Billionaire Redemption

Chapter 14

Ayra’s POV

•

•I slowly opened my eyes, blinking against the harsh white of the ceiling lights. The sterile smell of antiseptic made me flinch, and for a moment I just stared blankly, letting my mind drift. Then it hit me—the memory of what had happened yesterday slammed into me like a crashing wave. My chest tightened, and I squeezed my eyes shut, muttering under my breath, “What if he hadn’t come… what if…” My voice trailed into silence, swallowed by the quiet hum of the machines around me.

A soft knock on the door made me jump, my heart thudding painfully. A nurse stepped in, her eyes widening when she saw me awake. “Miss… are you awake? How are you feeling?” she asked, moving closer and gently checking my pulse.

I nodded weakly, my throat tight and dry. “I… I’m okay,” I croaked, my voice barely more than a whisper. Then, the words I’d been holding back tumbled out. “Where… where is Aurelian?”

The nurse blinked at me, confusion flickering across her face. “The boy who brought you here?”

I nodded again, biting my lip, trying to keep from breaking down.

“He… he left,” she said softly, a hint of admiration in her tone. “He stayed until the doctors had stabilized you, paid the bills, and then… he was gone. Like he disappeared into thin air. But he left his number, just in case you need anything.”

A rush of warmth and gratitude surged through me, but it was tangled with exhaustion and lingering fear. I tried to sit up, my body trembling with effort. A sharp sting radiated through my thighs and back, and I let out a small groan.

“You shouldn’t move yet,” the nurse said firmly, a frown creasing her forehead. “I’ll call the doctor for a check-up.” She left as quietly as she had come, leaving me alone with the quiet hum of machines and the distant echo of footsteps down the hallway.

I tugged at my hospital gown, rolling it up slightly, and my eyes fell on my thighs. The wounds were freshly plastered, stark and raw against my pale skin. A deep, shaky sigh escaped me, and I pulled the thin blanket closer, trying to draw some sense of protection around myself.

I reached for my phone on the bedside table. The screen lit up, and I froze for a moment at the sight of the date—it was already the next day. My eyes wandered over the time, and I puffed out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. The room was quiet, but inside, my mind raced like a storm.

What if yesterday hadn’t ended the way it did? What if Aurelian hadn’t come? My heart ached at the thought, and a tear slipped down my cheek. My fingers trembled as I clutched my phone, staring at the blank screen, wanting so badly to call him but afraid of breaking down in front of someone—or worse, myself.

I let my head fall back against the pillow, staring at the ceiling again. The memory of yesterday’s fear, the pain, and the terror clung to me. But beneath that terror was a strange, small ember of relief. Someone had saved me. Someone had seen me in that moment of helplessness and acted.

Slowly, my breathing steadied. I let my eyes drift shut again, trying to summon some sense of calm. My body still ached, but I could feel it healing—slowly, painfully. My thoughts wandered to Leon, to Aurelian, to the people who had been cruel to me and the ones who had been kind. My chest tightened again, a mix of fear, gratitude, and confusion swirling inside me.

Finally, I lifted my head and picked up the phone. My thumb hovered over the screen, staring at Aurelian’s number. My heart hammered. Could I call him? Should I? Or would hearing his voice break me into pieces I wasn’t ready to fix yet? I didn’t know. All I knew was that I had survived, and for now… that had to be enough.

I laid back again, letting the hospital quiet wrap around me, my mind drifting between fear and relief, pain and gratitude. And somewhere deep down, I knew that yesterday had changed everything. Somehow, I had to find the strength to move forward.

**

I collected Aurelian’s number from the nurse as I was being discharged the next day. She handed me a neatly folded set of clothes, saying softly, “These were brought for you.”

My fingers trembled slightly as I took them. I recognized the handwriting immediately, and a strange warmth spread through my chest. Relief, gratitude, and a tiny flicker of hope swirled together. I wanted to say something, to thank him properly, but he isn’t here.

After leaving the hospital, I made my way to Mama Tee’s shop. She looked up from the counter and smiled warmly. “How are you, dear?” she asked.

I forced a small smile back, not ready to share the chaos of the past hours. “I’m fine,” I said, keeping my voice steady. I didn’t tell her about the boys, the humiliation, or how close I had come to losing control. Some things were too heavy to speak aloud.

“I’ll just go to my usual seat to read,” I added, hoping she wouldn’t press me further. Mama Tee nodded, her eyes kind.

The reading room was quiet, the comforting scent of old books surrounding me. I walked to the back, where a worn chair sat beneath a ceiling fan, spinning lazily above. My thighs ached slightly from standing as I scanned the booklist, weighing my options.

After nearly fifty minutes of searching, I finally found the novel I had wanted. Relief washed over me as I sank into the chair, pressing my sore legs against the worn wood.

Hours passed in a blur of pages and stories, my mind temporarily escaping the reality of my life. When I glanced at the clock, it was already 3:00 PM. I had been discharged since 9:00 AM, and yet going home was out of the question.

My father and his mistress were still there, plotting something I didn’t even want to imagine. Sneaking in late was my only option, like I had done countless times after exams, always hiding from the chaos at home.

I finally set the novel aside and pulled out the slip of paper the nurse had given me. My fingers shook as I typed Aurelian’s number into my phone. I stared at Leon’s picture on my wallpaper, the word Hope written neatly above it.

He represented something I had been missing in my life: possibility, escape, and maybe even kindness.

I opened w******p and typed a simple “Hi, it’s Ayra.” Only a single tick appeared. I muttered under my breath, “Not online.”

Frustration suddenly gnawed at me. I scrolled through news feeds, desperate for any information about Leon’s personal life. All I found were rumors, models claiming they were dating him, now silent and inactive online. Did he… hurt them? I whispered the thought aloud, feeling a small shiver run down my spine.

I leaned back in the chair and exhaled heavily. “He noticed me… not once, but twice,” I murmured, voice barely audible.

“And what did I do? I just fell in front of him, choked, and ran away. Classic me. A fool identity.” My chest tightened at the memory of that day. The way my legs gave out, the way my hands shook, and how helpless I had felt… It all played back in my mind, painfully vivid.

With a frustrated puff, I opened Leon Kael’s i********: profile, scrolling through everything I could see. Pictures of KaelCorp events, Leon shaking hands with investors, and… nothing else. Blank spaces where his personal life should have been. How could someone be this secretive? For goodness’ sake. I shook my head, exasperated.

Reality hit me like a cold wind. High school was finally over. My exams were done. The chains of my school life, as difficult as they were, had been lifted. And yet… what now? Will I stay trapped forever under my father’s thumb? I whispered the question to myself, voice barely audible, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me.

I thought about my options. College seemed distant, almost impossible. My father would never sponsor me. His mistress… Marla… certainly wouldn’t help.

I could try to audition for KaelCorp’s new fashion hub, but the idea of stepping into Leon’s world, so distant, so unreachable scared me almost as much as staying trapped at home. My mind swirled with possibilities, none of them easy, none of them safe.

I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes, letting a small sigh escape me. Maybe, just maybe, I had a chance. Maybe this new chapter of my life could start with hope… like the word written on Leon’s picture, like a tiny beacon in the dark.

And yet, even with that thought, a whisper of fear lingered. Would I ever truly be free? Could I really escape my father’s reach? The questions gnawed at me, relentless, as the ceiling fan turned lazily above, spinning in circles, like the dizzying whirl of my own thoughts.