The door opened with barely a sound.
Elara waited; she wasn't sure what she'd expected- dust, maybe. A room frozen in time.
Instead, the room looked... lived in. Not occupied, but cared for.
The curtains were open, letting the evening light spill across the polished wooden floor. Fresh lilies and roses stood in a crystal vase beside the window. The bed was neatly made, the white duvet pulled tight without a single crease.
Someone had been here today her mother.
The thought came almost instantly.
Every Friday without fail, changing the flowers.
Straightening pillows that no one had slept on in ten years.
Elara felt something tighten in her chest "Mum..."
It wasn't fair. She had lost a daughter, but every week she still walked into this room as though she hadn't.
Elara stepped inside.
The floor gave a soft creak beneath her heel. She stopped that sound... It felt familiar.
She looked down at the loose floorboard.
A memory stirred just beyond reach.
Someone jumping on it again and again.
A little girl's laughter echoed somewhere deep inside her head: "...It squeaks!"
The voice was so clear that Elara turned.
The room was empty.
She let out a slow breath "This is ridiculous."
She wasn't here to chase ghosts; her eyes wandered around the room.
Everything looked smaller than she remembered.
The tiny writing desk.
The rocking horse tucked beside the wardrobe.
The bookshelf filled with stories they used to...
She frowned, used to what? Read? Trade? Fight over?
She couldn't remember that bothered her more than it should have.
She reached for one of the books anyway. The Secret Garden.
The cover was faded from years of use.
She opened it absentmindedly.
A small piece of paper slipped out and drifted to the floor.
Elara bent to pick it up. It wasn't a letter, just a childish drawing.
Two little girls holding hands beneath an enormous yellow sun.
One had "E" written above her head.
The other had "A."
In crooked handwriting at the bottom were the words— Best sisters forever.
Her thumb brushed over the faded pencil marks.
She smiled not because the drawing was beautiful, because it wasn't.
The circles weren't round, and the arms were too long; the sun took up half the page.
It was exactly the kind of drawing children proudly believed belonged in a museum "I can't believe we thought this was art."
A quiet laugh escaped her. It lasted barely a second, then the smile faded.
She couldn't remember which one of them had drawn it.
Was it Alera? Or was it her?
She stared at the paper; nothing came not a single memory.
Only an uncomfortable emptiness.
Her fingers slowly lowered "Why..."
The word barely left her lips "Why can't I remember?"
She placed the drawing back inside the book and looked around again.
That's when she noticed it.
A silver frame resting at the far corner of the desk unlike every other photograph in the room... It had been turned face down.
Her brows pulled together. Who would do that?
She walked over and picked it up for a moment.. she simply stared.
The air left her lungs.
It wasn't just her and Alera.
Julian stood behind them, laughing with his arm thrown around Sebastian's shoulders.
Sebastian couldn't have been older than thirteen.
Beside him, Alaric. Younger, his black hair was longer, falling across his forehead, his expression serious despite the summer sunshine.
Alera had both arms wrapped around him from behind, trying to make him smile.
And Elara... she was standing beside him.
Close enough that their shoulders touched. Close enough that it didn't look awkward.
It looked... Natural as though they'd spent years together.
Her eyes searched the photograph again.
Her breathing became uneven "This doesn't make sense..."
She whispered it more to herself than anyone else "I would've remembered you."
She looked into the eyes of the boy in the photograph.
He wasn't a stranger.
The photograph proved that, so why... ...did he feel like one?
She looked at the photograph one last time.
Five faces smiled back at her; only one felt like a stranger.
Elara's fingers trembled "...Who erased you from my life?"
///
The corridor outside the maternity ward had grown quieter.
The evening rush had passed.
Only the occasional nurse crossed the polished floor, their footsteps echoing softly before disappearing around the corner.
Alaric hadn't moved.
He stood by the window overlooking the city, one hand tucked into the pocket of his trousers.
From where he stood, he could see Sebastian through the small glass panel of Clara's room.
Still waiting as though leaving wasn't an option.
A doctor stepped out of the room, closing the door gently behind him.
Sebastian was beside him almost immediately "How is she?"
"She's stable."
The doctor's tone was reassuring "So is the baby."
A muscle in Sebastian's jaw relaxed.
"The fainting episode was most likely caused by stress and low blood pressure. We've started fluids, and we'd like to keep her overnight for observation."
"Can I see her?"
"For a few minutes."
Sebastian nodded once
As the doctor walked away, Alaric pushed himself away from the window "Good news?"
Sebastian didn't stop "The doctor just told you."
"I wasn't asking the doctor."
Sebastian finally looked at him "Then stop asking."
He opened the door and stepped inside, closing it behind him.
The room was dimly lit.
The steady rhythm of the heart monitor filled the silence.
Clara looked pale against the white sheets.
An IV line disappeared beneath the blanket covering her arm.
She turned her head when the door opened for a second... Fear crossed her face.
Clara looked up "...Sebastian."
His expression was cold enough to make her look away again "Ten days."
His voice was quiet "Do you have any idea what I've been doing for the last ten days?"
"I'm sorry."
"I searched for you."
She lowered her head "I know."
"No." He took another step toward her bed. "You don't."
"I had people looking for you."
"I didn't mean to disappear."
"Then explain it."
The room fell silent.
Clara nervously twisted the edge of the blanket between her fingers "I... I moved."
Sebastian frowned "You what?"
"I moved out."
His brows knitted together "Why?"
She looked at him, confused "Because your secretary texted me."
"My secretary?"
She nodded "She said the apartment wasn't safe anymore... that I had to leave immediately."
Sebastian's face hardened "Which secretary?"
