Chapter 101: Nathan's Confession

The steady beep of the heart monitor was the metronome chopping time in this sterile limbo. Olivia's eyes fluttered open, shifting to accommodate the harsh fluorescent lights in the hospital room. As the noodle haze of medication slowly began to wear off, Olivia became aware of the warm pressure on her hand. Nathan sat beside her bed, his head bowed, fingers intertwined with hers. "Nathan?" Her voice was a rasp, barely audible. His head jerked up, his eyes wide with relief and something more—vulnerability—she'd never witnessed in him. "Liv! You're awake. How are you?" —she'd A weak smile was Olivia's answer. "Like, I have been hit by a truck. But here I am. More like a giggle—a very shaky, emotionally contained laugh, Nathan realized. "Yeah, you are. You gave us quite a scare." Olivia's eyes swept, frowning, across the room. "Where's Alex?" "I sent them home to rest," Nathan told him. "They've hardly left your side for days. I promised to stay with you." Olivia nodded at them bo