Kidnapped to love

chapter 98

Dimitri took a deep breath, his gaze steady as he began explaining the complicated history between him, Hazel, and her family to Crystal. They were sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, the sterile environment somehow feeling intimate in their shared moment.

“I was a teenager when my family engaged me to Hazel,” he started, the memories still vivid. “Our parents arranged it to strengthen the bond between our families. Her father is one of my dad's closest friends. But neither of us was happy about it—we saw each other as nothing more than friends. We both tried to convince our families to call it off, but they wouldn’t listen. They forced us into the engagement.”

He paused, a faint bitterness creeping into his voice as he continued. “Time passed, and we went off to college, but this engagement hung over us like a shadow. It even dulled our friendship. We barely spoke.”

Dimitri glanced at Crystal, his expression softening. “In college, Hazel met someone. She fell in love with him. When I found out, she begged me not to tell anyone, and I agreed. I was genuinely happy for her. We both knew there was no love between us, so I promised her I’d talk to our families and end the engagement.”

He clenched his fists slightly, the pain of what happened next clear in his eyes. “I’d never seen her that happy before. But her father found out about the relationship—and our plan. He was furious. So furious that he planned to kill that boy, make it look like an accident. But tragically, Hazel was with him that day. In the accident, the guy died instantly, and Hazel fell into a coma.”

Crystal gasped softly, her hand instinctively reaching for his as she absorbed the weight of his words. Dimitri nodded, his voice lowering as the memories washed over him. “She was in a coma for almost a year. When she woke up, she wasn’t the same. The grief and shock of losing him changed her. For months, she didn’t speak to anyone. And when she finally did, she seemed to believe I was that boy.”

“She thinks of you as him,” Crystal whispered, her eyes wide with realization.

“Yes,” Dimitri admitted, the sorrow evident in his voice. “The pain and trauma were so deep that it’s as if she clung to that memory to keep going. She even tried to hurt herself in her grief. Our families agreed that, for her sake, they’d let her believe I was him. It’s what keeps her stable.”

Crystal looked away, anger and confusion flashing in her eyes. “How could her father do that to his own daughter?”

Dimitri sighed deeply, the weight of their shared history pressing heavily on him. “People do cruel things, Crystal,” he said quietly, his voice filled with empathy.

Reaching out, he gently pinched her nose, attempting to lighten the mood. “So remember, my doll—I’m not cheating on you. I’m just trying to help Hazel through this.”

“Ouch, that hurts!” she exclaimed, rubbing her nose with a mock frown.

A soft smile played on Dimitri’s lips as he leaned forward, kissing her forehead gently. “Never doubt me again. I only love you, and I always will.”

“Now you believe me?” he asked, his eyes searching hers for reassurance.

“I already did the moment you begged for me,” she said, a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“Is that so? I should have tried this sooner then,” he replied, a playful smirk appearing on his face.

They both smiled at each other, the gravity of the situation momentarily lifted. In that moment, they hugged tightly, feeling the warmth of their connection amidst the turmoil surrounding them.

“When are you going to confess that you love me?” he teased, pulling back slightly to look into her eyes.

“I don’t,” she replied playfully, a defiant tilt to her chin.

“Not again, Crystal,” Dimitri said, exasperated yet amused.

She giggled, her laughter a melody that filled the sterile room, and hugged him tighter. “Okay, okay. I do, but only because you begged for it!”

Dimitri chuckled, feeling a lightness in his heart, even as they both knew the challenges ahead. In that moment, amidst the chaos, they found solace in each other.