Memories of the car crash didn't ease their way in her head but hit sharply —Blinding headlights tore through the darkness, too bright and too sudden blurring their vision and flooding the windscreen until everywhere became white and bright
Loud screams in the tore through night like something desperate to stay alive, tires screeched violently against asphalt on dark road..like the road itself was being ripped apart beneath them.
Hard hits of the truck on his vehicle.
Their body jerked and injured from the impact.
Her hoodie torn in strands barely covering her face for a bit then hair spilling all over, dark strands covering her face, tangling, blinding her further. A coverage of a huge body over hers, protecting her.
Continued impact of metal slammed into metal in hard thuds with a force so brutal it felt like air itself shattered.
Dangling wounds something crushed tumbling again and again, metal twisting, breaking a loud sound like explosion or at least it felt like one was heard and total blackout.
Celina's mouth opened, but no sound came out. Her chest rose sharply, breath dragging in like her lungs had forgotten how to work.
When her breathing steadied in eaised pants, her eyes flew open, wide, disoriented, fear flickering through them before she could even understand why.
Her head ached badly, nothing made sense and her memories of a 'crash' 'which crash?'
was really terrifying. 'why did she appear in the crash? And why did her heart yearned in pain as though she lost something so dear to her!
Her gaze darted to the window panes, where the full moon shone. The glimmer of moonlight glow fell softly across her face.
She was still trying to adjust to the bulb light, and shut her eyes briefly, trying to get accustomed with the bright light.
Fragments of memories flickered instead—being pushed out by her stepmother… echoes from childhood… all her life layered over years, all rushing back in broken pieces.
Celina hazel eyes opened softly again adjusting fully to the light, the fear was gone.
Now it was something else. Uncertainty.
Her gaze moved slowly around her surroundings.her eyes uncertain like everything she was seeing was way above her reasoning. 'Why was it so dark? ''Why was everywhere so dark?'
From the slightly opened window, the moon still shone bright, calm… almost too calm.
Its pale light spilled across the night like a quiet witness, brushing over distant silhouettes outside the hospital building.
Beyond the glass, the world opened up into a layered stretch of darkness and light.
Rows of rooftops came into view terracotta tiles worn smooth by time, some slanted slightly out of alignment as if they had endured too many summers and storms.
Chimneys visible in sides of rooftops, like quiet markers against the sky. A few satellite dishes tilted at awkward angles, catching moonlight in dull flashes.
Between the buildings, narrow streets cut through the city like dark veins. Occasional streetlights glowed amber, soft and scattered, flickering slightly as if tired of staying still with the bright light.
The light didn't fully reach the corners, those stayed swallowed in shadow.
Farther out, the land gently lifted into low hills, their outlines faint but steady against the horizon. Olive trees dark, clustered shapes—shifted slightly with the wind, their movement barely visible from the way the leaves swayed.
And somewhere beyond that she knew if she left this hospital right now there would be a faint shimmer of what looked like the sea. Not fully visible, but suggested like a memory of water rather than the water itself. The wind coming from that direction felt different. Salted. Cooler. Older.
Celina's eyes lingered on it all, slow and uncertain.
The rooftops. The quiet streets. The scattered lights that didn't belong to any place she could clearly name right now.
It looked exactly like Greece.
That soft, sun-worn architecture. The uneven skyline. The stillness that wasn't empty, just places and landscapes lived-in by humans.
Her fingers tightened slightly against the hospital sheet.
Was she still in Greece?
Because everything outside looked real.
Too real.
And yet nothing inside her felt like it belonged to it.
The question didn't feel simple anymore.
Because if she was then why did everything feel unfamiliar?
And if she wasn't then how far had she been taken in this place without even realizing it?
Her breathing slowed, but her chest still felt tight, like something unseen was pressing down on it.
Her eyes adjusted slowly, heavy, unfocused, scanning everything in the hospital room like it didn't belong to her.
White walls. Too white—clean, cold, almost blinding under the soft hospital lights hanging above her. The air smelled faintly of disinfectant, sharp and sterile, like it had been scrubbed of anything human.
Beside her bed stood a metal stand holding a drip bag, clear liquid slowly making its way through a thin tube that led into her hand. The tape around her wrist felt tight, slightly itchy against her skin.
On her right, a monitor blinked quietly, green lines moving across the screen in green waves. Numbers changed now and then, and with each change came that steady beeping sound filling the room.
She became aware of her body of the things attached to her. A thin clip rested on her finger, glowing faintly red, tracking her pulse.
A blood pressure cuff was wrapped snugly around her arm, tightening slightly before releasing.
