The CEO’s Unspoken Love (Eleanor and Derek) novel Chapter 198

Chapter 198

Eleanor POV

The first thing I became aware of was sound-disjointed fragments filtering through layers of darkness.

….every four hours for the medication…if she shows any discomfort…immediately press the call button…”

A woman’s voice, clinical and measured. My brain struggled to process the information, moving like machinery that hadn’t been

oiled in years. Gradually, I realized it was a nurse giving instructions to someone. About a patient. About… me?

Pain followed awareness-dull, throbbing, and all-encompassing. My entire body felt as though it had been run over by a truck, with particular agony concentrated in my head and left shoulder. The weight pressing down on me was suffocating, as if I were buried

beneath tons of concrete.

I tried to open my eyes, but my eyelids refused to cooperate. They felt sealed shut, heavy as lead curtains. The effort to lift them was monumental, like trying to push open a vault door with a fingertip.

After what seemed like hours of struggle, I finally managed to part my eyelids slightly. Light immediately assaulted my vision- harsh, sterile, and painful. The world was a blur of whites and grays, with no discernible shapes or forms. I had no idea what time it was, what day it was, or even where exactly I was, though the antiseptic smell and beeping machines strongly suggested a hospital.

As my vision gradually focused, a face came into view-familiar and dear, yet transformed by worry. Olivia. My friend’s eyes were red-rimmed and swollen, her normally impeccable makeup completely absent. Dried tear tracks marked her cheeks, and the dark

circles under her eyes spoke of sleepless vigil.

I tried to speak, to say her name, but my throat felt as though it had been scraped raw with sandpaper. No sound emerged despite my effort, just a whisper of air and pain that made me wince.

Olivia noticed my movement and her eyes widened in shock and relief. She grabbed my hand, her grip almost painfully tight.

“Elle! Oh my God, thank God you’re awake!” Her voice broke on the last word, fresh tears springing to her eyes. She quickly pressed

a button near my bed, her hand trembling. “Nurse! She’s awake!”

Olivia’s tears fell freely now as she gently stroked my hair, careful to avoid the side of my head that throbbed most painfully. “Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay… I’m right here… everything’s going to be fine…”

I blinked slowly, confusion washing over me. Why was Olivia so emotional? What had happened? My memory felt fragmented,

pieces missing from a puzzle I couldn’t quite assemble.

A middle-aged nurse with kind eyes and a practical bob entered the room with brisk efficiency. She smiled when she saw me looking

back at her.

Welcome back, Ms Wells, she said warmly, approaching the bed.

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Chapter 198

The nurse checked the monitors beside my bed, noting readings on a chart. ‘Can you understand me?” she asked, her voice clear and

direct.

I managed a tiny nod, which sent fresh pain radiating through my skull.

“Good. That’s very good,” she said, pulling a small penlight from her pocket. “I’m going to check your pupil response, okay? This

might be a bit bright.”

She shined the light briefly in each eye, watching carefully as my pupils contracted. Then she checked the IV in my arm, adjusted something on one of the machines, and gently pressed her fingers to my wrist, taking my pulse the old-fashioned way.

“Your vitals are improving nicely,” she said, her movements professional yet gentle. “You’ve been through quite an ordeal, but you’re

stable now.”

I tried again to form words, to ask questions, but my voice still wouldn’t come. The nurse noticed my frustration.

“You have a mild concussion, a dislocated left shoulder that we’ve reset, and several lacerations that required stitches, she explained calmly. “Your voice will return soon. There’s no damage to your vocal cords-this is just a stress response to trauma. Your

body is protecting itself.”

She adjusted my pillow slightly, making me more comfortable. Don’t try to force yourself to speak. Give your body and mind some

time to heal.

The nurse turned to Olivia, who hadn’t released my hand. Remember what I explained earlier-limited visitors, keep conversations quiet and brief, and make sure she rests between interactions. The doctor will be by on rounds in about an hour.”

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The CEO’s Unspoken Love