After three weeks, Selena finally set her foot outside the hospital. She took cautious steps forward, her crutches wobbling slightly. Her eyes flicked around...as if expecting someone to jump out of the shadows.
I need to find a shelter first, she thought, as she slowly started to walk out of the hospital gate.
A car came and stopped in front of her. Her heart raced, wondering if someone got to know about her. The car stood there for a moment— then the glass slowly lowered.
"Miss Suzy, need a ride?" the doctor smiled as she breath out heavily.
His sudden appearance made a shiver run down her spine. Selena clutched her crutches and took a step back. Should I trust him? She thought, looking at him who was waiting for her reply.
"No thanks." She replied, holding her crutches tightly.
"You haven't fully recovered yet, you can't even use the crutches properly. Just wondered if you needed any help."
Selena denied it at first. But it was true—she couldn't walk far with those crutches. She hesitated for a while but then agreed. He got out and helped her get in the car.
She gripped her crutches tighter, her heart pounding. Why is he really helping me? she wondered. Every polite smile felt too measured, too careful.
"Didn't you inform your family?" he asked as they drove out of the hospital. "No one visited you in this entire period of being hospitalized."
"I am an orphan." She said, squeezing her hands tightly, "my mom passed away when I was a child, my dad was the only family I had. But seems like destiny just can't see me happy. That day, it was my dad's death ceremony when I was hit by the car."
He stayed silent, listening carefully as his grip on the steering tightened. Selena smiled, "thanks for helping me all this time." He looked at her— her eyes were all teary but still her face held a smile, a painful and bitter one.
"Julian... my name is Julian Cross." His eyes towards the road, "you can call me Julian." She nodded.
"But... where should I drop you?" He asked as she realised she neither have any money, nor a place to spend the night.
Selena bit her lower lip, "umm... I don't have a place to go to." She felt so embarrassed, she just wished to disappear at that moment.
Julian took a deep breath as he didn't respond. She lowered her head and sat silently. Her fingers scratching the seat, her eyes glancing at the road a few times. Finally they stopped in front of a hotel, it was one of the most famous and luxurious in the city. She stared outside the window and then looked back at him.
"Wait for me here." he got off the car and went inside the hotel. She sat there quietly, still embarrassed but a bit cautious. After a while, he came back and knocked at her glass. She lowered the glass and looked at him in confusion.
Julian adjusted his glasses, then paused, his gaze lingering on her longer than necessary. "You can stay here for the time being." He said, handing her a room pass. His tone was calm but Selena felt a shiver she can't explain.
"Come out, slowly." He helped her out and asked two girls from the hotel staff to help her to her room. She was a bit confused and her suspicion was rising more and more.
"But why would you bring me to such a luxuries hotel?"
Julian cleared his throat and looked away. "The thing is, my friend was coming for a vacation with his family and asked me to book a hotel suite here but something urgent came up and he cancelled the plan." he handed the staff girl Selena's crutches as he continued, "I was about to cancel the booking but since you have nowhere to go, you can stay here for now."
Selena could sense his uncertainty but since she was helpless, she decided to let things be. "Thank you again."
"You don't need to thank me, we are- " He paused. He rubbed his neck and adjusted his glasses at once. "Never mind." he said as he left.
What did he meant to say? She thought as she watched him leave.
Selena reached the suite and sat on the bed. "Call us if you need anything, ma'am." The two girls said as they closed the door behind them. She sat there, motionless, watching the city lights from the big glass windows.
"I'll return to the city by next month. Till then, enjoy as much as you can." she whispered as she lay down, closed her eyes, and tried to relax. Selena almost fell asleep as someone knocked at the door.
"Who's that?" she asked, sitting up and reaching out to her crutches.
"Hotel service, it's your dinner. May I come in?"
"Yes, please." It was the same girl from before who helped her get to her room.
"Your boyfriend asked me to deliver it to you." She kept some bags on the couch as she served her dinner.
"My boyfriend?" Selena felt a pang, as she almost chocked.
The girl looked at her being clueless, "I mean, isn't the man who dropped you here, your boyfriend?"
Selena froze mid-step, she held her dress tightly. Boyfriend? What is he playing at? She shook her head, trying to dispel the thought, but unease churned into her stomach.
"No, he isn't my boyfriend." Selena sighed. "But... if you don't mind, can you pass the bags to me?"
"Sure." The girl handed her the bags, "call us if you need any help, good night." She said and left.
Selena's hands trembled slightly as she opened the bags. There were some clothes, a pair of shoes and a phone along with a note, "I saved my number in the phone, call me if you need anything—Julian Cross."
"But why is he helping me so much?" she murmured as she remembered something slipped off his tongue before. Her brows furrowed, she tugged a strand of hair behind her ear and took up the phone.
She dialed an unknown number,
"Hello, who is it?" A sharp voice came from the other side of the phone.
"It's me."
"Selena! Wait how- I mean no- where are you?"
"Don't worry, I am fine. I'm at S city right now."
"Thats a relief. I was scared to death when I heard about that accident, but I felt something was fishy when I heard they didn't found your body. However, they didn't look for any further clues and just declared your death."
Selena stayed silent for a while, her fingers gripping the phone tightly. "Maybe they planned it so well that they never expected it to fail. Anyways, keep a close eye on their every movement."
"But have you seen the news? That witch wants her daughter to take over the company!"
"Don't worry I've got a plan. Meet me at the moon light hotel tomorrow, room number 334. And remember, don't let anyone know about this."
"Got it. I'll be there by tomorrow afternoon. Till then take care and be safe." Selena hung up and stared at the clothes and bags beside her.
"Maybe I should take a bath first." She whispered, but she still had a lot of questions about Julian, roaming all over her head.