Her throat felt dry, scratchy, like she hadn't spoken in days. A bandage wrapped along her shoulder, hidden beneath the thin hospital gown. Her arm felt heavy, partly from the IV, partly from whatever injury lay beneath the dressing.
Every small movement reminded her. Something had happened. Something bad.
Something she couldn't fully remember.
But this wasn't just any hospital room.
The bed beneath her was softer than expected, the sheets smooth and neatly tucked, almost like a luxury hotel.
A flat-screen television hung on the wall opposite her, turned off, its dark surface reflecting faint shapes in the room. Beneath it, a sleek cabinet held bottled water, neatly arranged cups, and untouched medical supplies.
To the side, a long leather couch sat perfectly positioned, paired with a small glass table. A vase of fresh flowers rested on it; white lilies, their scent faint but noticeable, softening the harshness of the antiseptic air.
There was a private door slightly ajar leading, she guessed, to a bathroom. Even from where she lay, she could see the glow of warm light and the edge of polished tiles.
A quiet air-conditioning unit hummed softly, keeping the room cool, controlled, untouched by the chaos of the outside world. Everything looked expensive. Intentional. Carefully arranged.
The window itself was partly drawn with thick curtains this time, heavier than usual hospital blinds, letting in only a dim, dark glow from outside. She couldn't tell if it was night or evening. Time didn't feel clear here.
Everything was still. Too still.
Except for the machine which sounds hummed again Beep… pause… beep…
And slowly… it settled in her mind.
Even if she he wasn't home and it was somewhere else. It's perfectly somewhere controlled and unfamiliar to her.
It hit her hard for a second, "I'm in a strange place…" The words slipped out. Her hands rubbed her throat slightly, in soft strokes.
Her voice, It was back.
"Damn… I thought I lost my voice. Where the hell am I?" it was crazy she was acting hysterical but when she woke up why couldn't she talk?
Her brows furrowed. It didn't make sense. Why couldn't she speak when she woke up?
She placed her hand on her head and bit her lips hard to stiffle the pain. She noticed something around her head like it's a soft cloth. There was a bandage wrapped around her forehead, tight and firm.
Her fingers trembled, clenching her teeth together, the contact made the pain spread through her body like a shockwave. "There was a car crash…" the words formed slowly in her mind.
A weird cloth she was wearing, the bed she lay was the same color of white and white bedsheets and cover.
A drip placed on her hand to the pump above, close to the bedside was a table which a mirror lay on it.
Grabbing the mirror tightly with all the strength in her other hand while the tube connected to the drip bag remained attached. Celina slowly lifted it toward her face.
The reflection staring back at her looked unfamiliar
Strands of her hair were slightly brushed, as though someone had carefully arranged her stubborn curls. Her eyes were swollen and red. Her lips were dry and slightly parted from uneven breaths.
A white bandage was wrapped around her head, faintly stained with blood at the side. It was part of what made her body recoil in pain.
Her fingers slowly touched the strange cloth on her body. It was a patient gown. she frowned. "What happened to my hoodie gown?" she questioned inwardly, Her thoughts went blank for a few seconds.
She touched the fabric again, feeling the softness of the cloth and trying to process everything around her.
Once again, she lifted the mirror to her face. Her bandaged arm jerked in pain, and she bit down hard on her lower lips to suppress it, squeezing her eyes shut.
Fluttering her eyes open again, she brought the mirror closer. Her hazel eyes were now a deeper shade, filled with unshed tears. Her gaze drifted to the neck faint bruises around her neck.
Thin reddish marks stretched against her skin like scratches left behind by shattered glass.
Glass…!
The word exploded in her head. Silence swallowed the room immediately after, heavy and suffocating, like something important had just clawed its way out from deep inside her memory.
"Ahhh!" Celina screamed.
The mirror slipped from her hands, nearly crashing to the floor but landing halfway on the bed, dangerously close to falling.
Her memories, those that had rushed in when she first woke came again, slowly fitting together like broken pieces forming a picture.
Flashes hit her mind.
A deep voice echoed first: "Do you trust me, love?" with a clear image followed -- slow smile ,raised brows and teasing grin perfected on his lips.
Another voice, softer this time: "Oh my poor heart…"
The way his eyes darkened, filled with intentionality when he said "I'll burn the whole world…"
Another memory in sync overlapped it.
Her voice in whispers: "You're staring at me like I'm the only one in your heart…"
Her breathing turned ragged, body shook violently as her hands flew to her head and another scream tore from her throat. The pulse clip attached to her finger, tracking her pulse shifted from the movement, sending another sharp pain through her arm.
It added to her distress.
