I blinked slowly, my eyes still adjusting to the sterile brightness of the hospital room. My head throbbed, and the dull ache made it difficult to remember why I was here in the first place. The last thing I recalled was the world spinning as my head came rushing toward the ground. Now, Maria's anxious face hovered above me.

“Ely! You’re awake!” Her voice cracked, a mix of relief and exhaustion.

“Maria?” I rasped, my throat dry. “What happened?” I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through my body. Groaning, I settled back against the pillows.

Maria looked over her shoulder. “Joseph, she’s awake!”

Joseph appeared from the side of the room, his usual composed demeanor softened with worry. “Elysia,” he began, his voice steady but with an underlying concern, “I’m glad you’re okay.”

I squinted at him, confusion clouding my thoughts. “Why... why am I here?” I asked, my voice hoarse, still trying to make sense of the situation.

“You fainted,” Joseph said, her voice gentle but trembling. “After you left the car, I decided to find you. There was someone collapsing in the park, and—well, it was you. Counting that day, You were unconscious for three days.”

“Three days?” It felt like I had just closed my eyes and now I was awake. My mind struggled to comprehend. I fainted? Why couldn’t I remember? My fingers instinctively brushed the side of my head, where I could feel a faint bruise.

Joseph, ever the gentleman, cleared his throat. “I wasn’t going to leave things unresolved between us, so I went looking for you. When I saw the crowd, I rushed over. Sebastian and I got you to the hospital then I called Maria to tell her your status. You’ve been in a coma since then. The doctors said it would have lasted weeks, maybe longer but you are strong, you are awake and that is important.”

A chill ran down my spine. “A coma?” I murmured. My heart raced, and I felt a surge of dread.

Maria, her face pale, spoke to the nurse, asking for the doctor. I glanced at Joseph again, my thoughts racing. The last thing I remembered was our conversation—the argument. But could stress really cause this?

Joseph noticed my discomfort and gave me a small, strained smile. “Elysia, don’t worry about it. We can start fresh. This whole experience has given me new perspectives.”

I managed a weak laugh, though it hurt. “Like what?”

He chuckled lightly, scratching his head. “For one, I should have given you more space. I realize now that maybe our conversation before... It was too much pressure for you resulting in this accident, I'm sorry.”

I frowned, knowing that wasn't the entire reason. Sure, the argument was stressful, but something else had caused me to faint—something I couldn’t place. But I didn't have the energy to argue, so I let it slide. “Let’s not dwell on it,” I muttered, my voice barely audible.

“Sure,” he replied, dropping the subject easily. I wasn’t sure if I felt relieved or unsettled by his nonchalant attitude.

A knock on the door drew our attention. The doctor stands in the door—a man in his late fifties with a bushy mustache and an air of authority. His expression was serious, though not unkind.

"I didn’t expect you to wake up so soon,” he began, eyeing me critically. “Given the trauma to your head, I anticipated a longer recovery period. Not life-threatening, but still severe enough to warrant concern.”

He looked at me with a piercing look

I swallowed hard. His words, though clinical, hit me with the gravity of the situation. I had been closer to danger than I realized.

Averting my sight from him, feeling the weight of his diagnosis pressing down on me. Had I really come that close to staying in a coma longer? The thought made me uneasy, like I had narrowly escaped something much worse.

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“Mr. Joseph told me a lot about you,” the doctor continued, with a surprising smirk. “He said you had the temper of a Chihuahua. I expected someone to be a bit more fiery.”

I blinked, taken aback. “Excuse me?”

The doctor stepped in, clearly visible by eccentric remarks. “This is Dr. Lawrence. He’s my personal doctor,” Joseph explained with a smile. “He came to oversee your case as a favor. He is the best of the best in terms of surgeries and diagnosis and all those complex words doctors do” Joseph and his unique wordings about his workers is becoming a thing by now.

“Oh,” I muttered, not entirely sure what to make of this. “Thanks, I guess. So... I’m okay now doctor?”

Dr. Lawrence nodded, though his gaze remained serious. “Physically, you’ll recover. But take it easy. No rushing back to stressful situations. Rest is key.”

