Instantly engaged

Pain shot throughout her body. Her head felt like bursting from the inside, and she was even more afraid to move. Every muscle ached, but her chest felt even more painful than anything physically wrong with her.

"Gia," the kind voice she heard earlier whispered in her ears, forcing her to wake.

Gia's eyes fluttered open. She clutched the thin sheet of blanket wrapped around her, moaning in pain.

"Gaia," she murmured, her throat too hoarse to make any audible sound. The strong scent of antiseptic hit her several seconds later, giving her the impression that something was not right.

A wall clock in the upper right corner, adjacent to the door, displayed that it was well past noon. Her heart swelled, trying to remember what happened, but her mind was too chaotic to find focus on anything.

Sometime later, a woman in white scrubs came in from the wooden double door; a worried look crossed her face as she exchanged glances with a very confused Gia.

"Are you in pain?" she inquired, pulling a tablet from her uniform pocket. Gia moved her head slightly to give a non-vocal response.

The nurse immediately opened the medicine and helped Gia take it. She handed her a glass of water that sat on top of a table beside the bed.

It was then that Gia spotted a purse and a broken phone lying beside several bottles of other drugs she must have taken.

"There's no vital organ hit, but you must rest until your muscles no longer feel like they are burning. You were in an accident. Do you remember?"

That was the problem Gia was trying to resolve. She could barely recall what happened between her stealing venture and escaping the brothel.

Glimpses of the woman she saved, the one with her sister's face, appeared in her line of vision. Her hands began to tremble, recalling bits and pieces of them running through the cold, chilly night.

"Gaia," Gia repeated, her chest tightening. Hot tears began to prick in her eyes. It took a moment before the nurse understood what she was talking about.

She let a few minutes of silence pass before opening her mouth to speak.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, regretting the reality that her words meant nothing. It couldn't bring the dead back to life. "You were the only one we could save."

The affirmation numbed Gia. She lowered her gaze, staring at her trembling hands.

"Where is she?" Gia asked, her voice no louder than a whisper.

"We couldn't keep her here, so we sent her to the morgue. I got in touch with your guardian. He will be here soon, so stay put, and you can figure things out later. Okay?"

At that instant, Gia's brows furrowed. Although her body was screaming bloody murder at how painful it was to move, she sat up, squinting at the nurse.

Uncertain whether she heard her right, Gia opened her mouth to speak.

"Guardian?"

Hearing the nurse mention a guardian left her baffled. She knew no one who would go out of their way to pay her a visit. No one cared enough to make it their business to tend to her when she got hurt.

Hence, she couldn't associate the term with any individual she knew.

'The only person I know who might wonder what happened was probably smoking weed or was passed out drunk.'

Gia pressed her lips together, licking the outer layer to moisten them.

"Hm," the nurse looked at Gia thoughtfully. "I see. You must have lost part of your memories due to the incident. This is bad news but nothing to worry about. I will have to update Doctor Chase regarding the matter."

"Doctor Chase?" Gia raised a skeptical brow, her physical pain momentarily forgotten.

The nurse smiled brightly, clasping her hands together.

"I'm Leila, and the doctor who tended to your injuries is Doctor Mattheo Chase," she clarified, finishing her sentence with a dreamy look. "He personally went to the morgue. He will be back shortly."

Gia didn't know which thought to focus on. Her mind was in complete chaos again. She was perplexed about the names of people she knew she had never met.

Furthermore, she was supposed to be mourning for her sister, focusing on knowing which morgue she was at and giving her a proper burial.

Yet, the idea of sending her off made everything feel surreal to Gia. She assumed that this was all but a dream.

She would wake up, and everything was back to normal. Gaia would be out there somewhere, waiting and yearning to be reunited with her just as she had been.

The door suddenly burst open, distracting Gia. Two other females wearing the same scrubs stumbled inside.

"Leila!" one exclaimed, putting a hand to her chest. She paused, trying to catch her breath.

"A gorgeous man is outside," the second one gushed, finishing the rest of the sentence.

Leila turned to Gia, catching the attention of the two, whose eyes widened upon realizing that she was no longer unconscious.

"Oh!" one of them exclaimed. "He, um, is looking for you."

The words tumbled out, making Gia even more confused than she had already been.

Leila smiled genuinely at Gia. The latter felt the nurse's pity.

It was the last thing she needed.

What she needed was some clarity. The confirmation that Gaia was dead didn't explain how she even died. The series of events didn't make any sense to Gia.

The only thing that she was, with no doubt, sure of was that it was no accident. Someone was behind it and Gia had to find out who it was..

"Your guardian is here. Perhaps he could help you retrieve the memories you've lost."

Gia stared at Leila, her heart pounding unsteadily inside her chest.

"Who is this guardian?"

The three ladies eyed each other. It made them appear suspicious, fueling Gia's curiosity even more.

Leila approached Gia, gathering her hands in hers. She looked into her eyes, giving her still-trembling fingers a gentle squeeze.

"Oh, darling. Don't force it. Your memories will slowly come back. But it might take some time. For now, we will let you and your fiancé sort things out."

Gia blinked, frowning but decided to hold her ground.

"You'll be fine," Leila added. "I promise."