<b>90 </b>


    Sienna’s POV


    This morning, sunlight slipped through the sheer curtains of the hospital’s VIP room. I opened my eyes feeling lighter than I had in the past few days. The pain in my stomach hadn’tpletely disappeared,


    but it was far more manageable. My breathing came easier. Unlike two days ago, when every movement


    made me wince.


    Liam was no longer in his chair. Since I woke up, the seat had been empty, leaving only the trace of a rumpled thin nket and the faint scent of his cologne. I didn’t know what time he left<b>, </b>or where he had gone. All I knew was thatst night, he was still here making sure I wasfortable before finally falling asleep in that very chair. As always, Liam never announced the things he did for me. He simply did them.


    For some reason, an odd feeling crept into my chest when I realized his absence this morning. Maybe I


    had grown too used to seeing him whenever I opened my eyes. Maybe I was beginning to miss his


    presence.


    The hospital room, which usually felt suffocating, now gave space for my thoughts to breathe. The


    sunlight streaming between the thin curtains fell softly on the polished floor, faintly reflecting off the


    cold white walls. Everything appeared so calm, yet inside my chest, something stirred something that made it impossible to close my eyes again.


    I tried to sit up, slowly straightening my body on the bed. The stabbing pain that once gripped me was


    now only a faint pulse, enough to make me grimace but no longer controlling my every move. For the first


    time since I was admitted, I felt a little inmand of my own body. The deep breath I released felt like a


    small victory.


    My eyes drifted back to the empty chair beside the bed. The nket still lying there seemed to hold the trace of someone who had just left it. The faint scent of Liam’s cologne lingered in the air, clinging to my senses stronger than it should have. As though the room itself had recorded his presence in a subtle yet undeniable way.


    I let my gaze linger on that chair. It felt foolish, but there was a strange warmth in imagining him sitting there all night, pushing through exhaustion just to make sure I wasn’t alone. Liam, the man I had always known to be distant and reserved, had somehow be part of the smallest and most fragile corner of my life.


    On the other hand, that realization stirred fear. I wasn’t used to receiving this kind of attention especially from him. His care didn’t just push away the loneliness, it chipped away at the walls I had so carefully built. Every small kindness felt like a crack letting in light, and that light slowly seeped in, filling a space I thought was off–limits to anyone.


    I reached for the ss of water on the bedside table. The cool liquid slid down my throat, leaving behind both freshness and bitterness. It was as if there was a stark contrast between the physical healing I was


    slowly achieving and the turmoil inside me that was only growing harder to control.


    Resting my head against the bedframe, I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to embrace the silence that wrapped around the room. But it wasn’t an empty silence it was filled with thoughts of Liam. The patience in his gaze, the quiet firmness in his voice when he urged me to eat, the way he said little yet made sure I felt safe. All of it lingered, stronger than the pain still shadowing my body.


    Outside the window, the faint sound of birds drifted in, marking the day as it truly began. I remembered the doctor saying I might be able to go home today. The news should have made me happy, yet an unease tugged at me. Going home meant returning to routine, to the harsh reality and maybe to distance from Liam.


    The irony stung. I had once always looked for ways to keep him at a distance. Now, with that distance looming again, a part of me wanted to hold him here. To let him sit in that chair every morning, to let him remain part of this fragile space even if I knew it couldn’tst.


    I opened my eyes, letting the sunlight sting them. There was a bitterness I couldn’t quite name a mix of gratitude for not being alone, and fear at beginning to want more than this brief closeness. In the silence, I could only clutch the nket tighter, trying to calm the faint pounding in my chest that grew louder every time he drifted back into my thoughts.


    Not long after, the door opened. It wasn’t Liam who stepped in, but the doctor who had been treating my appendicitis from the start. He entered with a warm smile, followed by a nurse carrying examination tools.


    “Good morning, Mrs. Sienna. How are you feeling today?” the doctor asked as he began checking the


    notes in his hand.


    “Much better, Doctor<b>,</b><b>” </b>I replied, forcing a small smile though it felt awkward.


    He examined me briefly<b>, </b>asking about the pain, then gently pressing around my abdomen. “Excellent, <b>your </b><b>recovery </b>is very fast,” he said with a satisfied nod. “If this continues, you’ll be able to go home


    tomorrow.”


    I froze for a moment<b>, </b>staring at him with a mix of relief and something else. Home. The word sounded


    light, yet strange. It felt like only yesterday I was brought here weak and helpless, and for these few days, this room had be a small world of its own a world where I felt protected. Especially because of Liam.


    “Tomorrow, Doctor?<b>” </b>I asked, needing to be sure.


    “Yes,” he answered firmly. “But remember, maintain a proper diet and drink enough water. Don’t overexert yourself yet. If you experience any problems, contact us immediately.”


    I nodded slowly. “Alright, Doctor.”


    I watched him, trying to piece together the questions that had been swirling in my head sincest night.


    90


    There were so many things I still didn’t understand, but my tongue had been tied. Finally<b>, </b>I let out a slow breath and gathered the courage to ask.


    “Doctor, actually, how dangerous was my condition yesterday?<b>” </b>I asked hesitantly.


    The doctor closed his notes for a moment, then looked at me calmly. “Appendicitis can be dangerous if


    left untreated. Fortunately, you received care quickly, so surgery wasn’t necessary. But your severe dehydration made things worse. If it had been dyed even a little longer, you could have been


    unconscious for much longer, andplications might have urred.”


    His words made my throat tighten. I imagined how my body could have copsed just because I


    neglected something as simple as drinking water.


    I bit my lip, then asked again, “<b>If </b>I go hometer, is there a chance the inmmation wille back<b>?</b><b>” </b>


    “Yes,” he answered honestly. “Especially <b>if </b>your lifestyle doesn’t change. So it’s important to watch your diet, avoid too much caffeine, drink plenty of water, and don’t skip meals.” He added firmly, <b>“</b>Your body


    has already given you a warning. Don’t ignore it again.”