The state I'm in COMPLETED

Flee

"Could you please give me something for my headache? I feel like my head is going to explode."

I sighed, trying to ignore the throbbing pain behind my skull as I spoke to the doctor who had examined me minutes ago.

"I've already asked the nurses to give you some painkillers through your IV, Miss Cameron. I hope the police officers didn't tire you out too much," he said, flipping through my charts.

I shook my head weakly. "No, they were fine."

"Any reason why your parents weren't notified?"

I hesitated. "Do they need to be? I mean, am I okay? Do I need more tests?"

"No, you should be fine. No internal injuries. All the tests are clear, and your insurance covers everything, so don't worry." He paused, his expression shifting slightly. "Just... be careful. I know it's not my place to say, but you might not get this lucky next time. I'd hate to see that happen."

He gave me a small, sympathetic smile before closing my chart and walking out, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

A long sigh left my lips.

The events of that night were still a blur, but I knew one thing for sure—this wasn't random. The alarm clock, the hit to my head... it was all connected. Nadia. Her family. Harry's past. The pieces were too obvious to ignore.

And yet, as ridiculous as it sounds, I was glad they targeted me instead of him.

I would rather be here than see Harry lying in this hospital bed, and that realization hit me harder than anything. But I also knew what he must be feeling right now. Guilt. Rage. Helplessness.

When I first woke up and saw his face, the terror in his eyes was unmistakable. He looked broken. Defeated. He had already been asked to leave my room three times, and I heard him complaining about it at least twice.

First, the nurses. Then the police. Then the doctor, who made it clear that since Harry wasn't related to me, he had no right to any of my medical information.

The irony.

Nadia, the woman who likely orchestrated all of this, was the one related to him, while the person who actually cared about me was left standing in a hallway, powerless.

I thought my little visit to her house would send a message that I wasn't going anywhere. Clearly, she had sent her own message back.

Still, a part of me wanted to believe she wasn't behind this.

How could a woman with such a sweet baby be so cruel? How could she justify this? Or maybe she didn't know. Maybe someone else was pulling the strings.

I had no answers.

What I did have was a room full of people who loved me—Harry, Leo, and Rose—each one dealing with this in their own way. Harry blamed himself. Leo was angry for reasons beyond my comprehension. And Rose... she was silent. Which was rare for her.

They were all breaking apart, and somehow, I had to be the one to put everything back together. I had to pretend none of this happened.

Head up high, Valerie.

I could almost hear my mother's voice in my head.

I was relieved my family didn't know. My parents would have lost their minds. My brothers would have demanded blood. And I... I just wanted to sleep.

The medication started kicking in, pulling me into a much-needed nap.

"Hey, baby... you're awake."