CHAPTER 37

Vanya's POV

My head thudded like a bass drum, the pounding, relentless and unforgiving. As I slowly regained consciousness, the world around me swam into focus, harsh white lights above my head distorted my visuals and the antiseptic scent of a hospital assaulted my senses. For a moment, everything was blur, the edges of fraying as I tried to anchor myself to the present. My body felt heavy, my mind clouded, as if I had been underwater for too long and had finally surfaced, gasping for air

“Vanya, thank God you're awake!” Marco's voice broke through the haze I was in, his tone tinged with a mix of relief and anxiety

I turned my head slowly as if to avoid it falling off, my eyes locking onto Marco's worried face. He was seated next to my bed, his expression a cocktail of concern and exhaustion.

“What… what happened?” My voice was raspy, barely more than a whisper.

“You passed out” Marco explained, leaning forward in his chair, his hands gripping the edge of the bed. “You've been under