The Stranger
622 Words
The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor drummed in the silence. The smell of antiseptic clung to the air, sharp and sterile. The dim hospital room felt cold, almost lifeless, except for the heavy weight of grief pressing down on her chest.
She stared at the ceiling, her throat raw from crying. The weight of what had happened pressed down on her, suffocating.
Her baby was gone.
Her marriage was over.
Her life—everything she had built, everything she had loved—had crumbled in a single night.
And yet… she was still here.
Her fingers trembled as she wiped away the tear that had slipped down her cheek. She could still hear his voice echoing in her head, the disgust, the dismissal.
"You can’t even carry a pregnancy properly."
Her stomach twisted. A fresh wave of nausea crawled up her throat.
No.
She wouldn’t break. Not for him. Not for anyone.
Taking a slow breath, she shifted to sit up, ignoring the dull ache in her abdomen. The IV tugged at her skin, reminding her of just how weak she was right now.
That was when she noticed it.
She wasn’t alone.
A man sat in the chair by the window, his silhouette barely visible in the dim glow of the city lights filtering through the blinds.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, dressed in a dark suit that screamed power. The sharp lines of his face were obscured by shadows, but she could feel his gaze on her—cold, calculating, unwavering.
Her pulse quickened. “Who… who are you?”
The man leaned forward slightly, resting his elbows on his knees. His voice, when he spoke, was deep, smooth, and devoid of any unnecessary emotion.
“You collapsed outside Carter Industries,” he said. “I brought you here.”
Her heart stuttered. The arms that had caught her before she hit the ground—it had been him.
She swallowed, forcing her voice to steady. “Why?”
There was a pause. The silence stretched, heavy and unreadable. Then—
“I don’t like watching people die in front of me.”
A shiver crawled down her spine.
Who was this man?
Her fingers clenched around the bedsheet. “That’s not a reason.”
This time, when he spoke, there was the faintest trace of amusement laced in his tone. “No, it’s not.”
She stiffened. He wasn’t denying it.
Before she could demand more answers, the door opened. A nurse stepped in, glancing between her and the stranger. She hesitated, as if debating whether to speak in front of him, but then turned to her with a gentle smile.
“You’re awake,” the nurse said softly. “I’ll call the doctor.”
As the nurse walked away, she turned back to the man. He hadn’t moved, hadn’t shifted his gaze.
Something about him unsettled her. He wasn’t like the doctors or the nurses. He didn’t belong here.
“You still haven’t told me who you are.”
He tilted his head slightly, as if considering her. Then—
“Adrian Wolfe.”
Her breath caught.
The name was familiar. Too familiar.
Adrian Wolfe.
CEO of Wolfe Enterprises. Ruthless businessman. The man who had once tried to buy Carter Industries before her father’s death.
Her lips parted. “You—”
“Now you remember.” His voice was smooth, calm. He leaned back in his chair, fingers steepled together. “Good.”
Her mind raced. Why was he here? Why did he bring her to the hospital?
And more importantly—
“What do you want from me?”
Adrian’s gaze didn’t waver. His next words sent a chill down her spine.
“Your company.”
- Writer
