Allyson's POV
Allyson awoke to a soft beeping sound and the sterile scent of the hospital room. The pain in her chest was dull, thanks to the medication, but every breath reminded her of what had happened. Slowly, she opened her eyes and blinked against the bright lights above. The first face she saw was her uncle's, Richard, who was seated by her bedside, looking weary and concerned.
"Uncle…" Allyson's voice was barely a whisper, hoarse from the strain.
Richard immediately leaned in closer, taking her hand in his. "I'm here, Ally," he said softly. Relief washed over his face as he saw her awake.
Allyson tried to sit up, but the pain in her chest forced her back down. "Where's Nate?" she asked, her voice weak but desperate.
Richard's expression darkened, and Allyson's heart sank. "He's not here," Richard replied, his voice firm. "And I don't want him near you. That man is the reason you're in this bed. I won't let him hurt you anymore."
Allyson felt tears well up in her eyes. She knew her uncle was trying to protect her, but the thought of Nate being kept away tore at her heart. Despite everything, she needed to see him, to explain the truth before it was too late.
"Uncle, please," Allyson pleaded, her voice cracking. "I need to talk to him."
But Richard shook his head, his grip on her hand tightening. "No, Ally. You need to rest. Nate's caused enough damage, and I won't allow him to do any more."
Tears slipped down Allyson's cheeks. She had been so close to telling Nate everything—the truth about her identity, her family, and her role at Spark Empire. But now, everything seemed to be falling apart. How could she fix this when the man she loved was being pushed further away?
Nate's POV
Nate awoke with a splitting headache, the remnants of the pills Rachel had given him still clouding his mind. He blinked a few times, trying to clear the fog, and realized he was in Rachel's house. Disoriented, he struggled to remember the events of the previous night, but the memories were jumbled and unclear.
He remembered Allyson getting shot, the panic that had gripped him as he saw her collapse, the blood pooling around her. His heart ached at the memory, and a wave of nausea hit him. He needed to see her, to make sure she was okay.
As he tried to stand, Rachel entered the room, a tray of breakfast in her hands. "Good morning," she said with a soft smile, setting the tray down on the table.
Nate ignored the food, his mind focused on one thing. "Rachel, I need to get back to the hospital. Allyson—"
Rachel's smile faltered, but she quickly recovered. "Nate, you need to take care of yourself too," she said, her tone gentle. "You've been through a lot. Let the doctors handle Allyson for now."
Nate shook his head, the fog in his mind beginning to lift. He felt a gnawing sense of unease, something wasn't right. "No, Rachel. I need to see her."
Rachel's expression darkened slightly, but she masked it with a look of concern. "Nate," she began carefully, "there's something you need to know."
Nate looked at her, his heart pounding. "What is it?"
Rachel hesitated, then let out a sigh as if burdened by the truth. "Allyson isn't who she says she is," she revealed. "She's been hiding things from you—big things."
Nate's brows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"
Rachel took a deep breath and continued, "She's not just an employee at Spark Empire. Allyson is the heir to the company. She's been keeping her true identity a secret from you."
Nate's world seemed to tilt on its axis. Allyson? The heir to Spark Empire? He struggled to process the information, but as Rachel's words sank in, memories of his conversation with Kelvin surfaced. Kelvin had tried to tell him something similar—that Allyson was far more than she appeared to be.
Nate's heart broke all over again. If Allyson was the heir, why hadn't she told him? Why had she kept such a huge part of her life hidden from him?
Rachel continued, her voice soft and persuasive. "Nate, she's been lying to you this whole time. She's been manipulating you, keeping you in the dark about who she really is."
Nate felt like the ground was crumbling beneath him. Everything he thought he knew about Allyson, everything he felt—it was all tainted by this revelation. He didn't know what to believe anymore.
"I don't know what to do," Nate murmured, running a hand through his hair as the weight of the situation bore down on him.
Rachel leaned closer, placing a hand on his arm. "You deserve someone who's honest with you, Nate. Maybe it's time to let her go."
Nate looked at Rachel, her words piercing through the confusion and pain. But deep down, a part of him still wanted to believe in Allyson, to understand why she had kept this secret. He needed to hear her side of the story.
"I need to talk to her," Nate said, his voice firm despite the turmoil inside him.
Rachel's expression hardened for a moment before she forced a smile. "If that's what you want. But just remember, Nate—sometimes the truth hurts more than the lie."
Nate didn't respond. He knew he had to see Allyson, to confront her with everything he had learned, even if it meant uncovering more painful truths.
**Cliffhanger**
As Nate drove back to the hospital, his mind raced with conflicting emotions. Could Allyson really have been deceiving him all this time? Or was there something more to the story?
When he arrived at the hospital, his heart pounded as he made his way to Allyson's room. But before he could reach her, he was stopped by Richard, who was standing in the hallway, his expression cold and unyielding.
"You're not welcome here, Nate," Richard said, his voice icy. "Stay away from my niece."
Nate felt a surge of anger and desperation. "I need to see her. I need to know the truth."
Richard's eyes narrowed. "The truth? You've already done enough damage. Leave now, before I have you thrown out."
Before Nate could argue, the door to Allyson's room opened, and she stepped out, looking pale and tired. She met Nate's gaze, her eyes filled with pain and exhaustion.
"Nate," she said quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. "We need to talk."
Nate's heart twisted at the sight of her. The moment of truth had arrived, and he wasn't sure he was ready for what he was about to hear.