"Any updates on Sarah Walker's condition?" Damien asked Marco.
"I spoke with the hospital this morning," Marco replied. "Sarah woke up, fell asleep, woke up again, had a family over during the visitation hours, after they left she had a high fever, and now she's sleeping."
"She had a fever?" Damien echoed.
"Yes, her attending physician Dr. Miller told me all about it. He also mentioned she could remember in a few weeks, a few months, or never, depending on how severe the psychological injury to the brain was. He said if the pain is too great, her brain might choose to suppress it forever."
Damien went back home, his arm aching. He took a few pills just as Dr. Vance knocked on his door.
"Come in, it's not locked," Damien called out.
Vance entered. "You seem to be doing better today."
"I am," Damien said.
"Let's clean the wound and change the bandage."
Damien sat down on the sofa.
"Are you feeling better?" Vance asked.
Damien: "I'm fine."
Vance: "What you are is stubborn. Did you have a fever last night?"
Damien: "It wasn't that bad."
Vance: "I've brought you more painkillers." He then asked, "What makes a person want to forget their past?"
"Maybe the past isn't worth remembering," Vance replied. "I assume the blow to the head was serious. Maybe the pain she suffered in the past would be too great a burden in the present, so her brain chose to let it go to save her from the torture."
"Her..." Damien started.
"I assume we're talking about the girl from the accident," Vance said gently.
"Her name is Sarah Walker. And now she's suffering from amnesia."
"Yes, I heard from my colleague this morning that she took it hard. He's her attending physician. Brenda, the nurse, told me she had a family visit this morning, but from what she's noticed, they left her more confused and desperate."
Damien: "Her family?"
Vance: "Her mother and sister. I haven't seen them personally, but the nurses talk, and the gossip spreads fast. Apparently, they're too... 'fake.' That's just rumours going around, but you know what they say: where there's smoke, there's fire."
Damien: "Right."
Vance: "Oh, you know what else Brenda told me? Sarah Walker is one of our hospital's blood donors, she's been donating blood since the age of eighteen. Brenda and Erin told me Sarah's father was sick back then and someone donated blood to him, so after that she was extremely grateful and felt like she should do the same for others. Unfortunately her father died soon after, but she's there twice a year giving back. So this girl is pretty great!"
Damien didn't expect to hear that. She's been donating blood since she was eighteen, that's a selfless act. He was becoming more and more curious about her.
Back at the Sterling estate, Lee returned to the old mansion to find Don sitting by a large window.
"Sir," Lee began, his voice low. "I found out that the young master and Marco were involved in a car accident last night."
Don's book fell from his hands with a soft thud as he bolted from his chair. "An accident?" he demanded, his voice laced with fury.
"Yes, sir. I don't know much about it, only that it was the other person's fault. He injured his arm, but he seems to be fine. Doctor Vance was there earlier to check on him."
Don's face was a mask of cold rage. "Call Damien to the old house now."
When Damien arrived, Don was waiting.
Without a word, Don struck Damien's shoulder with his walking stick—a sharp, stinging blow that landed close to his injured arm. Don's face was a mask of cold fury, but a flash of raw, unfiltered fear betrayed him. "Are you trying to kill me? Why didn't you tell me about the accident?" Damien winced more from the violation of control than the pain. "I'm sorry, Grandpa," he said, holding his ground and keeping his voice quiet. "That's exactly why I didn't tell you. I didn't want you to worry."
As Damien explained what had happened, Don's expression softened. Damien purposely omitted the details about Sarah Walker and the strange connection they shared, simply telling Don it was an accident and that he and Marco had gotten out safely.