Her body suddenly felt unbearably heavy.
“Mia?” James frowned.
Her vision blurred. Her knees buckled, and she slumped forward.
The last thing she felt was his arms tightening around her as she lost consciousness.
***
When Mia opened her eyes again, bright white light stabbed into them, forcing her to squint.
She winced and turned her head slightly, blinking rapidly as the dizziness faded. The smell of antiseptic filled her nose. Her head throbbed as she slowly took in her surroundings.
A hospital room.
Her fingers curled into the bedsheet as she slowly pushed herself up. That was when she noticed the other bed across from her.
James was lying there.
His arm was wrapped in bandages, stitches running along the side of his head. A deep scratch marked his face, angry and red. His chest rose and fell steadily, but even in sleep, his expression looked tense.
Mia swallowed hard.
‘What kind of cruel joke is my life playing on me?’ she thought bitterly. ‘Why does fate keep throwing him in front of me like this?’
She swung her legs off the bed quietly, wincing as her head throbbed. Just as her feet touched the floor, the door opened.
“Hey—don’t get up.”
A doctor entered the room quickly, moving toward her. “You’re injured. You may have a mild concussion. You need to lie down.”
Mia hesitated, her eyes drifting back to James.
The doctor followed her gaze and softened slightly. “He was very worried about you,” she added. “The way he carried you into the hospital… I thought your injuries were serious.”
She paused.
“You were unconscious for a while,” the doctor continued. “But your injuries are mild—nothing compared to his.”
The doctor took a steady breath as she adjusted the IV stand connected to James. The transparent tube ran into his arm, the fluid dripping steadily. Her voice stayed calm, but her eyes flicked toward him more than once as she spoke.
“He was bleeding badly when he arrived,” she said, shaking her head lightly. “But he refused treatment until he finished talking to the police. The driver who caused your accident got arrested. Only after that did this man allow us to treat his injuries.”
The doctor finally turned toward Mia and gently pulled the IV needle from Mia’s hand. Mia flinched slightly at the sting.
“You’re doing much better. There’s no serious injury. As for your—” she paused briefly, choosing her words, “—boyfriend… he’s still under anesthesia.”
The wordboyfriendmade Mia’s lips press into a thin line.
The doctor smiled politely, gave her a brief nod, then turned and walked out of the room, the door clicking shut behind her.
Silence settled in.
Mia looked at James lying on the bed opposite hers. Bandages covered his arm and head, dried blood visible beneath the gauze. He looked pale, exhausted—nothing like the man she remembered.
“What the hell were you even doing near my office?” she muttered under her breath, a deep frown settling between her brows.
Her gaze dropped to her hand. The IV was gone.
