Chapter 1

Ava’s POV

I let out a tired groan as my phone rang again. The sound was loud, sharp, and very distracting.

It had been ringing again and again for the past few minutes.

“Seriously…” I muttered under my breath.

I ran a hand through my slightly messy hair and carefully placed the hot comb back on the counter so I would not burn anything out of frustration. The salon was already getting busy, and the last thing I needed was to lose focus now.

The phone kept ringing.

I glanced at my handbag, and a strange feeling settled in my chest. My younger sister knew I worked late on Fridays. She never called me during work unless something was wrong.

And it was not even eight yet.

Something felt off.

“Mr. Daniel!” I called out, raising my voice a little as I reached for my phone. “Can I take this call quickly? It might be urgent!”

From across the salon, he did not even turn to look at me.

“Don’t take too long, Ava!” he said. “We are very busy tonight, and Tina is not here yet!”

I pressed my lips together, trying not to sound annoyed.

“Yes, sir! Just a minute. I will be right back!”

Without waiting for anything else, I hurried toward the back door and stepped outside. The cool evening air touched my face, but it did nothing to calm the uneasy feeling inside me.

I quickly answered the call and pressed the phone to my ear.

“Hey,” I started, already feeling a little tense, “you know I work late. Why are you calling me before eight? What is going—”

I stopped.

That was not her voice.

Instead, a calm female voice spoke from the other side of the phone.

“Hello… am I speaking with Miss Ava?”

My brows pulled together immediately.

Confusion came first, then fear followed right after.

Why was a stranger using my sister’s phone?

“Hello?” the woman said again when I did not answer. “Are you still there?”

I swallowed hard and held the phone tighter.

“Yes,” I said slowly. “This is Ava. Who are you… and why are you calling me from my sister’s phone?”

There was a short pause, then she spoke again in a calm and professional tone.

“Please try to stay calm, Miss Ava. My name is Doctor Mary.”

My heart skipped.

No… no, this could not be happening.

“Your sister was brought into the hospital about an hour ago,” she continued. “We have been trying to reach you, but it seems you were busy.”

For a moment, everything around me went quiet.

I could not hear the noise from inside the salon anymore. I could not hear the cars outside. It felt like the world had stopped.

Hospital?

My sister?

“No…” I whispered, pulling the phone away from my ear a little.

This had to be wrong. It had to be a mistake, I quickly looked at the screen again It was her number.

My chest tightened painfully.

“Miss Ava?” the doctor’s voice came again. “I need you to respond if you are still on the line. I understand this is hard to take in, but your sister is stable for now.”

Stable.

That word did not make me feel better.

“Please calm yourself wherever you are,” she added gently, “and listen carefully.”

I placed my hand on my chest and tried to breathe slowly.

“Y-Yes, Doctor,” I managed to say. “Where is the hospital? Where can I see my sister? Is she really okay? Please… how do I get there?”

My palms were sweating, and my heart was racing again.

“I will answer everything when you arrive,” she said. “I will send you the hospital name and address now. But first, I need you to promise me something.”

“Anything,” I said quickly. “Anything at all, just please help her.”

There was a small pause before she spoke again.

“I need you to stay calm, Miss Ava. Do not panic. Do not rush. Come here safely. Your sister needs you to be steady.”

I nodded quickly, even though she could not see me.

“Okay… thank you, Doctor.”

The call ended.

Less than a minute later, my phone buzzed. I opened the message quickly.

The hospital name appeared on the screen. It looked expensive, unfamiliar, and very far from where I was.

My brows pulled together.

Why would anyone take her to a place like this?

This kind of hospital was not for people like us.

But none of that mattered. All that mattered was my sister.

I rushed back into the salon, my heart beating fast. Without thinking, I pulled off my apron and dropped it on the nearest chair.

“Ava!” Mr. Daniel called out sharply. “Where are you going?”

I did not answer.

I could not.

I was already out the door.

Outside, I waved my hand until a cab finally stopped. I quickly got in and showed the driver the address on my phone.

“Please… just take me there as fast as you can.”

The ride felt very long.

Every second felt slow, and my mind would not stop thinking. I held my hands together tightly, trying not to imagine anything bad.

After what felt like forever, the car finally stopped.

“We are here,” the driver said.

I quickly gave him the money and stepped out.

The hospital stood in front of me, tall and bright. Everything about it looked clean and expensive.

Too expensive.

I did not belong here but my sister was inside.

That was all that mattered.

I rushed into the building, almost bumping into people as I moved. Some of the workers looked at me with confusion, but I did not stop.

I went straight to the reception desk.

“Please… where is my sister?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

The receptionist looked surprised.

“Calm down, miss. Who are you here to see?”

“My name is Ava,” I said quickly. “Doctor Mary called me. My sister was brought here earlier.”

Understanding showed on her face.

“Oh… alright.” Her voice became softer. “Let me call the doctor for you. Do not worry, your sister is in good hands.”

I nodded.

“Thank you…”

She made the call, spoke quietly for a moment, then looked back at me.

“Third floor,” she said. “First room on the left.”

I stepped into the elevator, my heart pounding hard in my chest as I pressed the button for the third floor. The ride felt longer than it should have, and with every second that passed, the fear inside me grew stronger.

When the doors finally opened, I stepped out slowly. The hallway was quiet, too quiet, and it made everything feel even more real.

I walked down the corridor until I got to the first room on the left.

Then I stopped.

I stood right in front of the door, staring at it like it was something I could not face. My feet refused to move, and my chest tightened as my breathing became uneven again.

It was just a door.

All I had to do was push it open.

But my hand stayed frozen in the air.