The sterile smell of the hospital filled Jade’s nostrils as she slowly opened her eyes. The bright overhead lights were harsh, and her head throbbed with a dull ache. Blinking a few times to adjust to her surroundings, she realized she was lying in a hospital bed. The muffled hum of voices nearby grew clearer, and as she turned her head, she saw Milan, Enzo, Thiago, and Mia standing around her, their expressions a mix of relief and worry.
“Jade!” Mia exclaimed, rushing to her side and gripping her hand tightly. “You’re awake! Thank God.”
Jade’s throat felt dry, and her voice came out as a raspy whisper. “What… happened?”
“You were in a car accident,” Milan said, stepping closer to her bed. His icy-blue eyes softened as they met hers. “The car hit you at an intersection. Do you remember?”
Bits and pieces of the crash flashed through her mind—the screeching tires, the impact, and the darkness that followed. She nodded weakly. “I… I remember. It came out of nowhere.”
“You scared the hell out of us,” Thiago said, his usual lighthearted tone replaced with one of concern. “When we got the call, we dropped everything and came straight here.”
Enzo leaned against the edge of the bed, his dark eyes scanning her face. “How are you feeling?”
“Sore,” Jade admitted, her voice cracking. “And… dizzy. But I think I’m okay.”
Mia squeezed her hand reassuringly. “You’re in the best place to recover. The doctors have been checking on you constantly. They said you were stable.”
Jade nodded, but a wave of panic suddenly gripped her. Her hand instinctively moved to her stomach, her heart racing. “The baby,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “Is my baby okay?”
The room fell silent, the tension thick in the air as everyone exchanged glances. Milan was the first to speak, his voice calm but steady. “The doctors are running tests. They said they’d be back shortly to give us an update.”
Jade’s chest tightened, and tears welled up in her eyes. “I need to know. I need to know if my baby is okay.”
Enzo placed a hand on her shoulder, his touch firm yet comforting. “They’ll tell us soon, Jade. Try to stay calm. Stress isn’t good for you—or the baby.”
***
The sound of faint footsteps echoed in the hospital corridor as Jade lay in bed, nervously clutching the edge of her blanket. The warm presence of Mia beside her was the only thing keeping her from falling apart. Milan, Enzo, and Thiago stood nearby, their faces stoic but their eyes filled with concern.
The door opened, and Dr. Jaxon walked in, his expression calm but unreadable. He held a clipboard in one hand and adjusted his glasses as he approached her bedside.
“Ms. Jade,” he began, his tone professional yet soft. “How are you feeling right now?”
Jade swallowed hard, her throat dry. “Sore… and scared,” she admitted, her voice trembling.
Dr. Jaxon nodded, pulling a chair closer to sit beside her. “I understand. I’ve gone through your test results, including the scans we performed earlier. I’d like to examine you one more time to confirm a few things before we discuss the findings.”
Jade’s heart sank, and her grip on the blanket tightened. She nodded silently, unable to speak.
“Is it okay if I proceed?” Dr. Jaxon asked gently.
“Yes,” she whispered, her voice barely audible.
The room was quiet as Dr. Jaxon conducted the examination. Milan’s jaw was tense, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. Enzo and Thiago stood shoulder-to-shoulder, their normally composed expressions betraying the worry they were trying to mask. Mia sat close to Jade, her hand resting on Jade’s arm, offering silent support.
When Dr. Jaxon finished, he set the stethoscope aside and sat back in the chair, his face serious. The silence stretched for what felt like an eternity before he finally spoke.
“Ms. Jade,” he began, his voice calm but heavy. “I need to tell you something, and I want you to know that we’ll do everything we can to support you through this.”