Aylin tried to push through the doors, but a nurse stopped her. "Family only.
"I’m her sister," Aylin said firmly.
The nurse took a quick look at her clipboard, nodded, and stepped aside.
Aylin rushed in, with Zayden and Liam tagging along, even though the nurse said only family was allowed.
They found Ayla behind a curtain, all hooked up to monitors and still out cold. A middle-aged doctor who looked pretty capable was going over so charts nearby.
"Are you family?" the doctor asked Aylin.
"Yeah, I’m her sister. What’s going on?" Aylin said, her voice full of worry.
The doctor’s face got serious. "Your sister had a major nervous breakdown. Her vital signs are stable now, but when she ca in, she was in really bad shape. Her heart rate was way too high, she was hyperventilating, and she didn’t respond at all to anything around her."
"But why did this happen?" Aylin asked, pushing for answers. "She was fine this morning."
"That’s what worries ," the doctor said. "This kind of reaction doesn’t usually happen out of nowhere. Sothing set her off, sothing that caused a huge psychological response." He paused to choose his words. "It looks like a PTSD reaction, especially the kind we see when old traumatic mories suddenly pop back up."
Zayden stepped in. "What does that an, exactly?"
"It ans," the doctor said slowly, "that your sister saw or went through sothing today that felt like an imdiate threat to her, sothing that connected back to a past trauma she might not have even realized until now."
Aylin’s thoughts raced. "Ages ago, after our mom passed, Ayla was in our dad’s office when Mom... when it happened. She was only nine. The doctors ntioned she had blocked most of it out. They explained it was a way to protect her since she was so young."
"That happens a lot with childhood trauma," the doctor confird.
"Kids often shut away mories that are too hard to deal with. But sotis, a trigger, a specific person, a certain sound, or even a place that feels similar, can break down those walls. When that happens, the mories co rushing back, and it feels like the person is living through the trauma all over again."
"Will she be okay?" Liam asked, his voice thick with feelings.
"Physically, yes. She’s already getting better." The doctor had a serious look on his face.
"But when it cos to her ntal state? That’s not really my area. I strongly suggest getting her a psychiatric evaluation right away. She needs to talk to soone who specializes in trauma recovery to help her work through whatever she rembers in a safe way. Because if she doesn’t, "
"She could have another breakdown," Aylin finished, her voice sounding empty.
"Or even worse," the doctor said gently. "If childhood trauma like this doesn’t get treated, it can show up in so dangerous ways: self-harm, dissociative episodes, and in serious cases, a complete break from reality."
Aylin moved to sit next to her sister’s bed, holding Ayla’s limp hand. "We’ll get her the help she needs. The best therapists, whatever it takes."
The doctor nodded in approval. "Good. I’ll arrange for Dr. Rivera, our trauma specialist, to consult. She’s excellent and has a lot of experience with PTSD and repressed mories."
He jotted it down. "In the anti, when your sister wakes up, she might be disoriented and scared. The mories will feel fresh. Just keep her calm. Don’t force her to talk about what happened; let her share in her own ti with professional support."
"Got it," Aylin replied.
The doctor left, closing the curtain behind him for so privacy.
Aylin sank into the chair by Ayla’s bed, still holding on to her hand. "What did you see, little sister? What made everything co rushing back?"
Zayden placed a hand on Aylin’s shoulder, providing so comfort. "Whatever it is, we’ll face it together."
Liam stood at the foot of the bed, guilt all over his face. "I should’ve been closer. I should’ve noticed sothing was off before she collapsed—"
"This isn’t your fault," Aylin said firmly, looking at him. "Sothing stirred up a mory she had buried. It’s sothing none of us could have predicted or stopped."
But deep down, a troubling suspicion was forming in her mind.
What if Ayla saw him?Alexander. What if he was around campus, and she recognized him from... from when Mom passed away?
That thought sent a cold shiver down Aylin’s spine.
She looked down at her sister’s pale face, at the monitors beeping away, tracking her vital signs.
"Ayla was there," Aylin said softly, the realization crashing over her. "When Mom died. She was in Dad’s office. She was only nine."
She turned to Zayden, her golden-brown eyes wide with fear. "What if she saw Alexander? What if he was around when he poisoned Mom, and Ayla saw it?"
Zayden’s face hardened right away. "If she can point him out—"
"She becos a witness," Aylin jumped in. "A liability he’ll want to take care of."
Liam looked pale. "You think he’ll co after her?"
"If he knows she rembers him?" Aylin’s tone was serious. "Yeah. Definitely."
Zayden was already pulling out his phone. "I’m ramping up security. We’ll have guards posted at the hospital room 24/7. No one gets in or out without my say-so."
"And what about when she’s released?" Liam asked.
"She’s staying at the mansion," Zayden replied firmly.
"With all-day protection. Emilia will be with her, and we’ll have ard guards on rotation. We have to treat this like Alexander could strike anyti."
"Because he could," Aylin said quietly.
She turned back to her unconscious sister, squeezing her hand. "I’ve got you."
She whispered fiercely. "Whatever you saw, whatever you rember, I’m here for you. We’ll make sure he can’t hurt anyone again."
Ayla’s fingers twitched a bit like she was responding to her sister’s voice.
But she didn’t wake up.
If Ayla wakes up, will she be brave enough to speak, or too terrified to survive?
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