Chapter 7

Mia's POV

I lay on the hospital bed, feeling numb and broken. Danté had just left, after threatening me not to expose him.

He had said he loved me, but his words were hollow and cold. He had used me, manipulated me, and betrayed me. He had killed my father, and now he wanted me to keep quiet.

I heard the door open, and I turned my head to see who it was. It was him. Alex. He looked tired and weary, but his eyes were full of concern and regret.

He walked towards me, holding a bouquet of roses. He placed them on the bedside table, and then sat on the edge of the bed. He took my hand in his, and looked into my eyes.

"Elle, I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry for everything. For leaving you, for doubting you, for hurting you. I was a fool, a coward. I should have stayed with you. Now look at what happened to you. It's all my fault." He choked on his words, his voice breaking.

"It's not your fault, Alex. What you did was right." I said, trying to comfort him.

He shook his head, his eyes filled with guilt. "No, it's not. I should have at least trusted you. I should have protected you." He looked away, unable to meet my gaze.

He sighed, and then looked at me again. His eyes were soft, and sincere. "I love you, Elle. I love you more than anything. Please, forgive me. Please, give me another chance."

I felt a surge of emotion, a mix of anger and relief, of pain and joy, of resentment and love.

I wanted to yell at him, to hug him, to push him away, to pull him closer. I wanted to tell him to leave, to stay, to never come back, to never let go.

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. I didn't know what to say, what to do, what to feel. I was confused, conflicted, overwhelmed.

He leaned in, and kissed me softly on the lips. He whispered in my ear, "I'm here, Elle. I'm here for you. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."

He wrapped his arms around me, and held me tight. I felt his warmth, his heartbeat, his breath. I felt safe, secure, loved.

I closed my eyes, and let myself melt into his embrace. I decided to let go of the past, and focus on the present.

I decided to give him another chance, and hope for the best. I decided to forgive him, and love him back.

And then there was the doctor, breaking the intimate moment between Alex and me.

He walked in with a somber expression, his eyes filled with concern. I could sense the weight of his words before he even spoke.

"Good evening, Mia," the doctor greeted me, his voice gentle yet tinged with a hint of sadness. "I'm Dr. Johnson. I wanted to give you an update on your condition after the car accident."

I braced myself, my heart pounding in my chest. I knew it wasn't going to be easy to hear, but I needed to know the truth.

"As for your overall state," the doctor continued, his voice softening.

"You did sustain a head injury, but fortunately, it wasn't severe. You may experience some headaches and dizziness for a while, but with rest and time, those symptoms should improve."

Relief washed over me at the news. The thought of a serious head injury had terrified me, but knowing that it wasn't as severe as I had feared brought a sense of gratitude.

"Thank you, Dr. Johnson," I said, my voice filled with gratitude. "I appreciate your care and for keeping me informed."

I turned back to Alex who was already smiling softly.

*Few weeks later*

We drove for what felt like an eternity, the anticipation building with every passing mile. I couldn't help but gaze out the window, my heart racing with a mix of excitement and nerves.

As I fidgeted with my phone, I noticed Alex's gaze on me from the corner of my eyes.

"Nervous much, Elle? It's just your mom we're visiting, not some terrifying monster," he teased, a playful smile dancing on his lips. We shared a spontaneous chuckle, the tension easing just a bit.

"Yeah, I know," I replied, my voice filled with a mix of anticipation and nostalgia. "But it's been so long, and it's not just my mom we're reconnecting with, but also my hometown."

A soft smile tugged at my lips as I looked at Alex, grateful for his presence. "How long are we staying there?"

He shrugged, his smile fading slightly. "As long as you want, Elle. As long as you need. I'm here for you, remember?"

I nodded, feeling a pang of guilt. I knew he had left his job, his friends, his life in the city to be with me. I knew he had sacrificed a lot for me. I knew he loved me.

The rest of the drive was filled with a comfortable silence, the only sound being the hum of the engine. And before I knew it, we pulled up to the familiar gates of my family house.

It stood there, a symbol of my past, the place I had called home for most of my life until college.

The sight of it brought back a flood of memories, and I couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension as we stepped out of the car.

The cold nature of the air surrounded me and a tapestry of goosebumps on my body and it once again informed me I was back home.

I walked slowly as if I was inspecting every inch of the house while Ally was picking up the suitcases from the car.

I stood on the balcony of my mom's beachfront apartment, the salty breeze tousling my hair.

"Eliane!" I heard my mom yell with a hint of excitement in her tone.

"Mom!" I also yelled back as I saw her moving towards me.

I hugged her and it made me miss her more. We both pulled out of the hug,our gaze meeting until she slightly tilt her head.

"Ally!" She walked to him while he trailed kisses on her cheeks.

I couldn't help but smile throughout the encounter - Ally and my mom get along pretty well.

"Let's get inside, it's a little bit cold out here." She smiled and I realized the wrinkles that formed on her skin, showing how old she was getting.

We followed quietly behind her inside which welcomed us with the smell of food mixed with strawberry extract filling the room.

"Where is Emma?" I realized the house was quiet.

"Well uh, she's attending a boarding school now." She admitted.

"She finally approved or Uncle James came here forcing her?"

She only nodded to avoid the temptations of spilling out the truth verbatim.

Poor girl.

She was only twelve when her mom,also my aunt, died of cancer. My uncle to me, never cared much about her as his own daughter.

After the death of her mom,Uncle James resolved to send her to the orphanage when my mom volunteered to take care of her.

I arranged our stuff in my old room which seemed huge enough for us two to fit in.

After the dinner and having a little chit chat, I decided to sit in the balcony to read a book and just adore the eerie silence of the night.

As for Alex, he was busy working and it was my fault. He shouldn't have followed me here,if he had work.

But he insisted on coming, protecting me from any danger.

I sat still when the door opened behind me.

Someone walking towards me and gently siting beside me.

"Hey,"

"Hey mom," I turned to look at her with a soft smile.

"What are you doing here? It's pretty cold outside" She slowly spoke almost a whisper while she rubbed her fingers on her thighs,to generate a little heat.

"Just to relax." I replied and placed the book and the other side of the chair.

"It's very nice to see you again Elle."

"Same." I added and silence broke again and I decided to ask her something. Something I couldn't believe was yet the truth even though Danté admitted it.

" Mom,"

" Mmhmm?"

"I want to ask you something and I'm just hoping it doesn't stir any sadness in you?"

"Go on, I'm as hard as a rock, nothing can break me." She joked and a smile tuck at my lips which gradually faded seconds after.

I cleared my throat and opened my mouth ," Mom...what exactly happened to dad?"