Forbidden Love

Ch.2

Six years later...

*Bella*

"No!!!"

I screamed, waking up with heavy breathing and sweating profusely.

The nightmare had returned. Ever since my accident three years ago, I had been haunted by these dreams. Though the visuals weren't clear and I couldn't recall anything specific, the blurry image of a man sitting beside me while my car hit the truck still tormented me in my dreams.

It had been three years since the accident, yet the events of that day remained a mystery to me. When I regained consciousness in the hospital after the incident, I found myself only with the scars as remnants of that cruel event. The accident had left my uterus so wounded that conceiving in the future became an impossibility. The worst part was the complete blankness in my memory for the entire previous year as if it had been erased from my mind. The doctors advised me against forcing myself to remember, suggesting that the memories might return naturally over time.

They were right. Whenever I tried to forcefully recall that day, I was met with a sharp headache, as if my mind was resisting the memories. It felt as though my head might explode if I continued to push for those forgotten moments.

Due to the situation, my parents sent me away from Florence, but I had a feeling that they were intentionally trying to keep me away from the city. They didn't want to talk about that year, and I couldn't fathom why they were hiding something from me.

I finished my internship and started working at a hospital in Rome. Yet, a part of me felt blank because of those forgotten memories.

The sound of the alarm clock going off startled me, pulling me back to the present.

I groggily pressed my hand on the alarm clock to shut it up and reached for the photo frame containing a picture of my family: Mom, Dad, and Ric, my younger brother.

My parents were the epitome of an ideal couple, living out a real-life fairy tale. My dad, Matteo Romano, was the best dad in the world, always there for us. My mom, Anna Romano, on the other hand, was the embodiment of perfection in every aspect of her life. She was fortunate to have married the man she loved and achieved success in every aspect of life- a loving husband, a successful business, and a picture-perfect family life. I admired her so much. I wanted to be just like her, to have a perfect life like hers.

Taking a deep breath and stretching my arms above my head, I prepared to get off my bed and get ready for the day.

Within half an hour, I left for work. I developed a fear of driving a car after my accident, and I never drove after that day. However, the hospital where I work was nearby, so I chose to walk daily.

As I walked across the street, I oddly sensed someone's eyes on me. I halted in my tracks and looked around the busy street, but I couldn't see anyone. I didn't know why, but these days, I often felt like someone was secretly watching me or following me. Maybe I was imagining things, but I couldn't shake off this feeling.

I hastened my pace and hurried toward the hospital. Upon entering, a wave of relief washed over me. After regaining my composure, I resumed my tasks for the day.

__________________

"Why did they have to change management?" Dr. Olivia D'Angelo groaned as she approached the coffee machine. "God knows what changes they will bring to the hospital," she sighed, leaning against the wall. I shook my head, amused by her dramatic expression.

"Do you know who the new MD is?" Dr. Sarah Allegro asked, placing a cup under the coffee machine.

Olivia and Sarah had become my friends in this new place, and because of them, I quickly settled into my workplace.

"It's still a mystery," Olivia sighed.

"Why did they need to sell it? The hospital was running so well," Sarah questioned, her brows furrowing.

"I have no idea. However, I heard the new owner bought the hospital at a good price," Olivia replied as Sarah took her cup, and Olivia placed hers.

"That's strange," Sarah mused.

"Not really. People invest when they foresee profits," I joined their conversation after listening for a while, filling my cup with coffee after Olivia removed hers.

"Yeah," Olivia agreed.

"The only odd thing is that the new management shuffled the shifts of a few doctors strangely, and even Dr. Costa's schedule has been changed. So, Dr. Bella..." Olivia trailed off with a mischievous smile, clearly enjoying teasing me, "You won't be able to catch a glimpse of him," she teased as she sipped her coffee.