Chapter 5 - Awakening
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The soft, rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor was the first sound Emma heard.
I watched from the armchair as her brow furrowed in pain. Her dark eyes slowly fluttered open, blinking against the dim, ambient lighting of the master guest suite. She stared at the vaulted ceiling, the silk drapes, and the expensive medical equipment surrounding her bed, completely disoriented.
She tried to sit up, but a sharp gasp escaped her lips as her fractured ribs protested.
"Don't move," I said quietly, stepping out of the shadows and approaching the side of the bed.
Emma flinched, her eyes wide with panic as she recognized me. "Mr. Castellano?"
"You are safe, Emma," I assured her, keeping my voice gentle. "You are in my home. Dr. Evans has been treating you for the last two days."
The memories of the alleyway crashed over her. I saw the sheer terror flood her eyes, her breathing accelerating dangerously.
"My job," Emma gasped, panic overwhelming the pain medication. "I missed my shift at the diner. I’m going to be fired. My mother’s hospital bills are due on Tuesday, I have to go—"
She tried to push the heavy comforter off her legs.
I reached out, my large hands gently but firmly pressing her shoulders back into the pillows.
"Emma, listen to me," I commanded softly. "You do not have a night job anymore. You do not have hospital bills. It is all handled."
She stared at me, her chest heaving. "What do you mean?"
"Your mother has been transferred to the private oncology wing at St. Jude’s. She is receiving the best care in the country," I explained. "Your brother’s physical therapy is fully funded. Their debts are erased."
Emma stopped struggling. Her dark eyes searched my face for the lie, for the hidden agenda that men of power always possessed.
"Why?" she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Why would you do that for me? I’m just a maid."
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"You were targeted because you work for me," I said, my jaw tightening as the guilt flared in my chest. "Kolov used you to send me a message. You bled for my sins, Emma. I protect what belongs in my house. You will never have to worry about money again."
A single tear slipped down her bruised cheek. She didn't thank me. She simply closed her eyes and let out a long, shuddering breath, the crushing weight of her life finally lifted from her shoulders.
