Finding love again

Chapter1

A year ago...

"Breaking news, Mr leo Adam, the renowned actor of the popular movie 'Love Bomb', has been found dead in his multi-million-dollar residence in Dubai.Early reports suggest the main cause of death to have been a drug overdose", announced the reporter. Daphne starred on the television screen, her heart sinking slowly as the news about her beloved sank in. Her mind had instantly gone into a haze as the voices from the television faded into the background. Daphne could feel her head spinning, her hand shaking and her world crumbling at the sudden news. Slowly she sank to the floor clutching her chest. She could feel her heart beat quickening, her entire body shaking. She tried to calm herself down as her breathing became ragged and difficult. Tears welled up in her eyes...she screamed to let out the agony and pain. She remembered her and Leo's last conversation on the phone the previous night. He had promised to come visit after he was back from his trip, who would have thought that was Daphne's last phone call with him. As the tears dripped from her cheeks, Daphne clutched at the ring on her finger, which was now a reminder of promises that would never come to life. They were a few weeks away from being married. He was going to be hers and she, his. All the fantasies and dreams of being together were shattered in one night. Oh! How unpredictable life truly was. Daphne had begun feeling guilty for not noticing the slightest hint that her fiancé was struggling with addiction. He had hidden it from her so she wouldn't have to worry about him, but at what cost? In the midst of her mental breakdown, a series of memories played through her mind. It was then the realization hit. All the mild aggressiveness, sudden frustrations, mood swings, emotional and mental detachment that he would often brush off as stress and tiredness whenever she asked about his well-being. They were subtle signs he couldn't hide well enough and she trusted his words. "Leo", she murmured his name amidst tears. She was too weak to say anything else; the news of her beloved's death had sapped her of her energy. While poor Daphne was mourning her lover, her phone seemed to have been bombarded with text messages and calls from family and friends on hearing the news. Daphne cried so hard she could barely breathe, her chest tightened with every cry of pain, her heart squeezed with every tear that dropped. Her heartbreak had probably triggered something. She could no longer breathe properly, forcefully trying to gasp for air as she gently hit her chest as if it would give her oxygen. She was slowly suffocating. As her life began to slip slowly, a loud bang was heard at the door. It was her sister Dani who had sensed that something was wrong with her as she had stopped responding to text messages and calls following the tragic news. Dani got there on time. "Hang in there sis I'm going to get you to the hospital". Daphne heard the voice, but she was losing consciousness. She could barely make out who it was.

.....

Daphne wakes up to the rhythmic beep of a heart monitor, a nasal cannula inserted into her nostrils as well as the loud hissing of oxygen. It took a while before she noticed her family standing by her side with worried looks on their faces. "Daphne" her mother whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Mum?" Daphne said, her voice shaky with a hint of sadness. Everyone had gathered around her on her awakening. "Daphne, we were worried sick about you," her dad said, his eyes softening. In the midst of the emotional moment, Daphne could only think of one person. At the thought of him, her heart clenched, the heart monitor could sense the change in her heart rhythm. The beeping became irregularly fast. "What's going on?" Daniel, Dani's twin, asked immediately when he heard the abnormal beeping of the monitor. "Daphne?" Dani called out, looking scared. Tears quietly streamed down Daphne's eyes. Daniel immediately rushes out to get the doctor.

.....

After a few minutes, the doctor walks in accompanied by a nurse." We need to run a few more tests on Daphne. At first, she merely had a vasovagal syncope but we noticed a change in her heart rhythm, her EKG showed signs that mimick a heart attack, but there's no blockage in the arteries her heart muscles are just stunned" the doctor said gently, almost with no emotion. "What do you mean stunned" Mrs blue Daphne's mother said in panic. Everyone else felt restless as they awaited the doctor's response, the doctor choosing his words carefully spoke " it's called takotsubo cardiomyopathy. Some call it broken heart syndrome. It's triggered due to intense emotional trauma, the body releases a surge of stress hormones which in turns affects the heart by weakening it temporarily, that's likely what happened to Daphne." Daphne's father Mr blue Harris stared at the heart monitor "she's grieving", he said silently. The doctor did the necessary vital checks and noticed her blood pressure was unstable, her scans showed a ballooning of the left ventricle a common sign of takotsubo. Though the condition was reversible, her case was going to take a while.

....

Days had passed and Daphne was now discharged under strict cardiac supervision. The doctor had reassured them that her condition would get better with time and rest, so he thought. Daphne without a choice was asked to stay with her parents till her condition improved. She didn't even want to protest as going back to the house she and Leo lived would hunt her with memories and the reality of his passing. The news of his death had circulated by now. The Internet was buzzing with it. Fans had expressed their heartbreak and condolences. News outlet had somehow found out about Daphne's condition. It was trending everywhere. Dani scrolling through her phone came across countless headlines about her sister's predicament. "Daphne blue the fiance of late Leo Adams has just been discharged from the hospital after the possible shock of her beloved's passing" read a source. Lots of articles were everywhere. Danielle headed for her sister's room. "Hey Daph" she said shutting the door behind her. Daphne was still in bed, sitted uprightly on the spacious bed. "Danielle" called Daphne softly. Dani sat on Daphne's bed taking her sister's hand in hers "how are you feeling". Daphne taking a deep breath didn't know exactly how to answer that question as sincere as possible. Her heart still ached over her now late fiance. "Did you read the headlines about you on the Internet?" Danielle continued. "I did, I've tried to ignore them. I've tried ignoring any news about Leo because I won't be able to pull myself together if I read all the articles" giving a deep sigh Dani hugged her sister. "I'm sorry Daph, that you had to be the one in this position. I wish I could take all your pain away". Daphne felt tears stream from her cheeks as she hugged her sister tighter. Soon a knock was heard at the door, it was their mother. "Daphne sweetie can I come in?" her voice was heard from the door.Danielle responded in her stead "sure mum the door is open". Mrs blue walked in silently, her gaze falling on her last born who was in her older sister's embrace. Her eyes softened. "I wanted to check on her to know how she's doing" she said to Dani as she walked over to them both. Breaking the hug Daphne looked up at her mum, it was then they both saw the tears held in her eyes.