Mara's POV

The hospital room was quiet when I finally opened my eyes. The smell of disinfectant made my stomach turn, a sharp reminder of where I was. A nurse came in shortly after, her face kind but firm. She told me I shouldn’t be moving around because I was still weak, but I wasn't listening.

My head was spinning with everything that had happened in the boardroom. I remembered the way Elias looked at me—the desperation in his eyes—and then the world just went black just as I stepped out from the boardroom. I knew he was the one who had brought me here. I could almost feel his...