Aurora's POV
It was past nine when I reached home. The night lamps flickered, casting faint shadows across the walls. The house was quiet.. too quiet and for some reason I hate quite houses. Ayla was already asleep, her tiny form tucked safely in bed.
I sighed, walking into the kitchen to grab a quick snack. Pouring some cereal into a bowl, I added milk and a handful of berries. As I took my first bite, these are Sebastian's usual breakfast, memories of the past began to surface, unbidden and relentless.
It had been a rainy night. Ayla was only six months old, her small body burning with fever. She had been shivering all day, her tiny fists curling against my chest as she whimpered. The fever medication hadn't worked. The wet towel treatments barely made a difference. And then, as night fell, her cries weakened, and her small frame went limp in my arms.
Panic clawed at my chest. My baby was unconscious.
I dialed Sebastian again...my fingers trembling so badly that I nearly dropped my phone. Call after call, I tried reaching him. No answer. He was working as a resident at Aetos Multi-Specialty Hospitals, but it was over an hour away. I had no choice but to rush Ayla to the nearest local hospital.
The doctors did their best. I could see it in their tired eyes as they worked tirelessly to stabilize her. Machines beeped. Oxygen masks. Needles. My heart felt like it would stop at any second.
"She needs to be transferred," one of the doctors told me, his voice grim. "We've managed to stabilize her vitals for now, but she requires specialized care. Take her to Aetos immediately."
The next thing I knew, we were inside an ambulance. The sirens blared, cutting through the stormy night. Every second felt like an eternity. I held Ayla's hand in mine, whispering desperate prayers against her damp curls.
"Hold on, baby… Please, hold on."
The paramedic beside me checked her vitals repeatedly, his face tense.
"We're almost there," he assured me.
But my heart wouldn't stop racing. I kept my eyes fixed on her tiny chest, watching for every faint rise and fall.
Then, finally, the ambulance screeched to a halt in front of Aetos Multi-Specialty Hospitals. The emergency team was already waiting. They took her from my me, rushing inside with urgency.
I need money. That was the first thought that struck me.
I had just started my career in real estate. I barely had a hundred dollars to my name. And the insurance? It wouldn't cover everything. Ten thousand dollars. That was the estimated cost they gave me.
I called Sebastian again. And again. And again.
No answer.
Desperation overtook me. I had no other choice. My parents weren't in Eldoria—they lived in another state, a three-hour flight away. But I called them anyway, my voice breaking as I explained the situation.
"We're coming, sweetheart," my mother said, panic laced in her voice. "Stay strong. We'll be there soon."
My tears had dried up. My hands were numb from clutching my phone. But the pit in my stomach only grew deeper.
I needed to charge my phone, so I stepped outside the PICU, searching for an outlet near the reception. That's when I saw him.
Sebastian.
Standing in the dimly lit hospital corridor, his arms wrapped around a crying woman. His lips brushed against her forehead, whispering soft reassurances.
My mind went blank.
The world around me blurred.
Then...darkness.
When I opened my eyes, I was in a hospital bed. My parents were sitting beside me, their eyes red from crying. Someone stood next to them, speaking in a low voice.
I struggled to focus on the figure.
Theo.
The boy who had spent his entire childhood by my side.
"Theo…" I murmured weakly before everything faded to black again.
A faint touch on my shoulder jolted me back to the present.
I turned.
Lydia, Ayla's nanny, was standing there, her eyes filled with concern.
"Miss Aurora, are you okay?"
I swallowed the lump in my throat and forced a small smile. I lied. "I'm fine."
But the ghosts of that night still lingered.
No matter how much I tried to bury them.