Chapter 182.

The first thing Kylie felt was thirst.

A deep, uncomfortable dryness scraped along her throat every time she tried to breathe.

She frowned. Her body felt heavy. Too heavy, like someone had poured wet sand into her arms and legs while she slept.

She tried to swallow.

Her brow tightened.

There was a sound somewhere nearby.

A soft, repetitive beep.

Kylie tried to open her eyes.nThey wouldn’t.

She tried again, and this time, her lashes moved. Light seeped through.

She closed them again. Someone was talking. A woman’s voice. Soft, and familiar.

"Kylie?"

She knew that voice. She just couldn’t place it.

Her head felt foggy.

The voice came again. "Kylie, sweetheart?"

Her fingers moved slightly.

"She moved."

Another voice came. A little farther away. "Give her a second, Sweetheart."

Kylie frowned. She knew those voices. She knew them. But her mind couldn’t put the pieces together.

She tried to breathe deeper.

Her chest protested.

She opened her eyes again.

The ceiling came into focus slowly. And then, there was a blurry shape beside her.

Kylie blinked.

The shape became a person.

Black hair, pretty face, and green eyes. A face she knew better than almost anyone in the world.

"Kylie?"

Emilia.

Kylie’s eyes moved toward her.

Emilia’s face crumpled instantly. "Oh my God." She reached for Kylie’s hand. "You’re awake."

Kylie stared at her.

Her lips parted, bht nothing came out.

Emilia’s eyes filled with tears. "Don’t try to talk yet."

Kylie swallowed. Her throat burned. She tried anyway. "Em..."

The word barely existed.

Emilia leaned closer.b"I’m here."

Kylie blinked. "Where..."

Her voice cracked.

Emilia immediately looked behind her. "Mom..."

Mrs. Hayes was already beside the bed. "Kylie?"

Kylie looked at her. Recognition slowly returned.

"Mrs..." Her voice broke again.

Mrs. Hayes smiled through wet eyes. "Yes, baby."

Kylie stared at her.

She looked around the room.

Adrian, the hospital, the IV, the monitor, and the unfamiliar smell. Her eyes moved toward the couch, then back to Emilia.

"Hospital?"

"Yes."

Kylie frowned. "Why?"

The question came out so quietly that Emilia almost didn’t hear it.

She squeezed Kylie’s hand. "You fainted."

Kylie stared at her.b"I..."

She tried to remember, but there was nothing.

There was only darkness. A strange blankness where memories should have been.

Her eyes drifted toward the ceiling again. "I fainted?"

"Yes."

Emilia brushed a strand of hair away from her forehead.b"You scared the life out of us."

Kylie looked at her.b"I’m sorry."

Emilia’s face immediately changed.b"No."

Kylie blinked.

"You don’t apologize."

"But..."

"No." Emilia shook her head. "You just woke up."

Kylie stared at her for another moment.

Something felt wrong. Not just the hospital, but something inside her. She couldn’t explain it.

Her body felt like it remembered something her mind hadn’t reached yet. She moved her arm slightly, and the movement made her wince.

Emilia noticed. "Does something hurt?"

Kylie looked down. There was an IV taped to her hand. She stared at it. "My head."

"There’s a small bruise."

Kylie touched her temple instinctively.

Emilia gently caught her wrist. "Don’t touch it, please."

Kylie looked at her. "Why?"

"Because you fell."

Kylie frowned. "Fell?"

Emilia hesitated. "You fainted."

Kylie looked at Mrs. Hayes.

Mrs. Hayes nodded gently. "You fell down the stairs."

Kylie’s eyes widened. "Stairs?"

"Yes."

She stared at the ceiling. That still didn’t feel right. Something was missing. She remembered... She couldn’t remember.

Her eyes closed.

There was a strange pressure behind them.

Emilia noticed her expression. "Don’t force it."

Kylie opened her eyes again. "I’m trying to remember."

"You would remember." Emilia’s voice softened. "You don’t have to remember everything right now."

Kylie looked at her. "How long?"

"How long what?"

"Was I..." She swallowed. "Like this?"

"You’ve been unconscious for several hours."

Kylie’s eyes widened slightly. "Hours?"

"Yes."

She stared at the ceiling again. The information felt strange. Hours. She had lost hours. She hated that.

Kylie tried to shift.

Pain moved through her shoulders.

She sucked in a breath.

Mrs. Hayes immediately leaned forward. "Easy."

Kylie looked at her. "My shoulders hurt."

"They’re bruised too."

"Why?"

