The grief was imdiate and crushing, hollowing her out from the inside.
Evelyn’s shoulders trembled as silent tears soaked into the pillow.
She couldn’t scream.
She couldn’t ask why.
She couldn’t even cry properly.
She just shook.
Axel bent down, resting his forehead against hers, his voice barely holding together. "I’m so sorry," he whispered brokenly. "I’m so, so sorry."
"No. It’s my fault. It’s my..." Her grip tightened painfully, nails digging into his skin as if she were trying to anchor herself in reality.
Tears stread endlessly down her face, each one heavier than the last.
Axel wrapped her gently in his arms, careful of her injuries, holding her as close as he dared.
His own tears finally fell, dripping onto her hair as he pressed his face against her temple.
They stayed like that, clinging to each other in the quiet room, grief thick and suffocating between them.
No words could soften the loss. Only the steady warmth of his arms, and the shared understanding that she had survived—but at a cost neither of them had been ready to pay.
Axel only loosened his embrace when he heard hurried footsteps outside the room.
The door opened, and the doctor on duty entered, closely followed by an agile-looking senior nurse.
Axel stepped back to the edge of the bed, giving them space while never once taking his eyes off Evelyn.
Even as relief washed over him at the sight of her awake, unease gnawed at his chest. Her body had survived the surgery, but her heart had just endured sothing far more fragile. He worried she might shatter at the slightest push.
The doctor checked Evelyn’s vitals carefully, examining the monitors, shining a light into her eyes, and gently testing her responsiveness. The nurse adjusted a few lines and noted numbers on a clipboard. Evelyn endured it all quietly, exhaustion written plainly on her face.
After a few minutes, the doctor turned toward Axel with a respectful nod.
"Sir, I’ve checked Mrs. Knight’s condition. Her vital signs are stable. Blood pressure, heart rate, and oxygen levels are all within normal range," he explained calmly. "She has just undergone major surgery for multiple injuries... She needs complete bed rest for now. Any sudden movent could cause pain or complications."
Axel exhaled slowly, tension finally easing from his shoulders.
"Thank you, doctor."
The doctor nodded again, clearly understanding how much those words ant. "We’ll continue monitoring her closely. If there’s any discomfort or change, call us imdiately."
As the doctor turned to leave, Evelyn suddenly lifted her hand slightly, her voice hoarse but firm.
"Doctor... can you remove this?"
She glanced at the IV line with visible irritation.
The doctor paused, surprised. "It’s for hydration and dication, Mrs. Knight."
"I feel uncomfortable," she said honestly. "I just want it out."
The doctor hesitated, then nodded after checking her chart. "All right. We’ll remove it for now, but if you feel dizzy or weak, we may need to reinsert it."
He carefully removed the IV, the nurse assisting efficiently.
Once everything was settled, they excused themselves, quietly closing the door behind them.
The room fell silent again.
Axel returned to her side imdiately, sitting on the edge of the bed. He took her hand gently, his thumb brushing reassuring circles over her knuckles.
"Are you thirsty?" he asked softly. "Do you want so water? Or soup? I can ask them to bring sothing light."
Evelyn shook her head faintly.
"I’m not hungry." She stared at the ceiling for a mont, then turned her gaze toward him. "Axel... what’s wrong with ? What surgery? I’m alright?"
His chest tightened.
He chose his words carefully, keeping his voice calm and steady. "You had a serious accident," he said gently. "You broke a few ribs, your knee was fractured, and your shoulder was injured. The doctors fixed everything during surgery. It’s going to take ti, but you’ll heal."
Her brows knitted slightly as she absorbed the information. "So... that’s why everything hurts."
"Yes," he said quietly, managing a small smile. "You’ve been through a lot."
She nodded slowly, her fingers tightening around his hand.
Axel squeezed her hand gently, silently promising that no matter how challenging the recovery might be, she would never face it alone.
Still, an uneasy feeling gnawed at him, as Evelyn hadn’t spoken about their unborn child, and this worry weighed on him.
They talked quietly for a while, their voices low, careful not to disturb the stillness of the room.
Most of it was about Oliver and their family, light topics Axel deliberately chose to ease her grief and restless thoughts.
"Oliver’s asleep now," he told her gently. "He’s in the other room. Stella and Laura are with him, so he’s not alone."
Evelyn’s tense shoulders finally relaxed.
"Oh, thank god," she murmured. "I was worried he’d be scared and alone in the house."
"He tried very hard to stay awake for you," Axel added with a faint smile. "But even his stubbornness has limits."
That earned a small smile from her.
"And Finley was here too," Axel continued. "He stayed late, but he has an early flight to another city tomorrow. He didn’t want to leave, though."
Evelyn hesitated, then asked softly, "Do the others know about my accident?"
Her worry was obvious. She didn’t want the news spreading, especially not to the elders. The shock alone would be unbearable, and the truth about what she had lost... she wasn’t ready for that yet.
"No," Axel answered firmly. "Only Stella and Finley know."
Evelyn let out a slow breath, "That’s good."
As if on cue, the lingering effects of anesthesia and the dication finally caught up with her. She yawned once, then again, eyes growing heavy despite her effort to stay awake.
He smiled, reaching out to gently smooth her hair before tucking the blanket more securely around her.
"All right," he said softly. "Get so more sleep."
"No," she protested weakly, another yawn escaping her. "I’m not sleepy."
"You sound exactly like Oliver."
She tried to argue, but the words never ca. Within minutes, her breathing evened out, and she drifted back to sleep.
Axel stayed beside her, watching quietly, grateful for the rare mont of peace.
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