The morning sunlight spilled into the room, warming Nicole's face as she sat quietly, her fingers brushing the bandage around her wrist.
A soft knock interrupted her thoughts. The doctor, dressed in her crisp white coat and with an air of gentle authority, walked in, holding a clipboard.
"You're being discharged today, Mrs. Fury," the doctor said, her tone as professional as ever.
Nicole straightened, nodding. "Thank you, Doctor."
The doctor hesitated briefly before continuing. "Since no one came to sign your discharge papers, you'll need to take care of it yourself. Head to the billing counter when you're ready."
The words hit Nicole like a slap, a reminder of how alone she had become. "Of course," she murmured, masking the pain with a tight smile.
She gathered her few belongings and headed to the front counter of the hospital.
The clicking of keyboards and murmurs of conversations filled the air. When it was her turn, she stepped forward, her chest tightening.
"Name?" the cashier asked, not looking up.
"Nicole Fury," she replied.
She still kept her husband's surname, at least for now.
The cashier typed, then hit print.
Nicole's eyes widened in surprise as she looked down at the slip of paper handed to her. There, the amount stared out at her like an obscenity, outlandishly large for just two days.
"How would you like to pay?" the cashier asked as flat as a sheet of fallen snow.
Nicole hesitated.
She still had the black credit card Riley had given her, a symbol of the Fury family's wealth and power.
But even touching that card felt like poison now.
She squared her shoulders and replied, "I'll pay using my own online account."
Her fingers shook as she pulled out her phone and logged into her banking app.
Memories surged in, working long hours as Riley's secretary, how she had fought to save every penny despite his promise to promote her into a better position, which was swiftly crushed by Veronica's interference.
That woman had done more than ruin her marriage; she had taken everything, including her child.
A bitter smile crept across Nicole's lips. I bet she's already handed my job to someone else—probably another puppet she can control.
She hit "Transfer" and waited, but instead of confirmation, the app blinked an error message: 'Transaction failed. Please try again later.'
Her stomach dropped.
She tried again.
Another failure.
"What's the issue?" the cashier asked impatiently, tapping her pen against the counter.
Nicole's voice shook, although she tried to sound composed. "There is some problem with that. Could you just give me a minute?"
The line behind her started to stir restlessly. People whispered, the sounds prickling her skin like needles.
She could feel their stares, the judgment.
The cashier sighed loudly. "Ma'am, if you can't pay, you'll need to step aside for the next customer.
"I can pay," Nicole snapped, her frustration boiling over. "Just give me a moment!"
Before the situation could escalate further, a deep, calm voice cut through the tension. "I'll handle her bill."
Nicole turned sharply to see a man standing a few feet away.
He was tall, perhaps 6'2", with a lean but athletic build. A hint of stubble further accentuated his sharp jawline, while his dark eyes showed both confidence and warmth.
Nicole blinked, her eyes taken aback with his sudden presence. "That's really not necessary—"
He held up a hand, silencing her protest. "I insist. It's no trouble."
She hesitated, pride warring with practicality. But as the cashier's impatient gaze bore into her, she realized she had no choice. "Fine. Thank you."
The man handed over his card without hesitation, and the transaction was completed within seconds.
Once done, he turned to her, his demeanor polite but detached. "I hope you're feeling better now."
Nicole nodded, still stunned. "I am. Thank you. Mr...?"
"Ethan. Ethan Caldwell."
"I'm Nicole," she replied softly. They shook hands briefly, his grip firm yet gentle.
To her surprise, Ethan didn't linger or ask for her number, as most men might in such a situation.
Instead, he simply nodded with his charming smile and walked away, disappearing through the hospital doors as quickly as he had appeared.
Nicole stood frozen for a moment, staring after him.
What kind of man does something so generous without expecting anything in return? she wondered, both impressed and bewildered.
She stepped outside the hospital, the crisp morning air filling her lungs. It was then that the weight of her situation truly hit her.
She had no home to return to, no family waiting for her.
Her mind wandered back into the past. Losing her mother when she was 12 was the beginning of her adversities.
Thrown out by relatives who didn't want anything to do with her, she had faced life and never let them see her break.
And there she was again, all alone, but not defeated.
She still had some savings. It wasn't much, but it was enough to get her a small apartment. However, she knew finding one would take time, at least a week.
Until then, she needed somewhere to stay.
She spotted a taxi parked nearby, hailed it, and the driver, young and with a kind face, rolled down the window. "Where to?"
Nicole hesitated before responding. "Take me to the Grand Horizon Hotel.
The driver nodded, and she climbed into the backseat.
As he adjusted the rearview mirror, her eyes caught his face. Her breath hitched, her body freezing in place.
"You?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "But how...?"