My eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly as my body begged for more rest. I felt completely drained, like I had fought a war in my sleep. After a few seconds, my vision sharpened. I scanned the room and saw Mark pacing anxiously, his hands buried in his hair.
Across the room, Ma'am Kim and Sir William sat on the elegant couch, lost deep in thought. Their eyes were red and weary, as if they hadn't slept in days.
"Ahem…" I cleared my throat softly.
They all rushed to my bedside in a heartbeat. The oxygen mask was gently removed from my face, but several contraptions were still attached to my body. I glanced down at the tubes, wires, and machines around me.
Poor body… you've been through so much, I thought. "How long have I been gone?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kim leaned forward. "Do you want to know how long you've been fighting all of this, or just from the moment you fainted?"
I gave her a tired smile. "From the moment I fainted." "It's been two days," she answered gently. "Ah… that explains why I feel like I've been hit by a truck," I murmured, half-jokingly.
Mark, who stood at the foot of my bed, looked visibly relieved. "Aurora, are you really okay?" he asked, his voice laced with concern. I'm fine," I smiled lightly. "Are you okay?" He nodded quickly, unable to take his eyes off me. "Uhh… I want something to eat," I added.
William smiled warmly. "Don't worry, my child. The food is on its way."
"Thank you," I whispered, relaxing into the pillows. "But I need to ask something important… Am I free from my disease?"
Kim gently touched my hand. "Yes, my child. You are." I closed my eyes for a moment and let out a long sigh of relief. "Thank God…"
Silence fell briefly, until I looked up again this time, directly at Kim and William. "So… you're really my parents. My real parents." Tears welled in my eyes. "I don't know what to feel. It's like… I'm happy, but sad at the same time. My whole life… I've lived with people who made it so obvious I didn't belong. Not once did I feel like family."
My voice cracked. "Why did you let me go? Why did you allow me to be adopted and treated so cruelly?" Kim's face broke. "No, my child you've misunderstood. We never gave you up for adoption. We would never do that. You were abducted the very day you were born."
William's voice joined hers. "Yes, Aurora. She's right. You were stolen from us. We've searched every corner of this earth to find you. I would never give up on my child. Never." Tears were falling freely down Kim's cheeks now. "You can't imagine the pain of losing you… or the joy of finally having you back. Even before I knew you were mine, I felt something some kind of unexplainable bond. I loved you from the moment I saw you." Her words broke me.
"I felt the same towards you," I sobbed quietly. "Where have you been all these years, Mom?" She moved closer and wrapped her arms around me, cradling me like I was five again. "I love you so much, my child. You have no idea how long I've prayed for this day."
She pulled back slightly, cupping my face with her hands, wiping my tears gently with her thumbs. "Hush now… Aww, my precious little thing. You're so beautiful." William stepped forward with tears in his eyes. I smiled softly at him, feeling overwhelmed but warm. No need to say anything," I whispered. "I love you, Dad."
He broke down in an instant, pulling me into a tight embrace. His voice trembled. "My princess… My Hazel. You can't imagine how happy I am right now. The whole world will know I've got my daughter back. My only child."