The Tale Of Hearts

Chapter 104

Hazel's POV

I stirred, my head pounding like a drum. A dull ache spread across my temples as I blinked slowly, my vision blurry and my body heavy as though I'd been asleep for days. The air felt unfamiliar, tinged with a faint scent of citrus and something woody. My senses sharpened as I slowly became aware of my surroundings. 

This wasn't my room. Panicking I sat up. I was sleeping on a luxurious bed with crisp white sheets beneath me, soft and cool against my skin. The room was spacious, with an air of sleek modernity that felt unfamiliar. I was in Bryan's penthouse and in his room, a sigh of relief washed over me as i relaxed a bit. I turned my head slightly, looking at the wall to my right, entirely made of glass, stretching from floor to ceiling. Beyond it, the city unfolded in breathtaking detail against the velvety backdrop of night. Skyscrapers glittered like stars brought down to earth, their windows casting shimmering reflections into the darkness. Below, the streets pulsed with life, dotted with the glow of headlights weaving through the labyrinth of roads, and people moved like tiny shadows, their forms too distant to discern.

For a moment, I forgot the heaviness in my chest and the lingering fear from before. Propping myself up on my elbows, I let my gaze drink in the view. But then the memories of the drive, the mask, and the suffocating fear began to creep back in. My chest tightened, and I realised I was gripping the sheets with trembling fingers.  

I couldn't understand why I panicked at the sight of that mask. What was it about it that triggered such overwhelming fear? It felt familiar, as though it belonged to a fragment of my past, but my mind refused to piece it together. Instead, it left me with a vague sense of dread, like a shadow lingering at the edge of my memory. The moment my body went limp and darkness claimed me, fragmented, blurry memories flitted through my mind like a broken reel of film. Shadows moved in the background, indistinct voices echoing faintly in my ears. Flashes of something cold and suffocating, flickered before me. I closed my eyes tightly, willing myself to breathe slowly, not wanting to get a panic attack again.

The sound of footsteps outside the door snapped me out of my thoughts. The door creaked open, and Bryan stepped in, his face clouded with worry. His hair was dishevelled, and there were faint of panic and shock on his eyes. 

"Haze," he said softly, relief washing over his features as his eyes met mine. "You're awake." he said softly, relief evident in his tone. I swallowed, my throat dry and scratchy. "Why am i here?" My voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper.

"You're at my place," he said, moving closer but stopping a few steps away, like he wasn't sure how close he should get. "You passed out in the car, Haze. I didn't know what else to do other than bringing you here." I looked at him, his expression riddled with guilt and concern. My fingers tightened on the blanket draped over me. "I... I couldn't breathe," I muttered, my voice trembling. "I don't know what happened."

Bryan's jaw tensed, and he lowered himself onto the edge of the bed, his hands clasped tightly together. "You scared the hell out of me," he admitted, his voice low. "I thought... I thought something worse might've happened. I was yelling your name, trying to get you to wake up but you were_."

Guilt twisted in my chest, but I couldn't explain it to him, not yet, maybe not ever. The fear from seeing that mask was still too raw, too confusing. Instead, I looked away, my fingers fiddling nervously with the hem of the blanket.

"I'm sorry to troubling you," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Bryan shook his head, leaning in slightly. "Don't apologize. anything about you is not a trouble to me. but if something's going on, you can tell me. You don't have to handle it alone." His words were gentle, his sincerity mirrored in the way he took my hand softly into his, his thumb brushing over my skin in soothing circles. I nodded quietly, though my thoughts were tangled in a puzzle I couldn't solve. Every piece refused to fit, no matter how hard I tried to make sense of it all. The fear, the mask, the faint memories ,it was like staring into a foggy mirror, knowing there was something behind it but unable to see it clearly.