Chapter 136

Consciousness returned slowly, dragging itself back inch by agonising inch. At first, there was only confusion – strange shapes swam before her eyes, accompanied by a cacophony of indistinct sounds. Then awareness rushed in, swift and brutal. Fire. Smoke. Fear. Elodie sat upright, fighting off the lingering tendrils of unconsciousness. Pain exploded in her skull, throbbing in rhythm with her pulse. Gasping, she tried to draw in a breath, but her lungs protested, tightening in protest. Where am I? she wondered, struggling to focus on her surroundings. Gradually, reality came into view. She found herself lying in a plush hospital bed, surrounded by the familiar opulence of her brother Gabriel’s private medical facility. Memories of the fire and chaos came rushing back, making her heart race. How did she survive? Who pulled her out of the inferno? As she attempted to sit up, a firm but gentle hand pressed down on her shoulder. ‘Easy there, you shouldn’t move just yet,’ a voice cautioned.