All Started With A Forced Marriage

Chapter 4:

As I brought the phone to my ear, my mother’s voice came through immediately, broken and trembling. She had never spoken like this before, and it made my heart tighten in my chest.

"Hazel… you… must come…"

Just a few words, but each small sound felt like it pierced through my mind. My mother rarely called at times like this, and her tone, rushed and filled with indescribable shock, stirred a deep sense of unease within me. My head spun, trying to make sense of what she was saying.

"It… it happened... A… has woken up. You… you have to come…"

“Mom, what are you saying? He… he’s awake?” My voice cracked, almost responding unconsciously, without fully processing the meaning.

“Yes, Hazel, you need to get to the hospital now.”

I didn’t need to hear more; my mind went blank, and a cold sensation washed over my body. My fingers tightened around the phone, but my other hand—holding the bouquet and the gift box for Holden—went limp. Everything slipped from my grasp. The white roses fell to the ground, petals scattering across the sidewalk. The small gift box tumbled a few times before stopping at the curb, but I could no longer care about it.

In that moment, the world around me blurred, the sounds of cars and people passing by faded away. All that remained were the broken words of my mother, her heavy breathing, and the rising sense of helplessness within me.

"You must come immediately..." she urged, but from her shaky voice, I already knew something inevitable was happening. I didn’t even know what to do next, other than to go back.

"Yes, Mom," I said, my voice hoarse from the swirl of emotions inside me. Then I quickly hung up, my heart pounding wildly as if it wanted to leap out of my chest.

I glanced at the scattered items at my feet, but there was no time to worry about them. My steps hurried toward the street, and I rushed to hail a taxi, almost shouting at the driver to take me to the hospital as fast as possible. My hand trembled as I clutched my phone, and my heart felt weighed down by an unnamed dread, urging me to return to the Esperanza pack immediately.

I knew one thing for certain: my life, my family’s life, would never be the same again.

Sitting in the taxi, I stared blankly out the window, but the passing scenery was nothing more than blurred streaks. My hands rested on my lap, but I couldn’t stop them from trembling. My chest felt heavy, as if an invisible weight was pressing down on me, making each breath harder than usual. My mother’s fragmented words echoed in my mind, unclear but haunting. Why now? Why had he woken up?

I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself, but my thoughts were still in turmoil. "Woken up"—such simple words, yet they stirred up so many thoughts. Why was this happening now, on Holden’s birthday? I couldn’t find an answer. A part of me was terrified, while another part was filled with curiosity and confusion.

I remembered the last time I had been to that hospital. Those long, endless months of sitting beside his bed, watching him sink deeper into an unbroken slumber. I had grown accustomed to that sight—a person lying still, as if time itself had stopped for him. There were times I had believed he would never wake up. And yet, here I was, facing the impossible, and I had no idea how to handle it.

"Why…?" I whispered to myself. "Why has he woken up?"

The ride seemed to drag on forever, each passing second only increasing the knot of anxiety in my chest. Every time the taxi braked or changed lanes, it felt like everything was slowing down unbearably, making me more impatient. I wanted to reach the hospital immediately, but at the same time, I was afraid of facing the truth.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the taxi pulled up in front of the hospital gates. I stepped out, my heart feeling both weightless and heavy at the same time. My legs moved on their own, taking me down the familiar path inside, but my mind was racing with a storm of emotions.

This hospital was all too familiar to me. I had spent countless hours, weeks, even months coming here. The hallways, the smell of antiseptic, the stark white hospital beds—it all brought a sense of closeness and yet distance at the same time. This place wasn’t just a hospital; it held memories, anxieties, and even hope that I had once lost.

I walked through the corridors, my mind drifting between the present and the past. Each step brought me closer to the room I knew better than any other place here. A room filled with painful memories but also with hope.

In front of me was that room—the familiar hospital room door. I stopped right at the threshold, my heart full of hesitation. I knew what awaited me inside, but I couldn’t bring myself to take that step forward. My mind swirled with chaotic thoughts: fear, anxiety, and even a sense of anticipation.

I raised my hand, intending to touch the door handle, but I hesitated. Each second felt like an eternity. Should I go in? Was I ready to face this?

And just as I lingered, unsure, the door suddenly swung open from the inside. Standing before me was Luna Laureb, her eyes immediately locking onto mine, a mixture of shock and empathy in her gaze. She stood there, saying nothing at first, but her presence made everything around us feel frozen in time.

In an instant, her expression shifted from composed to visibly shaken. Before I could say a word or react, she rushed forward, grabbing my arm with a strength that took me by surprise.

"Hazel, you need to come in right now," she said, her voice trembling, laced with urgency and disbelief. This wasn’t the usual dignified Luna Laureb I knew, but someone overwhelmed with anxiety. She pulled me into the room before I could fully process what was happening.

Inside, the cold light from the fluorescent bulbs cast a harsh glow over the familiar hospital bed. But what made my breath catch was the sight before me: the person lying in that bed—the one I had thought would never wake—was moving. I felt my legs weaken, barely able to support me.

Luna Laureb still gripped my arm tightly, as if she feared I might collapse or retreat. "He… has woken up," she whispered, the excitement clear in her voice. My entire body froze. In that moment, everything around me seemed to vanish—there was only the pounding of my heart echoing in my ears, and the sight of the person sitting up in bed.