Luna woke up to the sterile smell of antiseptic, the steady beeping of monitors, and the soft hum of hospital activity. Her head felt heavy, her limbs weak, and for a brief moment, she was disoriented, trying to recall how she ended up in a hospital bed. She blinked, her eyes adjusting to the dimmed room, and the sudden movement of a nurse caught her attention.
"She's awake," the nurse said as she left the room, likely to inform the doctors. Within minutes, a small team entered, led by a doctor who greeted her warmly. They performed routine checks blood pressure, temperature, reflexes.
"You're going to be fine," the doctor reassured her. "You've been through a traumatic experience, but physically, there's nothing major to worry about. Just rest and take things slow."
After a final check, the doctor allowed Mia to stay with Luna, as she was now stable and needed emotional support as much as anything else. As the others left, Mia walked in, her eyes filled with concern but also relief. She pulled up a chair and sat beside Luna, her presence instantly soothing.
Mia looked her over and then softly asked, "Luna, can you tell me what happened? How did it all unfold?"
Luna closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. "It was Grace," she began, her voice low, still in disbelief. "She... she betrayed me. I didn't see it coming." She went on to explain the hairpin, the man she had fought off, and how Grace had revealed her true intentions, confirming everything Luna had feared deep down but never wanted to believe.
Mia listened intently, her expression darkening with each word. When Luna finally finished recounting the betrayal and all of the events, she hesitated before asking, "Did... anyone from my family come to check on me?"
Despite the things Grace had said about her family wanting her dead there was a part of Luna that clung to hope, refusing to fully believe that her own blood could be so cruel. She wasn't ready to accept that her family might truly want her out of their lives for good.
Mia's face softened with a mix of pity and sadness. "No, Luna," she said gently. "No one from your family has come. I haven't heard anything from them either."
Luna's heart sank, even though she had half-expected the answer. She lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind swirling with a thousand thoughts. "Not even my father?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mia shook her head, but then added, "Kiad's secretary came by to check on you. But Kiad didn't come himself... He's busy, I guess. That's what his secretary said."
Luna let out a small, bitter laugh, more of a sigh than anything. Busy. That was always the excuse. She didn't even bother asking what he was so busy with. The reality of it all hit her like a punch to the gut her family wasn't coming, and the one person she thought might care didn't bother to show up either.
But then something clicked in her mind, and she sat up slightly, a sudden urgency in her voice. "Wait... Mia, how did you and the police know where I was? How did you find me so quickly?"
Mia leaned forward, explaining, "After you left with Grace, something strange happened. You see, Grace left her phone with Gran Astoria. While Gran Astoria was holding it, a message popped up. It was a warning someone messaged Grace saying they were going to blast the car. Astoria freaked out and immediately called the police. After some inquiries, they were able to track your phone and figure out where you were. That's how we found you."
Luna nodded slowly, processing the information. It was a stroke of luck or fate that Luna took Grace's phone handing to Astoria, Astoria's quick thinking had saved her life. She made a mental note to thank her as soon as she could.
She lay back on the pillows again, feeling a weight lift off her chest, but the questions in her mind refused to quiet down. After a few moments, she sat up once more, her voice quieter this time. "What about Elis? Where is he?"
Mia's expression shifted, a mixture of curiosity and confusion. "Elis... He's in the hospital too. Three rooms down from yours, in fact. He took quite a hit during the explosion, but he's going to be okay."
Luna furrowed her brows. Elis had saved her protected her in the middle of all that chaos but she still didn't fully understand his motivations. Who was he really? Why had he been willing to risk his life for her? The questions swirled around her mind, unanswered.
Mia placed a comforting hand on Luna's arm, sensing her unease. "Don't worry, Luna. The police are still investigating everything. We'll get to the bottom of this."
Luna nodded, though her thoughts remained tangled. Elis's mysterious actions, her family's cold absence, Kiad's distance it all left a bitter taste in her mouth. For now, she was alive. She had survived. But the storm was far from over. And Luna knew that when she was finally ready to face it, she'd have to make some hard decisions about the people in her life.
For now, though, As she lay back down, her eyes fluttering shut, she felt a strange sense of determination settle in her chest. Something had changed inside her. She wasn't going to be the same Luna anymore the girl who waited for people to care, who endured in silence.
