78

Ixora gradually regained consciousness in the morning.

As her eyes opened, she found herself in a hospital room. The realization struck her slowly. "Where am I?" she murmured, her gaze glazed as she surveyed her surroundings. "This place looks like a hospital."

She blinked a few times to clear her vision, her eyes darting around without lifting her head. Then, they landed on a man resting his head on her bed. She gasped.

It was Jerald. He was lying beside her.

Ixora glanced around again, and it dawned on her that she was indeed in a hospital. Confusion filled her mind. What had happened? She remembered taking her sister to Spring Lake... Going into the water...

Oh no. Going into the water!

How did she manage to get out? Did Cherry also end up in the water? How long had she been in the hospital bed? And how did Jerald end up here? So many questions raced through her mind.

"Look who finally decided to join us in the land of the living," Jerald said in a hushed tone.

Ixora turned her hea