Elena’s POV

When I woke again, the hospital ward was quiet to the point of sterility.

The pale curtains barely stirred, the IV drip ticked with mechanical patience, and the bed beside mine was empty.

For a moment, I simply lay there, staring at the ceiling.

Damien was gone.

The realization didn’t shock me. If anything, it felt inevitable. He had always been like this—appearing when he pleased, vanishing without warning, leaving no explanation behind. Last night could have been a dream ...