Pain wrapped around Jacqueline's entire body like a crushing weight.
Every muscle ached.
It felt as though something heavy had been placed over her chest, pressing down so hard that even breathing took effort. Her eyelids refused to open, stubbornly sealed shut, while her limbs felt stiff and distant.
She tried to move her hand.
It wouldn't budge.
Something was holding it in place.
Her eyes snapped open.
A sharp gasp tore from her throat as her chest arched upward before she collapsed back onto the bed. Her wide eyes stared up at an unfamiliar ceiling.
Confusion swirled through her mind.
Slowly, she turned her head and looked down at her arm.
It was wrapped in thick plaster.
And just like that, the memories came crashing back.
Everything that had happened over the past few days flooded her mind all at once.
Her breathing hitched.
She turned her head to the right
And froze.
Damien sat beside her bed, slumped in a chair, fast asleep.
