Chapter 287: Kidnapped
Melanie opened her eyes slowly, the harsh white ceiling above her swimming in and out of focus. Everything felt too bright, too clinical. Her body was heavy, limbs dull with exhaustion, and her mouth was painfully dry. She blinked several times before her gaze finally settled.
"You scared us to death," a familiar voice said as her hands were held in bigger ones.
She turned her head with effort, her heart giving a weak flutter when she saw Adam sitting at her side. His brows were drawn tight, his usually steady eyes filled with worry.
She let out a shaky breath, her throat dry and scratchy. "What... happened?" she asked, barely above a whisper. She swallowed hard and tried again, her voice still raspy. "What... happened to me?"
Adam didn’t answer right away. He seemed to be studying her, maybe trying to decide how much to say. Finally, he leaned forward, his thumb gently brushing the back of her hand.
"You don’t remember anything?" he asked carefully.
Melanie shook her head, frowning deeply as she tried to think. Her mind felt sluggish, like wading through thick fog. "I remember... leaving Marianne Thomas’ house. I got into the elevator. I was feeling... strange. Then I—I called you, I think? After that, I don’t know. Nothing."
Adam’s frown deepened. He glanced at the monitor beside her bed, then back at her. "The doctors said it was a panic attack. A severe one. They couldn’t find anything else. No signs of trauma, no head injury, no neurological issues or anything in the blood... nothing. Just complete physical exhaustion. Like your body shut down."
Melanie closed her eyes for a moment, trying to make sense of it. "But... I don’t have panic attacks. That’s... just not me."