Chapter 269

The medical team flooded into the private hospital suite, their white coats swirling around Evelyn's bed like a snowstorm. Liam found himself pushed aside as they began their urgent examination.

A nurse checked her pupil response while another took her blood pressure. The cardiac monitor beeped steadily as electrodes recorded her heart rhythm. They tested her reflexes, asking detailed questions about any discomfort.

Evelyn answered each query with careful precision, indicating areas of lingering pain. When the flurry of activity subsided, she noticed Liam's absence. Her gaze swept the room just as the physicians exited, leaving only nursing staff behind.

Muffled voices carried from the hallway. "Remarkable recovery," the lead physician was saying. "All vital signs are stable."

"Despite the cranial trauma, her cognitive functions appear intact," another voice added. "We anticipate no long-term complications."

Liam's deeper tone cut through the medical jargon. "She's regained all her memories. Is that...normal?"

There was a thoughtful pause before the doctor responded. "The impact may have realigned neural pathways, reversing previous artificial damage. Memory restoration is an excellent sign, though we'll continue monitoring."

"Thank you," Liam murmured.

When the door clicked shut again, Liam sank into the chair against the wall, his broad shoulders slumping. He dragged both hands down his face, exhaling slowly.

Of course he was relieved she'd awakened. The joy threatened to overwhelm him. But now that Evelyn remembered everything...would she still be the woman who'd professed her love? Who'd wanted to build a life together?

After the last nurse departed, he rose and approached the bed with measured steps. The door closed softly behind him.

Evelyn sat propped against plush pillows, color returning to her cheeks. Her clear eyes met his - no longer the uncertain gaze he'd grown accustomed to, but steady and composed.

Liam's pulse stuttered. He pulled a chair close, the legs scraping against tile. "Any pain?" he asked, voice rough.

"Just tired," she answered, her tone even.

His fingers flexed against his knees. He swallowed hard before meeting her eyes again. "You remember everything?"

A slight nod.

His chest constricted. "Anything you want to tell me?"

The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words. Finally, Liam forced a smile. "You should rest. I'll have broth sent up."

Her whisper cut through him like glass. "I'm sorry, Liam."

His hands curled into fists. That single word - sorry - was the one thing he couldn't bear. Apologies always preceded loss.

She continued, gaze lowered. "I never realized...your feelings all those years. To me, you were just the boy next door. That's why I never contacted you. I didn't know."

The admission struck like a physical blow, though he'd anticipated it. He leaned back, jaw tight. "Do you remember these past three years?"

Another nod.

The heart monitor's steady beep marked the passing seconds. Liam studied her face - the woman he loved, yet who now seemed a stranger. The Evelyn who'd chosen him no longer existed. In her place sat someone who remembered every reason why they shouldn't be together.