I spent two weeks in the hospital recovering, with Nathan by my side the entire time.

During the day, I focused on my rehabilitation while he worked on his laptop in the next room. Sometimes, I would sneak over to check on him.

Nathan had a striking look, especially when he was dressed in a suit for work. Honestly, he was so handsome it took my breath away.

"Nathan, how come you're so good-looking?" I found myself asking more than once, completely mesmerized.

He'd always respond with mock seriousness, "Julia, you might want to wipe that drool off your chin. Can't have anyone seeing you like this."

"Pfft! What's the harm? You're my boyfriend, and I can look at you however I want. No one else gets a say in that."

"Touché. You've got a point there."

Nathan's company had gone public two years ago, so he was busier than ever. Still, he spent nearly all his time at the hospital with me, and I felt a twinge of guilt about it.

I'd gently nudge him, saying, "You know, you can head to the office. Just swing by in the evenings to see me."

Every time, he'd look at me with such intensity. "Julia, you're the most important thing in my life. Nothing else matters. Just hang in there a little longer. I'll be done with work soon."

When boredom struck, Nathan would keep me entertained with movies or stories about the past six years.

Yet, he never mentioned anything about his own life during that time.

I didn't pry; I simply remarked, "I must've hit the jackpot running into you. If it were anyone else, they'd have ditched me ages ago."

He squeezed my hand, replying, "Julia, I'm the lucky one for having you. You'll always come first in my heart."

Emma hadn't come by since that day, so I asked Nathan, "Emma said she'd visit, but I haven't seen her. What happened?"

He replied casually, "She's out of town on a business trip. Won't be back for a month."

"Oh, she seems to have changed so much. What's up with that?"

"People change, Julia. It's just life."

I quipped, "And you? You're still the same old Nathan."

He looked at me seriously. "In your presence, I'll never change. I'll always be your Nathan."

My cheeks flushed again. "Who says you haven't changed? You used to be so quiet, and now you're a smooth talker."

Nathan pressed my hand to his lips, saying, "I only say these things to you."

With Nathan around, my recovery was anything but dull. In fact, I found this new life to be quite cozy, almost like stepping back in time to six years ago.

Except for one thing: ever since I woke up, I'd been plagued by nightmares every night.

Oddly enough, they were always the same. In my dreams, a dark figure would loom over me, whispering that it wanted to eat me.

I laughed it off and told Nathan about the nightmare, but he insisted it was because I was overthinking things during the day.

"I'm not a worrywart! I'm as carefree as they come. Honestly, I feel like I'm sleeping better than ever. I can sleep through the night and sometimes even snooze half the day away. I'm practically a pig!"

For some reason, when Nathan heard this, his expression darkened. I caught him asking the doctors more than once why I was becoming increasingly drowsy.

The doctors couldn't provide any clear answers. They mentioned that my waking up was already a medical miracle. In fact, they said I was the only case in the world of someone who had slept for years and then returned to normalcy.

To put it bluntly, they warned that with my condition, it was possible I could slip back into a coma at any time.

Previously, Nathan would go to the office occasionally. However, since I had started dozing off more often, Nathan had completely abandoned his work responsibilities. He handed everything over to his assistant and devoted himself to staying by my side 24/7.

One day, I playfully complained, "You really should go back to work, you know? We built this company together, and I don't want you to let it go to waste!"

With that signature, affectionate look in his eyes, Nathan replied, "Julia, don't worry. Even if the company went under, we'd still be just fine financially."

"Ugh, don't say such unlucky things! I want the company to thrive! I want to be a vice president, what do you think?"

"As long as you want it, I'll make you the president if that's what you want."

I chuckled. "I'm just kidding! I really only care about the money. You can keep being the boss while I spend your earnings!"

"Alright, whatever you say goes."

Later that night, I noticed Nathan refusing to sleep in the empty hospital. Instead, he insisted on squeezing into the bed with me. As I nestled against him, I couldn't help but feel the sharpness of his ribs through his shirt, and I frowned.

"Nathan, why are you so skinny? It feels like I'm hugging a skeleton!"

He rested his chin on top of my head, his voice low and soothing. "It's alright. As long as I can make you healthy, that's what matters. If you gain weight, I'll be happy."

I pouted, poking at his sides playfully. "What do you mean you'll be happy if I gain weight? What's that got to do with you? You should put on some weight too!"

Nathan caught my hand and placed it over his heart, his warm breath brushing against my ear as he said in a husky tone. "Julia, don't tease me. You're still recovering. I don't want to push you."

My face flushed crimson, and I quickly withdrew my hand, embarrassed. After a long pause, I finally said, "Nathan, I'm serious. You really need to gain some weight, okay?"

"Okay."

