Chapter 5: New Beginnings

Ava woke up feeling confused. Her eyes slowly opened, and everything looked blurry. She blinked a few times, trying to make sense of her surroundings.

"I'm alive?" she whispered to herself, surprised. She wiggled her toes and fingers, relieved to feel them move.

An older man in a white coat stood nearby. He turned to her with a kind smile. "You're awake," he said gently.

Ava tried to sit up, but the doctor put a hand on her shoulder. "Take it easy," he said. "Your muscles are weak. You need to rest."

The doctor did some quick checks. He shined a light in Ava's eyes, listened to her heart and lungs, and tested her reflexes. He asked her to follow his finger with her eyes and squeeze his hands.

"Where am I?" Ava asked, her voice scratchy from not being used.

"You're in the hospital," the doctor explained. He stepped back and took out his phone. "She's awake," he said to someone on the other end.

Ava's heart started racing. "Please don't call my family!" she begged. She gripped the sheets tightly, her breathing quick and shallow.

The doctor looked at her with concern. "Don't worry," he said. "That wasn't your family. I called the person who brought you here. You're safe."

Ava relaxed a little, sinking back into the pillows. She was about to close her eyes when the door opened.

A young man walked in, looking nothing like a normal doctor. He was tall, at least 6 feet, with broad shoulders and dark hair that looked a bit messy, like he'd been running his hands through it. He wore a white doctor's coat, but something about him seemed different.

Ava's eyes widened as she looked at him. He was very handsome, almost too good-looking to be a real doctor. He reminded her of the tough guys in movies – the ones who always turned out to have hearts of gold.

As he got closer, Ava noticed his eyes. They were a deep, warm brown, like chocolate. She felt herself getting lost in them for a moment.

"How is she?" the handsome doctor asked the older man.

"She's doing well," the older doctor replied. "Her vital signs are good, and her vision seems clear."

Ava noticed a small tattoo peeking out from under the young doctor's sleeve. "Do doctors have tattoos?" she wondered to herself. "He must be one of those cool, rebellious types."

The thought made her smile without realizing it. Suddenly, she noticed both doctors looking at her curiously.

"Sorry, what?" Ava asked, feeling embarrassed.

"Are you in any pain?" the young doctor asked, his voice deep and kind.

"No," Ava said quickly.

"Good," he replied. "Get some rest. We'll talk more when you wake up."

"We?" Ava asked, suddenly scared. Were the police here to question her?

The young doctor must have seen the fear in her eyes. He smiled reassuringly. "I just meant that I'd like to check on you later, if that's okay."

Ava nodded, feeling relieved. Both doctors left the room, and she drifted off to sleep.

---

Ethan's POV

I couldn't stop thinking about the girl in the VIP room. When I first brought her to the hospital, I was so focused on getting her help that I barely noticed what she looked like. But now...

I walked into her room and felt my breath catch in my throat. She was beautiful in a soft, innocent way. Her face was round and sweet, with high cheekbones and the most striking gray eyes I'd ever seen. Her hair was a light golden brown, falling in messy waves around her face.

Her lips were small and pink, and I found myself staring at them for a moment too long. She looked so fragile lying there in the hospital bed. I had a sudden urge to protect her, which was crazy. I didn't even know her name.

I talked with Dr. Robert about her condition, relieved to hear she was doing better. When I looked back at her, she was smiling to herself. I wondered what she was thinking about.

We decided to let her rest before asking any questions. I didn't want to scare her.

Usually, I couldn't wait to get out of the hospital and back to my company. But today, I found myself making excuses to stay. I helped a kid with his physical therapy exercises, showing him how to strengthen his leg after surgery. I talked to an older woman who was nervous about using her new walker, joking with her until she felt more confident.

Before I knew it, it was 3 PM. I realized the girl in the VIP room has been sleeping for almost five hours. I ordered some food and picked up some fruit from the cafeteria, then headed to her room.

When I walked in, she was flipping through TV channels, looking bored. I cleared my throat, and she jumped a little.

"I brought you some food," I said, holding up the tray. "And fruit."

Her face lit up. "I'm starving!" she said.

I felt bad for not checking on her sooner. "Sorry," I said. "I thought you were still resting."

I set the tray on the table next to her bed and watched as she started eating. She seemed to really enjoy the food, which made me happy for some reason.

I held out a strawberry. "Try this," I said. "I bet it's the best strawberry you've ever tasted."

She looked uncomfortable. "Sorry," she said quietly. "I'm allergic to strawberries."

I felt like an idiot. "I'm so sorry," I said quickly. "I had no idea."

I turned back to her and noticed a bit of food on her lip. Without thinking, I grabbed a napkin and reached out to wipe it off. She froze, then started hiccuping.

I handed her some water, but the hiccups wouldn't stop. I took a step back, realizing I was making her nervous. As soon as I moved away, the hiccups stopped.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Yeah..." I replied, feeling awkward.

I took a deep breath. It was time to ask the question that had been bothering me for days.

"Why were they chasing you?" I asked gently.

She looked down at her hands. "I don't know," she whispered. "Maybe I saw something I wasn't supposed to see."

When she looked up at me, her eyes were full of tears. My heart ached for her.

I hated to give her more bad news, but she needed to know. "Your father was buried yesterday," I said carefully. "Along with you. You've been declared dead. If people find out you're alive, you could be arrested for murder."

She didn't look shocked, which surprised me. Had she been expecting this?

"Do you have anywhere to stay?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No," she said quietly.

I took a deep breath. What I was about to suggest was crazy, but I couldn't let her end up on the streets.

"Dr. Robert says you can leave tomorrow," I said. "Would you like to stay with me? Just for a little while, until you figure things out?"

She looked up at me, hope shining in her eyes. "Yes," she said quickly. "I'll do the dishes, clean your house – you won't even know I'm there."

"No need for that," I said, smiling. "It's just temporary, okay? Until you decide what to do next."

She nodded, looking relieved and scared at the same time. I wanted to reach out and comfort her, but I held back. I didn't want to make her uncomfortable again.