I lay in bed for a while, reaching my arm upward in an attempt to grab the light switch before letting my hand fall back to my side with a sigh. Turning onto my side, I tucked my hand under my head and curled up under the covers. Did James really intend to hit me? I might have hit him back, but just the thought that he planned to, someone I thought had decency, was painful. I furrowed my eyebrows in sadness. Would I have done anything?

Turning back onto my back, I stretched out my arms. I couldn't bear to do nothing and wallow in self-pity. Sitting up, I turned to the side, disconnected all the cables, and the monitor immediately went silent, starting to shut down. Still feeling dizzy and having eaten nothing, I looked around the room, which looked private. Did Dante arrange this for me?

I moved from the first room to the second half. On the coffee table, I saw food prepared and wrapped in foil. My mouth started watering immediately, and I hurried over. Sitting on the couch, I removed the foil and grabbed the utensils, stuffing everything into my mouth. I drank the water that had been left there. Finished eating, I burped suddenly, feeling unexpectedly full. There were still pills on the tray, and I popped them into my mouth, swallowing them with water. I leaned back on the couch, feeling relieved, and closed my eyes. It felt so soft and comfortable, perfect for falling asleep. I shifted slightly before finally drifting off.

I don't know how long I slept, but I woke up in the hospital bed, enveloped in the blanket. I blinked a few times to focus and saw a huge bouquet of flowers next to me, mostly blue roses, some even glittering. Sitting up in bed, I yawned and looked around. I saw Dante standing by the window with his back to me. His hands were in his pockets, and he looked pensive. 

I said tiredly, "Dante." 

He turned calmly and raised his eyebrows, asking, "How are you?" 

I stretched in relief, "Better!" 

He sat on the chair next to me and just smiled at me.

 I looked at the bouquet of flowers and then at him, asking confusedly, "Are those from you?"

 He nodded, "The roses reminded me of your eyes."

 I looked at him surprised, "But why are you giving me roses?" 

He looked serious, "As an apology for not intervening in time."

 I scratched my head in confusion, "But it's not your fault." 

He continued to look at me seriously but then looked outside again. Only now did I notice that it was already night.

 Changing the subject, I asked, "What time is it?"

 He then said, "Time? You slept for a whole day, and now it's a new day, and you slept until now so,11:42 PM."

 He added, "Your lab results are also in."

 I looked at him with an open mouth, "I slept for almost two days?" 

He nodded.

I stood up from the bed and stretched my hips gracefully. 

"I have to say, though, I slept really well," I remarked. 

Dante stood up too, saying, "I'm glad to hear that."

 He pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to me. I looked at it, feeling puzzled. I recognized it as my lab results. Everything was marked in red as deficient. I looked up at him, and he pointed his finger at the coffee table. I glanced over and saw a bag there. 

He said, "I got the necessary medication that the doctor prescribed for you."

 I looked at him, surprised. "I could have gotten them; that wasn't necessary!"

 He raised his eyebrows, "No, you wouldn't have."

 I smiled sheepishly because he was right. How many times had I been prescribed medication and not bothered to get them because I was too lazy? He sighed and took a few steps back toward the door. 

Then he turned to me and said, "You can leave today if you want."

 I grabbed my bag, my jacket, and the huge bouquet of flowers. 

"I want to leave today," I replied eagerly.

 He shook his head, smiling, and looked at the ground. "I'll drive you home," he said. 

Internally, I thought, Perfect, now I can get even closer to him! I had found out in an FBI seminar that getting ahead emotionally could make things easier. 

I grinned and said, "I won't say no to that."

——

 We walked out of the hospital to the parking lot. His Bentley was ready there. He opened the car and took my things, putting them in the trunk. I wanted to get in the back, but he blocked the door with his leg. I looked at him, puzzled. He signaled with his eyes for me to sit in the passenger seat. At first, I wanted to protest, but I didn't really feel like it, so I obediently got into the front seat. I fastened my seatbelt and hesitated for a moment. Why did I just get into a stranger's car? Nervousness crept up on me. Despite being trained professionally in defense, I still felt uneasy. He got in too and looked at me, puzzled. 

"Why do you look so pale?" he asked. 

I replied, "Oh, it's nothing." 

He forced me to look at him by turning my chin toward him. I stared at him with wide eyes. He looked at me, serious and somewhat angry. 

"Are you sure nothing happened?"

 I nodded, and he released my chin, saying, "I hope so," before starting the car.

Dante asked as he fastened his seatbelt, "Where do you live?"

 I had to pause for a moment to remember my new address and then replied, "Oh! Chaplin Street 134."

 He looked at me in surprise and asked, "Did you seriously have to think about your address? Sofia, I think you really need to take your medicine." 

I grinned sheepishly, scratching my head, and said, "Do you think so?"

 He shook his head in disbelief and then started driving. Internally, I felt like I was about to burst. Now he thinks I'm dumb and don't know my own address. 

I looked out the window, and suddenly he asked with interest, "How did you end up with that guy?" 

I turned to him with wide eyes. Why was he suddenly asking that? Did he know that we worked at the FBI? 

I cautiously replied, "His name is James, and we met in college. We were friends at first, but then we developed feelings for each other and started dating. Everything was great for four years, but somehow he changed over time, and I still don't know why. He did a lot of mean things, but I wanted to see the good in him until two days ago when I finally spoke my mind and broke up with him." 

Dante lit his cigarette, opened his window, and exhaled. "You wanted to see the good in him?" he asked.

 I nodded. 

He took another drag and said bitterly, "There's no such thing in people, Sofia." 

I looked at him annoyed because he was radiating negative energy, which I didn't like, and said irritably, "We shouldn't see everything as bad."

 Suddenly, he laughed bitterly. The dimmed tunnel lights made him look like a picturesque figure as he laughed.

 "Sofia," he said my name with emphasis, "take a piece of advice from me, because you seem like someone who can't properly assess her surroundings and is too soft: as long as humans exist, there is nothing good." He said the last part with bitter. 

I looked back at the road as we exited the tunnel area. He was right, but one should never give up hope. 

I said, "And I believe, Dante, that an event in your life led you to that mindset, and since then, you haven't wanted to see the good."

 He didn't respond to that, but just flicked his cigarette out the window and stopped the car. I looked at him, and he looked at me, pointing his finger outside, "We're here." 

I looked outside and stuttered, "Oh, of course!" 

I got out and went to the trunk to retrieve my things. I quickly glanced around, but there were no house numbers! Damn it. I closed the trunk and walked to the sidewalk, taking out my keys and heading towards the house in front of me, hoping it was mine, since Dante hadn't driven away and was still watching. I inserted my key, but it wouldn't turn. It was the wrong house! It must be the one next door. I turned around from afar and saw Dante looking at me, puzzled and surprised, from the car. 

"What's wrong?" he asked.

 I laughed ironically, "Ahaha, I'm such a dummy! That was the wrong house!"

 He slapped his face with his hand and rubbed it, saying, "Seriously?" 

I continued to grin and hurried to the next house, where the key worked. I turned to wave at him and shouted, "Thanks for everything!"

 He just nodded in the car and then drove away. I breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door completely, walking in. I couldn't find the light switch and didn't see the step, so I stumbled with the bouquet of flowers and crashed to the ground. 

I rubbed my head and muttered, "Damn the flowe--"

 I looked at the floor, and my mouth quivered, gaping open. I crawled away in fear, holding my hand over my mouth to stifle the scream. My legs curled protectively in front of my face. Spread out on the floor were the roses, and inside a plastic bag were five severed fingers, covered in blood.