Chapter One
The grand hallways of Austin University were alive with chatter and hurried footsteps as preparations for the 50th Founding Anniversary kicked into high gear. Banners hung from balconies, students ran errands, and the staff buzzed with nervous energy. For most, it was a celebration. For me, it was just another day of surviving Sophia Jimenez.
I dashed down the hallway, clutching a stack of documents while silently cursing the existence of heels. Why did I even agree to wear these today? As I rounded the corner toward the Student Council office, her voice hit me like a whip.
“Cassandra Gail! You have the audacity to ignore my calls!”
I barely stepped into the room when a book flew past my face, missing me by inches. I froze, forcing myself to stay calm as Sophia stormed up to me, her heels clicking furiously against the tiled floor.
“Where’s your goddamn phone?” she snapped. Before I could answer, her hand darted toward my pocket.
“Sophia, wait—”
She yanked out the cheap backup phone I kept on me and sneered. Without hesitation, she hurled it to the ground, the crack echoing through the room as she stomped on it.
“You think you can ignore me?” Sophia spat, her perfectly manicured nails glinting under the fluorescent lights. “Do you even understand how much pressure I’m under? Do your job!”
I bit the inside of my cheek, my fingers twitching with the urge to retaliate. But I didn’t. I couldn’t.
Before I could process what to say, Mrs. Jimenez, Sophia’s mother, swept into the room. Her sharp eyes landed on me immediately.
“What’s going on here, Sophia?”
“I had to handle it, Mother,” Sophia said, straightening her blouse. “She doesn’t know how to follow simple instructions.”
Mrs. Jimenez turned her gaze to me, her tone cold. “Why are you still standing here, Cassandra? Everyone is busy, and you’re acting like a spoiled princess. Stop wasting time and do your work.”
I bent down to pick up the shattered pieces of my phone as the two Jimenezes swept out of the room. My heart thudded in my chest, but my face remained neutral. I didn’t have the luxury of breaking down—not here, not now.
“You okay?” Helen, the secretary, asked softly from the doorway.
I forced a smile. “I’m fine. Sophia’s just... stressed.”
Helen hesitated, then handed me a folder. “She wants you to personally pick up a guest from the airport. Their flight lands in an hour. And we’re waiting on the full list coming from the Austin’s Central Qu”
“An hour?” I said, frowning. “Are you serious?”
Helen gave an apologetic nod. “You’d better hurry.”
---
The airport was bustling with activity by the time I arrived. I checked my watch and glanced at the flight details Helen had sent me. The guest’s flight was delayed by three hours. Fantastic.
I groaned and headed toward the information counter to confirm. On the way, I accidentally collided with someone.
“Sorry!” I exclaimed, taking a step back.
Before I could properly apologize, a tall figure from the group grabbed the girl I bumped into and pulled her back.
I heard a faint murmur. “DK is already here. We just need to find him before the Grandmaster asks for his presence.”
Something about the group struck me as... familiar. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d seen their kind before, though I didn’t know how or where. Their presence exuded an aura of authority, a quiet strength that made me uneasy.
Before I could dwell on it further, my phone rang.
“Miss Cassandra,” Helen said, her voice rushed. “Are you at the airport yet?”
“I am,” I replied, glancing back at the mysterious group as they walked away.
“Good. I’m sorry for the confusion earlier. The Central Quarter sent over the wrong details. They said the guest should be easy to recognize when you see them while the full list of other guest will also be arriving within this day.”
“How many are they?” I asked, narrowing my eyes in suspicion.
“Five,” Helen answered.
“It’s not them,” I muttered.
“Great! You saw them already?”
“No, I didn’t—”
“Perfect! Thanks, Miss Cassandra. I’ve got to go.” Helen hung up before I could finish.
I sighed in frustration, shaking my head. As I approached the information counter, I confirmed the delay.
“My apologies,” the attendant said politely. “Their flight was delayed due to a change in equipment. It’s now scheduled to arrive at 6:30 PM.”
I clenched my jaw, keeping my tone even. “Austrian Central should have been informed of this change. We have important guests arriving throughout the day. This delay complicates things.”
“I understand, ma’am. We’ll notify them right away,” the attendant replied.
After talking to the information counter, my phone rang again. This time, Kris’s voice blared through the receiver before I even had a chance to greet her.
