Forest:
The room was still, except for the gentle hum of machines and the occasional beep of the monitors. Bright light filtered through the blinds, casting a glow over the hospital bed.
I stirred quietly, my eyelids fluttering open. My vision blurred at first, the sterile white walls blending into the machines surrounding me. I blinked a few times, adjusting to his surroundings. I felt the tug of IVs in my arm, the ache in my chest a dull reminder of the battle I had barely survived.
But none of that mattered the moment my eyes settled on her.
Stella.
Her head rested gently on my arm, her hand wrapped around mine so effortlessly. Her face was turned slightly upward, her eyes closed, but her cheeks were stained with the remnants of tears. Her face was puffy and red—evidence of the ho
