DAMIEN’S POV
I was just about to walk out of my office when Nathan’s call came in.
My fingers hesitated for a second before I answered, my mind still wrapped around the storm of thoughts that had consumed me for weeks.
“Damien,” Nathan said, his voice sharp and urgent. “I found her.”
I froze, my heart skipping a beat at the sound of those words. “What? What do you mean? Where is she?” I demanded, gripping the edge of my desk to steady myself.
“She’s still in the same hospital, Damien,” Nathan replied. “She’s been there for the past few weeks. Her condition… it worsened. After she was discharged, she had to be brought back in twice in a rush. She’s not doing well.”
The words hit me like a punch to the gut. I slammed my fist on the steering wheel of the car, the sound echoing in the otherwise quiet car.
“Damn it,” I muttered under my breath, my anger and guilt clawing at me. This is my fault.
If I had been there for her, if I hadn’t kept pushing her away… maybe she wouldn’t be in this position.
I wasn’t sure how I’d driven so recklessly up until now, but when I heard Nathan’s words, it felt like I had no other choice. I had to fix this.
I needed to beg for her forgiveness, do whatever it took to make things right. I couldn’t lose her. Not like this.
“Where is she now?” I demanded, my voice tight, barely able to control the panic building inside me.
“The hospital, Damien. I’ll meet you there,” Nathan responded, his tone more serious than usual.
I didn’t even bother with formalities. I slammed the car into gear and turned around, my foot pressing hard on the gas pedal.
My knuckles were white from gripping the wheel, and I couldn’t stop the adrenaline that was coursing through me.
All I could think about was getting to Anna, seeing her with my own eyes. I had to make sure she was okay. I had to apologize.
I didn’t give a damn about the speeding ticket I was likely to get. I didn’t care about anything except reaching her.
It was as if everything in me was screaming that time was running out, that I had no more time to waste.
When I finally reached the hospital, I parked my car in a no-parking zone and practically ran inside.
The sterile smell of the place hit me immediately, and my chest tightened. This was the place where Anna had been fighting for her life, and I had been too blind, too focused on my own damn problems to be there for her.
I moved quickly, scanning the area for any sign of my black-haired, beautiful mate. My pulse raced, but there was no sign of her. Not yet.
I couldn’t find her anywhere. My eyes darted from one corner of the hallway to another, but she wasn’t there.
I found a doctor walking by and stopped him. “Hi, I'm here to see a patient. Her name is Anna. Anna Turner?” I asked, my voice barely controlled.
The doctor looked at me for a moment before nodding. “She’s in ward 3,” he said, pointing down the hall.
I barely processed his words. I thanked him quickly before heading in the direction he pointed, my heart pounding in my chest.
When I turned the corner, I saw a man sitting in a chair beside a hospital bed. His features were a mirror image of Anna’s—same sharp jawline, same dark eyes.
The only difference was the weariness in his face.
I hesitated before approaching him, but he caught my eye and stood up, offering a curt nod.
“You must be Damien,” he said, his voice deep and guarded.
“Yeah,” I said, my throat dry. I extended my hand, but he didn’t shake it immediately. Instead, he pulled out a seat and gestured for me to sit.
I took the seat, but my eyes never left Anna. She was lying in the bed, her dark hair spread across the pillow, a faint IV line in her arm.
She looked fragile, so damn fragile, and the sight made something inside me crack.
“Is she… okay?” I asked, trying to control the shaking in my voice.
Her father nodded. “She’s improving. Slowly, but it’s progress. The doctors are optimistic, but it’s been tough on her.”
I exhaled in relief, the tension in my chest easing slightly. “That’s good to hear,” I said, though I felt like I was holding my breath.
I wanted to reach out to her, to sit beside her, but I didn’t know if she would even want me near her.
After everything I’d put her through, after how I had treated her, I wasn’t sure if she would ever want to look at me again.
But then, she stirred. My heart stopped in my chest, and I stood up quickly, instinctively moving closer.
Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she just stared at me in confusion. The soft light in the room caught her gaze, and for a split second, it felt like time stood still.
“Damien?” she whispered, her voice fragile, like she wasn’t sure if I was real or if this was all a dream.
I froze. Her words hit me like a tidal wave, and I felt my heart lurch in my chest. She called out to me—she remembered me.
But at the same time, I knew there was no way to undo the hurt I’d caused. She had every right to be angry with me.
I moved toward the bed, slowly, cautiously. I reached out a hand to touch hers, but as soon as I got close, she jerked away from me.
“No,” she said, her voice trembling with emotion. “No, Damien. I don’t want to see you. Not now. Not ever.”
Her words hit me harder than any punch could. She turned her head, tears welling in her eyes as she choked out, “Dad, I want him out of here. Damien, get out!”
I froze.