Nellie’s POV
The world returned in fragments, like pieces of shattered stained glass slowly fitting back together.
First came the pain, a dull throb spreading through my body, from my torn wrists down to the base of my skull. Then the sounds: the rhythmic beeping of a machine, the distant hum of muffled voices, the soft rustle of starched sheets against my skin. The air smelled of antiseptic and something warmer, more familiar—pine and rain.
My eyelids felt as heavy as lead, but I forced them open, and the hospital’s white light blinded me for a moment, blurring my vision before it sharpened on the figure at my side.
Caleb.
His green eyes, deep and stormy, were locked on me, shining with relief, a soft smile curving his lips. His presence was an anchor, a promise of safety amid the ch
