I opened my eyes to the blurry ceiling lights and the faint smell of antiseptic. The sterile white of the hospital room slowly came into focus, and as my gaze cleared, I saw my parents standing over me, their faces lined with worry and relief. My mother's hand gently held mine, and my father sat close by, his strong presence as comforting as ever.
I tried to speak, but my throat was dry and raw. My mother shushed me softly, her voice soothing. "You're safe, Clara. You've been through so much."
As I took in her words, the memories began to flood back—the night in the woods, the gunshot, the chaos, and...Gabriel. I searched the room, expecting to see his face, his worried expression, but he wasn't there. Only my parents, looking at me with tender, worried eyes.
The absence of Gabriel felt strange, almost like a missing piece of a puzzle that I couldn't quite place. My heart twisted as questions filled my mind, but I couldn't find the strength to ask them yet. Instead, I let the exhaustion pull me back under.
Days passed, and with each one, I grew stronger, my wounds healing. My parents stayed by my side, comforting me through the pain and confusion, yet there was always a silent question hanging in the air that neither of us dared to voice: *Where was Gabriel?*
Each time the door opened, my heart would leap, expecting to see him stride in with that familiar confident air, maybe an apology on his lips or a look of regret. But every time, it was only the nurse or another visitor checking on me. My parents eventually caught on to my searching glances, and one night, when the room was quiet, my mother finally asked, "Are you looking for someone, honey?"
I hesitated, not wanting to voice it, not wanting to admit that I had been waiting for him. But my mother's knowing eyes softened, and she gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. "We haven't heard from him, Clara. No one has."
It was like a slap in the face. Gabriel had left me here, with no word, no explanation. Despite everything that had happened, despite everything we had been through, he was just...gone.
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Loving Hatred
Romance"you are mine, only mine love, so you better keep your distance from that bastard" Gabriel growled at me. How dare he, he has no right to interfere in my life now. after all this time. he destroyed me once before and with that in mind, I mustered al...