More memories crashed into her.
Security dragging her away from the hospital.
Her voice screaming desperately for her father.
Begging her stepmother to allow her see him just for a minute. "Please… just let me see him once… I can't bear not saying goodbye to my dad…"
"Security!" her stepmother had yelled coldly.
Men rushed toward her instantly in overpowering looks.
"Take this disgusting thing out of here."
Her stepsisters laughed behind her while she struggled helplessly against the security dragging her away.
"To meeee...! Her voice echoed painfully through the hallway. "I wouldn't be able to forgive myself..." While she was dragged out, her stepmom and her daughters laughing behind her, voices filled with mockery and satisfaction.
Then more chaos.
Meeting armed men and handsome stranger protecting her at every turn.
Blinding headlights directly aimed at them through the windshield.
Screeching tires. Impact, followed in sync.
Everything blurred afterward, she remembered him pulling her forcefully against his body and turned them around. His back shielding her completely, every inch of his body covering her.
The position of his back taking the side where the truck slammed directly into the Tesla.
Glass shattering into pieces and blood stains splattered everywhere.
Total blackout.
Her lips parted again, as she tried to scream again. But this time no words left her lips, only shock.
For a few seconds, silence returned, as though life had briefly left her body.
She covered her mouth to stop the sounds from escaping so anyone close won't hear her loud scream. Forcing herself silent while trembling breaths which grew louder, escaped through her fingers.
Her entire body shook with every fragment of memory returning.
All of the memories connected at once. From her childhood, her present, and that moment with her handsome stranger. His back shielding her as they tumbled down a cliff, his body hitting trees stomps, hard stones and jagged rocks downwards.
The same thing occured again, when his back shielded get from a very last hard hit of the truck, metal cushing against metal.
Vehicles flipping, breaking and the final sound of things exploding in total darkness.
Her body trembled violently. Her eyes squeezed shut as she struggled to steady her racing heart.
An unusual memory surfaced; one completely unfamiliar to her. Unlike the others, this one was blurry in a strange, unsettling way she had never experienced before, not since childhood.
It showed a dark place, like a riverside at night. Someone was coughing violently, trapped in choking sounds as he struggled in the water. His breathing was erratic, his hands reaching out desperately, still fighting against the current as if he was drowning but refusing to call for help.
His face and the surroundings were unclear, distorted.
There was also a small girl—very tiny in height running toward the sound while screaming, but her features were impossible to see clearly.
And then everything faded into blankness.
"Who's that little girl?" she whispered shakily, touching her aching head. "Why am I seeing this now…? I've never remembered this before! Why now?"
Her breathing slowly steadied as her eyes wandered around the room and lowered on the pale blue cloth she wore.
It wasn't strange, it was a patient gown.
If her mind could still recall…
"I'm in Greece…"
The hospital surroundings felt familiar. There was only one hospital like this. Every VIP room in this hospital had nearly identical designs. Except for a few details, slightly customized to feel warmer and more luxurious.
She recalled seeing the same detail on her room door—the identical design repeated across all the VIP rooms when she had walked past the long corridor of them before encountering her stepmother… before being stopped from seeing her father.
Her eyes shifted to the small label box on the bedside table.
The hospital name printed bodly across the side. The Hellenic...she didn't look at it again.
Her eyes setting on something specific in the room.
"The doors…" she whispered.
A detail clicked in her mind, It was easy to notice because of the bright lights. The glass doors on the right side to open and the left side to close.
She had noticed it earlier when doctors were coming out of a VIP room as she rushed to see her father and now, it was here as well.
Her heartbeat quickened.
"Does this mean.." her lips trembled "I'm in my dad's hospital? The most famous one in Athens, Greece…"
Her eyes slowly moved back to the plaster box to continue reading the name of the hospital.
The last two words were 'healthcare group' and then it all clicked 'The Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG)' which is primarily based in Athens, Greece.
Her body shivered.
After the car crash, they were brought here.
'They.' Her eyes widened, mouth parted in silence.
"My handsome stranger…"
The words tore out of her memory before she could stop them. A broken scream caught between dream and reality.
"My handsome stranger…"
Celina gasped sharply, her eyes snapping open.
Her chest rose violently as though her lungs had forgotten how to breathe properly. Panic hit her instantly—raw, confusing, overwhelming.
Her fingers jerked instinctively, gripping at nothing, searched blindly against the sheets, for something solid, something real.
"My handsome stranger…" slipped from her lips again, barely audible more breath than voice. Her throat tightened around the words, each inhale coming in shaky, uneven pulls.
Her chest rose and fell unsteadily as her whole body trembled, as though the name itself was tearing something open inside her she couldn't close again.
