A low whimper of pain escaped my lips. Carlo looked down at me. Without a word, he turned and strode toward the entrance. Still holding me, he climbed into the backseat of the car and told the driver to take us to the hospital.
I knew I had to say something, to explain. So I forced the words out. “I swear... I didn’t know anything...”
He was angry, but his voice stayed calm. “Shhh, Emily. Save your strength. We’ll talk later.”
“I didn’t do anything. I didn’t know they were going to do this. I didn’t—”
The flicker of warmth vanished. “You knew about their affair?”
Perfect! All I ever did these days was ruin my life a little more with every breath.
Carlo saw the terror on my face and didn’t push. “Breathe. You’ll be fine in a few days, I promise.”
“But I have a ticket. I’m supposed to leave tomorrow.”
He didn’t answer. And in that silence, I understood exactly what he was thinking. ‘What a foolish, naive thing to say.’
Too tired to argue, too broken to hope, I turned my head and stared out the window. The night was deep and endless, broken only by the headlights piercing the darkness. As my energy faded, even the light seemed to dim, until there was nothing left but blackness and a dreamless sleep.
NINE
Emily
The first thing I noticed before opening my eyes was the steady, rhythmic beeping of monitors. The smell of alcohol was making me sick. A dull ache pulsed in my side, and I realized I was wrapped in something tight, probably a brace or thick bandages.
Every breath sent a fresh wave of pain through my ribs. I groaned and instinctively tried to sit up, but the movement made everything worse.
An older woman in a white nurse’s uniform rushed to my side and tried to help me. “Don’t strain yourself, Emily. I’m Rosa. I’ll be taking care of you.”
“It hurts,” I croaked, my voice barely more than a whisper as I licked my dry, cracked lips.
Rosa picked up a syringe from the metal tray beside the bed and calmly injected it into the IV line. “You’ll feel better in a few minutes. Must be thirsty, huh?”
I gave a weak nod. She grabbed a glass of water, guided the straw to my lips, and held it steady. “Slowly, sweetheart. Sip, don’t gulp.”
After helping me drink, she stepped out briefly and returned with a kind smile. “Feeling a bit better now?”
“Yes, but I’m hungry,” I said honestly.
She smiled. “I’ll bring you some soup. Nothing heavy for now, okay? Just enough to get your strength back.”
She pulled out a small radio from her pocket and relayed the request. I looked up at her again, the fog in my head still lifting.
“What happened to me?”
“Your face is bruised, but that’ll fade in a few days,” she explained softly. “Your eardrum was damaged, so it might feel strange for a while. You’ll need to use special drops every night to help it heal. The worst part is a cracked rib. That’s why it hurts to breathe. But it’ll mend with rest.”
“Am I going to be okay?” My voice trembled.
“Of course, sweetheart. You just need plenty of rest over the next few weeks and you’re going to be fine.”
The door creaked open, and a nurse stepped inside carrying a bowl of soup on a tray. Behind her stood at least five armed men, silent and watchful. She placed the tray on the table and walked out without saying a word.
Rosa gently adjusted the bed, raising the backrest until I was sitting upright, then carefully began feeding me spoonfuls of the warm soup. Fifteen minutes later, I felt a little more human. My head was clearer, the pain duller, and for the first time since waking up, I wasn’t entirely consumed by fear.
I glanced around the room, and only then did I really take it in. It looked more like a suite in a five-star hotel than a hospital room. Soft lighting. Plush furniture. The faint scent of roses. I felt a pressure low in my belly that made me shift uncomfortably. That’s when I realized I had a catheter.
Rosa noticed the panic in my face right away. “It’s okay, sweetheart. You can let go, don’t worry, it’s completely normal.”
