Chapter 142 - Is it all true?

The hospital room was quiet except for the steady beeping of the heart monitor. Savannah lay in the bed, her fragile body covered in white sheets and surrounded by medical equipment. Her pale face was framed by messy hair, and even though her body showed signs of what she'd been through, her spirit seemed strong—flickering but not gone.

Blaze sat in the chair next to her bed, elbows on his knees, head bowed. For the first time in days, he let out a breath, though the weight of everything that happened still felt heavy on his chest.

Savannah moved a little, her lashes fluttering as she began to wake. Blaze was right there beside her, his large hand gently holding hers. "Savannah," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion.

Her eyes opened slowly, the soft light of the room stinging her as she adjusted. When her gaze landed on Blaze, a faint smile touched her lips. "You found me," she murmured, her voice raspy and weak.

"Always," Blaze said, his throat tight. "I'll always find you."

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she blinked them away. Her face showed a mix of relief and confusion. "Rodriguez... he said stuff... about you. About us."

Blaze stiffened, his jaw clenching. He had known this moment would come, but he wasn't ready for it. How could he explain the shadows of his past without risking the light they had built together?

"Don't think about him," Blaze said softly, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. "He's gone. He can't hurt you anymore."

Savannah looked him over, her sharp eyes scanning his face. Even though she was weak, her instincts were still sharp. "But he wasn't lying, was he? He knew things... things I don't know. Blaze, what aren't you telling me?"

Blaze looked away, feeling the weight of her question like a punch to the gut. He'd spent years pushing the past aside, telling himself that some truths were best left buried. But now, with Savannah looking at him like that—mixing trust and doubt—he knew he couldn't run anymore.

"It's complicated," he started, his voice low. "There are things from my past, choices I made to protect what I have now. To protect you."

"Protect me from what?" Savannah asked, her voice getting stronger.

Blaze sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "Rodriguez wasn't totally off-base. Years ago, before I met you, I was ruthless. I did whatever it took to succeed, even if it meant hurting others. Rodriguez was one of those people."

Savannah's eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pressed into a thin line. "What about Veronica? He mentioned her too."

Blaze froze, his heart pounding. "She... she was a mistake," he whispered. "She wanted more from me than I could give. When I ended things, she didn't take it well. She became... obsessed."

"Obsessed enough to get her husband involved?" Savannah asked, trying to connect the dots.

Blaze nodded. "Rodriguez blamed me for what happened to her. He thought I ruined her life and that I was responsible for her death. And maybe... maybe I was, in a way."

The room fell into a heavy silence as Savannah processed his words. Blaze braced himself for her anger, her disappointment—expected her to look at him the way Rodriguez said she would.

But instead, she took his hand, her fingers shaking as they wrapped around his. "You should have told me," she said gently. "I don't care who you were before, Blaze. I care about who you are now. You're the man who saved me, the one who never gave up on me."

Blaze's eyes were filled with unshed tears as he leaned forward, pressing his forehead against hers. "I was scared," he admitted. "Scared you'd see me differently. Scared you'd see the monster I used to be."

Savannah shook her head, her voice calm even though she was exhausted. "You're not a monster, Blaze. You're my husband. My life."

Her words cracked something inside him, and for the first time in years, Blaze let himself be vulnerable. He held her tight, promising silently never to let her face danger alone again.

In the days that followed, Savannah got better bit by bit. Blaze hardly ever left her side; his presence was a constant reminder of how much he cared. Even though she was healing physically, the emotional wounds from what happened still lingered. The two of them worked together to regain their sense of safety and trust.

When Rodriguez was arrested, it made the headlines. His plot against Blaze and Savannah fell apart during the investigation. But for Blaze, the fight wasn't over. He knew there were still questions Savannah hadn't asked, truths she hadn't yet uncovered.

For now, they focused on each other, finding comfort in the love that had made it through the storm. Together, they'd face whatever came next.

Four days later

In the days after Savannah was rescued, everything was a whirlwind of hospital visits, quiet times to think, and slow steps to get her strength back. Her body healed pretty well with the doctors' help and of course Blaze's who would always maintain her hygiene and staying neat and clean, but the emotional part was tougher, even though this time she didn't wake up in a different year. Nights were the hardest; she'd have nightmares about the dark room, the chains, and Rodriguez's sneering face.

But Blaze was always there. He wouldn't leave her side, even when the nurses said he should get some rest. He held her hand through every nightmare, whispered calming words when she woke up sweating, and kept her busy during all those silent hours.

One night, as she lay in bed staring at the ceiling, he told her, "You're not alone. You never will be."

She turned to look at him, her eyes softening despite the shadows. "I know, Blaze. I know."

But even as she said it, she could see the guilt in his eyes-the weight of secrets he hadn't yet fully revealed, the fear that she might look at him differently now. Or is she really has started to look at him that way?

Author's Note :

Thankyou for reading<3

Have a good day/night <3<3