[Hospital—Private Room]
The room was dim, lit only by the soft glow of the monitors and the city lights filtering through half-drawn curtains.
Evelyn stood at the doorway for a long second before stepping inside.
Alexander lay still on the bed with one arm resting at his side and the other connected to wires and tubes that hummed softly. There was a small cut near his temple, a faint bruise blooming along his jaw and the rise and fall of his chest was slow but reassuring.
He looked fragile.
The word hit her so hard she had to press her hand to her mouth.
This was the man who always stood solid, controlled and unshakeable. The man who held storms back with his presence alone.
And now—
Her legs moved before her mind caught up.
She crossed the room quietly, each step careful, as if the sound of her breathing might disturb him.
When she reached the bedside, she stopped again, afraid that touching him might make this real in a way she wasn't ready for.
