The next morning, Lia woke up feeling lighter, calmer, and actually hungry. The food Ethan had made the night before still lingered in her mind—it had been delicious, warm, and comforting. Ava came by, finally having time to check on her.
"Lia! Oh my gosh, what happened yesterday? You could have died!" Ava exclaimed, sitting down beside her.
"I know… it was… scary," Lia admitted quietly, her voice still a little hoarse. "But… I realized something about Ethan and Ryan. They're not exactly who I thought they were."
Ava's eyes widened. "Wait… what do you mean?"
"I mean… they're not like the other guys. You have to stay away from them, Ava," Lia warned. "They… they're complicated."
Ava nodded slowly, though curiosity sparkled in her eyes. "Hmm… complicated, huh?"
By the time Lia got to school, she was feeling more confident and ready for the day, though she was still a little on edge. As she entered the classroom, a classmate approached her shyly, holding a bouquet of flowers.
"I… I just wanted to apologize and see how you were doing," the classmate said softly.
Lia's heart skipped a beat. She was startled, but a small smile appeared on her lips. "Thank you… that's really sweet," she said, taking the flowers carefully.
When she returned to her seat, Ethan was there, as usual, resting his head with headphones on. The moment he saw her, he took them off, his gaze sharp and calculating, and began his rules again—this time, twenty strict rules before the break even began. Lia groaned inwardly, exhausted already.
After the break, Ava decided that they needed a little escape from school stress. "Let's go somewhere to relax," she suggested. "A place like NOCTURNE … maybe a nice bar or high-end restaurant. Just you and me for a while."
Lia smiled, grateful for the chance to breathe. They arrived at a sleek, elegant spot, lights dimmed just right, and the atmosphere cozy yet classy. They were enjoying their drinks and a little dessert when Lia's phone buzzed violently.
Her heart sank as she saw it was her father. Picking up immediately, she listened, her face going pale.
"Mom… she fainted… she's in critical condition!" her father's voice cracked over the phone.
Without a word, Lia dashed out of the restaurant, ignoring Ava calling her name. Her legs carried her as fast as they could toward the bus stop. Her mind was a whirlwind of fear, panic, and love for her mother.
Ava, panicked, immediately opened her GPS and started following Lia. "Come on, Lia, hold on!" she muttered, racing after her.
Meanwhile, Ryan had gone to the bathroom during this chaos. When he returned, he was furious, seeing that both Lia and Ava had vanished. "What?! They left me?!" he growled, stomping toward the exit.
By the time Lia arrived at her hometown hospital, her mother was still unconscious. Tears streamed down her face as she rushed to her bedside, holding her mother's hand gently.
"Mom… please wake up… please," she whispered, sobbing heavily.
Her father appeared behind her, wrapping a comforting arm around her shoulders. "Lia… I promise. Everything will be okay. I'll make sure she's alright. Just stay strong for her."
Lia nodded through her tears, gripping her mother's hand tighter. For the first time in a long while, her heart felt heavy, yet determined—determined to protect her family no matter what.