Chapter 9

Victoria blinked, scanning the room before her gaze landed on the unfamiliar man. She couldn't help but look at him again. Even just a hint of Elijah in him felt like a lifeline tossed into the abyss she was drowning in. Henry adjusted her bed with practiced ease, then offered her a warm glass of water with quiet care. "Drink a little first. I was just visiting a grave when I saw you passed out. Called an ambulance and brought you here." "I see... Thank you," she replied softly, wrapping both hands around the cup. The warmth seeped into her palms, easing a bit of the chill inside. Almost absentmindedly, she bit the rim of the glass, eyes flicking around in search of her phone. Henry caught on instantly. "Your phone's dead. I've already plugged it in. Tried calling your emergency contact too, but no one picked up." That "emergency contact" was Theodore. They were divorced now—he couldn't even pick up a call anymore? The thought twisted something in her chest. She lowered her head, staring into the cup like she could find some answer in it. The irony stung—hospitalized, and the only person by her side was a complete stranger. Noticing the shift in her mood, Henry cleared his throat lightly, probably trying to distract her. "I just realized I've been talking a while and didn't even introduce myself. I'm Henry Carter." She hesitated a second before lifting her hand. Her slim fingers grazed his rough, dry palm. When their gazes met, her dark eyes were deep and focused, and for a moment, Henry felt his heartbeat stumble. "Victoria Ellis." "You kept whispering a name while you were out... was that your boyfriend?" The name Elijah flashed in her mind, and her gaze fell again. She shook her head slowly. That kind of love—gentle, wholehearted—there might never be a second person like that in her life. So she didn't have a boyfriend... Henry was oddly relieved, which caught him off guard. He barely knew her. Why did he care? "The doctor said you're really weak. I wasn't sure what you'd like, so I just bought some simple food. Hope it's okay." Victoria stared at his profile, slightly dazed. He really did look like him. She wasn't the type to believe in fate, not with her job. But right now, she couldn't help it. Maybe Elijah, watching from up there, saw how hard she was struggling... and sent someone like Henry into her life? Henry brought over a bowl of milky oatmeal, simple and soft. She didn't even notice—gazing at something only she could see. His hand shook unexpectedly, and some of it sloshed over the edge. "Sorry, I'll clean this up," he said quickly, patting the stain on his shirt with an embarrassed smile before heading out. Alone again, Victoria's eyes settled on her phone. Days had gone by. Not a single missed call. She wondered—if she disappeared today, would anyone even notice? Pulling the IV from her hand, she grabbed a coat and slipped it over her shoulders, walking out of the room without hesitation. She couldn't waste any more time. She had to find out what really happened to Gina. Who set her up? Who buried her in that mess? But she hadn't made it far when her vision started spinning. No food, plus the rain from before—it was a miracle the IV even helped as much as it did. She pressed a palm to the wall to steady herself, her strength fading fast. "Victoria!"When Henry came back to the room, it was already empty. Only the IV line was still swaying by the bed, like it had just been yanked free. Noticing that her shoes were still by the bed, Henry's chest tightened. Fearing something might've happened, he rushed out right away. Luckily, not too far down the hallway, he spotted that familiar slim figure. "You shouldn't be out of bed yet—the doctor said you need rest. And look at you, no shoes? You're already so fragile, what if you get sick again?" As he spoke, Henry crouched slightly, about to lift her up. Victoria quickly waved her hands, stopping his, her raspy voice hoarse. "No need." Really, whether someone cares or not... it's all in the little things. The first thing Henry noticed was whether she had shoes on. That one line of concern—it yanked her straight back to a memory years ago. Back when she was overseas with Elijah. He used to say the same kind of things. In the end, Victoria didn't insist. Letting him help her up, they slowly made their way toward her room. Henry frowned, clearly anxious she'd get sick again. He crouched in front of her. "Here, get on. I'll carry you." "It's not far... I'll manage," she mumbled. She wasn't that delicate—plus, they'd only just met, not exactly on carrying terms. But Henry didn't budge. He even reached for her hands. "Just listen, yeah?" "Victoria?" A female voice rang from not far behind. She turned her head instinctively. What she didn't expect, was to see Isabella and Theodore—together, in this hospital of all places. So this whole time, the reason Theodore hadn't picked up her calls... hadn't even checked in on her, was because he'd been with Isabella? A crushing weight slammed into her chest, taking her breath away. The smell of disinfectant filled the air, nurses and doctors walked past, but the four of them just froze there, like time had stopped. It was awkward. More than that, it was suffocating. Henry slowly straightened up, eyes zeroing in on the man and woman standing arm-in-arm in the distance. He recognized the guy. This was the one the nurses had been gossiping about earlier. So they knew each other? Theodore's brow furrowed. Victoria's in the hospital? But then his eyes landed on Henry's face... and he stiffened slightly. Elijah? He blinked hard. No. Similar features, sure, but not the same guy. Then his gaze slid down to Victoria's hand, clutching Henry's arm—and his lips twisted into a cold, mocking smile. Elijah was gone, huh? So she just found a lookalike? Guess she really hasn't moved on. "Are you kidding me, Victoria? What kind of game is this? All this chaos—just because of some guy? You actually dragged yourself into a hospital bed to prove a point?" "What did you just say?" Her voice trembled, eyes wide with disbelief. Not even one question. Just straight-up judgement. So that's how deep his prejudice ran. Theodore slipped one hand into his pocket, smirking. "Am I wrong?" "She doesn't actually love you," he snapped at Henry. "You're just a stand-in. Don't fall for her act." Even if Henry didn't fully get their history, he knew enough to step in. He glanced at Victoria, who looked like she might collapse any second. "She's a patient. Watch your mouth," he said sharply, planting himself between them. Victoria looked at the side of his face—it was so familiar it ached. But in that moment, the ice around her heart began to thaw, just a little. She gritted her teeth, stepped forward, and tugged Henry's sleeve. "Go ahead, twist it however you like. People see only what they want to see," she said coolly.