“Where the hell are you?” she demanded.
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. “I’m at the airport. We have guests coming, but their flight was delayed. While the others will arrive later.”
“Goodness gracious! I don’t care about them!” Kris snapped. “Don’t tell me you forgot about your appointment with the doctor? Do you want us to get butchered by your brother?”
My heart sank as realization hit me like a ton of bricks. “Crap,” I muttered under my breath, glancing at my watch.
“It’s already past 3 PM, Sandra!” Kris continued, her tone full of exasperation. “You’re supposed to be in the hospital by now. Ezekiel is going to lose it if he finds out.”
“I’ll make it,” I assured her, though I wasn’t entirely convinced myself. “I just need to figure out how to get back in time.”
“You better.”
I groaned, shoving my phone back into my pocket. Between the delayed flight, Sophia’s tantrums, and now my forgotten appointment, the day was spiraling into chaos. Ezekiel’s lectures were the last thing I wanted to deal with tonight.
I glanced around the airport, debating whether I could leave and return before the guest arrived. But deep down, I knew I was cutting it too close.
“This is turning out to be a fantastic day,” I muttered to myself, already dreading the next few hours.
Calculating the time, I realized I had just under two hours before the delayed flight was scheduled to land. If I hurried, I could make it to the hospital and back without missing the guests.
Stuffing the papers into my bag, I practically flew out of the airport and into my car. The drive to the hospital felt like a race against time, weaving through traffic while silently cursing the day’s series of unfortunate events.
By the time I reached the hospital parking lot, I checked my watch again. Forty-five minutes left. Cutting it close, but doable. I hovered my way through the corridors, heading straight to the neurology department. The scent of disinfectant filled the air, and the faint murmurs of conversations floated around.
I saw Kris and Max sitting on the waiting area near the main entrance of hospital.
“If not for your brother, I wouldn’t even bother reminding you about your appointment with Dr. Carlos,” Kris complained to me as soon as she saw me.
“I was having a great nap at my desk when she barged in and dragged me here. She’s such a loyal friend, isn’t she?” Max said sarcastically while tinkering with her phone.
“Of course, I am…”
“But we all know the real reason—it’s because you like her brother, Ezekiel. You’re just using Sandra and me as an excuse,” Max teased.
“Obviously,” I agreed with her.
“What’s obvious? And what’s wrong with liking Ezekiel? Let’s go. I don’t want to wait too long.”
We went upstairs. Thankfully, there wasn’t a long line, and there was only one patient ahead of me.
“Kristine?”
“Nurse Kath, is that you?” Kris responded excitedly, and I couldn’t help but peek.
“Nurse Kath?”
“Sandra! How are you? I see you’re still under Dr. Carlos’s care,” she said, sitting between Kris and me while Max was still busy with her phone.
Nurse Kath was one of those nurses who knew me well. Ever since I woke up from the accident, we had become familiar. Actually, almost everyone here knew me—utility staff, guards, patients (especially the elderly), nurses, and doctors. Well, after six years of going back and forth here, they must be sick of seeing my face.
“Yeah, I haven’t seen you in… how many months has it been? Were you on vacation?”
“Five months, actually. I was in London, but it was work-related, not a vacation. We had a patient there, and the Chairman personally assigned us to stay by his side 24/7.”
“It’s still London,” Max interjected. I thought she was busy texting, but apparently, she was listening.
“Yeah. It’s nice to go there, but our patient was so mysterious. We never saw his face because he wore a mask. Maybe he’s hiding a disfigured face, or maybe he’s handsome. But he’s super rich, so I’d bet on handsome. The thing is, we nurses never heard him speak. He only talks to his doctors. It’s supposed to be confidential, though.”
Typical Nurse Kath—chatty as ever. She only hesitated after she had already spilled everything. Maybe because I’ve been her patient for so long, she felt comfortable.
“Don’t worry; we gain nothing from telling anyone,” Kris assured her.
“I know you won’t spread it, but he’s here now. He moved here in the Philippines last week.”
“Isn’t it true that hospitals abroad have better equipment? That’s why they sent you there,” I asked.
