Chapter 51

A dull ache throbbed in Liliana's forehead as a warm liquid trickled down her face. She forced her eyes open, her vision awash in crimson. Black smoke poured from the front of the car, and images of exploding vehicles from the news flashed through her mind.

*Am I going to die here tonight?*

But Hale was still in jail. She couldn't die. Knowing Cedric, if she were dead, there was no telling if he'd continue to fund Hale's defense.

Fueled by that single thought, she unbuckled her seatbelt, shoved the door open, and crawled out of the wreckage.

Two hours later, a voice called her name. Liliana's eyelids fluttered open to the glare of a harsh fluorescent light.

"Miss, you're finally awake!" a doctor in a white coat said with a sigh of relief. "How are you feeling?"

The sharp, sterile scent of disinfectant filled the air.

The events of the night came rushing back. She raised a hand to touch her forehead but was met with a jolt of searing pain.

"Don't move," the doctor warned. "You have a mild concussion and need to rest. We tried to contact your family, but no one answered the phone. Is there anyone else we can call?"

The doctor held out her phone, using her thumb to unlock it. The call log showed seven or eight unanswered calls to Cedric, listed under 'Husband.' Her parents, Chuck and Vida, weren't in her contacts, so the doctor had found no one else.

"I..." she began, her voice a raw, raspy whisper. Seven or eight calls. There was no point in trying again. By now, Cedric was probably asleep with Sylvia.

"No relatives? What about a friend?" the doctor pressed. "We need someone to sign off on further tests to check for any internal bleeding in your brain."

Liliana's head was still foggy, and she couldn't sign for herself. She tapped on Juniper's name. "Her."

The doctor immediately called Juniper.

Less than half an hour later, Juniper burst into the Riverbend Hospital emergency room, her fiery red hair a tangled mess. When she saw Liliana's face, half-covered in blood, she nearly burst into tears.

"What happened to you?"

While waiting for Juniper, Liliana had closed her eyes to rest. Her head was a little clearer now. She shook her bead, trying to sound reassuring. Its not life threatening. Just a little car accident."

"Where's Cedric?" Juniper demanded. "Why are you alone this late at night?" She knew Liliana had dinner at the Forrest Estate every Saturday. The accident must have happened on the way back. Why wasn't Cedric with her?

"Junie, calm her down. I'll talk to the doctor," a man's voice said.

Douglas emerged from behind Juniper, his dark eyes fixed on Liliana. "Let's get the tests done first. We can talk about everything else later."

The mention of Cedric brought a fresh wave of anguish, and Liliana's brow furrowed in pain. It was too much to speak.

"Okay, I won't ask anymore," Juniper said, her voice softening. "Bro, go take care of it." She squeezed Liliana's hand and wiped away a tear. "It's going to be okay."

An hour later, the tests were complete. Aside from a mild concussion and a two- centimeter gash on her forehead, she was fine.

.n

"We recommend keeping her for observation for a couple of days. If there are no complications, she can be discharged," the doctor said, filling out her chart. He added, Her car is a total wreck. It's a miracle she only has a mild concussion Lucky she's okay, especially since we couldn't get ahold of her husband... she could have died."

The ordeal had fully woken Liliana up. The dizziness was gone, replaced by a steady throb of pain. Knowing she was okay, she barely registered the doctor's last comment.

"Can I not stay?" she asked. She was supposed to start at Cyan tomorrow. She couldn't afford any setbacks with this hard-won opportunity.

"You're staying," Douglas said, giving her a reassuring look. "I'll handle things at Cyan. You can start after you're discharged."