Craved by the Wrong Volkov-Chapter 237: You shut yourself

Braelyn’s POV

My eyes fluttered open again, slower this time. The room was still too bright, with white walls and soft beeping machines pressing in from every side. I blinked hard, trying to focus, then a familiar scent hit me amidst the strong scent.

Primroses.

They were everywhere.

Vases filled with pale pink and white blooms lined the windowsill, the bedside table, and even the floor near the foot of the bed. Baskets overflowed with more, some wrapped in cellophane, others tied with ribbons.

Get-well cards stood propped against bouquets, names scrawled in familiar handwriting. The scent was overwhelming, sweet and heavy, like someone had tried to bury the antiseptic smell under flowers.

My chest tightened.

Who...?.

The accident flashed behind my eyes in a blur, tyres screeching, headlights blinding, the sickening crunch of metal. I’d been running. From Lucien. From Raphael. From myself. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

I swallowed, my throat dry and raw.

How long had I been out?

Alora burst back into the room like a tiny tornado, clutching a juice box and beaming. "You’re still awake! Mummy said you might sleep more but you didn’t!"

She said then glanced at the hallway. "Hurry, or she might go back to sleep," she screamed before flashing me a grin. I heard footsteps rushing towards the door. Alora beamed and ran back to

She climbed onto the edge of the bed, careful not to shake the IV line. "I told the nurses you’re pretty even when you’re sleeping. They agreed," she chimed, then added. "Mummy said if I read to you every day, you will wait up", she added. My brows furrowed at how long I have been unconscious.

My body ached everywhere and I could barely move a muscle. Was I out for days, weeks, months? I wondered.

Frantic footsteps echoed down the hall and the door which Alora closed burst open. Genny appeared in the doorway breathing heavily.

She froze for a moment once she saw my open eyes.

For one long second, she just stood there, eyes wide, hand pressed to her mouth. Then her face crumpled.

"Braelyn...." she called out like she could not believe her eyes. She welled up her eyes a whimper escaped her lips

She rushed forward, tears already streaming, and in the blink of an eye, she was next to me. Arms wild open as she lurched forward

Her arms wrapped around me so tightly I almost couldn’t breathe. She buried her face in my shoulder, sobbing openly, her shoulders shaking.

"I thought..." Her voice broke. "I thought I’d lost you." Her voice broke

I lifted my good arm, the one without the IV and hugged her back. My muscles ached as I moved, but I felt like I needed to hold her. It was awkward at first, then tighter. "I’m okay," I whispered, barely able to talk, though my own eyes were stinging. "I’m here."

Alora watched us with huge eyes, then slowly scooted closer. She reached out, patted Genny’s back like a tiny adult. "Don’t cry, Mummy. She’s awake now."

Genny laughed through her tears, pulling back just enough to cup my face. "You scared the hell out of me," she said, her voice thick with emotions "Don’t ever do that again."

"I’ll try," I said weakly..

She studied me, thumb brushing away a tear I hadn’t realised had fallen. "You’re really here."

Alora sat on the bed staring. Her little judgmental voice broke through the mood. "Mummy, stop crying, you look ugly when you cry," Alora said bitterly, and Genny shot her a glare.

A laugh slipped out of my lips before I realised it. Things settled a bit. The doctor arrived shortly with a nurse, and they started checking my condition, asking a few questions.

It was nothing serious since Genny and Alora were not asked to leave. I had a lot of questions to ask, but there was no chance since the doctors were there.

"Can you move your limbs? " the doctor asked. I raised my leg and placed it back down

"I can move but I feel sore with every movement. " I replied. He nodded.

"That is normal considering how long you have been unconscious," he said.

"How long have I been out?" I asked. The doctor’s gaze settled on me. I recognised him as my regular doctor.

"It’s been almost 3 weeks.." he mentioned. My eyes went wild. That long..

"Did something happen? Why was I unconscious for that long?" The questions spilt out of my lips. The doctor sighed then gave me a meaningful look

"To be honest nothing happened ." He said leaving me stunned. "You fainted before the car hit the brakes. You didn’t have a physical accident but your mind shut down on its own with no telling when you would wake up." He explained.

The words sank into me. "It felt like you locked yourself out of this world. " The room went silent.

The doctor left the room after he was done with his examination, giving me a few words. The room fell silent with just 3 of us left..

I glanced towards Genny before I even opened my lips Genny spoke. "Lucien hasn’t been here, but he brought you to the hospital," she said, leaving me stunned.

My eyes dulled knowing he hadn’t visited me. "Then the flowers.." I asked.

She sighed. "It’s from Raphael, I think. He has been coming every day. I even heard rumours he is having issues with Amelia. " she explained.

My brows furrowed. She held my hand. "I don’t know the details but it’s been crazy. Amelia even came here once, and they had a nasty fight." Hearing about Raphael gave me complex feelings.

I didn’t understand why Lucien didn’t come but I had a feeling something bad was about happened. Honestly, I felt exhausted about the entire situation.

"Braelyn.." she called softly and I glanced at her. She looked reluctant as she spoke. "Did something happen that night on the rooftop?" She asked and my heart squeezed.

"I don’t want to talk about it now.." I replied. She nodded, then beckoned to Alora.

"You must be tired, try and get some rest...." she said before leaving the room.