Still, the man's gaze was becoming increasingly irritating.
Why was he looking at her like that?
She frowned slightly.
After staring at him for a few seconds, she finally spoke. Her voice was hoarse and cracked.
"Who... are... you?"
The moment those three words left her lips, the entire room fell silent.
Edmund froze.
His eyes widened ever so slightly.
Those words hit him harder than any threat ever could.
Who are you?
He had imagined countless possibilities of what she might say when she finally woke up. He had imagined her crying. He had imagined her asking where she was. He had even imagined her calling for someone. But he had never imagined this.
She was looking directly at him, and there was nothing in her eyes. No recognition. No familiarity. Nothing.
Edmund's fingers slowly curled into fists at his sides, for a moment, he couldn't breathe. The girl continued staring at him, waiting for an answer. She didn't understand why everyone in the room had suddenly become so quiet. They had been quiet before, but this silence felt different.
Oddly irritating.
Her head was already throbbing, and the last thing she needed was a room full of strangers staring at her without saying a word.
She frowned deeper. Are they all mute? She shifted slightly, but pain immediately shot through her body.
Her face paled.
She sucked in a quiet breath, even moving was exhausting. Yet the irritation in her eyes didn't disappear, If anything, it grew sharper.
The girl looked around the room again.
They had barged into her ward, disturbed her rest, and now, when she asked a simple question, everyone just stood there staring at her.
Her patience finally snapped, she looked at them coldly.
"Seriously?"
Her hoarse voice cut through the silence.
"You barge into my ward, disturb my rest, and when I ask you a question, everyone goes silent."
Her eyes moved from one person to another.
"You all just stand there looking at me like some ornament." She paused to catch her breath.
Her body felt unbearably heavy. Her eyelids were already beginning to droop, but she forced them open.
"If you're not ready to speak..." Her voice weakened for a moment, she swallowed and continued.
"Then leave." The room remained silent, Her brows twitched. She was clearly running out of patience.
"I'm tired."
She leaned her head back against the pillow, her expression cold despite the exhaustion written across her face.
"So unless someone here actually plans to answer me..."
Her eyes slowly closed.
"Get out."
Edmund remained speechless.
Even after several long moments, he still didn't know what to say. His mouth opened and closed as though the words were sitting at the tip of his tongue, yet none of them came out.
He looked at the girl.
Her eyes were closed now.
For a moment, he simply stood there, then he decided it was best to leave. He turned toward the others.
"Why are you still here?"
His voice was chillingly cold.
Before he could say anything else, everyone immediately dispersed.
Within seconds, the hallway was empty.
Even Daniel, who had arrived only moments earlier, didn't know how to react to what he had just witnessed.
It took him a while before he finally turned to leave, but just before he walked away, he glanced back.
Edmund was still standing inside the hospital room.
He stood perfectly straight, his usual intimidating presence still there.
Yet somehow... He looked alone, The room behind him was silent.
The hallway was empty.
And for the first time, Daniel didn't see the terrifying man everyone feared.
He saw a man standing alone beside a hospital bed, staring at someone who no longer seemed to know him.
There was something about the sight that felt strangely heartbreaking.
Daniel's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer.
Why?
That was the only thought that crossed his mind before he finally turned away.
The next morning...
Her eyes slowly fluttered open, A harsh white light greeted her.
She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut again, her brows drawing together. After a few seconds, she slowly opened them once more, allowing her eyes to gradually adjust to the brightness filling the room.
"Are you in pain?"
Her eyes shifted toward the voice.
Edmund.
He had noticed that she was awake and immediately moved to her side.
He pulled a stool closer to the bed and sat down beside her. His eyes remained fixed on her as he reached for the cup of water sitting on the bedside table.
He picked it up and held it out to her.
"Here."
She stared at him for a moment.
It was the same man from yesterday, yet now he was sitting beside her bed, quietly offering her water, her throat was painfully dry.
She turned toward the cup, but even that small movement sent a sharp wave of pain through her body.
Her face tightened.
Edmund noticed immediately.
"Let me help you." His voice was calm, But he didn't move, He simply waited.
Aurora looked at him for a moment. Then, after a brief hesitation, she gave a slight nod.
Only then did Edmund move.
He gently slipped one hand behind her head and carefully supported her as he brought the cup to her lips.
Aurora took a small sip.
Then another.
She turned her head away.
Edmund immediately lowered the cup.
" Alright?"
She gave a faint nod.
He placed the cup back on the bedside table and slowly lowered her head onto the pillow.
She coughed softly.
"Cough... cough..."
Edmund watched her carefully.
After a moment, her eyes settled on him again, she stared at him for several seconds, then her brows furrowed.
"It's you again."
Edmund went still.