Sophia’s POV
As I gradually regain consciousness, my eyelids flutter open, revealing the emptiness of the hospital room around me. I struggle to sit up, feeling the soreness in my body from the recent labour and the lingering effects of fainting earlier.
There is no one beside me, and it makes my heart clench and beat faster for some reason. Confusion and a hollow feeling filled my chest as I sat up, desperately searching for any trace of Alexander.
But he or the children are nowhere to be seen, and the realization makes me weak in the knees. A surge of panic gripped me, and I called out to the nurse who entered the room.
“You’re awake,” she exclaims. “It’s been a day since you fell asleep. You must have been really exhausted.”
“A day?” I ask, fully surprised. It is actually uncommon to fall asleep for a whole day just due to exhaustion, but I guess I must have been so tired that I didn’t want to wake up.
It also made me a little relieved, considering the disappearance of Alexander. I’ve been asleep for a whole day; he probably went to get some rest or clean up.
I look at the nurse. “Where is he? Alexander.”
She pauses in the middle of checking the fluid attached to my body and looks at me. “Who?”
“Alexander,” I repeat before realizing she may not have known him as Alexander. “Mr. Williams. The man who brought me in here.”
“Oh!” She exclaims. “Alpha… Sorry, Mr. Williams.”
I noticed her sudden backtrack, but I was too concerned to note or question her about it.
I nodded. “Yeah. And I haven’t seen the kids either.”
The nurse hesitates for a moment, and I can feel my heart pounding against my chest with the thought of what she is about to tell me. Her sympathetic expression, mirroring the weight of her words, she says, “I’m sorry, but they have already left,”
She bends down and pulls out a drawer from the bedside table, extending a document towards me. “Here, this is for you.”
Accepting the document, a heavy sense of disappointment and loss settles upon me. I have known Alexander for only six months or so, but for some reason, I felt closer to him than anyone else. Even though he always seemed so distant and cold, I always felt comfort with his presence. I must have grown used to him, and now, I feel so much pain at the thought that he is completely gone from my life.
Deep down, I know that their departure is part of the contract I have agreed to, but the reality of their absence is still painful to bear. The weight of loss presses upon me, and I struggle to come to terms with his decision. I feel betrayed, and it only hurt more at the thought that he left even though he could tell we were beginning to grow feelings for each other.
Am I nothing more than a surrogate to him? Were all the days we spent together and the budding feelings just a joke?
I lower my head, feeling my head sway from the movement, but I can hardly care as all I can think of is what I just heard. I feel as though I may cry, and my eyes are watery with tears.
The nurse also seems to notice the sudden change in my mood as she asks, “Miss, are you okay?”
I look up at her, forcing the tears back as I nod. “I’m fine, thank you.”
She seems concerned, however, as she responds, “You don’t seem fine, to be honest. You just gave birth, and you need all the rest you can take. Don’t cry or think too much so you don’t get postpartum haemorrhage [1]. You may begin to lose blood if you stress too much.”
I don’t reply to her as I am too nerve racked and bothered. With a resigned sigh, I acknowledge the situation. Alexander and I have always been far and wide apart when it comes to our backgrounds. I don’t know him that well, but I can tell he’s got a lot of secrets and probably a chaotic background. I regret not questioning him about it to know more now that I know I may not see him ever again.
My thoughts drift back to the enigmatic image I glimpsed before slipping into a coma-the image of wolf-like ears. It unsettles me, filling me with unease and prompting me to question the truth behind what I saw. Determined to find answers, I summon the courage to ask the nurse once more.
“Nurse,” I begin, my voice trembling slightly. “When I was unconscious, I saw something… wolf-like ears. Could it be possible for my child… possesses them, too?”
The nurse offers me a warm smile and gently shakes their head. “No, my dear. You must have experienced hallucinations during your recovery. I also suffered from that when I had my first kid; I hallucinate that my elder sister, who was long dead, came to accompany me during the delivery. There’s no need to worry. Your child is perfectly healthy.”
Relief washes over me, dispelling the lingering fears that have haunted my mind. I allow myself a small smile, grateful for the nurse’s reassurance.
“I should get going now,” she says. “I’ve got a few more rounds to make. If you need anything, just ring the bell and someone will come to you.”
After she leaves, leaving me alone with my thoughts, I turn my attention to the envelope that accompanies the document. I am about to tear it open when there is a sudden blare of my phone’s ringtone beside me. I look at the bedside table and see that my bag is placed there. Alexander must have taken it from the car and put it there.
I carry the bag and take out my phone, which is still ringing incessantly. The caller ID shows Tyler, and I’m instantly reminded that it has been a day I reached home last. They must be really worried.
I quickly answered the call, bringing the phone to my ear. “Hello, Tyler.”
Tyler’s voice is loud and concerning, “Sophia! Is that you?”
I hear Jake exclaim in the background, too. “Is that her? She answered the call? Give me the phone, let me talk to her.”
Tyler repeats, seeing that I don’t reply. “Sophia… is that you? Answer me.”
“Yes, it’s me,” I repond, feeling guilty as I am well aware they must have been very worried. I haven’t gone home in a whole day, which is unexpected and has never happened.
“What happened?” He questions quickly. “I called you more than fifty times, but you didn’t pick up. We have even filed a missing person report at the police station.”
“I’m so sorry for worrying you. I stayed at a friend’s house to do some projects but they had issues with their network, so I haven’t had connection to call you,” I explain, my voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and emotions.
“Why didn’t you let us know before going?” We were all so worried,” Tyler’s voice carries a hint of relief but also concern. I can sense his worry, his protectiveness over me.
“I know, I’m sorry.” I reply, my voice trembling slightly. For some reason, I feel very emotional, and I want to confide in someone about the loss I feel from Alexander’s disappearance. But I can’t tell anyone.
He sighs on the other end of the line. “Sophia, we’re a family. You’re never a burden to us. We care about you, and we were scared when we couldn’t find you.”
I feel a lump forming in my throat, realizing the depth of their concern. “I didn’t mean to make you worry. I’ll be home soon, I promise.”
There’s a moment of silence, and I can hear Jake’s voice growing louder in the background. He sounds angry, and it doesn’t surprise me. Jake has always been protective, and his anger often stems from his worry about the people he cares about.
“Is everything alright there?” I ask, my voice filled with concern.
Tyler hesitates for a moment before replying, “Yeah, it’s just Jake being Jake. He’s worried about you too, you know.”
I nod, even though he can’t see me. “Tell him not to be too angry. I’ll be home soon, and we can talk about everything.”
“Give me the addreee of your friend,” Tyler says. “I had better come pick you up myself.”
I am stunned for a moment before giving an awkward laugh. “There is no need. I already left, and I’m in a cab right now.”
Tyler lets out a sigh. “Okay, be home soon.”
We say our goodbyes, and I end the call. Taking a moment to collect myself, I wipe away the tears that have escaped and focus on the envelope in front of me.
I carefully tear it open, revealing a real estate certificate inside. My eyes widen as I read the details, “Orchard Estate Flat 5, City B.”
I look at the words engraved on the document, slowly piecing together the unexpected puzzle before me. The luxurious mansion specified in the document is located in City B, and to my astonishment, the owner’s name matched my own.
How is this possible? The mansion belongs to me?