As the Director of Advertising in Vought International, devoted employee Emery is used to being overshadowed by her coworkers. But when she is invited to an office party by Madelyn Stillwell and suffers an unfortunate accident, she comes to learn ju...
The moment Emery woke up she realized that she was in the hospital. But how? The last thing she remembered was that someone had ambushed her in the parking garage and kicked the hell out of her. So how did she get to the hospital? Did someone come to her aid? She had so many unanswered questions.
Finding the hospital TV remote, Emery pressed the nurse button and waited for someone to answer.
"Um ... I'm awake. Can someone tell me what's going on?" She asked.
"A nurse will be with you in a moment," an unfamiliar voice uttered.
As she waited, Emery peered around the room. She noticed a bouquet of fresh red roses on her bedside table with a note attached. Sitting up with a grunt, she reached over and pulled the card, turning it over to see a brief message on the back.
Get well soon, it read, signed by John.
Who the hell was John? Emery flicked the card back onto the table and laid back as a nurse knocked and then came into the room.
"Miss Stillwell, how are you feeling?" She asked with a wide smile.
"Like I've been kicked by a horse, but mostly confused," Emery answered.
The nurse took a look at her chart and hummed.
"Is your head hurting?"
"A bit. But I'm mostly confused about how I got here," Emery answered.
She was left in a bloody heap on the concrete-covered ground last she checked.
The woman shook her head in understanding.
"As far as I know your sister had you sent here. This hospital is owned by Vought International."
That made sense. Of course, Madelyn spared no expense for her considering the circumstance.
"Was I mugged or something?" Emery asked.
The nurse shook her head again. She began to check Emery's vitals as the said woman shut her eyes to avoid the light. It was too damn bright. She had a hard time understanding what had happened.
One thing she did understand was that Madelyn saved the company from some bad exposure with the press. Her sister was the goddess of misdirection. Vought would be crawling with reporters if they heard about the incident. How did someone even get into the garage without a pass? Perhaps they were a Supe. Emery shivered to think that. The fact that she was alive was a miracle.
How she looked was another story.
"Your ribs and head were fortunate but there is going to be some serious bruising and pain, so I'm going to ask the doctor to write you a prescription for some pain relievers," the nurse mentioned.
"When can I go home?" Emery asked, opening her sore eyes.
The nurse hummed as she looked at the chart again.
"Maybe in a few hours. The doctor will want to see you before then to make sure you're ready."
Emery understood. She laid back on the bed and sighed. It was going to be a long day.
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Around dusk, Emery was discharged. The doctor gave her a pain reliever before she left, so she called Madelyn to come to pick her up. When the said woman arrived, she watched in curiosity as Emery got in the backseat with her roses.
"You look like shit," she uttered, driving out of the parking lot.
"Thanks," Emery replied. "But I feel good."
Madelyn hummed. Of course, she did.
Emery rested her eyes as Madelyn drove her to Vought. As she pulled into the parking garage, Emery opened her eyes and looked around in confusion.
"What the fuck? Why are we here?" She asked.
"I have a lot of work to do and your apartment is on the other side of the city," Madelyn answered.
Did she forget about what happened? Emery shuddered in fear.
"So, what do you want me to do? I can't exactly drive on this medication."
Madelyn sighed.
"You can sleep on the couch in my office until you can drive," she retorted as she got out of the car.
Bitch.
Emery retrieved her things; the vase of flowers and her discharge papers, then got out of the car with a grunt. She was too tired and too annoyed to argue with her sister at the moment. Not like it would matter; the queen bee had spoken. As she followed Madelyn to the elevator she peered around in a panic. For fuck's sake she needed to get a grip. What were the chances someone would attempt to mug her again? Hell, Emery wasn't even sure her attacker had taken anything; her piece of shit car was still in the parking lot and her money was in her purse somewhere in the building. At least she wasn't alone this time.
Once she got into the elevator she clutched the vase and sighed in relief. Her anxiety waned a little as she convinced herself that she was safe.
"Do you like them?" Madelyn suddenly asked.
Emery raised a brow. What was she ––
"Oh! The roses? Sure, I guess. Some guy named John sent them to me; whoever the fuck that is."
"John is Homelander," Madelyn pointed out.
Homelander sent her flowers? Why? Emery widened her eyes. She just met him yesterday.
"How weird," she uttered.
"Don't be rude. He saved your life yesterday," Madelyn scoffed.
Did he? Why? Emery was so confused. She groaned in annoyance and tapped her foot as she waited for the elevator to reach the upper floor.
"Knowing that, what am I supposed to do?"
"I'd start by thanking him the next time you see him; for the roses and for saving you," Madelyn answered.
Why is this happening to me?
Emery already had enough on her plate. She was a mess; between her job, the accident, and Homelander – whatever that was – she wasn't sure what to focus on.
"I just want to go to bed and worry about all this tomorrow."
"Just don't forget to say thank you," Madelyn pressed.
Emery rolled her eyes.
Noted.
Staring down at the vase in her hands, she imagined Homelander – or rather John – picking them out for her. But why? She knew he didn't give roses to every person he saved. So why her? Did he like her? Emery's face heated up in embarrassment.
