CHAPTER 421: TOO DIFFICULT TO SAY

A raspy voice echoed in the background, a mournful lament, "How I wished I had stopped her from going. “The relentless beep of the heart monitor cut through the sterile air, a counterpoint to the acrid tang of disinfectant and the dull throb in her head. She struggled to open her eyes, the world a blurry mess at first before slowly resolving into two worried figures hovering near her bedside. A strange sensation tickled her nose, a plastic tube feeding oxygen into her lungs. Panic clawed at her throat as she tried to lift her hand, only to find it weighed down by needles. They pricked her fair skin and placed her against the starched white sheets. Where was she? What was happening? Her mind, sluggish and thick with fog, searched for answers. A heavy sigh cut through the oppressive silence. "There's no need to regret, "a gruff voice rumbled, "it was just a scare. I'll be back at the office after I check on you. “The rhythmic tap-tap of retreating footsteps faded into the distance. An