OpalThe sharp, sterile smell of antiseptic was the first thing that clawed its way into my senses. Then came the harsh white glare of fluorescent lights buzzing overhead, making my eyelids burn as I slowly blinked them open. My head throbbed with a dull, echoing ache, and my stomach churned with that familiar, hollow nausea. "Opal? Oh thank God, you're awake." I turned my head to see my best friend, Maya, leaning over the side of the hospital bed. Her eyes were red-rimmed, her face pale with worry as she grabbed my cold hand and squeezed it tightly. "Maya?" My voice was raspy, dry like sandpaper. "Where... what happened?" "You fainted on the sidewalk right outside your apartment building," Maya said, her voice shaking slightly. "A stranger saw you collapse and called an ambulance. They found my number on your emergency contact list. Opal, you scared me to death." The memories came rushing back in a devastating wave—the dining room at the Morrison estate, the fake photos, Graham’
Last Updated : 2026-08-12 Read more