I blink slowly, my eyes still adjusting to the sterile brightness of the hospital room. My head throbs, and the dull ache makes it difficult to remember why I’m here in the first place. The last thing I recall is the world spinning as my head rushed toward the ground. Now, Maria's anxious face hovers above me.

  “Ely! You’re awake!” Her voice cracks, a mix of relief and exhaustion.

  “Maria?” I rasp, my throat dry. “What happened?” I try to sit up, but a sharp pain shoots through my body. Groaning, I settle back against the pillows.

  Maria looks over her shoulder. “Joseph, she’s awake!”

  Joseph appears from the side of the room, his usual composed demeanor softened with worry. “Elysia,” he begins, his voice steady but with an underlying concern, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  I squint at him, confusion clouding my thoughts. “Why... why am I here?” I ask, my voice hoarse, still trying to make sense of the situation.

  “You fainted,” Joseph says gently, his voice trembling slightly. “After you left the car, I decided to find you. There was someone collapsing in the park, and—well, it was you. Counting that day, you’ve been unconscious for three days.”

  “Three days?” It feels like I just closed my eyes, and now I’m awake. My mind struggles to comprehend. I fainted? Why can’t I remember? My fingers instinctively brush the side of my head, where I can feel a faint bruise.

  Joseph, ever the gentleman, clears his throat. “I wasn’t going to leave things unresolved between us, so I went looking for you. When I saw the crowd, I rushed over. Sebastian and I got you to the hospital, then I called Maria to update her on your condition. You’ve been in a coma since then. The doctors said it could have lasted weeks, maybe longer, but you’re awake now, and that’s what matters.”

  A chill runs down my spine. “A coma?” I murmur, my heart racing, feeling a surge of dread.

  Maria, her face pale, speaks to the nurse, asking for the doctor. I glance at Joseph again, my thoughts racing. The last thing I remember was our conversation—the argument. But could stress really cause this?

  Joseph notices my discomfort and gives me a small, strained smile. “Elysia, don’t worry about it. We can start fresh. This whole experience has given me new perspectives.”

  I manage a weak laugh, though it hurts. “Like what?”

  He chuckles lightly, scratching his head. “For one, I should have given you more space. I realize now that maybe our conversation before... it was too much pressure for you. I’m sorry.”

  I frown, knowing that isn’t the entire reason. Sure, the argument was stressful, but something else caused me to faint—something I can’t place. But I don’t have the energy to argue, so I let it slide. “Let’s not dwell on it,” I mutter, my voice barely audible.

  “Sure,” he replies, dropping the subject easily. I’m not sure whether I feel relieved or unsettled by his nonchalant attitude.

  A knock on the door draws our attention. The doctor enters—a man in his late fifties with a bushy mustache and an air of authority. His expression is serious, though not unkind.

  “I didn’t expect you to wake up so soon,” he begins, eyeing me critically. “Given the trauma to your head, I anticipated a longer recovery period. Not life-threatening, but still severe enough to warrant concern.”

  He looks at me with a piercing gaze.

  I swallow hard. His words, though clinical, hit me with the gravity of the situation. I’ve been closer to danger than I realized.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.

  I avert my sight from him, feeling the weight of his diagnosis pressing down on me. Had I really come that close to staying in a coma longer? The thought makes me uneasy, like I narrowly escaped something much worse.

  “Mr. Joseph told me a lot about you,” the doctor continues, with a surprising smirk. “He said you had the temper of a Chihuahua. I expected someone a bit more fiery.”

  I blink, taken aback. “Excuse me?”

  The doctor steps in, clearly enjoying his eccentric remarks. “This is Dr. Lawrence. He’s my personal doctor,” Joseph explains with a smile. “He came to oversee your case as a favor. He’s the best of the best when it comes to surgeries and diagnoses and all those complex words doctors use.”

  “Oh,” I mutter, not entirely sure what to make of this. “Thanks, I guess. So... I’m okay now, doctor?”

  Dr. Lawrence nods, though his gaze remains serious. “Physically, you’ll recover. But take it easy. No rushing back to stressful situations. Rest is key.”

