Chapter 43 - 42 - The Stolen Farewell
Riven turned quickly toward the door as it creaked open, his heart pounding harder than usual. Deep inside, a small hope flickered—that the person entering was Anna. That the woman would step in with her usual calm yet cold gaze and give him an explanation for all the chaos that had happened.
But that hope was shattered instantly.
Instead, it was a middle-aged man, bald-headed, wearing a long brown robe lined with white cloth. His face was clean-shaven, his eyes gentle, and he wore a warm smile. In one hand he held a clipboard, and around his neck hung a light ivory stole—clearly marking him as a medical professional.
Riven rolled his eyes and cursed silently.
’Of course... a healer. Should’ve known. Fancy hospital, fancy checkups. Damn it.’
The man walked in without rushing and closed the door softly behind him. His eyes moved to Riven, who sat stiffly on the bed, then to Mira still sleeping soundly at his side.
"Good morning," said the man in a calm and polite voice. "Glad to see you awake, young man."
Riven gave a small nod, eyeing the man with a mix of suspicion and unease. He didn’t want to speak just yet. Not until he gathered more information.
"My name is Gregory," the man continued, walking closer. "I’m the healer here. Don’t worry, I just need to check your condition."
Gregory pulled a small chair from the corner of the room and sat beside the bed. He opened his clipboard, scribbled something quickly, then looked at Riven with an expression that could have belonged to a kind father.
"How are you feeling? Any pain in your chest or head?"