"I don't know her name."
"There isn't one."
Clara blinked "What?"
"There isn't a single person working for me stupid enough to make that decision without my permission."
The words came out colder than he intended "I never told anyone to move you."
The colour slowly drained from Clara's face "...What?"
"I didn't know you had left."
"But..."
Her voice became small "The message..."
"I never sent one."
Silence for the first time, genuine fear crossed Clara's face "I thought..."
She swallowed "I thought you moved me because someone found out."
Sebastian stared at her "Where did you stay?"
She quietly gave him the address.
His jaw tightened He'd never heard it before "You've been there the whole time?".
She nodded "I thought you'd come."
"My old phone broke the day I moved." She looked down at her hands.
A faint bitterness slipped into her voice before disappearing "I couldn't call you."
Another silence.
Then Clara spoke again, almost absentmindedly, "...An old lady came to see me."
Sebastian looked up instantly "What old lady?"
"The one you sent."
His face went completely still "I didn't send anyone."
Clara frowned "What?"
"Describe her."
"She was old... maybe in her seventies."
"Elegant."
"Very well dressed."
"She knew my name."
Sebastian didn't interrupt.
"She knew..." Clara hesitated. "...about the baby."
The air in the room seemed to disappear her voice is still low and tired "She said she only wanted to make sure I was being looked after."
Clara looked at him, confused by his expression "I thought you told her where I was."
Sebastian's voice was barely above a whisper "...Did she tell you her name?"
Clara slowly shook her head "No."
"I got scared after she left."
She instinctively placed a hand over her stomach "That's why I came to Virement Apex."
Her eyes filled with tears "My phone was broken... I couldn't reach you..."
She looked at him helplessly "I was worried about our child."
Sebastian didn't answer.
He looked at Clara for a long moment for the first time since entering the room, the anger had disappeared from his face.
In its place was something far more dangerous "I'll deal with this."
Clara frowned "...Sebastian?"
"You stay here."
He adjusted the cuff of his shirt "And don't leave this room. I will not forgive you every time."
Before she could say another word, he turned and walked out.
The door closed softly behind him.
A nurse walked past carrying a patient's chart.
"Excuse me."
She stopped "Yes, sir?"
Sebastian glanced toward Clara's room "How soon can she be discharged?"
The nurse checked the tablet in her hand "If everything remains stable through the night, the doctor will likely discharge her tomorrow morning."
Sebastian reached into the inner pocket of his suit and removed a business card "If there's any change in her condition..."
He placed the card in her hand "...or if she asks to leave..."
"I want you to call me."
The nurse nodded politely "I understand."
Sebastian slid a thick envelope beneath the card she looked down at it before looking back at him "I can't promise to break hospital policy, sir."
"I'm not asking you to."
His voice remained calm "I'm asking you to keep a closer eye on her."
The nurse hesitated.
Then quietly slipped both the card and the envelope into her pocket "I'll make sure she's looked after."
Sebastian gave a small nod "And one more thing."
"If anyone comes asking for Clara..."
"Don't let them enter, Anyone! "
The nurse frowned slightly "I'll inform the staff."
Sebastian turned to leave.
"You've become remarkably generous."
The voice stopped him mid step.
He didn't turn immediately. He already knew who it was.
Alaric leaning against the opposite wall with one shoulder resting lazily against the window.
His hands were buried inside the pockets of his coat.
His expression was unreadable.
Sebastian slowly faced him "What now?"
Alaric's gaze drifted briefly toward Clara's room before returning to Sebastian "First the office."
A pause "Then the hospital."
His eyes flickered toward the nurse walking away "And now you've got nurses taking orders from you."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly "You must be very charitable."
Sebastian's face remained expressionless "If you're trying to be amusing..."
"...you're failing."
Alaric pushed himself away from the wall "I wasn't trying to be amusing."
He stopped a few feet away "I was trying to understand."
"Understand what?"
"What makes one woman worth all this effort?"
Sebastian's eyes hardened "i am tired i am not unemployed like you."
Alaric nodded once "You've made that very clear."
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Alaric spoke again "You've lied to Elara."
"You've just instructed hospital staff to keep me away from a woman you claim you've never met."
He tilted his head slightly "Either you're an exceptionally compassionate businessman..."
"...or you're just about to shit your pants."
Sebastian held his gaze "I don't care what theories you come up with."
"I'm sure you don't."
Alaric replied evenly "But theories eventually become facts."
He stepped closer until barely a foot separated them his voice dropped "Stay away from my life."
Alaric didn't move "That's the first honest thing you've said all day."
The silence between them became almost suffocating.
Neither man looked away Finally...
Sebastian stepped back "I don't have time for this."
"No."
Alaric's voice remained calm "I imagine you've got far bigger problems."
Something unreadable passed through Sebastian's eyes for a fraction of a second...
Alaric knew he'd hit something.
Sebastian said nothing.
He walked past him without another glance.
The sound of his footsteps gradually disappeared down the corridor.
Alaric watched until he was gone.
Only then did he turn toward Clara's room.
He walked to the door and reached for the handle.
Before he could touch it, the nurse stepped into his path "I'm sorry, sir."
"The patient needs to rest."
"No more visitors tonight."
Alaric looked through the narrow glass panel instead.
Clara was sitting quietly against the pillows, one hand resting protectively over her stomach.
As though she felt someone watching, she slowly turned her head. Their eyes met just for a second. Something flashed across her face, then she looked away.
Alaric stood there a moment longer before quietly withdrawing his hand from the door without another word...
He turned and walked away; he didn't want to make a pregnent women suffer because of his curiosity.