Her vision blurred with tears. The bright hospital lights above her burned painfully against her eyes.
Another sharp breath tore through her throat. She coughed weakly, her breathing unstable as the sounds of crushing metal replayed endlessly inside her head. Like her body was still where the crash occured and felt the impact.
Her heart pounded loudly in her ears.
"My handsome stranger…"
The words slipped out again, weaker now.
As her eyes shifted fully, reality slowly settled, but her body was still trembling, her breathing far worse was more unstable and her mind half-trapped in the memory of the crash.
Tears filled her eyes, "I need to see him…" she whispered to herself. She couldn't imagine his pain. What happened to him? Where was he?
He had protected her in the middle of danger… and she, as always, had only been saved.
"Don't tell me he's dead…" The last word 'death' shattered her completely. Her body shook violently as fear surged through her mind, and her hands trembled uncontrollably.
Tears shimmered in her eyes before finally spilling over, streaming down her face in silent lines. Her heart twisted painfully, a deep, burning ache that could no longer be contained.
She gripped the bedsheet tightly with her left hand where the drip had been inserted, and it hurt badly. She tried to pull the drip out, but in her weakened state, she barely had the strength to do anything.
Ignoring the pain screaming through her body, she forced herself to stand on shaky legs but her knees buckled instantly and she collapsed back onto the bed with a painful cry.
Her eyes were red. Her heart raced violently. Her breathing was erratic, uneven fighting for every breath. "I need to kn…ow where he is…" she sobbed weakly. Her voice cracked with each word leaving her mouth. "I need to know if he's safe, he can't die…"
Her grip tightened on the bed as her body shook under pressure. "Never! it's not possible…"
Tears streamed down her face, even sweat formed on her skin, dampened her patient gown, despite the cold air flowing through the room.
Her body ached as she moved her body, trying to maintain her sitting position on the bed. "God please..God plea—" Her voice broke, unable to complete the prayer, her heart wrenching in ache that couldn't be filled as fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
Trying to steady herself and hold back the remaining tears, she noticed the drip was still attached to the back of her palm.
Something she had tried removing earlier.
Pressing her palms against her face, she wiped away the tears she could no longer hold back, struggling to swallow the sobs escaping her mouth.
Opening her eyes slightly, she wiped her tears with the short sleeves of her patient gown. That was when she noticed a fresh surgical cut on the side of her waist, a clean but tender wound, clearly stitched after surgery.
It wasn't too deep, but it was painful enough to remind her of the accident.
"How long have I been here?" her heart pounded with that question repeatedly.
Fear crept in again in her body which was apparent in her fingers shaking.
"I need to find him first, then I'll deal with everything else and my father."
Another thought whispered cruelly inside her mind. 'That is, if he's still here.' Observing the mark on her waist once more and drew the short sleeved shirt to the exact way it was before.
Footsteps sounded closer to where she was very much closer, Too close.
She hadn't even noticed when they started approaching.
Panic surged through her, She didn't know these people yet, What if these people were dangerous? Until she understood everything happening around her—that's when she could trust someone.
Just for now, no one could know she was awake.
"What should I do?" she thought frantically.
Her body trembled, emotions spiraling everywhere trying to discern who was close by.
Who was coming?
Were they related to her handsome stranger?
The footsteps stopped right outside her door.
The handle clicked.
A soft metallic tchk… echoed a lock has been turned, through the room too quiet, yet loud enough to slice through her panic like a blade.
Her heart stopped for a second. Her breath caught mid-throat, her fingers tightening against the bedsheet so hard her knuckles paled.
Every nerve suddenly alert, the drip tube tugged slightly at her hand as she shifted, pain flashing through her arm.
But she didn't even feel the sting anymore. Didn't move.
The door creaked open..inch by inch.
Not a rush. Not a forceful entry.
Just…careful.
The kind of careful that made fear worse.
Then it opened a little more, letting a thin slice of hallway light spill into the room—white, cold, clinical. It stretched across the floor like something crawling toward her bed.
The light superceding the bright light in her room which could pass as the dim light in the hospital bedroom.
Her heart slammed harder.
Celina eyes widened, fixed on the gap.
Who is it?
Her lips parted but no sound came out.
The air inside the room suddenly felt tighter, heavier, like it was pressing against her lungs and refusing to let her breathe properly.
Whoever stood behind that door… was about to step in.
The door opened wider.
Another soft sound followed, fabric shifting. of omeone stepping in.
Footsteps followed in a Slow, Controlled. Measured
And in that moment—she didn't know if she was about to find answers..or lose everything again.