Chapter 2: The Eyes that still Burn
372 Words
Althea
As I washed my hands at the sink, I fought to dismiss the tremors that shook them. The icy water did nothing to quell the blaze ignited by the reality that
Luciano De Luca was here.
Alive. Breathing. In my hospital.
The very man who had shattered my heart and unknowingly left behind a fragment of himself nestled within me.
Doctor Reyes? a nurse's voice drifted in. He’s stable. Mild concussion. Some bruised ribs. He’s regaining consciousness.
I nodded thoughtfully. Thank you.
Doctor Reyes. That name had served as my shield for years. Yet now, in the confines of Room ER 2, it felt meaningless.
As I pushed open the door, a shiver cascaded down my spine.
Luciano was propped up slowly, his complexion pale yet still devastatingly familiar with that chiseled jaw, stormy gray eyes, and an imposing presence that no injury could diminish.
Our gazes locked.
For a heartbeat, time stood still.
His eyes narrowed, flickering with confusion before sharpening into something calculating.
…Althea? His voice was rough, dripping with disbelief. Althea Cruz?!
I’m now known as Doctor Reyes, I declared, raising my chin defiantly. You’re awake, which is a relief.
He fixed his gaze on me, as if he were encountering a specter.
You were meant to be dead, he croaked, bewildered.
A thunderous beat of my heart echoed in my chest. And you were meant to be out of my life,I shot back.
The air was thick with tension, stretching between us like a tautly drawn bowstring.
Luciano leaned closer, a pained expression crossing his face. How long have you been here?
That’s not for you to know, I replied firmly.
He let out a low, dark laugh. After staging your own death and vanishing without a trace? I beg to differ.
I swallowed, feeling the weight of his words.
I couldn’t let him learn about my son.
Not yet.
Get some rest. You’ll be released in a few hours. I turned to walk away.
But his chilling words stopped me in my tracks.
I’ll uncover why you left, he warned, icy determination in his voice. And when I do, Althea, there will be no more escaping.
I was frozen in place.
So much for staying hidden.
- Writer