  As I regain consciousness, the tension in the room starts to fade, but something inside me feels wrong. The fall, the fainting—it couldn’t have been just a random accident.

  “Maria, help me stand,” I ask, my voice weaker than I expected.

  “Ely, you shouldn’t. You must be exhausted,” Maria responds, concern etched on her face.

  “I’m not feeling exhausted, a little sore, but I guess I can stay a little longer in bed,” I concede reluctantly.

  “Thanks, Joseph. But wait—where’s my phone?”

  “Here. I grabbed it to try and call someone from your family, but it’s got a special password, so I couldn’t,” he hands it over, and they both leave the room.

  The doctor closes his notebook with a snap, casting a wry glance toward Joseph. “Well then, Mr. Joseph, if that’s all, I’ll be taking my leave. No special prescriptions this time—but if you need anything, just let me know. Oh, and young lady,” he adds, giving me a wink, “you’re quite lucky. Mr. Joseph doesn’t normally go to these lengths for just anyone.”

  “Thank you for the information, Doctor,” Joseph replies, blushing slightly. It’s... kind of cute, actually. “But please, I’d appreciate it if you could avoid sharing unnecessary details.”

  “Ah, right,” Dr. Lawrence says, clearing his throat. He seems to remember something and turns back. “One last thing—I know I’m not supposed to ask too much, but why didn’t you contact Julia? Couldn’t she help you unlock this young lady’s phone to call her parents?”

  Joseph shifts slightly, his blush deepening. “Even I can’t reach Julia for personal matters, Doctor Lawrence. My parents reserve her skills for special assignments only. Unlocking a phone would be a waste of her talent.”

  The doctor raises an eyebrow, scratching his mustache. “So even you have limits when it comes to family matters, Mr. Joseph?”

  “Dr. Lawrence,” Joseph says, irritation clear as a small vein pulses on his forehead, “what did we just discuss about unnecessary comments?”

  The doctor laughs heartily, waving a hand. “Understood, understood! I’m off—not because I fear being fired, mind you, but because I have a date with a model tonight!” With a wink, he turns and walks out, still chuckling to himself.

  As soon as the door shuts, I can’t help but ask, “Who’s Julia?” I try to keep my voice steady, though my curiosity is on full display.

  Maria’s grin is immediate. “Oh, don’t be jealous, Ely! Joseph’s completely single. No matter who this Julia is, you’re his number one.”

  “Maria!” Joseph scolds, sighing in exasperation. “Please, let’s not say things like that. The last time overstepping comments led to this incident.”

  While Joseph speaks, I reach over and playfully tug Maria’s cheek. “See? I’m not jealous, Maria. Joseph and I aren’t a thing.”

  “Yet,” she whispers with a playful grimace, rubbing her cheek.

  Joseph clears his throat, offering a faint smile in my direction. “You do deserve to know, Ely. Julia’s our family’s tech expert. She’s a genius, practically a hacker. My father’s even warned me never to hand her my phone unless I want it thoroughly inspected.” He smirks, clearly entertained by the idea.

  “Oh...” I murmur, the image of this “Julia” forming in my mind. She sounds incredible.

  “Elysia, Maria and I will go fill out the hospital papers for you. We’ll be back soon,” Joseph reassures me with a gentle smile.

  I unlock my phone, and immediately, the messages flood in—so many from my boss. My heart sinks as I scroll through. Of course. One message stands out: "You’re fired."

  Is that even legal? Most importantly, how will I survive this month if he’s dead serious?

  I need a doctor’s note, anything to cover up my absence. One problem solved, hopefully. Next problem is...

  What happened after I got out of Joseph’s car? I walked down the trail, and then... nothing. My mind is blank.

  Should I push deeper into this? Something inside me warns not to. What if I faint again? No. I’ve got Maria and Joseph by my side. Whatever happened in the park, it doesn’t matter anymore. Smart move, Ely.

  “Yes,” I tell myself, feigning optimism, “worrying about things beyond my control would be a waste of time. Feeding my fears wouldn’t help.”

  “You have awakened.”

  I wake up to a voice I recognize instantly. There’s a loud thud as someone’s hand hits the doorframe, and I whirl around.

  It’s him. Azazel.