Chapter 37: Heartbeats
TERESA’S P.O.V.
A dull ache throbbed in my temples as I blinked, adjusting to the unfamiliar surroundings. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air, mingling with the subtle hum of machinery nearby. I realized I was lying on a hospital bed, with soft, crinkled sheets beneath me. The dimmed overhead lights threw a warm glow across the room, giving everything a soft, surreal haze.
As my gaze drifted, I noticed a familiar figure slumped beside the bed. It was Luke, his arm resting across the mattress, fingers just inches from mine. His head lay against the back of the chair, his face turned slightly toward me. Even in sleep, his brow was furrowed, worry etched deeply into his features. The sight of him made my heart twist with both gratitude and guilt. I didn’t deserve someone like Luke—someone who cared so selflessly and so deeply for me.
"Luke?" I murmured, reaching out to tap his shoulder gently. My voice came out barely above a whisper, fragile, as though it might shatter with too much force.
He stirred, his eyelids fluttering open as he took in his surroundings. For a moment, confusion clouded his eyes before realization dawned, and he straightened, his face softening with relief.
"Teresa," he breathed, his voice heavy with emotion. "Thank god you’re awake."
"What... happened?" The words felt foreign in my mouth, each syllable heavy and brittle, as if my voice had forgotten its own strength.
"You fainted at work," he said, his tone wavering between frustration and worry. "Your boss called an ambulance, and then... they called me since you had me listed as your emergency contact." He ran a hand over his face, clearly exhausted. "The doctor ran some tests, but they haven’t told me anything yet."
I let his words sink in, though my mind felt muddled, as if wrapped in fog. Memories of my last encounter with Vanessa flickered through my thoughts, her accusations sharp and biting. The room seemed to spin momentarily as I remembered, a pang of anxiety twisting in my stomach. But as I looked at Luke’s anxious face, I decided to let it go, just for now, focusing instead on the here and now.