"Can you hear me?" Sienna inquired, grasping his hand tightly and leaning in closer to hear what he was saying. "Don't let Hernandez get away..." "Do not..." His unclear voice, laced with an emotion she was unable to define as fear or agony, continued to speak softly. She felt his hands tremble and instantaneously held them, wrapping her arms around them.
Alexander slowly opened his eyes, and for a brief moment, she was captivated. He had gray eyes that appeared so piercing that she was afraid she could fall into them and be wounded by the sharpness. He locked his gaze on her, and she did the same, staring into the ocean of his eyes as though they communicated words he couldn't utter.
Meanwhile, Agartha had already left to inform Mrs. Miller about the incident. She dashed inside the disinfected room without a protective garment, yanking her son's hands away from hers. She turned to Alexander and said, "Alexander, look at me." It's your mom. Look at me, son. "Do you remember me?"
Alex finally took his eyes off Sienna and looked at the woman. A strong sense of familiarity washed over him as he remembered her. "Mother," he finally said, in a low tone. Mrs. Miller, almost moved to tears by her happiness, suddenly hugged her son. Sienna gave Mrs. Miller a protective coat to wear and left the room to give the mother and son some space.
Alexander's gaze shifted from his mother to the fleeing figure of Sienna. He wanted her to stay. Even though he recognized her face, she still seemed alien to him. Yet he wanted her to stay. Alexander's gaze stayed on the door for a moment after she shut it behind her, then returned to his mother's face.
Mrs. Miller was on the brink of tears as she kept on massaging his face with her hands. Alexander pulled her hands away and brought his hand to his face. Holding her hands, he held them in his. He said softly, "I'm fine, Mother." "Your crying is giving me headaches," he said in a little more imposing tone. You and I really need to rest. Adopting a tone that alternated between commanding and concerned, he said, "Look at the dark circles under your eyes."
Mrs. Miller was so surprised to hear those words from her son. He never really complimented anyone, and his way of showing concern was so different, but now he openly showed his concern towards her, although his tone of showing it said otherwise.
Mrs. Miller gave a soft, shaky laugh as she wiped her tears with the back of her palm. "Still bossy," she murmured, brushing his hair back with care. "Still the same, Alexander." But he wasn't. Not entirely.
Alexander closed his eyes briefly, as though trying to filter the swarm of thoughts flooding his mind. Flashes of unfamiliar names, partial conversations, and a lingering sense of betrayal spun like a vortex behind his eyelids. And in the midst of it all, one image remained vivid—Sienna's face, the worry in her eyes, the warmth in her hands.
"Who… is she?" he asked, cracking open his eyes again. "The woman who was here just now." Mrs. Miller's hand paused mid-air. Her lips tightened. "She's no one important," she said a bit too quickly, brushing it off as she stood up. "She's your physician. That's all."
But Alexander wasn't convinced. His eyes narrowed just slightly, and his voice was more focused this time, less groggy. "No one important doesn't hold my hand like that." He wasn't accusing. Just observant. And suddenly, more awake than either of them expected.
Mrs. Miller gave a tight smile, smoothing her skirt before sitting down again. "You've been unconscious for months. Of course she's cared for you. That's her job."
Alexander let her words hang in the air, but he wasn't listening to them. He was still thinking of Sienna. The sadness in her eyes. The way she had whispered his name like it meant something. Maybe he was just overthinking it. Maybe she was just concerned for her patients.
Out in the hallway, Sienna leaned against the wall, her hands still trembling. She pressed her fingers against her temple, trying to breathe. It was overwhelming; he had looked at her. Seen her. And remembered something. That name again: Hernandez. Not just whispered randomly, but said like a warning.
She wanted to be happy he had awakened, but instead, she felt a knot of dread tightening in her chest. "Sienna?" Agartha's voice called softly as she approached. "Are you alright?" Sienna nodded, forcing a smile. "Just... needed a moment." Agartha placed a gentle hand on her arm. "You should go back in. He asked about you."
Sienna's heart skipped. "He did?" "Yes," Agartha nodded with a knowing look. "He remembers your presence, even if not everything else." But Sienna hesitated. "Mrs. Miller… she's not going to like it if I step in too soon." "She never likes anything that isn't on her terms," Agartha replied calmly. "But this isn't about her anymore."
Inside the room, Alexander lay back against the pillows, his eyes closed again, brow furrowed as memories tried to surface like waves breaking through fog. He could hear the sound of someone entering quietly, cautiously.
When he opened his eyes again, Sienna was standing at the threshold, her hands clasped in front of her lab coat.
He blinked slowly. "You stayed." Sienna offered a small smile. "I never left." Mrs. Miller stood up, displeased but composed. "I'll leave you both for a moment," she said tightly, her voice cool. "Only a moment."
Once the door shut, Alexander turned his head slightly, his voice softer now. "What happened to me?"
Sienna pulled a chair closer to his bedside and sat down. "There was an accident. A deliberate one meant to… kill you."
His gaze darkened. "Deliberate…?"
She nodded slowly. "You mentioned a name before you woke up. Hernandez." At the sound of the name, something flickered behind his eyes—fear, recognition, pain. He shifted uncomfortably. "I don't know who he is," Sienna said carefully, "but you do. And it sounded like you were trying to say something."
Alexander stared at the ceiling. Then turned to her. "I don't remember everything yet. Just… pieces. Flashes. But Hernandez…" His voice grew distant. "He's not done." Sienna, with a puzzled expression, turned to look at him. "Done? With what?" He looked into her eyes for a split second, as though he were looking for trust. He hesitated, then continued, "I was on to something huge while investigating a fraud case in Sterling & co. and I got a lead, which was him." He paused and winced a little before proceeding, "I went to track him down and on my way back, my car was controlled and I was ambushed."
Sienna knew that Thomas Hernandez had a hand in her brother's death, but she didn't want to tell Alexander anything now. At least, not until she had solid proof. Despite that, she felt impelled to help him heal and help him out with the investigations.
Earlier, Mr. Miller had called and begged her to assist Alexander until he was completely okay. He even increased her pay just for that. So, she felt that it wouldn't hurt too much if she assisted him all the way.
Sienna felt the cold edge of that warning seep into her skin. "Then we'll find out who he is. Together." For a moment, silence settled between them. Then Alexander's lips curled, almost in a smile. "You really didn't leave, huh?"
"I made a promise to stay until you woke up," she said gently. "And I keep my promises." His gaze softened, holding hers. "Then I guess I'm lucky."
Sienna tried not to blush under the weight of that look.