"…Yes sir, the doctor is right in here," the young secretary behind the desk said, her voice slightly flustered. Her heart thudded wildly in her chest. She couldn't believe who was standing just a few feet away.
Kieran freaking Blackwood.
She screamed the words in her head, but outwardly tried to keep it cool. Tried. The blush spreading across her cheeks, though? That she couldn't hide.
"Thank you," Kieran offered her a small, polite smile.
She just about melted into a goofy puddle right there behind the desk.
Right beside him—more like glued to his side—Genesis glanced up at her husband, then to the blushing secretary. A strange tug pulled at her chest, sharp and confusing. Without realizing it, she tightened her hold around Kieran's arm.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
Her heart thudded to that silent chant as she narrowed her eyes at the girl behind the desk.
Nicole felt the intensity of a stare and instinctively turned her head. Her breath caught at the look Genesis was giving her, a fierce glare, that was what it was. But for a brief moment, all she really saw was the fragile beauty standing beside Kieran.
She's stunning up close, Nicole thought.
She'd seen the couple's post a few days ago—the one that had the internet cooing. It had been cute, sure. But seeing her now, in person… she understood why Kieran had looked at his wife like that in the video.
Oh, when will a man look at me that way? she sighed internally.
"What's wrong, princess?" Kieran's soft frown pulled Genesis' attention. He looked down at her, noticing how hard she was gripping his bicep. Her other hand kept drifting to her neck, rubbing gently. The collar imprint was still faintly there.
She peeked at Nicole from the corner of her eye.
Kieran paused, confused for a moment—until realization flickered in his gaze. He smiled and leaned down to whisper, "You don't need to be jealous. I only have eyes for you, remember? My body, my heart… it's all yours."
Her cheeks warmed, and she swallowed.
She liked that.
She liked that a lot.
"You like that?" Kieran murmured, then lightly nipped at her earlobe.
She shivered, gently pushing him away as his gaze slid down to her wrist. The moment he saw it, it was like a rock dropped into the pit of his stomach.
He quickly turned his attention to Nicole, who was staring at them—somewhere between delighted, jealous, and thoroughly intrigued.
"I want you to watch my wife," he said suddenly, voice sharp. "Don't take your eyes off her."
"What?" Nicole blinked, stunned. "I—I'm sorry?"
He didn't repeat himself or explain. Instead, he gently guided Genesis to a plush lounge chair nearby. She followed him, but wouldn't let go of his hand.
"Baby," he crouched in front of her, voice soft. "I need you to sit here, okay? Just for a few minutes. I want to speak with the doctor first—then you'll join us, alright?"
She immediately shook her head. Hard.
She didn't want to be alone.
Didn't even know why they were there. She hated hospitals. They made her feel weird, like something in the back of her mind wanted to wake up, but couldn't. Like there were memories clawing to reach her—but they never quite made it.
Fifteen years in the Caldwell Estate.
And yet, she couldn't remember much of it.
Kieran reached into the duffel bag he'd brought and pulled out a stick of candy. "Here, princess. If I'm not back by the time it's halfway gone, then you can come inside the room."
She stared at it and shook her head again.
He sighed, then reached for his phone. Scrolling quickly, he found one of the MSA videos Daisy had downloaded. Why on his phone? No clue. Daisy just said "It's more fun on yours."
"Just watch this…" He glanced at the title. "It's only twelve minutes. I'll be back before it ends, I promise."
He placed the phone in her hand, along with the candy. She took them reluctantly, her heart pounding. She didn't want him to leave. Not even for a second.
"I'll be out soon," he whispered and kissed the tip of her nose.
She wanted to grab his hand, hold it tight. But she didn't. She just watched him go.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
She looked down at the video. A girl was narrating her life, but Genesis couldn't hear a single word.
"You like MSA too?" a gentle voice pulled her back to the present. She looked up to find Nicole smiling kindly at her. "My baby sister's obsessed with them."
