Lydia slowly opened her eyes, realizing she was in a hospital room.
She instinctively glanced around but didn’t see the person she had hoped for.
Her expression dimmed with subtle disappointment.
“Huh?
Wait…
it’s you—ouch!”
As soon as she turned her head and spotted Michael sitting nearby, eyes slightly red, she gasped in surprise.
But the movement tugged at the wound on her chest, making her frown slightly in pain.
“You’re awake!” Michael’s voice lit up as he leaned forward, clearly relieved.
“Don’t move too much.
You’re still recovering.”
He gently adjusted the height of the bed, speaking softly, checking her vitals, fluffing her pillow.
Watching him fuss around, Lydia felt a little awkward.
“Dr.
Shaw, thanks…
but you really don’t have to do all this.”
She formed the words slowly with sign language, her fingers moving carefully.
She couldn’t tell why, but Michael seemed gentler than she remembered.
Michael paused for a moment, his smile fading a little.
“Dr.
Shaw?
Something wrong?
Did I…
upset you somehow?” she signed again, sensing a shift in his mood.
“No, not at all.
You’re fine.
It’s just…
something from the past came to mind.”
Michael looked at her, his tone softening even more.
“Seven, do you really not remember me?
Back at the orphanage when we were kids—you used to call me Mikey.”
Mikey…
Lydia froze, the word stirring up some long-buried memories.
“It’s…
really you?
Mikey?” Her hands moved quickly now, eyes wide with disbelief and joy.
“Yes!
It’s me!” Michael’s voice lifted with excitement.
“You remember now, don’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah!
No wonder you looked so familiar the first time I saw you.
I totally felt that we knew each other.
And hey, I’m the one who taught you sign language!”
“Seven!
You really remember now!”
Michael couldn’t help it—he pulled her into a tight hug.
At first, he hadn’t recognized her either.
But something about her had kept tugging at the back of his mind.
After looking into it more, he finally confirmed it—she was his Seven!
“You have no idea…
I’ve been searching for you all these years…”
“Bang!”
Before Lydia could respond, the door slammed open with a sharp crash.
They both turned.
Standing in the doorway was Henry, face as dark as thunder, eyes locked onto the two of them.
Lydia stiffened instantly.
Henry hadn’t expected to walk in on that scene.The two of them were hugging tightly, like they couldn’t bear to let go.
Henry stood there, staring at the scene like he’d been smacked in the face.
That thermos full of soup from Martha?
Useless now.
He didn’t know if it was jealousy or rage boiling inside him, but either way, he snapped.
With a loud crash, he hurled the container to the floor and stormed toward them.
“Henry—”
Lydia realized what was happening and quickly tried to pull away from Michael, wanting to explain.
But Henry didn’t even glance at her.
Without warning, he threw a punch straight at Michael.
Michael didn’t stand a chance.
He was caught off guard and got knocked to the ground hard.
Lydia’s eyes widened in shock.
Instinctively, she moved to climb out of bed to check on him.
But Henry wasn’t having any of it.
He grabbed her and yanked her right off the bed without giving her a second to resist.
—Henry, let go!
Let go of me!
She struggled, her face pale and scared, but his grip was like a vice.
“Henry!
Let her go!” Michael groaned and stood up, trying to stop him. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
But Henry didn’t even hesitate.
As Michael came at him again, he landed a brutal kick that sent him back to the floor.
“Ahh…” Michael let out a pained cry.
Henry didn’t so much as look back.
He marched off with Lydia in tow, dragging her out of the room.
She could hear Michael’s voice behind them, her heart pounding, but she had no way of breaking free.
She fought him all the way, but Henry still shoved her into the passenger seat of his car.
The moment she sat down, she went to open the door.
Too late.
The locks clicked shut.
“Bang!
Bang!
Bang!”
Lydia banged on the window, tears running down her face.
—Henry, let me out!
“Let you go?
So you can keep sneaking around with your little side guy?”
Henry climbed into the driver’s seat, reached over, yanked her hair to make her face him.
His eyes were bloodshot as he growled, “Lydia, how could you be this cheap?
Just woke up and already clinging to another man?
Did you forget what I told you?
Remember who you are.
You belong to me!
Dead or alive, you’re mine!”
—No…
it’s not like that, Henry.
You’re wrong.
Mikey and I—we didn’t do anything wrong…
“Mikey?” Henry repeated, eyes twitching when he heard the way she called his name.
That word sliced through what little control he had left, jealousy surging up like wildfire.
“Still denying it?
You’ve barely seen him and you’re already calling him that?”
—No, please, Henry, what are you doing—?!”
Before she could say another word, Henry started the engine.
Something in her snapped.
Her face went white, terror gripping her chest.
She screamed.