As I regain consciousness, the tension in the room starts to fade, but something inside me feels wrong. The fall, the fainting—it couldn't have been just a random accident.

"Maria, help me stand," I ask, my voice weaker than I expected.

"Ely, you shouldn't. You must be exhausted," Maria responds, concern etched on her face.

"I’m not feeling exhausted, a little sore but. I guess I can stay a little longer on bed," I concede reluctantly.

“Thanks, Joseph. But wait—where’s my phone?”

“Here. I grabbed it to try and call someone from your family, but it’s got a special password, so I couldn’t.” He hands it over and they both leave the room.

The doctor closed his notebook with a snap, casting a wry glance toward Joseph. “Well then, Mr. Joseph, if that’s all, I’ll be taking my leave. No special prescriptions this time—but if you need anything, just let me know. Oh, and young lady,” he added, giving me a wink, “you’re quite lucky. Mr. Joseph doesn’t normally go to these lengths for just anyone.”

“Thank you for the information, Doctor,” Joseph replied, blushing slightly. It was… kind of cute, actually. “But please, I’d appreciate it if you could avoid sharing unnecessary details.”

“Ah, right,” Dr. Lawrence said, clearing his throat. He seemed to remember something and turned back. “One last thing—I know I’m not supposed to ask too much, but why didn’t you contact Julia? Couldn’t she help you unlock this young lady’s phone to call her parents?”

Joseph shifted slightly, his blush deepening. “Even I can’t reach Julia for personal matters, Doctor Lawrence. My parents reserve her skills for special assignments only. Unlocking a phone would be a waste of her talent.”

The doctor raised an eyebrow, scratching his mustache with a comb. “So even you have limits when it comes to family matters, Mr. Joseph?”

“Dr. Lawrence,” Joseph said, irritation clear as a small vein pulsed on his forehead, “what did we just discuss about unnecessary comments?”

The doctor laughed heartily, waving a hand. “Understood, understood! I’m off—not because I fear being fired, mind you, but because I have a date with a model tonight!” With a wink, he turned and walked out, still chuckling to himself.

As soon as the door shut, I couldn’t help but ask, “Who’s Julia?” I tried to keep my voice steady, though my curiosity was on full display.

Maria’s grin was immediate. “Oh, don’t be jealous, Ely! Joseph’s completely single. No matter who this Julia is, you’re his number one.”

“Maria!” Joseph scolded, sighing in exasperation. “Please, let’s not say things like that. The last time overstepping comments have lead to this incident.”

While Josephs speaks.

I reached over and playfully tugged Maria’s cheek. “See? I’m not jealous, Maria. Joseph and I aren’t a thing.”

“Yet,” she whispered with a playful grimace, rubbing her cheek.

Joseph cleared his throat, offering a faint smile in my direction. “You do deserve to know, Ely. Julia’s our family’s tech expert. She’s a genius, practically a hacker. My father’s even warned me to never hand her my phone unless I want it thoroughly inspected.” He smirked, seemingly entertained by the idea.

“Oh…” I murmured, as the image of this “Julia” took shape in my mind. She sounded incredible.

"Elysia, maria and I will go fill out the hospital papers for you. We’ll be back soon,” Joseph reassures me with a gentle smile.

I unlock my phone, and immediately, the messages start flooding in—so many from my boss. My heart sinks as I scroll through. Of course. One message stands out: "You’re fired."

Is that even legal? -- Most importantly How I will survive this month if he is dead serious.

I need a doctor’s note, anything to cover up my absence. Good one problem solved, hopefully. Next problem would be.

What happened after I got out of Joseph’s car? I walked down the trail, and then…nothing. My mind is blank.

Should I push deeper into this? Something inside me warns not to. What if I faint again? No. I’ve got Maria and Joseph by my side. Whatever happened in the park, it doesn’t matter anymore. Smart move, Ely.

“Yes,” I tell myself, feigning optimism, “worrying about things beyond my control would be a waste of time. Feeding my fears wouldn’t help.”

“You have awakened”

I wake up to a voice I recognize instantly. There’s a loud thud as someone’s hand hits the doorframe, and I whirl around.

It’s him. Azazel.