There was a rush of activity the moment they made it to the hospital.
Nurses were shocked at the state of the man Sophia and Ethan had brought to them and he was rushed into a room on a gurney.
Against her better judgment, Sophia decided to stay at the hospital considering it was within walking distance to her house. She felt the strong urge to see things through. She was dying to find out the identity of this mystery man, and she wanted to know if he would pull through.
However, due to the nature of his injury, she was asked to stay in the hallway where she sat in a chair. There seemed to be a lull in the activity and she found herself nodding off as her head leaned against the wall.
She was exhausted after having to wake up so early to prepare pastries for her bakery. Normally she allowed herself a nap but it was usually in the comfort of her home and not on a chair in front of everyone at the hospital.
A couple of hours passed and it was dark outside.
Sophia was abruptly woken up when she felt someone touch her shoulder.
With a gasp, she jumped up. Her hand covered her chest as her racing heart alerted her that there was danger nearby. However, she realized it was just a nurse waking her up.
"Sorry about that," the nurse muttered with a guilty smile. "I didn't mean to startle you. I was waking you up to say that visiting hours are over for anyone who isn't family."
Sophia's green eyes widened as her eyes met the nurse's. Her determination to stay caused her to do something unexpected.
"I-I'm his fiancé!" she suddenly said. "I think there's something wrong with him. He didn't recognize me when I found him earlier."
While she wasn't an actress, she mustered up a look sad enough for the nurse to believe that she wasn't lying.
"Alright, you can stay," the nurse responded, breathlessly.
After a long shift, she didn't have the energy to argue with someone so determined. She brought Sophia to the front desk so she could get a visitor pass and return to her fiancé's side.
"There's a nurse with the patient right now, so just sit tight while you wait," the nurse directed.
"Thank you!" Sophia exclaimed.
The fake sadness from before was wiped away immediately. It was so abrupt the nurse was questioning the legitimacy of her claims again, but Sophia was so innocent-looking that she imagined letting her stay wouldn't do any harm.
In the city hospital, it was probably better she didn't sleep in the hallway so defenselessly anyway.
Meanwhile, the mysterious man was slowly waking up.
There was a flash of light and excruciating pain. The world ended and was recreated in a matter of a few moments. It was the Big Bang of his brain and he woke up in a new universe. He was a blank canvas waiting to be painted on with the colors of experience.
As he opened his eyes, he was met with harsh fluorescent lighting and he grimaced. A shock of pain went through his head.
The ceiling was white in comparison to his thoughts which were far from plain. Yet it felt like his true self was hidden away in an impenetrable metal safe.
Feeling that there was something connected to his arms, he lifted them until they were in his view. There was an IV in his arm.
The thoughts came to him easily but they had no beginning or end. Nothing felt familiar.
His brain felt like an unsolvable puzzle with pieces missing. There was a profound sense of disconnect from his environment and he could feel panic start rising in his chest.
Silently, he assessed himself. He felt cold but there was sweat gathering on his forehead. His whole body felt fatigued and shaky.
There were hints but no answers. Even if he looked within, he was met with darkness. Something stood between him and himself.
All he knew to do was escape. He needed to get out of there and find clues. He told himself he was resourceful enough to do that much.
As his fight or flight kicked in, the air coming from the oxygen mask in his nose felt toxic and he ripped it off of his face. His sharp reactions told him that he was accustomed to moving quickly. The muscles on his body confirmed that he was someone who valued activity whether it be for appearance or a means of survival.
"Hold on!" someone shouted from the other end of the room.
A nurse rushed forward and tried to soothe him by putting a hand on his shoulder and trying to make sure he didn't sit up.
"Sir, you have a severe concussion," she said. "Sitting up too quickly in this state isn't a good idea. You're going to get dizzy and likely nauseous from the medicine we've given you."
However, the nurse's hand left his shoulder when he shot her with such a heated, murderous look that she had to prioritize her safety for a moment. Her hand was raised, silently telling him that she wouldn't touch him any longer.
"I'll talk to the doctor and be right back," she said, making sure to keep her distance. "Sit tight for the time being."
The nurse went to the closed door and opened it. She was surprised to see the woman he came with before was awake and waiting to go into the room.
"I thought visiting hours were over?" the nurse asked.
The other nurse who helped Sophia rushed forward.
"That's his fiancé," she said. "She's been waiting to see him."
The other nurse looked over at Sophia and shrugged. Maybe she could calm down that jerk of a guy. In her opinion, Sophia was too sweet-looking to be in a relationship with such a guy.
She walked backward until only half of her was revealed to the room.
"Excuse me, sir," she said as kindly as possible despite her thoughts about him. "Your fiancé is here if you want to see her."
The expressions of the man in the bed darkened again but it was less hostile than before.
"Send her in," he said, speaking for the first time since he had woken up.
His voice was like dark velvet. It was intimidating but undoubtedly attractive.
Soon Sophia appeared in the doorway and the man glared at her.
"H-hi," she uttered guiltily.
"You," he said, his tone accusatory.