a ring. I watched as she screamed happily and he slid the ring into her finger. I watched as he slowly stood up and she jumped on him. 

I watched as everyone including my own parents laughed and clapped their hands. I watched as he stared at her with much tenderness that I have never seen in his eyes. I watched as he stared at her like she was his whole world with eyes that had only stared at me coldly. 

After the proposal, I watched my parents tell an interviewer how happy they were that their only daughter was getting married to the love of her life. I didn’t exist in any of them.

I tightened my fist around my bed sheet and cried.

“Where is my baby?” I repeated my earlier question.

The doctor and Soren shared a gaze then they looked at me. They both had a sorrowful look.

No, no, no. I shook my head. The tears kept pouring and I had no control. 

“Don’t tell me that. It can’t be possible.” 

The doctor approached me carefully. “I’m sorry but we tried everything that we could but we couldn’t save the baby. Given the damage to your uterus, carrying a pregnancy safely is no longer possible.”

I forgot how to breathe. The entire room was so quiet that I could hear my heart beating loud. Then, I heard a very loud and distant cry. 

Through the corner of my eyes, I could see Soren Stefan walking up to me. 

It took me a while to realize that I was the one crying.

Several nurses approached and held me. I fought against their hold.

“Inject her!” I heard someone say,

Then I felt something sharp pierce me and my eyelids felt heavy. The world went dark.

When I opened my eyes, the place was so dark. It took me several minutes to get used to the darkness.

Then, I saw Soren Stefan’s figure on the floor. What was he doing on the ground?

I tried to stand up but then, I was chained to the bed. What is going on? I tried to force my hand out of the chains but it was too tight.

I heard footsteps approaching, then I paused and turned my head to the door. 

A figure walked in and another shortly after. I squinted my eyes but I couldn't recognize them but they felt familiar.

The light suddenly came on and I shut my eyes.