CHAPTER |15
1400 Words
Amarahh’s POV
I woke slowly, like someone returning from a very deep place at first, I did not understand where I was.
The ceiling above me was white, the surroundings was smelling sharp and clean, there was a soft machine sound somewhere close, and my arm felt heavy.
When I tried moving, I noticed the drip attached to my hand. That was when memory returned little by little.
The unfinished building, the road, the men, the bright car light.
Aiden.
Then, Ava and Liam hugged me. After that, everything had gone blank. I turned my head carefully because even that small movement made my body ache.
The bruise near my cheek hurt my side too, and sitting beside the bed was Marcus for a second, I thought I was still dreaming.
He sat upright in the chair, one hand resting on his knee, the other holding his glasses. He looked tired, as if he had not slept much either.
When he noticed my eyes open, relief showed immediately on his face.
"Thank God," he said quietly, leaning forward. "You are awake."
My throat felt dry. I tried speaking, and my voice came out weak. "Marcus..."
"Do not try too hard, the doctor said you need to speak slowly."
I swallowed before asking the question already sitting inside me. "How did I get here?"
Marcus adjusted himself in the chair before answering. "After you fainted last night, sir brought you here himself."
I blinked.
"Sir?"
"Mr. Hart."
For some reason, hearing that directly made me still.
Marcus continued gently. "He carried you to the car immediately. The children were frightened, very frightened."
I looked down at the drip.
My chest tightened. "Ava... Liam... are they alright?"
"They are fine," Marcus said quickly. "They called several times this morning already asking if you had opened your eyes."
That alone almost made tears rise. I looked around the room then noticed another thing. "How long have I been here?"
"Since last night."
My eyes moved back to him. "And..." I hesitated. "Aiden?"
Marcus gave a small nod. "He stayed here overnight."
For a moment I thought I heard wrongly. "He stayed?"
"Yes."
I looked toward the empty side of the room. Marcus understood the question before I asked it.
"He left less than an hour ago to attend an urgent meeting, but he told the doctor to call him once you woke up."
Something strangely moved inside me that I did not know what to call confusion, maybe.
Because the same man who once looked at me with suspicion had stayed in a hospital overnight because of me.
Marcus seemed to notice my silence. "He also made sure the bills were handled before morning."
I closed my eyes briefly. "I caused too much trouble."
"No," Marcus said firmly, surprising me. "You have caused less trouble than most people who walk through that house."
A small weak smile almost came but disappeared because my body still hurt too much.
Marcus stood when the nurse entered.
She checked my drip, pulse, and temperature. "You are stronger now," she said kindly. "But you gave everyone concern."
"I am sorry."
She smiled lightly. "Rest first. Sorry later."
After another hour, the doctor came again. Looked through my file and explained everything carefully.
"You were extremely weak when you came in. Lack of proper feeding, dehydration, exhaustion, and stress your body simply gave up."
I lowered my eyes and realized that the truth was difficult to deny.
"You also have bruises from the attack. We treat those who need proper food and no stress."
I nodded slowly.
Then she added, "You are lucky you were brought in on time."
Lucky.
That word stayed in my mind because not long ago I had felt far from lucky.
After some more checks, she was discharged before afternoon.
Marcus handled everything while I changed into fresh clothes one of the house staff had brought.
When we stepped outside, the sunlight felt strange after the hospital room.
The car waited already this time. Marcus opened the back seat carefully. "You should lean back."
"I can sit well."
"Doctor's instruction," he said.
I obeyed because my body still felt weak during the drive. I looked outside quietly and my thoughts returned to my mother first.
Was she alright? Did anyone from Alaocha know where I was? Was Casper still visiting our street asking questions?
Even hearing his name in my own sleep now frightens me.
I hoped I had not said too much. I hoped nobody heard clearly that the car had entered the Hart compound, and before it fully stopped, the front door opened.
Ava and Liam came running again.
This time Marcus quickly stepped out first. "Slowly!" he warned.
But children who had worried all night could not move slowly.
Ava reached me first, though she stopped herself from jumping fully when she noticed how carefully I stepped out.
"You came back."
Her voice was softer than usual and I smiled weakly. "Yes."
Liam stood close, studying my face seriously. "Does your body still hurt?"
"A little."
He frowned immediately. "Who beat you?"
Marcus coughed softly as if warning him, but Liam did not move his eyes.
I answered carefully. "Bad people."
Ava held my hand. "Will they come again?"
"No."
That answer came before thought because I could not let fear stay in her mind. Inside the house, something changed that I noticed immediately.
The staff no longer looked at me like just another worker. Grace hurried from the kitchen carrying warm water.
The chef himself came out, awkward and unusually serious.
"You should sit first," he said.
I almost stared because this was the same man who had complained loudly about Ava's meals days ago.
"I can stand."
"No," Grace insisted. "Sit."
They guided me to the sitting room like I was made of glass.
One servant brought pillows, another brought soup. Marcus looked almost satisfied seeing everyone suddenly careful.
I sat slowly while Ava remained beside me.
Liam, too, stayed nearby though pretending he was not worried.
"You must eat," Grace said.
"I will."
Ava watched until I took the first spoon. Only then did she relax slightly. Even the chef stood there like he needed proof I was truly eating.
I looked around and something unfamiliar touched me deeply.
Care, simple care not because anyone had to, but because they wanted to, the feeling almost made me emotional again.
After eating, Ava refused to leave my side. She brought her drawing pad and sat near my chair.
Liam came with one of his school books, though he barely read.
Every few minutes one of them asked something."Are you tired?"
"Do you need water?"
"Should I call Marcus?"
Even when I laughed softly, they stayed serious. By evening, I had been moved to my room and told to rest.
Grace brought food again. Marcus checked once more even the cleaner asked if I needed anything.
For someone who had slept in an unfinished building days earlier, the warmth felt too much to fully understand.
As evening settled, I had just leaned back against the bed when I heard movement downstairs.
A car, voices then heels on the floor, the door downstairs opened sharply.
Ava's excited voice came first. "Aunt Vanessa!"
I slowly stood because instinct told me something inside me should prepare.
A few minutes later, voices moved closer, then Vanessa appeared at the doorway and stood there dressed neatly, her expression already cold before her eyes even fully settled on me.
The children stood near her.
"I came to take them out for dinner," she said to no one in particular.
Then her eyes landed fully on me and the room became quiet.
Ava noticed it too.
Vanessa looked me over slowly, from my bruised face to the hospital band still around my wrist.
No sympathy appeared, only a warning. "So you are back."
I lowered my eyes politely. "Yes, ma'am."
Her voice dropped colder. "Interesting how quickly people return after almost destroying peace in this house."
Ava frowned immediately. "Aunt Vanessa."
But Vanessa raised one hand slightly and Ava became quiet. Then she stepped closer, enough that only I fully caught the next words.
"One day your secret will come out."
My fingers tightened slightly at my side.
She continued quietly. "And when it does, everyone in this house will know exactly why you came here."
- Writer
