Chapter 54 Secrets

Ava's Pov

The room was shrouded in darkness, the only sound being the faint hum of the machines beside the bed.

She stirred, the dull ache in her body a reminder of where she was. Her eyes flickered open, adjusting to the dim light.

The first thing she noticed was the heavy weight on her chest—memories flooding back, confusion gnawing at her mind.

But she pushed them aside, focusing instead on the figure slumped in the chair by her bed. His head was tilted awkwardly, dark circles under his eyes as if sleep had been a distant memory.

She stared at him for a long time, emotions warring within her. Anger, hurt, and… something else. Something softer.

She had wanted to make him suffer, to make him feel the same pain she felt when she woke up alone, but all that seemed so distant now.

Her gaze softened as she looked at him, and she wondered how long he had been sitting there like that, waiting, watching.

She tried to move, but the IV lines tugged at her skin, pulling her back