My Enemy's Daughter (Edited)

chapter 32

** Fiona's POV**

I woke up the next morning, feeling disoriented. My head was heavy, my limbs stiff, and the light filtering through the curtains seemed too bright. This wasn't my room. I blinked, pushing myself up slowly, my brain struggling to make sense of the space around me. The unfamiliar bed was softer than mine, the sheets smoother, and the air... different. A dull throb pounded at the back of my skull as I sat up and scanned the room again, my pulse quickening.

Where am I?

Just as panic began to grip me, my eyes landed on a figure slouched in the chair beside me. Samuel. His presence immediately calmed me, pulling me out of the spiral I was about to fall into. He was asleep, but even in his relaxed state, the tension in his face was undeniable. His eyebrows were furrowed, his jaw clenched as if he was fighting off some unseen battle, even in his dreams.

Memories from the previous day started to flood back-being chased, the parking lot, the street... and the truck. Oh God, the truck. I stopped running like a fool, frozen in terror, and then nothing.I thought, surely, I'd been hit but I must've just fainted since I don't feel any pain. I shivered at the thought of what could have happened if that truck hadn't stopped in time.

Samuel stirred beside me, his hand twitching slightly as his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, he looked confused, then his gaze landed on me, and everything in his body snapped to attention.

"Fiona," he breathed, sitting up straight. His voice was rough, like he hadn't used it in hours, and there was an unmistakable relief in his tone. His hand reached for mine before he even realized it. "You're awake."

"I'm fine," I tried to assure him, but the words barely escaped my lips before he was leaning in, checking me over like I was made of glass. His hands hovered over me as though he wasn't sure where to start, his concern tangible. I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves.

"You scared me half to death," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought-" He broke off, taking a shaky breath as he ran a hand through his hair, clearly struggling to keep his composure. "For a second, I thought I'd lost you."

I frowned, my still-groggy mind trying to keep up with his words. "Lost me?"

He swallowed hard and looked away, his jaw tightening. "I can't go through that again."

Again? There was something deeper behind those words, but I didn't have the energy to press him on it. Not now. "I'm okay," I said softly, squeezing his hand. "Really. I'm okay."

His eyes searched mine for any hint of falsehood, but when he saw the sincerity in them, his shoulders finally slumped, and he let out a breath. "I thought I was going to lose you." His voice dropped, barely more than a whisper, but the intensity of it made my heart clench.

"I didn't mean to scare you," I said, my own voice soft. "But... I guess fainting in the middle of the street will do that."

He shook his head. "Fainting? Fiona, you ran into the street." His tone was sharper now, frustration lacing his words. "You ran into traffic."

I winced, not wanting to relive the moment, but I owed him some kind of explanation. "I was... I was running away. From... something."

"From what?" Samuel pressed, his eyes narrowing. "Or should I say, from who?"

I froze. He must have seen me running. He had to have seen the man chasing me. There was no way I could lie about that now, but at the same time, I wasn't ready to dive into that part of my life with him. Not yet. "It's... complicated," I muttered, avoiding his gaze. "It's not something I can-"