CELESTE POV

When I opened my eyes, the world came back in fragments: the hiss of machines, the antiseptic sting, a heartbeat that didn’t sound like mine.

For a moment, I thought I was still in the dark. The warehouse. The voices, The sound of someone dragging a chair.

Then the light hit me too bright, too clean and I realized I was in a hospital bed.

My throat burned when I tried to speak. “Hello?”

A nurse leaned over me, relief flickering in her eyes. “You’re awake. Easy, Miss Ruiz. ...