But Nathan didn't keep his promise. Over the next couple of weeks, he only grew thinner, and his complexion seemed to worsen.

I panicked, wrapping my arms around him, tears streaming down my face. "Nathan, please tell me you're not hiding some serious illness from me! You can't lie to me!"

He chuckled softly, patting my head, seemingly unfazed. "Silly Julia, don't overthink it. I'm perfectly healthy."

I retorted, "I'm not overthinking! Just look at how thin you are! If you don't get checked out, I won't recover either! I'll just lie in bed all day!"

Reluctantly, Nathan agreed to go for a check-up after I pushed him enough.

At that moment, Emma walked in, leaning against the doorframe as she watched me carefully navigate my way along the wall.

"Julia, congratulations! You should be walking like a normal person again pretty soon!"

I smiled, "Thanks! The doctor said I'm recovering really quickly."

Emma suddenly added, "You've become a bit distant with me, Julia."

I forced a laugh. "Well, I've been out of it for six years! That's a long time without seeing you, and you've changed so much. Of course, I'm a bit out of the loop."

"But you're not distant with Nathan."

I felt a bit shy, saying, "That's because Nathan hasn't changed. He's still the same person to me."

Emma's smile faded a bit. "Is that so?"

Suddenly, I remembered something, so I asked, "Emma, I heard Nathan mention you're engaged. Why haven't you brought your fiancé by for me to meet?"

Her face hardened, and after a long pause, she replied, "I'll definitely bring him by when I have time."

I looked at her curiously. "Who's your fiancé? Do I know him?"

Emma forced a smile. "No, you don't, Julia. Just focus on resting. I have to go now, but I'll visit you again soon."

Just as Emma left, Nathan returned from his check-up, holding the results in his hand.

I took the report from him and said, "Emma just stopped by, but she left in a hurry."

Nathan handed me the report and gently guided me toward the bed. "What did she say?"

I glanced at the report, and the words "medical examination passed" instantly lifted a weight off my shoulders. I smiled brightly, "Oh, she didn't say much—just rushed out. Seeing that you're healthy makes me so relieved!"

I muttered, "But seriously, why are you so thin?"

Since Emma's last visit, she had been coming almost every day.

Each time Nathan saw her, his expression darkened, and Emma would look at him with red-rimmed eyes.

Even I, usually oblivious, couldn't ignore the tension brewing between them.

Unable to hold back any longer, I asked Nathan, "What's going on between you and Emma? Why is it so weird?"

Nathan hesitated, searching for the right words. "Julia, let's just keep our distance from her, okay?"

"What do you mean by that, Nathan? We've been friends for ten years."

He looked increasingly uneasy. "Julia, please, just listen to me. If she comes by again, I want you to send her away."

"Fine," I replied, but I was determined to get to the bottom of this the next time Emma showed up.

However, before I could confront Emma again, Nathan suddenly changed.

He was hardly ever in the hospital room anymore, only stopping by once a day, and when he did, he would just sit there in silence.

I could hardly receive any response from him when I asked.

I felt a knot of fear tightening in my stomach. "Nathan, what's wrong? Please talk to me!" I cried, but he simply wiped away my tears without a word.

In the days that followed, Nathan didn't come at all. I couldn't take it anymore and called him, but Emma answered.

After that, I tried calling again, and again, it was Emma who picked up.

Eventually, I gave up, my heart heavy with despair.

When Emma came by that day, I was practicing walking.

She stood at the door for a long moment before finally speaking up.

"On the day you woke up, Nathan and I were getting engaged. He's been stopping me from coming to see you. He promised me that once you were better, he would tell you the truth."

My nails dug into my palms, but I forced a smile.

"I know it's harsh to tell you this right now, Julia, but I can't be without Nathan. He's waited for you for six years, and I've waited for him for six years. Do you have any idea what those six years were like for us? Do you know Nathan tried to kill himself three years ago because of you? Nathan took a handful of sleeping pills by your bedside, and I'm the one who found him and saved him. His life is mine now. I don't care why he suddenly agreed to get engaged to me—whether it was out of gratitude or something else—but I don't care. All I care about is being with him...

"We could have had a life together, but why did you have to wake up? Why did you have to wake up that day? He had already accepted me. I know Nathan regrets it now, the moment you woke up he started regretting it..."

Emma's voice grew more frantic, her emotions getting the best of her as she nearly broke down. "Julia, I've given you everything. Please don't take Nathan away from me, okay?"

I leaned against the wall, making my way slowly back to the bed, feeling numb. I looked at Emma and managed a wry smile. "Can you give my dad back to me?"

Emma was taken aback. "But he... he's been..."

Suddenly, a furious shout came from outside the door.

"Shut up. Why did you even come here?"

I looked out the door.

Nathan stood there, his face a mix of anger and distress, eyes fixed on me.