Elysia's POV:
"Do you know that someone is here to meet you?" Dr. Smith informed in a gentle voice, his tone soft.
"They have been coming every day just to meet you," he added.
"May I allow him to enter? I'll stay with you. He simply wishes to meet you, alright?" he asked.
I looked at him uncertainly before nodding hesitantly. His smile grew wider in response.
"That's a good decision. You're growing stronger," he extended his hand, drawing it close to my head.
I watched his movements cautiously until he softly patted my head, his smile never fading. "That's it! You are doing great," he praised.
When Dr. Smith opened the door, a familiar man walked in slowly and smiled at me. His smile was warm and welcoming.
"Hi, Elysia." He sat on the seat across the table beside Dr. Smith and looked at me for a while, giving me ample time to observe him.
"I'm Dean Lawson, Elysia. It's really nice to meet you. Do you know I've been visiting every day just to see you?" His voice brimmed with a soft energy.
I gazed at him, unsure of who he was and his reason for being here. Yet, I remained silent, simply observing.
"You might be wondering who this uncle is, trying to talk to you when you don't know me," he playfully quipped.
With no response from me, he continued, "Actually, you don't know me, but I know you."
Confusion gnawed at me. I was certain I hadn't seen this man until a few months ago, when they entered the room while Dr. Smith spoke with me.
"My wife is here too. She's been wanting to see you for a while. Wait, let me show you her pictures," he presented a small bundle of photographs.
"See, this is from our wedding," he arranged the pictures on the table for me to see.
"This is my wife; you see, isn't she beautiful?" He asked, pointing to the bride.
Yes, she was beautiful with a bright smile on her face as she stood by him. She was the same woman who entered with them a few months ago. But it was the other woman who caught my attention. She was standing beside the bride, smiling happily. The bride had one arm around her husband while the other was around that woman.
I don't know what happened, but I wanted to touch her. Something about her felt familiar. I felt a magnetic pull towards her warm smile.
Slowly, I extended my hand, hesitating before cautiously touching the picture.
I traced the woman's smiling face, my vision narrowing as I tried to recognize her.
'My baby...' a strange yet soft laughter of a woman suddenly echoed in my head along with her cheerful voice.
Startled, I retreated my hand in surprise. My heart raced in my chest.
What was that?!
I looked up at the man with questioning eyes and pointed at the woman to know more about her when I noticed his shocked expression staring at me. He looked down immediately sensing my gaze and wiped his eyes, trying to hide the tears from me, but I still caught it.
Was he... crying?
Why?!!
"You... You want to know who she is?" He asked, smiling down at me.
I thought for a while and nodded slowly. I wanted to know more about her.
"She's our best friend. We were childhood friends. We all grew up together," he informed with a smile, but I couldn't help but notice something odd about his smile, as if it was somber.
I wanted to know where she is now, but Dr. Smith spoke, diverting my attention to him.
"Elysia! Dean and Sandra are your legal guardians who want to help you. Take your time to know them. Remember the promise you made me? To try and open up to new people?"
Dr. Smith's encouraging smile made me feel safer. I'd grown to trust him over the months. He promised I was safe now, that Mother wouldn't return for me. She will be punished for her wrongdoings, and I wouldn't be hurt anymore.
He also has been guiding me for months, and I liked him because he was a kind uncle, not like others. He taught me to relax when I feel like screaming or the things I should do when I sense danger and he wanted me to meet new people, so I won't be detached from the world as he say.
I nodded in agreement. If he believed these people were okay, then maybe they were.
Dean's voice broke the silence. "Would you like to meet my wife?"
Meeting a woman again? Anxiety clenched me. What if she was like Mother?
Dr. Smith assured me he'd be present. That eased my worry a little. I agreed, hesitating but willing to learn.
"May I introduce you to my wife?" Dean asked cautiously, hopeful eyes on me.
I thought for a moment before nodding.
"She's waiting outside. Would you like her to come in?" he inquired gently.
I turned to Dr. Smith for guidance. He smiled reassuringly, urging me to give it a chance.
When Dean opened the door, a woman entered, her smile uncertain. Redness tinged her eyes. As the door closed, she stood still.
"Hello, Elysia. I'm Sandra... Sandra Lawson," she greeted, voice trembling slightly.
"May I sit next to you?" Her voice was shaky with nervous anticipation.
Instantly, I looked towards Dr. Smith, with hesitant and questioning eyes. He smiled and nodded encouragingly.
I looked back at Sandra, who was staring back at me with hopeful eyes. I allowed her to sit next to my chair by moving my seat a little. She walked slowly and sat beside me.
I clutched my clothes, highly aware and on guard against her. She didn't move or try to come closer; rather, she just sat and smiled at me, while others observed us. Eventually, I relaxed when I didn't sense immediate danger.
"I... I made something for you," she said after a while of silence and placed a small lunch box on the table.
When she opened it, there were little round things like little pockets or buns. A fresh and mouth-watering smell spread across the room.
What is this thing?!
"Do you... do you know what it is?" Sandra asked, her eyes becoming redder.
I shook my head in the negative, highly intrigued by this thing.
She sniffled and wiped her eyes, "Sorry, I got something in my eyes," she said, laughing awkwardly.
"They're dumplings. Try one, they're delicious. I bet you'll love them." She picked up a dumpling and offered it to me.
She wants to feed me?!
I didn't know how to respond to that. No one has ever fed me before; this was the first time.
I opened my mouth in a daze, staring at her face, still confused with my mixed feelings about her. She didn't seem like mother; rather, she was the opposite of her.
