“She woke up…”
The words hit first.
Fast.
Sharp.
But it was the second part that destroyed me completely.
“And the first thing she said was your name.”
I closed my eyes instantly.
Not because I was relieved—
Though I was.
God, I was.
But because the emotion that followed relief hurt almost as much as the fear before it.
She woke up asking for me.
Not her doctor.
Not the nurses.
Not even about herself.
Me.
My chest tightened so hard it almost became painful again.
“Is she okay?” I asked immediately.
My voice sounded rough.
Broken.
The guard hesitated.
“She’s conscious.”
That wasn’t an answer.
“Nathan,” I said sharply.
He was already pulling out his phone.
Already moving.
A tense silence filled the corridor while he made the call.
I couldn’t breathe properly.
Coul
