Chapter 3 Waking up

TEN DAYS LATER

Rosa's head throbbed, the lines of her vision unclear, Her eyelids twitched and Slowly, she forced her eyes open but the sight before her froze her to the spot.

Hana's body was slumped over the steering wheel, blood dripping beneath her.

"Mom!" Rosa screamed, her voice raw but it sounded distant, as if someone else was shouting.

Her vision blurred again and when she opened her eyes this time, the world around her had shifted.A

white ceiling stretched above her and a sparkling chandelier.

What is this place?

Her heart raced wildly and she struggled to sit up, but the room spun around her.

A voice broke through her confusion "How do you feel, miss?"

Rosa turned her head toward the sound. A woman in a white coat stood by her, administering something through an IV, her face cold and impersonal.

"Who are you?" Rosa rasped, her throat dry.

"Where's my mom?"

the woman seemed to hear the question, but she didn't answer right away. Instead, her gaze flicked briefly to Rosa and then back to the IV, as if the question didn't warrant an immediate response.

"I'm Dr Mira" she said flatly "I have been assigned to care for you"

A sharp pain shot through Rosa's head, and her hand instinctively went to her head, where a bandage was wrapped tightly.

Dr. Mira sighed, her fingers quick and efficient as she gently removed Rosa's hand from her head. "Don't touch it" she said

She helped Rosa sit up slowly, and the world tilted, forcing Rosa to steady herself. She glanced around, the room was massive, stretching farther than she could make out. Large windows opened to the outside, where curtains swished in the breeze that smelled faintly of saltwater.

The sound of distant waves flooded her senses, but it felt wrong, out of place.

Rosa's stomach twisted. Her anxiety grew with every breath. "Where is my mom?" she repeated, her voice breaking "And where am I?"

Before Dr. Mira could respond, the door creaked open and a maid entered, Rosa barely glanced at her; her focus was on the doctor.

Dr. Mira hesitated for a moment, her gaze shifting to the maid and back to Rosa. "You're in Silvio Romano's mansion" she said flatly.

"Silvio?" Rosa repeated, her voice thin with disbelief.

Dr Mira nodded

Rosa's chest tightened "This can't be... I can't be here!" she screamed, the words tearing out of her

Her eyes snapped to Dr Mira, then to the maid who stood motionless by the door.

"My mom... where is she?" Rosa's voice

trembled "I need to see my mom." Tears blurred her vision

"Miss... your mom didn't survive the accident,"

Dr. Mira said

The words hit Rosa's chest like a heavy blow, she gasped "No...no.. no, this isn't true" she whispered hoarsely

Dr. Mira's gaze remained fixed on Rosa's and the silence felt suffocating.

"It's true, miss" the maid's voice cut through the silence

"No!" Rosa screamed, her hands flew to her hair

tugging at it as if she could rip away the pain. "You're lying! You both are lying!"

Dr. Mira stepped forward, her hands reaching out in an attempt to calm Rosa "Miss, you have to calm down"

But Rosa's body jerked away from her touch.

Her arm shot out, shoving Dr. Mira aside with a force she didn't know she had. Dr. Mira stumbled back, landing hard on the floor with a sharp grunt.

Rosa's breath came in ragged gasps as She pointed a shaking finger at Dr. Mira, her voice rising with fury. "Did Silvio tell you to lie to me? Did he?"

Dr. Mira's eyes narrowed, and her patience snapped. "Enough. Your mom is already dead, so accept it and stop making a fuss."

Rosa's blood ran hot with rage. "Shut up!"she yelled. Without second thoughts, she pulled the drip needle from her hand and threw her legs over the side of the bed, her body unsteady as she tried to stand.

Before she could take another step, Mira's hand

shot out, seizing her wrist. "Where the hell are you going?"

"To go look for my mom," Rosa said, her eyes locking onto Mira's

Mira smirked, her lips curling with cold amusement. "Go then," she sneered, loosening her grip.

Rosa didn't waste a second. She pushed past

Dr. Mira and strode toward the door,. As she reached for the door handle, the maid stepped in her way, her figure stiff "You can't go out, miss," the maid said,

Rosa's heart pounded in her chest as she took a step forward, her hands trembling with the urge to shove the maid aside. But before she could act, Dr. Mira's voice rang out,

"Let her pass. Don't stop her."

The maid hesitated but nodded, stepping aside slowly, her gaze never leaving Rosa.

Rosa's bare feet hit the cold tile of the house as she rushed down the hall.Her pulse raced in her ears, her breath shallow as she moved like a woman possessed, desperate for something.

Finally, she reached the front door. She flung it open, only to freeze in shock at what lay beyond. There was no land, no familiar sight-just water, stretching to the horizon in every direction. The sea crashed against the shore in waves

She stumbled back, her legs giving way

beneath her. She collapsed to her knees in the

soft, wet sand. Tears flooded her eyes, burning

her skin as they spilled down her cheeks.

Then, the sound of heavy footsteps reached her ears, snapping her back to reality. Her head shot up, eyes wild. Five men in black moved toward her,

Dr. Mira stood behind them, her expression cold and unreadable.

Rosa's chest heaved as she struggled to rise, her body weak. She had to get away-she couldn't stay here. She repeated the words to herself as she staggered to her feet, tears blurring her sight.

She sprinted toward the blue sea, her feet dug into the wet sand

"I can't stay here..." she whispered again, her legs aching with each step.

But before she could reach the water, a hand closed around her shoulder, wrenching her back. She gasped, twisting in panic, only to find one of the men gripping her firmly.

Her heart skipped as she saw Dr. Mira

approach, a syringe glinting in her hand. Rosa's pulse quickened. "Let go of me!" her voice breaking as she struggled to break free.

Dr Mira stepped up to Rosa and before Rosa could react, she felt the sharp prick of the needle in her neck. Her body froze.

For a moment, the world blurred.. her limbs heavy and unresponsive. Her body slumped, and her vision faded, swallowed by the blackness.