---
Inside the office…
"Like I mentioned earlier," Kieran began, pacing slowly, "she hasn't spoken in fifteen years. We believe it's selective mutism. She used to talk when she was little—up until her father died. She was eight at the time. We don't know the full details, but… loud noises make her scream sometimes. And it's the only time she makes any sound at all."
Dr. Philip sat quietly, nodding. "What kind of noises trigger that response?"
Kieran stopped pacing and met his eyes. "A gunshot… and a balloon filled with talcum powder."
Philip blinked at that, but didn't ask further. He just scribbled something into his notes.
"Last night," Kieran continued, voice tightening, "she sleepwalked. Or at least, I thought it was sleepwalking. But her eyes were open. She was awake. She kept mumbling—'I'm sorry, don't hit me'—over and over. Then she…" he swallowed hard. "She tried to hurt herself. And thankfully I stopped it in time."
His hands clenched. He wanted to hit something but he looked down at the bandage on his knuckles, where Daisy and Genesis had doodled little hearts and the word love. He wouldn't mess it up again. Not for anything.
"I know she was abused by her step family," he said. "But I don't know the full story."
Philip nodded again, thoughtful. "Has anything happened recently that might've triggered this episode—aside from her past trauma?"
Kieran was quiet for a moment before finally speaking. He told Dr. Philip about the Veronica incident—though not in full detail—and also mentioned the situation with the reporter. First, he explained how Veronica had forced Genesis to take photos and had nearly drowned her. But for some reason, he couldn't bring himself to describe just how horrific it truly was. Then he talked about the reporter—how he'd asked the lady to apologize for questioning why Genesis was silent, a question that had clearly triggered her panic. He left out the part where he'd kidnapped the reporter to make that happen. That… was unnecessary to share.
"Hmm… that's a lot," Dr. Philip murmured, brows furrowed.
"So what do you think should be done?" Kieran asked. His voice was tight, his hands clasped in front of him. "She needs help. She doesn't even remember that she tried to hurt herself yesterday."
Dr. Philip leaned back in his chair, steepling his fingers as he observed Kieran carefully. "First, she needs a full psychological evaluation—not just an informal observation based on behavior. From what you've told me, Genesis is showing strong signs of complex post-traumatic stress disorder. C-PTSD."
Kieran's jaw tightened.
"The mutism," Philip continued, "the self-harm, the gaps in her memory, the extreme reactions to certain sounds… They all point to deep, prolonged trauma that hasn't been resolved."
Kieran nodded slowly. "And the sleepwalking? The way she was talking… it was like she wasn't even there."
"That's dissociation," Philip explained gently. "It's the mind's way of protecting itself. When it becomes too painful to exist in the present, the brain detaches. In Genesis's case, it's severe enough that it may be affecting her even when she's awake. Her brain is doing everything it can to keep her away from the memories—even if it means putting her body on autopilot."
Kieran swallowed hard. "So what now? Therapy? Medication? I'll do anything. Just tell me what to do."
"She needs stability," Philip said firmly. "A safe space. Routine. Familiarity. No more surprises. She needs trauma-focused therapy—EMDR, maybe somatic therapy. Something that allows her to heal without reliving the pain all at once. And above all… she needs to feel in control. Tell her where she's going, who she's meeting. Don't spring things on her."
Kieran exhaled slowly. "And if she remembers everything? What if it's worse than we think?"
Philip met his gaze steadily. "Then we walk through it with her. Gently. Carefully. But Kieran…" He paused, voice dropping. "You have to understand—love alone can't fix this. It helps, yes. But you can't protect her from the healing process. Healing hurts. It's already hurting."
Kieran pressed his lips into a thin line. He knew that. He just hated hearing it out loud.
Suddenly, the door burst open.
Nicole stumbled in, breathless, her face completely drained of color.
"She's… she's…" she gasped, eyes wide with panic.
She couldn't get the words out.