The Stranger

Chapter 15 - Cassandra

The waiting room was cold—not just in temperature but in spirit. The walls were a sterile, creamy white, and the metal seats felt unyielding against my back. The smell of antiseptic hung in the air, sharp and suffocating. I hated hospitals. I always had. They were too full of ghosts, of memories I didn't want to revisit.

The last time I'd been here, Dad had died. And now, I was sitting here again, the same cold chill creeping into my chest, wondering if I'd almost lost Mum, too.

My phone buzzed on my lap, lighting up with messages from Lisa, Aunt Clare, and Alex. I stared at the screen, unable to bring myself to reply. Not yet. Not until I knew more.

The doctor, a petite woman with soft brown eyes and an air of practiced calm, had come out only once. She'd told me Mum was stable but still under observation. She'd suggested I go home, but the thought of being alone in my flat was unbearable. The ghosts would follow me there, too.

"Miss Williams?"

Her voice pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked up to see her standing in the doorway, clipboard in hand.

"Yes?"

"She's stable, but we'll need to monitor her for a few more hours to see how she responds to the medication. If all goes well, we won't need to proceed with surgery."

Relief swept over me, though it didn't quite settle. "Thank you. I'd rather stay, if that's alright."

"Of course," she said gently. "But I'd recommend getting a coffee or something to eat. It's going to be a long night."

I nodded, mumbling my thanks as she walked away.

The idea of bad coffee sounded marginally better than sitting alone in the waiting room, so I made my way to the cafeteria. I passed the vending machines, the rows of identical tables, the hum of quiet conversations, all blurring together into a backdrop I didn't really see.

I ordered a cappuccino and took a seat in the corner, staring down at the beige liquid in my cup. The first sip was scalding and bitter, but I kept drinking. It gave me something to focus on.

It didn't last long. I remembered the texts on my phone from earlier.

I opened Alex's message first, even though it was at the bottom of the list.

"I hope you're okay. I heard about your mum. Let me know if you need anything. Alex."

I stared at the words for what felt like minutes, my thumb hovering over the keyboard. I didn't reply. I didn't know what to say to him so I went back to the other messages. Aunt Clare and Lisa were just asking for an update on mum's condition.

"Hi Aunt Clare. Mum is fine, they are just observing her before knowing if she'll need surgery or not. I'll keep you posted"

I copied and pasted the same reply to Lisa, just changing the name of the recipient.

Then I went back to Alex's text. I wanted to ignore it. I wanted to reply. I wanted to scream at him and ask why he thought he could still have this power over me. I wanted him to wrap those strong arms around me and whisper that everything would be okay. That he had me, and I didn't need to be strong for once.

"Thank you, Alex. Mum is okay. Doctor said she's under observation. Yes, I do need something from you. A hug."

The second I hit "send," I regretted it. You're such an idiot I thought to myself.

I AM NOT SUBMISSIVE. The buzzing in my head grew louder.

But maybe I was submissive, for him.

My mum is in hospital, I shouldn't be thinking that. I started typing another message to take back what I had just sent him.

"Lucky I came then." A message from Alex flashed on my screen.

I froze as his hand slid beneath my hair, resting at the nape of my neck. Firm but gentle, commanding without force. I didn't even need to look to know it was him.

But I did.

I turned my head, and there he was, his face soft yet unreadable, those dimples carving into his cheeks as he gave me that half-smile that made my stomach twist in ways I didn't understand.

He didn't wait for permission. His fingers tightened slightly, urging me to stand, and before I knew it, I was in his arms.

The world fell away.

It was just him—his scent, his warmth, his strength holding me up when I felt like I might collapse. My fingers curled into the fabric of his jacket as though I could keep him there, hold onto that moment forever. Every worry I had suddenly disappeared. He made me feel calm and safe.