“Well, it’s personal. And like I said, he’s a multi-billionaire. Everything he needs has already been set up. Oh, Sandra, they’re calling your name. Your turn now. I have to go. Bye, and good luck. Say hi to your brother for me. Bye, Kris! Bye, Max, who’s busy with her phone.”
“Bye, Nurse Kath. Good luck to you, too.”
“Miss Cassandra Gail,” a nurse I hadn’t seen before called out. “You may enter now.”
Kris and Max went down to the lobby while I went inside. Dr. Carlos was busy with his tablet, probably looking at my records.
“Hello, Miss Gail, have a seat.”
“Doc, it’s Sandra. Don’t act so formal just because there’s a pretty nurse beside you,” I joked, winking at the nurse next to him. She blushed, and I thought she looked cute. Well, Dr. Carlos is quite handsome.
“Ahem! Miss—Sandra, this is Nurse Alexa. From now on, after this session, she will handle your monthly appointments.”
“Oh, but—”
“You know it can’t be another doctor, so Nurse Alexa will report all the details to me. She’ll also handle any decisions needed during your sessions.”
“That’s no big deal.”
Tic-tac.
“So, how have you been? Any headaches, dreams, or nightmares?”
Tic-tac-tic.
“Nothing. I’m tired of that question, Doc. For the past six years, I’ve never had a dream or even a glimpse of my past. You’ve tried hypnosis many times, and it’s all been useless. If not for my brother, I’d think I don’t even exist.”
Tic-tac-tic. The sound of his pen was hypnotizing me again. I couldn’t fall asleep. If I did, I’d see that dream again.
“That’s impossible. I know it’s hard for you—”
Tic-tac-tic. It was making me dizzy.
“It’s not hard. What’s hard is everyone’s pushing me to remember my past when even I don’t know how,” I said, trying to fight off the drowsiness. That dream wasn’t part of my lost memory—it was something I could never forget, no matter how much I wanted to.
Tic-tac. The sound stopped. I looked at him, confused, as he suddenly stood up and left the room.
“Miss Gail?”
“Huh? Where’s Dr. Carlos?”
“A VIP is being discharged today,” Nurse Alexa said.
“So?”
“I think you’ve heard about it. The VIP from London has a very serious case. The Chairman assigned our top doctors, and he’s now the top priority.”
Dr. Carlos, Neurologist and Psychologist.
Dr. Peña, Cardiologist.
Dr. Alzami, Head Cardiologist.
They were all called to the Director’s Office.
“Anyway, your birthday is coming up soon. Rest your mind and live your life. If you chose to forget your past, then it’s also up to you to want to remember it. I hope you decide to soon.”
“Huh?”
“We’re done here. Oh, I forgot to formally introduce myself. I’m Alexandria Ferrer, a psychologist. Though, I’m still waiting for someone to acknowledge that for me.”
“Who?” I asked, guessing it might be her mentor. She shook her head.
“You’re our last patient for today. Also, your phone is ringing. I know you’re busy, but be careful with your hobbies. You don’t want your brother worrying about you, do you?”
Huh? How did she know? I had just been sitting there.
“I’ve been observing you since I called you in. I know where you’ve been, which hand holds a pen, and that you feel pain in your chest. The moment you walked in, you hid your true self. But we’re not here to force you to share what’s on your mind. We’re just doing our job.”
I didn’t ask further and stood to leave. But as I reached the door, I stopped and looked back.
“Have we met before?”
“Miss Gail, I only arrived last week. Your case was the first thing that kept me busy. So no, we haven’t.”
“Woah, you’re cool. I think I like you, Nurse Alexa. Thanks for your time.”
“You can call me Ria, like you used to.”
“Huh?”
“Goodbye, Miss Gail.”
---
Alexandria Ferrer POV
After she left, my phone rang. It was an unregistered number.
“Young Mistress, we’re done.”
“Good. Now, investigate the Gail family’s background thoroughly.”
“Yes, Young Mistress,” he said before I ended the call.
“I want to know how the Gail family got Light. What strong background do they have to hide her for so long? What do they know about her? But just seeing her live so far from how she should be... Should I reward them or punish them? Even just getting a glimpse of her face is a sin. What should I do?”
Thoughts raced through my mind. Why are you only showing yourself now, Light? Should I tell the King you’re here? You’re just a few rooms away.
A/n: Unpolished chapter