Nobody answered immediately, or eveb try to ask questions. They didn’t want to overwhelm her.

Kylie noticed. Her eyes moved between them. "Something happened."

Emilia squeezed her hand. "You fainted."

"I know." Kylie looked down at their joined hands. "I mean before that."

Emilia’s lips parted, but she didn’t say anything.

Kylie studied her face. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I’m just glad you’re awake."

"Emilia."

"I’m serious." Kylie looked at her.

She knew that expression.

Emilia was trying to protect her.

Kylie had seen it a hundred times. She squeezed her friend’s hand weakly. "I’m okay."

Emilia’s eyes filled again. "You scared me."

Kylie gave the smallest smile. "I know."

Emilia laughed softly through her tears. She brushed her thumb over Kylie’s knuckles.

She looked toward Mrs. Hayes. "Thank you."

Mrs. Hayes smiled. "For what?"

"For being here."

Mrs. Hayes reached down and touched her cheek. "Where else would I be?"

Kylie closed her eyes briefly.

That question shouldn’t have made her emotional, but it did.

When she opened her eyes again, Adrian was watching her. There was something else in Adrian’s expression. He gave her a small nod. She returned it.

Her eyes drifted toward the window. The rain had stopped, and the glass was dark now.

Night had settled over the city.

Kylie swallowed again. Her throat still hurt. "Water."

Emilia immediately reached for the cup. "Small sips." She helped Kylie drink. "Call a nurse, Mum."

The water felt almost painfully good.

Kylie took one small sip, then another. She stopped. "Thank you."

Emilia set the cup down. "Better?"

"A little." Kylie rested her head against the pillow. Her eyes were getting heavy again, but she didn’t want to sleep.

Not yet.

Something was bothering her.

She looked toward the door. "Who else is here?"

Emilia hesitated.

She couldn’t explain why she suddenly felt like there was a missing person in the room. Someone she should have been expecting.

Someone whose absence felt louder than everyone else’s presence.

Kylie looked at Emilia. "Who else?"

Emilia’s expression changed. She glanced briefly at her mother.

Kylie noticed. "Emilia." She swallowed. "Who else came?"

Emilia didn’t answer immediately.

Kylie stared at her. Then the name came to her from instinct. "Christian?"

Emilia’s eyebrows lifted.

Kylie immediately looked away. Her heart began beating faster. She didn’t know why.

She didn’t know what she expected. But the moment she’d said his name, something in her chest had shifted.

Emilia watched her carefully. "Christian?"

Kylie didn’t look at her. "Yeah."

There was a pause.

Then Emilia asked gently, "Like the Christian over the phone?"

Kylie closed her eyes. She knew exactly what Emilia meant. "Yes." She parted her eyes. A but embarassed.

Emilia’s expression softened. "He’s here."

Kylie’s fingers tightened slightly against the blanket. She stared at the ceiling. "He is?"

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Outside."

Kylie swallowed. She didn’t know what to do with that information. She’d told him to stay away, and she’d blocked him.

She’d tried to convince herself that distance was the only way she could keep herself from falling into something she didn’t trust.

And now she was lying in a hospital bed, and he was outside waiting. She didn’t know whether that made her feel safer or more frightened.

Probably both.

Emilia watched her. "Do you want me to call him?" She asked carefully.

Kylie didn’t answer.

Her eyes stayed on the ceiling.

A minute passed, and then another.

Mrs. Hayes quietly stood. "I’ll give you two some privacy."

Kylie looked at her. "Thank you."

Mrs. Hayes nodded. She walked toward the bathroom area.

Emilia remained beside Kylie. "Do you want him?"

Kylie looked at her. The question was too direct. She hated how quickly her eyes burned.

"I don’t know."

Emilia nodded. "That’s okay."

Kylie swallowed. She looked toward the door. "I just..."

"What?"

"I want to see him."

The words came out barely above a whisper.

Emilia’s expression softened. "Okay."

Kylie immediately looked away. "But I don’t want you to make it a big thing."

"I won’t."

"And don’t tell him I asked."

Emilia’s lips twitched. "That’s going to be difficult."

"Why?"

"Because if I walk outside and say, ’Christian, come inside, but don’t know that Kylie asked for you,’ that would be very suspicious."

Kylie stared at her. Despite everything, a tiny laugh escaped her. It hurt, and she winced.

Emilia immediately became serious. "Sorry."

Kylie shook her head. "No." She smiled faintly. "It was funny."

Adrian chuckled quietly listening to them.

Kylie looked at the door again. Her heart began beating faster. "Call him."