Chapter 13 - A SECOND CHANCE
I woke to the sound of rain tapping against a hospital window.
For one terrifying moment, I couldn't remember where I was.
Then I saw Owen.
He sat beside my bed, his head bowed, holding my hand between both of his.
"Hey," I whispered.
His head snapped up.
He looked as though he'd aged ten years overnight.
"Emily?"
"I'm guessing I missed a few shifts."
A broken laugh escaped him, followed by tears he didn't bother hiding.
"You were unconscious for fourteen hours."
"Only fourteen? You managed two years."
His smile trembled.
The bullet had passed through my shoulder without damaging any major blood vessels. Doctors expected me to recover, although physical therapy would take time.
Nathan had been arrested along with several associates. The federal investigation uncovered extensive evidence of bribery, fraud, attempted murder, and the deliberate administration of drugs to Owen.
Dr. Shaw had surrendered and agreed to testify. He admitted that Nathan had threatened his family and paid him to keep Owen unconscious.
Eleanor had also cooperated, providing records that helped prosecutors establish the full conspiracy.
But Owen's recovery was not the only story making headlines.
He had publicly renounced his position in the criminal organization and agreed to cooperate with authorities in dismantling its illegal operations.
Some people called him a traitor.
Others called him a hero.
Owen ignored both descriptions.
He cared only about what happened after I woke.
"There's something I need you to know," he said.
I waited.
"I've spent my life thinking love meant protecting someone from every danger. But I nearly lost you because I kept making decisions for you."
He brushed a strand of hair from my forehead.
"I don't want to be the man who decides your future. I want to be the man who stands beside you while you choose it."
I felt tears gather in my eyes.
"That sounds like a good place to start."
He kissed my forehead.
For the first time since Suite 914, I felt safe enough to close my eyes.
But as Owen stood to leave, his phone rang.
He listened silently, then looked toward me.
The caller was his attorney.
Nathan had confessed to the conspiracy.
And he had revealed one final secret.
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The crash had never been intended to kill Owen.
It had been intended to make him disappear long enough for someone else to take his place.
