Throughout the ride in the ambulance, I did my best to keep my eyes open, even as the pain in my body screamed for relief. Ibukun was there—through it all, I was sure of it. His voice calling my name echoed faintly in my mind, though the haze of the moment made it hard to grasp.

Eventually, despite my stubborn effort, the paramedics tranquilized me to ease my distress. Darkness claimed me.

---

When I woke up, the hospital lights were blindingly bright, making my head pound.

"She’s awake!" Ireti’s voice rang out, relief clear in her tone.

Before I could adjust to my surroundings, Kayode rushed in, grabbing my hand like I was about to disappear.

"Yemisi!" he exclaimed, his voice frantic. "Are you okay? What were you thinking?"

"I’m fine," I croaked, my throat dry and scratchy. "But, Kayode, it wasn’t an accident. That truck didn’t stop. It felt like… I was a target."

My words seemed to shock him, but before he could respond, a sinister voice echoed in my memory.

"Liked the surprise, Ibukun? You’ll never be able to save her."

I shivered, clutching the hospital blanket. That laugh, that voice—it was the same one from the call the night of the murder.

"Where’s Ibukun?" I blurted out, scanning the room.

Ireti and Kayode exchanged glances.

"Who are you looking for?" Ireti asked cautiously.

"Ibukun," I repeated, urgency creeping into my tone. "I’m looking for Ibukun! He was with me. He brought me here!"

Kayode frowned. "Yemisi, are you sure you didn’t hit your head harder than we thought? Why would you be looking for him? You’ve resented him for years."

"I do, but still!" I snapped, startling both of them. "He was there! I saw him, I’m sure of it!"

Kayode sighed. "The hospital staff told us someone called the ambulance anonymously. They brought you here and contacted us using your emergency details."

"No," I insisted, shaking my head. "I saw him. He was there. The voice on the phone even mentioned him!"

"Yemisi…" Ireti began gently. "Are you sure you weren’t imagining things? You were in pain and losing a lot of blood. It’s possible—"

"I’m not imagining anything!" I yelled, frustration boiling over.

Kayode pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I’ll ask the hospital for the security camera footage. But, Yemisi, you need to calm down. You’re stressed and injured. This isn’t helping."

I nodded, though my heart was pounding. If Ibukun had been there, the footage would prove it.

---

An hour later, Kayode returned, his expression grim.

"There’s nothing," he said. "The footage shows the paramedics bringing you in. No other person was with them. The paramedic van's dashcam was faulty at that time."

"What?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "That’s impossible!"

Ireti touched my arm gently. "Yemisi, maybe you should let this go for now. You need to focus on recovering."

"No," I said firmly. "I know what I saw. And I know what I heard."

Ireti exchanged a worried look with Kayode but didn’t argue further.

---

Later that day, the door to my hospital room burst open, and Olaleye walked in, carrying a box of chocolates.

"Look who’s alive and dramatic as always!" he said, grinning.

"Have you forgotten I’m supposed to be the MC at your wedding party?" he teased.

Claire followed behind him, balancing a bouquet of flowers. "And I’m supposed to be one of your bridesmaids. We figured you’d appreciate some company."

"Flowers and chocolate?" I said weakly. "Trying to bribe me into forgiving you for being late?"

Olaleye rolled his eyes. "You’re lucky I’m even here. Do you know how hard it is to find parking at this hospital?"

Claire nudged him. "Stop complaining. She’s injured, you idiot."

Their banter brought a smile to my face, lightening the heavy tension that had settled over me.

The room filled with laughter as they argued over who had brought the best gift. For a moment, I felt like myself again.

But the haunting voice wouldn’t leave my mind.

I turned to Claire, interrupting the lighthearted chatter. "Did you go to work today? Did you see the new CEO?"

The question hung in the air, silencing everyone.

Claire frowned. "Why would I have seen him? You know I’m not interested in those on top."

"But we usually know when the CEO comes to work. Didn’t you see him today?" I pressed.

Claire glanced at Ireti and Kayode worriedly. "Is she okay? Did they check her brain?"

"Yemisi," Ireti said softly, "why are you so focused on him? What does he have to do with this?"

I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "I think he knows something about what happened. Or maybe… he’s involved."

Olaleye leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. "You’re not making any sense. What’s this really about?"

Before I could answer, the door creaked open again. A nurse stepped in, holding a phone.

"Miss Yemisi," she said, her expression hesitant. "There’s a call for you. The person insisted it was urgent."

My stomach twisted. "Who is it?"

The nurse shook her head. "They didn’t give a name."

I reached for the phone, my hand trembling slightly.

"Hello?" I said cautiously.

The line crackled, and then the haunting laugh filled my ears.

"Enjoying the company, Detective? This is only the beginning."

The line went dead.