My Mother.
1757 Words
Ada's POV
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same words written across the mirror.
WE SEE YOU.
Then I remembered the tracking devices.
Mrs. Rose standing outside my door.
The footsteps in the corridor..
The way Liam had immediately stepped between me and the door.
I turned onto my side and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling.
This wasn't my room.
It wasn't my house.
It wasn't even my life.
Everything had changed so quickly that sometimes I wondered if I was going to wake up and realize that everything had been a nightmare.
I reached toward the bedside table out of habit.
My hand stopped halfway.
There was nothing there.
No phone.
My heart sank.
My phone.
I had lost it while running for my life.
I could still remember the moment it slipped from my hand. I had been too terrified to stop and look for it.
And now I had no way to contact anyone.
No way to call my Boss.
No way to check on my mother.
My mother.
I sat up immediately.
A wave of guilt hit me.
She was still in the hospital.
I didn't even know how she was doing.
The last time I had seen her, she had been lying in that hospital bed, and I had promised myself I would keep checking on her.
But now I couldn't even make a call.
I pressed my palms against my face.
“God…”
A knock came at the door.
I quickly lowered my hands.
“Ada?”.
Liam.
I took a breath.
“Come in.”
The door opened, and Liam stepped inside.
His eyes immediately went to me.
“You're awake.”
“Yes.”
He studied my face.
“You didn't sleep.”
“I tried.”
He walked closer.
“What’s wrong?”
I hesitated.
Then I looked at him.
“My mother.”
His expression changed slightly.
“What about her?”
“She’s still in the hospital.”
“I know.”
I looked down at my hands.
“I need to know how she is.”
Liam was quiet for a moment.
“You haven't heard from the hospital?”
I shook my head.
“I lost my phone when I was running. I don't even have a way to call them.”
His expression remained unreadable.
“You don't have to worry about the bills.”
I looked up.
“What do you mean?”
“Nothing.
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“Just that you shouldn't worry about it.”
“But I do need to worry about it.”
“Ada.”
His voice was calm.
“Your mother is being taken care of.”
I stared at him.
“How do you know?”
“I have my ways.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“You're hiding something.”
“Probably.”
I sighed.
“Can I at least go and see her?”
“Yes.”
The answer came so quickly that I almost didn't believe him.
“Really?”
He nodded.
“I'll take you.”
A smile immediately appeared on my face.
“Thank you.”
He simply nodded.
I looked at him for another second.
There was something strange about his answer.
He seemed to know more than he was saying.
But I was too relieved to question it.
My mother.
I was finally going to see her.
“I need to get ready.”
“You have twenty minutes.”
I stared at him.
“Twenty?”
“Yes.”
“That isn't enough.”
“You don't need to pack your entire room.”
“I wasn't going to.”
“Good.”
He turned toward the door.
Then stopped.
“And Ada?”
“Yes?”
“You're not going anywhere alone.”
I rolled my eyes.
“I know.”
“I'm serious.”
“I know.”
He looked at me for another moment before finally leaving.
I closed the door behind him.
Then I smiled to myself.
“Bossy man.”
Liam's POV
I walked away from Ada's room and closed the door behind me.
The moment I reached the end of the corridor, my expression changed.
There was something she didn't know.
Something I intended to keep that way.
Her mother's hospital bills had already been settled.
Yesterday.
Quietly.
Anonymously.
I had made sure my name never appeared anywhere.
No one at the hospital was supposed to tell Ada who had paid.
She didn't need to know.
Not yet.
I had done it because I knew Ada wouldn't have been able to afford everything herself, especially with everything happening around her.
But more importantly...
I knew how much her mother meant to her.
If something happened to the woman while Ada was already fighting for her own life, I didn't know how she would handle it.
So I had taken care of it.
Without telling her.
I didn't want her thanking me.
I didn't want her feeling like she owed me anything.
I simply wanted her mother to be okay.
“Sir.”
I looked up.
One of the guards was waiting for me.
“Yes?”
“The cars are ready.”
“Good.”
“And the hospital?”
“I want two men at the entrance and two around the parking area.” I told him
“Yes, sir.
