May tossed and turned, sleep eluding her despite her exhaustion. Her mind raced, jumbling the overwhelming information she'd received.
Deciding to organize her thoughts, she reached for the notepad and pen on her bedside table. She winced as the movement tugged at her IV, then began jotting down everything she knew, hoping it might spark a memory.
"Pregnant," she wrote first, circling it. Next, "Love triangle—fiancé and lover," adding question marks to both. Below, she scribbled "Sister Lilly" and "Missing secretary/chauffeur—Cain Walker."
Her pen hovered as she considered what else to add. "Attempted murder—brake lines cut," she wrote, underlining it twice. The weight of those words made her stomach churn.
A soft knock startled her. "Who is it?" she called, her voice quavering.
"It's me, Lilly. Your sister," came the muffled reply. "I know you wanted to be alone, but I just wanted to check on you before I left. May I come in?"
May hesitated, gripping the pen tightly. The detective's warning echoed in her mind: everyone was a suspect. But this was her sister. Surely she could trust her own flesh and blood?
"Alright," May called, quickly tucking the notepad under her pillow. "Come in."
Lilly entered slowly. May glimpsed the guard outside, who left the door ajar to keep watch.
In the dim light, Lilly's face looked drawn and worried. She approached cautiously, as if afraid of startling May.
"How are you feeling?" Lilly asked, perching on the edge of the visitor's chair. "I saw the light on and wondered if you might be having trouble sleeping."
May felt a tug at her heart. Had Lilly been sitting outside all this time? How else could she have noticed the light? Why hadn't she gone home?
"Have you been here this whole time?" May voiced her thoughts.
"Of course. How could I just leave? This must all be so confusing for you. I can't imagine what it's like to lose all your memories. I thought you might have questions, so I stayed on the benches outside. They're quite comfortable once you get used to them," Lilly added with a soft chuckle.
A small smile tugged at May's lips, touched by Lilly's kindness. Warmth spread through her chest, easing some of the tension that had built up.
Her sister seemed to know her well, anticipating her insomnia. Had they been close?
"Thank you," May whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I do have some questions. Can you tell me about our family? I think I heard Ian mention our parents are dead?"
"Yes, it was a tragic accident," Lilly replied. "Their helicopter crashed at a mining site during a typhoon. It took weeks for rescue teams to reach the wreckage, and they couldn't even recover the bodies. That was six years ago. Since then, it's just been you and me."
May felt strange, hearing about her parents' death without feeling any sorrow.
"Do we have other family?"
"Yes, we do. Our maternal grandparents live in the city. There's also Aunt Michelle and Uncle Tom—Dad's younger brother. They have two children, Carol and Pete, a few years younger than us."
"Are we close with them?"
"As much as time allows. Everyone's busy, but we see each other on holidays and such."
Something in Lilly's tone made May wonder if there was more to the story. She filed that thought away for later.
"And what about us?" May asked, leaning forward. "Are we close?"
A fleeting expression—was it anger?—crossed Lilly's face. But it vanished so quickly, May wondered if her fatigue was playing tricks on her.
"We've always been inseparable," Lilly replied, her voice suddenly thick with emotion. "When I heard about your accident... After Mom and Dad, if something happened to you..." Tears welled in her eyes.
May looked away, suppressing a sigh. Confronted with such intense emotions, she felt at a loss for how to react.
"And how are we living?" she asked, trying to steer the conversation. Lilly composed herself quickly.
"Quite well. Our parents were very successful and left us a mansion and a substantial inheritance. We lived there together for a few years, but then you bought an apartment in the city, closer to the company. You wanted to save time commuting." Her voice held a hint of sadness, as if May's decision to move out had been difficult for her.
"What kind of business did our parents run, and what's my role in it?"
"They invested in various fields and managed numerous projects. It's too extensive to list everything, but they were incredibly successful. For the past few years, Uncle Will has been managing everything. He was Dad's right-hand man. He's been preparing you to take over, and you've been working together daily."
"So I'm supposed to take over the company?" May pondered. "But you're the older sister. Shouldn't it be you?"
Lilly raised her hands defensively. "Oh no, thank you. That's not my cup of tea. We discussed this a while ago and decided you'd take over, paying me a monthly stipend so I can live comfortably and focus on my art. This might seem unfair to you now, but I assure you, it's exactly what you wanted. You loved working in the company, so it was a win-win for both of us."
May nodded, accepting the explanation for now. There was no use dwelling on it. The truth would come to light eventually.
"Oh, look at the time," Lilly said, noticing May's exhaustion. "You should rest. We can continue our conversation tomorrow, alright?"
May, feeling fatigue tugging at her eyelids, nodded. "Thank you."
"No need to thank me. Go to sleep. I'll leave once you're asleep."
"No, go home. You don't have to wait on me. I won't be able to sleep with someone watching," May added, seeing Lilly's uncertain gaze.
"Alright, if you insist. I'll see you tomorrow then. Good night."
Lilly quietly pulled the door closed, and May switched off the light. With a sigh, she sank back into her pillows, her hand unconsciously moving to her stomach. What a crazy day. And she had a feeling the future wouldn't be any less insane.
It was overwhelming, and she still felt confused and lost. But one thing was clear: though she couldn't remember conceiving this child, she felt fiercely protective. Whoever was after her wasn't just threatening her life, but her baby's as well. May was determined not to let them succeed.