The door to Ava's hospital room opened slowly, and a middle-aged doctor with tired eyes stepped out. He glanced down at the chart in his hands before looking at me.
"Are you family?"
I shook my head. "No, but I'm… I'm her friend. Rylan."
He gave me a small nod. "Then you should know this—she fainted due to acute emotional distress. Her vitals are stabilizing, but her system is still sensitive."
I tensed. "What does that mean exactly?"
"It means if she experiences another emotional shock—anything overwhelming—she could faint again. And if that happens too often, her body might not handle it well. Her immune system could weaken. She needs rest, calm, and most importantly, support."
I nodded, swallowing the lump forming in my throat.
He paused again. "Protect her from anything that could break her again."
I watched the doctor walk away and turned toward the room window. Ava was asleep—fragile and too still, with an IV in her hand and monitors beeping softly beside her.
"I promise," I whispered under my breath, stepping closer to the door, "I'll protect her. Even if it means protecting her from him."