As the night deepened the silence in the hospital felt heavy, somehow uncomfortable. Luna lay in her bed, her mind restless, replaying the events of the past days over and over. One thought haunted her more than anything else was Elis.
She had stabbed him. She remembered it vividly, the hairpin piercing his side. Yet, despite that, he had woken up and not just that, He also protected her. And now, there was no sign of the hairpin, no explanation for his inexplicable recovery. Her curiosity clicked at her like an insistent whisper in the back of her mind. She couldn't shake the feeling that something about him was... off.
Unable to sleep, Luna made a decision. She needed to see him. Elis was just three rooms away.
Quietly, she slipped out of her bed, her hospital gown swishing lightly as she padded down the dimly lit hallway. She glanced over her shoulder to make sure no one saw her sneaking around, but the floor seemed deserted. When she reached his room, she carefully pushed the door open, her heart pounding with a strange fear and curiosity.
Inside, Elislay peacefully asleep on the hospital bed. His face looked relaxed, almost serene, the harshness from earlier completely gone. The soft glow of the bedside lamp cast shadows across his face, accentuating his chiseled jawline, his sharp features. He looked... perfect. Like a man carved by the gods themselves handsome beyond belief. His skin seemed to glow even in the dim light, and the memory of his piercing blue eyes flashed in her mind.
Luna found herself staring, momentarily distracted by his beauty, but she quickly shook herself out of it. She was here for answers. She stepped closer, her heart beating faster with every step. Hesitating for just a moment, she reached out and carefully began to unbutton his hospital gown, wanting to see the wound she had inflicted with the hairpin. How had he healed so quickly?
Her fingers trembled slightly as she pulled the fabric aside. Just as she was about to check the wound, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed down the hallway. Nurses.
Panicking, Luna quickly re-buttoned his shirt and backed away from the bed, her pulse racing. She had to get out of here before they found her. She turned and bolted for the door, slipping out just as the nurses reached Elis's room. Luna hurried back to her own room, her heart pounding in her chest.
When she reached her room, the first thing she noticed was the coldness. The window was wide open, the sheer curtains billowing gently in the night breeze. But that wasn't what made her breath catch in her throat.
Sitting casually on the windowsill, in the shadows, was a figure.
Her heart stopped for a second. Her eyes widened as she took in the massive figure sitting there, the silhouette all too familiar. It was Elis.
He was leaning back against the frame, his eyes half-closed, as if he'd been waiting for her. His large frame was relaxed, his long legs stretched out in front of him, one arm resting casually on the windowsill. His presence filled the room with an unsettling calm.
"How…" Luna whispered, her voice barely audible as her mind raced with disbelief. How had he gotten here? He was supposed to be three rooms away, recovering in bed. She had literally just left him there.
But Elis simply smiled, his piercing blue eyes catching the light, locking onto her. There was something different about him now an almost predatory grace in the way he moved, in the way he looked at her.
"You're wondering how I got here, aren't you?" he asked, his voice smooth, almost teasing.
Luna stood frozen, still trying to wrap her mind around what was happening. He had been asleep just moments ago. She had barely made it back to her room. How could he have moved so fast? How could he even be here, looking perfectly fine when she had stabbed him?
Elis slowly stood up from the windowsill, his tall, imposing figure towering over her as he stepped closer, moving with a quiet, fluid grace that made Luna's heart race.
"You're not the only one full of surprises, Luna," he said softly, his voice sending a shiver down her spine.
Luna stepped back instinctively, her body tense with fear and confusion. "What… what are you?" she finally managed to ask, her voice trembling.
Elis's smile widened, but it wasn't a friendly smile. It was the kind that made her stomach twist in knots. He reached up, slowly pulling at the collar of his shirt. "You're curious about the wound, aren't you?"
Luna watched, unable to look away, as he pulled the shirt open, revealing his chest. There, where the hairpin should have left a deep wound, was nothing. Just smooth, unblemished skin. Not even a scratch.
"How… that's impossible," she whispered, her voice shaky. Her mind reeled, struggling to comprehend what she was seeing.
Elis chuckled darkly. "You have no idea what's possible, Luna. But you will soon."