Hours later, Athena was awakened by the sound of chirping of birds, outside the balcony of her hospital room.

Her eyes opened slowly and it took her a moment to get used to her surroundings. She sighed heavily and clutched her head which was again started to ache badly.

At the exact moment, the door opened and the same nurse from yesterday stepped into the room. She mumbled a good morning but did not plan to initiate any further conversation.

Athena stayed quiet and she began to observe her hand which was again scar-less. She sighed once more and forcefully let her mind become relaxed while pushing the terrible ache in her head back.

The nurse helped her to the bathroom and then left the room altogether. Athena stood on her wobbly legs and she carefully looked at herself in the mirror.

Her eyes widened as she observed her face.

Her face looked like it was beaten up once. There was still some black bruises left under her eye. Looked like, she was punched there. The bruises on rest of her face seemed like they had just healed not sooner.

She looked awfully skinny, seeing her appearance she was reminded of the time when she was living with her foster family. It had been so long since she remembered her life back then.

Athena stared at herself again.

'This face!'

She was feeling a weird sort of strangeness in her own body.

After using the bathroom, she came back into the room. By this time, the nurse returned back into the room, accompanied by the doctor.

"Miss Athena, how are you feeling today?" The doctor asked as he gave her a routine examination.

"I feel strange, sometimes dizzy and my head hurts."

The doctor responded with the similar words like yesterday and prescribed her the same painkillers again.

Athena frowned.

"When can I go back home?" She asked impatiently.

The doctor went quiet and the nurse looked at her with strange eyes.

Suddenly, the doctor coughed and responded.

"You would not have to stay here for long." The ambiguous response threw Athena off a little.

"I need a phone to contact my cousins."

The doctor hesitated but he reached in his pocket to take his phone out and gave it to her.

"Thanks." Athena mumbled and hurriedly dialed Romeo's number. She was surprised to see that this number was saved in doctor's contacts.

The phone rang for a long time, before it was finally answered.

"Hello." A raspy voice answered.

"Romeo...It's me, Athena."

The line went quiet.

"What?" He asked.

Athena could not help but frown. His voice sounded cold almost annoyed.

"I-umm can you pick me up from the hospital? I'm feeling homesick here."

She patiently waited for his answer but unfortunately, she did not get any as the line was cut off.

Athena's lips parted in surprise as Romeo hung up the phone.

Without saying anything to the doctor, she handed the phone back to him.

"The breakfast will be served in a moment. After that, you can take your medicines. Please don't stress yourself until then." The doctor advised and almost rushed out of the room.

As Athena had breakfast and she finally managed to replenish her energy, she absentmindedly began to pick on her skin of hand where her scar once resided.

She watched some television in the room and patiently waited for Romeo to come and take her back throughout the whole afternoon.

In the evening, when the doctor came to examine her again, she asked for his phone.

"Umm Miss Athena...You need to rest for few days."

She looked in the doctor's eyes who was deliberately making excuses and hiding her eyes, she went quiet and came to an easy conclusion.

He did not want to give her phone.

It was midnight, Athena had had dinner but she still could not sleep. She had not even taken her medications which the nurse had left for her. This was the reason why her head started throbbing again.

She gritted her teeth to ignore the pain and stepped out of bed. She instantly held her head as soon as she stood up. She took a deep breath and forcefully pushed the pain she was feeling in the back of mind but to no avail.

Slowly, she went out of the room. The corridors were quiet and her feet softly tapped the floor as she walked. She did not encounter anyone on the way to the elevator which she fortunately found at the end of corridor.

Just as she stood in front of the closed elevator, the doors slid open.

Athena unconsciously looked up but just as she did, her whole being trembled.

Her pupils dilated. She could not figure out whether the person in front of her was real or a hallucination.

Suddenly, he smiled in the familiar creepy way of his.

"Cortello! What a surprise!" His voice was clear.

Athena instinctively stumbled back as he took a step in her direction.

No way!!

How could it be?!

Just how could it be possible?!

She chanted in her mind. She refused to believe this.

There was no way Angelo Riccordo was standing in front of her and very well alive.

Some of you guys might have figured it out now but please spare Athena, she would take a little more time to realize this. Maybe she will know but any sane person would not want to believe it immediately.

Hope you liked this chapter. Next update will be on Friday. You can get the early access upto 38 chapters on Patreon. The link is in my profile.

If you haven't checked out my other books, feel free to do it.

Until the next update Love Davina❤💞