Awaken

Evelyn blinked her eyes open, disoriented and confused. She sat up slowly, her mind blank. She couldn't remember anything—who she was, where she was, or why she felt so strange. The room around her was unfamiliar, sterile, and filled with the hum of distant activity.

Lyra, who had been keeping an eye on Evelyn, noticed the movement and hurried over. Her expression was a mix of concern and curiosity. "Hey there, how are you feeling?" she asked gently.

Evelyn looked at her, frowning. "I... I don't know. Where am I? Who are you?"

Lyra sat down beside the bed, keeping her tone light and comforting. "You're at your room above Hell's Kitchen. My name is Lyra. You work here, actually. You had a bit of an accident and lost your memory, but you're safe now."

Evelyn's eyes widened in alarm. "I work here? What kind of place is this?"

"It's a restaurant," Lyra explained. "A very special one. You're an important part of our team and one of my dearest friends." as she talked she used her skill to try and appeal to Evelyn but it didn't work; Evelyn was a blank slate and had nothing but confusion and suspicion in her mind.

Evelyn shook her head, trying to grasp the situation. "I don't remember any of it. How do I know you're telling the truth?"

Lyra smiled reassuringly. "I understand this is overwhelming. But trust me, you're among friends. We've been taking turns looking after you while you recovered."

Evelyn glanced around the room, taking in the undecorated walls and the faint scent of food coming from below. "Friends... okay. So what do I do here?"

"You're a server, mostly," Lyra said. "But you're also part of our little family." she said with a beaming smile, sitting next to her.

As Evelyn tried to process this new information, the door creaked open, and Victor stepped in. His usually stern face softened slightly when he saw Evelyn awake.

"Ah, you're up," he said, walking over. "How are you feeling?"

Evelyn studied him, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Confused. That woman told me I work here, but I don't remember anything."

Victor nodded, his gaze steady but wary. "That's understandable. Your memory might come back in time, or it might not. But we'll help you adjust either way."

Evelyn bit her lip, feeling a mix of anxiety and curiosity. "And you are?"

"Victor," he said simply. "I run this place."

"And I'm supposed to just believe you?" she asked, a touch of defiance in her voice.

Lyra chuckled softly. "You don't have to believe us right away. Just take it one step at a time. You'll see that we're here to help."

Victor's eyes flickered with apprehension as he exchanged a glance with Lyra. Just then, Lucien walked in, sensing the tension in the room.

"Hey, Evelyn," Lucien said with an easy smile, trying to smooth over the situation. "It's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?"

"Confused," Evelyn repeated, her gaze shifting warily between Victor and Lucien. "This woman told me I work here, but I don't remember anything. And... I'm not sure I trust him," she added, nodding toward Victor.

Lucien stepped closer, his demeanor calm and reassuring. "I understand, Evelyn. It's a lot to take in. But you're safe here, I promise. Victor might seem a bit stern, but he means well. We're all here to help you get back on your feet."

Victor's expression softened slightly, but he remained cautious. "We'll give you all the time you need. For now, just focus on getting your strength back."

Evelyn nodded slowly, still feeling overwhelmed but sensing a sincerity in their words. "Okay. I guess I don't have much choice."

Lucien smiled warmly. "Exactly. And don't worry, we won't push you. Take your time to get comfortable."

As they left Evelyn to rest, Lucien turned to Victor. "Do you think she'll ever remember?"

Victor sighed. "It's hard to say. But for now, we need to keep an eye on her and make sure she trusts us."

Lyra nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Speaking of trust...what about Elise? Can we trust her?"

Victor's face darkened slightly. "That's a question we need to answer carefully. For now, let's focus on Evelyn."

As they walked away, Evelyn lay back down, her mind a swirl of confusion and curiosity. She didn't know who she was or what her past held, and she was surround by suspicious people; she was scared.

In the dimly lit staff room, the Hell's Kitchen team gathered to discuss the latest development. The room buzzed with hushed conversations as they sat around the large table, each pondering how to navigate the delicate situation.

Victor leaned against the wall, arms crossed, his expression serious. "Evelyn is awake, and she doesn't remember anything, as planned. We need to figure out how to bring her back on board with the real nature of our restaurant."

Nyssa, sitting across from him, nodded thoughtfully. "I think we should gradually introduce her to our 'special' ingredients. If I start making her food with them, she might become accustomed to it without realizing."

Lucien, reclining in his chair with a glass of blood in hand, chimed in. "We can use my hypnosis to assist. I can subtly implant suggestions to make her believe she was always a part of this and that she's comfortable with our... unique menu.

"Don't be too trigger happy with the hypnosis, she might actually get brain damage." he sighed. Lucien just shrugged.

Elise, lounging on a sofa in her usual provocative attire, added with a sly smile, "I could fabricate some evidence to support that. Photos, documents, anything to make it look like she's always known and been involved."

Victor glanced at her, his brow furrowing. "That might work, but we have to be careful. She was already hostile toward me instinctively."

Lucien set his glass down, his eyes narrowing. "There's another issue we need to address before we can fully focus on Evelyn. That Liam kid. He was involved with her discovering our secrets, and he was conspiring with her. We need to deal with him."

Nyssa's eyes widened slightly. "What do you suggest? We can't just kill a kid."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Victor added nonchalantly, earning mortified looks from Nyssa and even Lyra.

Lucien smirked, leaning forward. "I wasn't necessarily suggesting that. But we need to keep an eye on him, figure out what he knows and why he's so interested in us. He's too dangerous to leave unchecked."

Elise stretched lazily, her wings twitching slightly. "I can look into his background, see if there's anything we can use against him."

Victor nodded. "Do that. Meanwhile, Lucien, you and I will monitor him more closely. We'll need to handle this delicately. The last thing we need is more attention."

Nyssa sighed, looking between them. "And in the meantime, me and Lyra can focus on taking care of Evelyn and getting close to her. We'll do this gradually, step by step. We need her to trust us completely."

Lucien raised his glass in a mock toast. "To a smooth "family reunion" and keeping our secrets safe."

The others nodded in agreement. The plan was set, but they all knew it would take careful execution to succeed.

As they left the staff room, Victor couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that things were about to get even more complicated. Evelyn's recovery, Liam's interference, and Elise's unpredictable nature all added to the mounting pressure. He just hoped they could beat the odds without everything falling apart.