She seemed surprised but delighted by my acceptance and quickly fed me. I chewed, savoring the flavor that melted in my mouth. It was unlike anything I'd tasted before.
Sandra's eyes brightened. "You like it?"
I nodded, feeling my guard lower.
"I knew you would. They were her favorite too," she said emotionally.
Huh?
Whose favorite?
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion when Dean interjected, "We were sure you'd enjoy them. My wife makes the best dumplings in the world," he winked at Sandra. She playfully smacked his shoulder, her cheeks flushed.
I watched their interaction, fascinated. They were different from anyone I'd known—warm, kind, and caring. A warm sensation bloomed inside me. They kept talking to me even when I never answered but their welcoming interaction put a small smile on my face.
When it was time for them to go, they both looked sad but asked if they could visit again, to which I nodded. Sandra stopped before the door, unsure of something.
"Can I... can I have a hug?" Sandra asked hesitantly.
I looked at her, shocked by her question. She wants a hug... from me?
"It's okay if you are not comfortable. I completely understand. Maybe next time," she said hurriedly when I didn't respond.
I stepped forward, giving my consent. I wanted to know what it felt like to be hugged by someone. Sandra was not like other women; she was different.
No one ever offered me food, no one ever showed care for me, no one ever asked how I was doing or whether I was okay, and no one ever... asked me for a hug before.
As she witnessed my approach for a hug, she momentarily froze, her expression a mix of surprise and astonishment.
Her eyes watered suddenly as she knelt down and engulfed me in a warm embrace.
Her arms around me, her scent immediately filled my lungs, spreading the strangest feeling inside me. Is that what it feels like to be hugged by someone?
Is this what other children feel when they are hugged by their mothers?
My hands unknowingly wrapped around her as tears started rolling down my cheeks. This was the first time I felt something so good and so comforting.
"Oh child, my dear," she stroked my back, tightening her hold on me. Tears flowed from both Sandra's eyes and mine during the embrace.
When they left later, I couldn't forget the feeling of being hugged by Sandra.
"Sandra," I whispered her name, liking the feeling of speaking for the first time in months and her name. I smiled to myself, looking forward to their next visit.
They started visiting me frequently, bringing different food, talking about anything, and laughing at their silly jokes. But the thing I looked forward to the most was always the hug I received from them before they left.
They were different from the world I'd known, and each interaction left me feeling less alone.
With every visit, the familiar feeling of Sandra's hug became a lifeline. A sense of belonging and comfort, something I'd never felt before. I couldn't help but wonder if this was what others call home.
I had started to believe that maybe, just maybe, I had found my home... she felt like home.
••••••
My heart clenched painfully in my chest as memories from the past flooded back. Losing the home I had finally found was unthinkable. I couldn't bear to lose any more than I already had.
After spending some time talking to my mom, I left the ICU and began searching for Beastie. It was her turn to go in, but she was nowhere to be seen.
As I stepped out into the corridor, I spotted her standing alone, tightly gripping her phone while staring at something on the screen. She seemed so absorbed that she didn't notice me approaching.
Her jaw was tense, and her eyes held a mix of shock, anger, and disappointment...?
When she eventually realized I was coming towards her, her eyes widened briefly before she swiftly concealed her previous emotions, regaining her composure.
What was she looking at?
"What were you watching?" I inquired, convinced that she was concealing something important.
"Nothing important," she responded, hurriedly pocketing her phone. However, I managed to catch her hand and take the phone from her, suspecting that it might be related to my mom's condition.
"I told you not to keep anything from me about Mom–" I noticed her expression shift from neutral to helpless as I took her phone and examined what she had been viewing, scolding her for withholding information. However, my words trailed off when I glimpsed the news headline, freezing in mid-sentence.
"Another Wedding Celebration Soon? Ares Simon Knight, the sole heir of the Knight Group, finally decided to settle down with the granddaughter of Aaron Noelle Silva! The families finally announced the couple's engagement..."
The article went on to mention their plans for an official engagement celebration. I couldn't bring myself to read any further as the familiar sensation of losing him all over again enveloped me. Leaning against the wall for support, my heart sank and my breath caught.
"Ely–"
"I'm okay. I just need a moment to process this," I interjected before she could say anything more, my vision blurring due to unwanted tears welling up in my eyes.
"But, Ely–"
"Please," I implored, turning away to hide my face from her. With quick steps, I walked out of the hallway.
I walked to the nearby bench outside the hospital building and sat down, feeling numbed.
What was I even thinking?
What more could I have expected?
Don't the wealthy always marry within their own circles?
Gazing heavenward, I fanned my face and blinked rapidly to hold back the traitorous tears. Taking deep breaths, I tapped my feet restlessly on the ground.
"Don't you dare cry, Elysia Dean Lawson. Years ago, you made a choice to wish him happiness with whomever he chose to love. You accepted the fact that he could never be yours. It's your own fault for allowing hope to resurface. Don't shed a tear now," I scolded myself, biting my lip to stifle the tears.
I didn't even realize when my heart raised the hope again that I buried deep inside years ago.
All the pain, suffering, heartache, my unrequited feelings for him, and memories I thought I had moved past, all surged back at once...
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Hey, beautiful people! What are your thoughts about today's chapter?
Fasten your seatbelts and get ready for a long ride, lovelies. From the next chapter onward, we are diving into their past, where everything started, the beginning of their highschool, discovering her friend or enemy, the secrets of Elysia's biological parents and the time where things ended...
I would love to hear your thoughts when you will read a new side of Elysia and her past... 🤗