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Chapter_50
When I woke up, I found myself lying on a soft surface, a cool cloth gently pressed against my forehead. My vision was blurry at first, but as my surroundings came into focus, I realized I wasn’t in the cafe anymore. I was in a quiet, dimly lit room, and the scent of fresh linen and faint cologne lingered in the air.
I shifted slightly, feeling a dull ache under my ribs, but the pain had subsided somewhat. As I tried to sit up, a deep, calm voice stopped me.
“Don’t try to move too quickly. You’ve been unconscious for a while.”
I turned my head toward the source of the voice. Atlas was standing beside the bed, his brow furrowed with concern. His gaze softened as he saw me looking at him, but there was no trace of mockery or judgment in his eyes—just a quiet understanding.
I blinked, still trying to process what had happened. “How… How long was I out?”
“A couple of hours,” he said, sitting down on the edge of the bed. “You collapsed right after the pain hit. I didn’t know if I should call an ambulance or not, but I decided to bring you here instead.”
I tried to sit up again, more slowly this time, but Atlas placed a firm hand on my shoulder, gently guiding me back down. “You need rest. You’ve been pushing yourself too hard.”
I glanced at him, a mixture of gratitude and embarrassment flooding through me. “Thank you… for saving me again.”
He shook his head, looking almost uncomfortable with the praise. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m just… looking out for you.”
There was a long silence between us. I could feel the tension in the air, the unspoken words hanging heavily. Despite everything I was going through, despite how much I tried to fight it, Atlas’s presence had a calming effect on me.
I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to steady my breathing. The ache under my ribs was still there, though much milder now, and I knew I needed to figure out what was really happening in my life before it all collapsed. But right now, I was too exhausted—emotionally and physically—to think clearly.
“Maybe you should let me get you something for the pain,” Atlas said softly, his voice breaking the silence.
I nodded, grateful for his presence even if it was just temporary. As he moved to leave the room, I couldn’t help but think that maybe, just maybe, this was the first time in a long while that someone cared enough to watch over me—not as a business partner, not as a colleague, but as something more.