"The doctor said you barely sustained any injuries."
The doctor?
"I'm glad you're okay," he added quietly.
"I—I have to go," I stammered, rushing out of the room. My heart was racing, breaths shallow and uneven as I stumbled into the hallway. At the far end, a man in a white lab coat was speaking softly with a nurse. His eyes caught mine, and relief washed over his face.
"Mrs. Castiglione!" he called out.
I froze. Looked behind me. No one was there. He meant me.
He dismissed the nurse with a polite nod and approached, smiling brightly. His slicked-back grey hair and oval face made him appear more animated.
"Mrs. Castiglione, we've been looking for you everywhere. Have you seen your husband? Since he woke up, he's been whispering your name, saying he wants to see you."
My lips parted, but no words came out.
"Luckily, he didn't sustain any serious head injury," the doctor went on. "We managed to stop the internal bleeding and stitch up the tears. Your husband survived for you, Mrs. Castiglione."
"I… I think there's a mistake," I said, my voice trembling. "Who signed his surgery consent?"
The doctor blinked, then let out a small laugh, as if I'd made a joke. "You did, of course."
"What? No, I didn't—" I stopped, my mind spinning.
He gave me a sympathetic smile. "You've been through a lot, Mrs. Castiglione. Maybe get some rest, go home for a bit, and come back later with a few things your husband might need."
And just like that, he walked away.
I left the hospital, more confused than ever. My thoughts were tangled, none of it made sense. Arman had looked… happy to see me. Like he was seeing someone else entirely.
At the bus stop, I caught my reflection in the glass pane of a shop window. Same light-blue T-shirt. Same dark-blue flared skirt. Same old trainers. Still me—Chantel. Not Ruby.
Ruby was taller, paler. Long legs, broad shoulders, brown hair. I ran my fingers over my warm skin, over the features I knew so well. What the hell was happening?
By morning, I was home, exhausted. I'd walked all the way since my last cash was gone. No way was I stepping foot back in that hospital. Let the doctor deliver the news of Ruby's death himself.
Ruby's death. The words sounded strange—too final. Less than twenty-four hours ago, she'd posted a video. I opened it again: Ruby laughing with Arman, flashing that bright smile as she showed off the diamond necklace he gave her. "A pre-wedding anniversary gift," she'd called it.
A pre-wedding anniversary gift?
I scrolled through her old posts, looking for the wedding date. April 16th. Fifteen days from now is their wedding anniversary.
He should really know his wife is dead.
I clicked on one of the wedding photos for a better look but the screen flashed: This account is no longer available, it said.
My stomach dropped. I refreshed the page. Same message. Deleted? Just now? Or had it been gone for a while?
The creak of a door broke my thoughts.
Killian burst out of the apartment, anger twisting his face. "Where the hell have you been?!"
I rolled my eyes and walked past him, stepping into the chaos as i walked into the living room. Empty beer bottles. Leftover food. A pot of porridge dumped on the couch, ketchup smeared on the wall. The stench hit me like a slap.
"What the hell is this, Killian?" I snapped, rage boiling inside me.
"I couldn't control her," he muttered, scratching his neck. "She's gotten worse."
A foul smell pierced through the air, and I wrinkled my nose. "What is that?"
He looked up with fake innocence. "I—I didn't remember how you dispose of Mom's diapers, so I left it in the ba—"
"Wait. Stop." I raised a hand, forcing myself to breathe.
"I'm sorry, Chanty. I promise I'll make it up to you."
I forced a brittle smile. "You don't have to."
His face lit up. "Really? You'll clean up without asking for anything?"
I almost laughed. "Yeah," I said flatly. "Just give me a minute."
I slipped into the room, holding my breath against the stench seeping from the bathroom. Grabbing a small bag, I packed the few valuables I owned, leaving my clothes behind.
Killian appeared at the doorway just as I zipped it shut.
"What's that?" he asked, frowning.
"Nothing much," I said lightly. "I just need to run an errand."
"An errand?" He smirked. "Better be quick. The smell's spreading—we might get complaints soon."
I smiled again. My smile empty and cold. "Don't worry. I won't be long. In a few minutes, you'll see me—and I'll clean up everything you and your mother have left behind."
He didn't catch the sarcasm. Good.
Because I had no intention of coming back.
I rented a small motel room with the last of the money in my bank account and sat on the edge of the bed, trying to figure out my next move. The amount I had left wasn't nearly enough to get a new place. Most of my savings had gone into Mom's medical bills and the rest into that ungrateful bastard I once called family.
The reality hit hard. I was homeless. Jobless. And considering how I'd stormed out of Lovik Diner last night, ignoring Theophilus's orders, showing up there again would be a death wish. He'd probably throw a frying pan at my face before he fired me.
I buried my face in my hands and let my thoughts spiral.
Finally, my mind drifted to Arman.
He was obviously out of reach now… but I couldn't stop thinking about the idea of living as Ruby.
Living as Ruby.
The thought lingered. A dangerous and tempting offer. I could live in luxury. Eat what I wanted. Go wherever I pleased. No rent due. No debt collectors. No diapers to change. Just comfort.
I swallowed hard. The idea was intoxicating but wrong. Ruby deserved to be mourned properly. Taking her identity would be crossing a line I could never come back from.
So no. The only thing I could reasonably do was ask Arman for money. But even that was impossible—by now, he'd be mourning his wife.
With a heavy sigh, I decided to return to the hospital. Maybe I could at least clear things up. I changed into a simple mini gown I'd rented from a small boutique near Lovik Diner and made my way there.
This time, no one stopped me as I entered the VIP wing.
Inside the elevator, I unexpectedly ran into the same doctor from before. He smiled warmly, pressing the button for my floor without me having to ask.
"You and your husband can't seem to stay away from each other, huh?" he teased lightly.
I forced a smile. This is really starting to get irritating.
"Um, Doctor…?"
"Cruz," he supplied with a nod. "Doctor Cruz."
"Right. Doctor Cruz," I said, hesitating. "Do you think the accident might have… affected his brain? Like, could he be confusing people?"
Doctor Cruz paused for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he nodded slowly. "There's a possibility. His memory might have suffered a minor glitch. If you notice anything strange, just let me know immediately."
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime. We'd reached his floor. Doctor Cruz stepped out first, offering me a polite smile before heading down the corridor.
And I stood there for a moment, my heart pounding, unsure if I was ready to face whatever version of reality waited behind that hospital door.