Chapter 178.

Adrian squeezed Emilia’s hand as they drove through the streets of New York.

Neither of them had said much since leaving the airport.

The city moved around them in streaks of headlights and glass buildings, taxis slipping between lanes, pedestrians disappearing beneath umbrellas as a light rain began to fall.

Normally, Emilia would have had her face pressed against the window.

But she hadn’t.

Her fingers were wrapped tightly around Adrian’s. Her thumb kept moving over his knuckles without her realizing it.

Her mind was somewhere else.

Back to the phone call, back in the voice of the woman from Kylie’s apartment building, and back in the words that had changed everything.

She’s unconscious.

Emilia swallowed.

She stared through the windshield.

"Adrian."

He turned his head fully towards her. "I’m here."

"Do you think she’s okay?"

He didn’t answer immediately. He knew she didn’t want a lie. Rather, he said. "The doctor hasn’t told us anything yet."

Emilia nodded, but the movement was small.

"I know." Her eyes returned to the window. "I just..." She stopped.

Adrian squeezed her hand again.

Brazil had ended almost instantly.

The moment the call came through, the vacation had ceased to matter.

Everything had disappeared beneath one sentence.

Kylie was found unconscious in her apartment. Emilia had barely remembered how to breathe.

She had called her mother immediately.

Mrs. Hayes had already been in New York. She had immediately packed a few things, and headed to the hospital.

By the time Emilia and Adrian had left Brazil, she had already arrived.

Christian had left at almost the same time.

He hadn’t said much. He had simply grabbed his things and followed.

"Christain text me." Emilia glanced at Adrian. "He got there before us."

"He race. Sport cars."

She nodded.

Her stomach twisted. She didn’t understand any of this. Kylie was careful, and independent. Kylie locked her doors. Kylie didn’t just....

Emilia’s thoughts stopped.

Her chest tightened. "Her door was open."

Adrian looked at her. "What?"

"The woman on the phone said the door was open."

His expression became more attentive. Emilia hadn’t told him much when she got the call. She had simply told him they needed to leave Brazil immediately, and that Kylie was in the hospital.

"And Kylie was on the floor." Emilia looked down at their joined hands. "How?"

Adrian didn’t answer.

Her voice cracked slightly. "How does someone just end up unconscious on the floor before the staircase?"

Adrian’s jaw tightened. "We’ll find out."

Emilia shook her head. "But that’s what scares me." She finally looked at him. "People don’t just..."

She couldn’t finish.

Adrian’s gaze softened. He lifted their joined hands and pressed his lips against the back of hers.

"Don’t imagine the worst before we know what happened."

"I can’t help it." She leaned back against the seat.

For a few seconds, she tried to breathe. Then her phone vibrated. She opened her eyes immediately.

Her mother’s name appeared on the screen.

Emilia answered. "Mom?"

Her mother’s voice came through softly. "Baby."

Emilia sat straighter. "How is she?"

"She’s still unconscious, sweetheart."

Emilia’s fingers tightened around Adrian’s. "But she’s breathing?"

"Yes."

The hopeful breath that left Emilia sounded almost painful.

"Okay."

"She’s receiving fluids. The doctors are checking her."

"Did they tell you what happened?"

"Not yet."

Emilia swallowed. "Mom..."

"Yes, baby."

"She was fine."

Mrs. Hayes was quiet for a moment. "Sometimes we don’t know what happens until the doctors finish examining someone."

Emilia looked at Adrian.

His expression remained controlled, but his thumb was still moving slowly over the back of her hand.

"I’ll be there soon."

"Kylie would be waiting."

The call ended.

Emilia stared at her phone.

Adrian watched her. "Your mother is with her."

"It doesn’t feel good enough."

His expression softened.

Emilia turned to him.

Adrian’s eyes held hers.

Her lips trembled. "I don’t know how to be calm."

"Then don’t be."

She looked down. A tear escaped before she could stop it.

Adrian wiped it away with his thumb, and pulled her into a side hug. He kissed her hair. "We’ll get there."

She nodded.

...

The hospital doors opened before Emilia had even fully stepped out of the car.

She hurried inside.

Adrian followed immediately.

The smell of antiseptic hit her.

People move quickly.

A nurse pushed a cart past them. Someone was speaking into a phone near the reception desk.

Everything looked ordinary. That made it worse for Emilia.

How could the world continue moving normally when Kylie was lying somewhere inside this building?

"Emilia."

She turned.

Her mother was standing several feet away.

Mrs. Hayes looked tired. Her coat was still damp from the rain, and her handbag hung from one shoulder.

Emilia crossed the distance between them almost immediately.

"Mom."

Her mother pulled her into a hug.

Emilia held her tightly. "How is she?" She asked in the hug.

"She’s stable."

"Stable?"

"Yes."

Emilia pulled back. "Is she awake?"

"No."

Her heart sank. "How long?"

"Not long."

"Mom, what happened?"

"I don’t know."

Emilia’s eyes moved toward the hallway. "Can I see her?"

"Yes." Her mother touched her arm. "But there’s a doctor in there."

Emilia nodded.

Adrian approached.

Mrs. Hayes gave him a small smile. "Adrian."

"Mrs. Hayes."

"Thank you for coming with her."

"Of course."

Emilia was already looking down the hallway. "Where’s Christian?"

Her mother’s expression changed slightly.

"He’s inside."

Emilia frowned. "He’s been here?"

"Yes."

She turned to Adrian, and then, back at her mother. "How long?"

"I don’t know."

"Has he said anything since then?"

"No. Nothing."

Emilia’s brows pulled together.

That did not sound like Christian. Christian always had something to say.

A joke, a complaint, a sarcastic comment, or a dramatic expression. Anything. Silence wasn’t Christian.

Emilia walked toward the room.

Adrian stayed beside her. Her mother followed. The closer they got, the more Emilia’s heartbeat accelerated.

She stopped outside the doorway. For one second, she couldn’t make herself enter.

She saw Kylie from the doorway. She was lying on the hospital bed. Her face looked pale beneath the soft hospital lighting.

An IV was connected to her arm, and a monitor beside the bed displayed her heart rate.

Her blonde hair had been brushed away from her face. There was a small bruise near her temple.

Emilia’s stomach dropped. "Kylie." Her voice came out as a whisper.