I nodded.
Then I remembered something.
“Has anyone followed the car that was outside yesterday?”
“No, sir.”
“Any sign of it?”
“Nothing.”
I frowned.
“Keep watching.”
“Yes, sir.”
He left.
I stood alone in the hallway.
My mind went back to Ada.
She had only been here for one day.
One day.
Yet somehow, the mansion already felt different with her in it.
Louder.
Warmer.
More unpredictable.
I had spent years keeping my life controlled.
Everything had its place.
Every person had a purpose.
Every decision had a reason.
Then Ada appeared.
And suddenly I found myself worrying about Whether she had slept.
Whether she was frightened.
Whether she was going to argue with me.
Especially that last one.
I shook my head.
This was becoming ridiculous.
I had more important things to think about.
The murder.
The people involved.
The security breach.
The trackers.
The car.
And the fact that someone had gotten close enough to Ada to leave a message in her room.
I couldn't afford distractions.
Especially not her.
But somehow...
She was becoming one.
Ada's POV
Twenty minutes later, I stepped out of the room.
Liam was waiting downstairs
.
He looked at me from head to toe.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You're ready.”
“Yes.”
“You're on time.”
I smiled proudly.
“See? I can be responsible.”
“I never said you couldn't.”
“You implied it.”
He shook his head.
“Come on.”
I followed him toward the entrance.
James was already there.
He looked at me.
“Ready?”
“Yes.”
He smiled.
“Good.”
I looked at the cars outside.
There were two black vehicles waiting.
I stopped.
“Why are there two?”
Liam didn't even look back.
“Security.”
“I told you, I'm going to see my mother, not attend a presidential meeting.”
James laughed.
Liam looked at him.
James immediately stopped.
“Sorry.”
I shook my head.
“You're both dramatic.”
Liam opened the car door.
“Get in.”
I climbed inside.
He got in beside me.
James and the guards entered the other vehicle.
As the cars pulled away from the mansion, I looked through the window.
For some reason, I felt nervous.
Not because of the hospital.
Because I knew leaving the mansion meant leaving the place Liam considered safe.
I looked at him.
“Liam?”
“Yes?”
“Do you think someone will follow us?”
His eyes remained on the road.
“I don't know.”
I sighed.
“You really love that answer.”
“It happens to be the truth.”
I looked outside again.
The road passed quietly around us.
For several minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I asked,
“Why did you help my mother?”
He glanced at me.
“I told you. Your mother is being taken care of.”
“That wasn't my question.”
He looked forward again.
“I know.”
I studied his face.
“You've done something.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“Maybe.”
I smiled slightly.
“You're getting worse at hiding things.”
He finally looked at me.
“And you're getting better at asking questions.”
“Thank you.”
“That wasn't a compliment.”
“I'll take it anyway.”
A small smile appeared on his face.
I looked away before he could see mine.
For some reason, sitting beside him felt different today.
Yesterday, I had been terrified of him.
Today...
I wasn't.
I still didn't understand him.
But I trusted him a little.
Maybe more than I should.
The hospital came into view.
My heart began beating faster.
I sat up.
“That's it.”
Liam nodded.
“Yes.”
I looked at the building.
My mother was inside.
I hadn't seen her since everything happened.
I suddenly felt nervous.
“What if she asks where I've been?”
“Tell her you're safe.”
“What if she asks where?”
Liam looked at me.
“Then tell her you're staying with someone you trust.”
I looked at him.
“Do I trust you?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Do you?”
I thought about it.
Then smiled.
“Maybe.”
He shook his head.
“Good enough.”
The car stopped.
The guards got out first.
Liam opened my door.
I stepped outside.
For a moment, I simply stood there.
Looking at the hospital.
My mother was here.
And I was finally going to see her.
I took a deep breath.
Then Liam spoke beside me.
“Ready?”
I nodded.
“Yes.”
We started walking toward the entrance.
Neither of us noticed the dark car parked farther down the road.
Its windows were tinted.
And someone inside was watching the hospital entrance.
Watching us.
But they didn't move.
Not yet.
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