Ruthless Revenge

A sharp, antiseptic scent filled the air before she even opened her eyes. The cold air pressed against her skin, her body feeling strangely heavy, as if she were sinking into the mattress beneath her.

Beeping. A slow, rhythmic sound, steady and unrelenting.

A hospital.

Panic slithered through her chest as she tried to move, but her limbs felt weak. Something tugged at her arm-an IV. Forcing her eyes open, she winced at the bright fluorescent lights.

Where was she?

The question echoed in her head, followed by another, more terrifying one.

Who was she?

A sharp pang of fear shot through her. Her mind was a blank slate, void of any recollection of her life before this moment. There were no names, no faces, no memories-just a hollow void where they should have been.

Still drowning in confusion, she heard footsteps. A nurse rushed into the room, her face breaking into a bright smile as she looked down at her.

"You're awake! How are you feeling?" the nurse asked, her voice filled with warmth and excitement as she checked her vitals.

She tried to speak, to tell her she felt weak and disoriented, but her throat was dry, and her voice barely came out as a whisper.

"You've been in a coma for three months. We were starting to lose hope," the nurse continued, oblivious to the panic building inside her.

Three months? Her heart pounded. She had been unconscious for three whole months? What had happened to her?

The nurse must have noticed her rising anxiety because she quickly added, "Don't worry. You don't have to force yourself to speak. Your body has been through a lot, so this is normal."

Normal? How could anything about this be normal?

The nurse kept talking, mentioning how her case had been something of a miracle, how the doctors had been invested in saving her. But the words blurred into the background, drowned out by the deafening roar of her thoughts.

Nothing about this felt real.

"I'll get the doctor," the nurse said, giving her a reassuring pat on the arm before disappearing out the door.

Moments later, she returned with an elderly man in a white coat, his expression gentle yet professional.

"How are you feeling, Laura?" he asked.

Her breath caught.

Laura.

The name felt foreign, like it belonged to someone else. But it was the only piece of identity she had.

"My body feels heavy," she finally managed, her voice hoarse and brittle.

The doctor nodded. "That's expected. Your body has been inactive for a long time, but you'll regain your strength soon."

She swallowed, her throat tightening. "I... I can't remember anything. I don't know who I am. I only know my name because you called me that."

His expression softened. "Memory loss isn't uncommon in cases like yours. Your brain suffered significant trauma, but don't panic-your memories will likely return with time."

His reassurance did nothing to calm the unease twisting in her gut.

Before she could say anything, his next words sent her mind spiraling.

"We need to conduct a scan to check your baby's health. Now that you're awake, we need to ensure everything is fine."

She blinked. "My... what?"

"Your baby," he repeated gently. "You were pregnant when you were brought in."

The room spun. Her breath hitched as a cold chill swept through her veins.

P-Pregnant?

Her hands instinctively moved to her stomach, but she felt nothing different. No memories, no connection. Just emptiness.

How could she be pregnant when she didn't even know who she was?

Her pulse pounded in her ears. If she had a husband, why wasn't he here? Why wasn't anyone looking for her?

Or worse...