Sonia blinked in shock.
The silence that followed Kelvin's exit was deafening, suffocating and chilling to the bones.
Sonia didn't move.
The hand she had stretched out to reach him before his exit remained suspended in the air for a brief second… before slowly falling back onto the bed, as though the strength to hold it up had abandoned her.
She could still feel the warmth of his fingers around her wrist, the gentleness with which he used to peel her grip off his wrist…
Her gaze glued to the shut door as though it would open again and she would see him coming back.
Three seconds
Ten seconds
One minute
One hour
But Kelvin Thorne never returned.
All the time, Sonia's heart thumped hard in her chest, so loud that she could hear it herself.
A bitter smile curled her lips briefly before fading replaced by a chilling coldness.
Her gaze slowly drifted around the room again. Her fingers curled weakly against the sheets as the weight of his words pressed down on her chest.
She had to make a decision and a lasting one.
She had to choose a path and this path was uncertain.
She had decide whether she would be counted among the living… or the dead.
And the culprits...
A shaky breath escaped her lips. Her eyes drifted toward the ceiling again, but this time, it offered no comfort.
It was just a vast emptiness that mirrored the chaos inside her heart while her thoughts raced.
How would that be possible?
Kelvin mentioned she had been declared dead when her breath paused back in the emergency room.
And now she had to make a choice, the thought alone sent a ripple of unease through her.
Her chest tightened, and she turned her head to the side, her gaze falling on the unfamiliar room once more.
But nothing changed, It was still Kelvin's home.
She should have felt relieved that she was out of the emergency room, but the thoughts of being in the hands of the man she never knew set her on edge.
Her brows furrowed slightly as she tried to solve the puzzle.
Who is Kelvin Thorne?
What game is he playing?
Though he said he was Alex's friend, something didn't sit right with his actions.
His tone. His reactions. The way his anger flickered the moment Alex was mentioned.
It gave her creeps.
It was something deeper, sharper and more… personal.
It couldn't be that she had been taken in as a bargaining chip against Alex Hort.
Is it possible he might be Alex's rival?
Is he Alex's enemy or friend, if he is an enemy maybe they could form an ally.
He offers his service as a doctor while she takes care of those two.
Though her memory was a bit slow after a long time in a coma, she was clear on one thing, it wasn't the anger of a friend.
But no matter how she thought about it, she could not see through the plot.
Her fingers tightened against the sheets followed by a sharp and helpless exhale.
"Who… are you?" she whispered into the empty room. No answer came, though she wasn't expecting any from the quiet room.
Her gaze dropped.
Sonia's pulse raced.
Her head throbbed painfully at the stress pressing hard against her eyebrow.
Her body screamed of weakness. Her body constitution also seemed to be depreciating by the second.
Kelvin asked her to rest, but as far as Sonia is concerned, there's no rest at the moment.
She needed to make a decision and make it real fast. But her brain seemed to have decided to purposely go against her.
And then came the voice again, familiar and haunting, cutting through her thoughts like a timely reminder.
Her breath hitched.
Sonia really wanted to ask if it was by any means programmed into her memory.
Otherwise, how could it always pop up like a notification when she was at a crossroads?
For the first time, Sonia took note of one of the keywords in that sentence.
Killed.
From her faint recollection, she had woken up in the hospital. But how she got there and why she was left there remained mysterious.
And Alex Hort—he hasn't even bothered about her.
She shook her head.
She shouldn't have expect anything more from him.
It was already bad keeping a mistress and shameless to make out with her right beside her hospital bed.
The thought of it made her taste bile yet it paled in comparison to what she felt when she recalled the identity of the mistress.
Her best friend…Cyndi.
Like a flood breaking through a weakened dam, the memories of her wedding day came rushing back.
The dressing room was well lit, stylist worked hard to dress her up and Cyndi sat on the couch waiting for her.
When the last hair pin was fixed and the stylist stepped away, Cyndi stood up with a beautiful smile on her lips.
"Turn around! Let me see you properly!" Cyndi's voice rang with excitement.
Sonia had nodded and slowly turned around in front of the mirror, her fingers nervously clutching the soft fabric of her wedding dress.
Cyndi gasped dramatically. Her eyes twinkled with excitement. Her lips stretched into a wide smile.
"Is this…is this okay?" Sonia asked, her voice clearly uncertain.
She still didn't imagine she would be married in a flash.
And standing right before the mirror with the one person that mattered to her, she couldn't help but express her worries.
"You're still asking?" Cyndi laughed lightly. "It's more than okay. Just say, you look breathtaking in that gown." She finished with a serious face.
Sonia exhaled.
"Sonia," Cyndi called softly while adjusting her veil. "If Alex doesn't faint when he sees you, then I'll faint for him!"
Sonia laughed softly, her cheeks flushing from both embarrassment and happiness.
Though the marriage was arranged, she had promised herself not to look gloomy. It was her big day.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime event. She still hoped this marriage wouldn't be as bad as people expected.
Giving herself a wide smile and being in the company of her friend was the lucky charm she held tight onto.
Cyndi stepped closer, her eyes shining with what Sonia had believed then was pure happiness.
"Sonia, it still feels surreal to me that you're really getting married…" Cyndi murmured, her voice softer now, almost emotional. Sonia met her gaze through the mirror.
"Yeah…four days ago, I never gave it a thought. Who would have thought my little kindness would pull me into this…"
She exhaled. "My parents aren't simple either…no opportunity goes past them."
Cyndi patted her back gently. "You don't take it to heart. They still want the best for you."
Sonia nodded. She pulled away slightly to look at her, her face turning serious.
"You can't renege on our friendship."
Cyndi smiled. "I will."
"You must come to visit me often."
I will.
"You won't ignore my calls?"
I won't.
"And we…
"Hey," Cyndi cut in playfully, "can we pause that? You still have to survive the wedding first. Don't start nagging like my mom."
She reached out and adjusted Sonia's veil carefully, her fingers gentle. Then she leaned in slightly, her tone playful again.
"And don't worry, I'll keep an eye on Alex too. If he even dares to look at another woman, I'll drag him back to you myself."
They both laughed.
Cyndi pulled her into a warm embrace. "I will really miss you, but don't worry, I will always be there…and be there just for you."
"You are sure?" Sonia pressed for her assurance.
Cyndi smiled instantly. "Of course. I'll be right there beside you. Always."
Sonia laughed again, her heart light.
"Thank you, Cyndi… really."
Cyndi's smile widened. "For you? Always."
The memory shattered like a shard of glass, leaving nothing behind.
Her breathing turned uneven again. A tear slid down the side of her face.
"Always?" she muttered, her lips trembling.
The word now sounded like a cruel joke. She drew in a deep breath. Her eyes dimmed slightly for a moment.
"Sonia… trust yourself," she whispered weakly. "You can do this…"