All sorts of tests and diagnostics were run on Lina. They had to make sure everything in her system was fine, whether it was her brain, nervous system, and so forth. By the end of everything, Lina was exhausted. She was guided back to her bed and instructed to rest before beginning mild physical therapy.
Lina found it difficult to rest. She had been in bed for one week. She didn't feel that exhausted enough to sleep.
Lying in bed, she turned her head to the door. Kaden hadn't returned. Shortly into her MRI scans, he had left to pick up an urgent phone call. She wasn't sure how long he was waiting for her in the hospital. One thing was for certain.
He was wearing the same clothes as a week ago.
"Did that mean he didn't change at all?" Lina grumbled to herself, wondering if he even showered.
The phone call must've been Sebastian's attempt to pull Kaden away from the hospital. She had recalled how exhausted Kaden appeared. She concluded he didn't sleep at all.
Pure-Blood Vampires didn't need much sleep, for their anatomy was completely different to that of a human. However, they needed a bit of rest, as their body could potentially shut down without any given warning.
Bored and tired of lying in her bed, Lina sat up. She grabbed onto the cane that was leaning against the nightstand. After waking up from the coma, her legs initially felt like jello. When she walked, pain would prick up her legs, as if they had fallen asleep.
"Come on…" Lina groaned, pressing herself to walk further.
Lina made it to the doorway and cracked it open slightly. The VVIP floor was usually quiet. This time, she heard voices outside.
Lina could only distinguish one as Kaden. She was surprised and curious about what it could be. The voices were low and hushed. There were bodyguards at the door.
"I'm going to practice walking," Lina quietly said to them.
The bodyguard said nothing. Instead, they began to follow her.
- - - - -
"I get it," Kaden growled.
Kaden slapped Sebastian's hand away. Sebastian was attempting to adjust the tie for the billionth time.
As Lina was getting tested, Kaden was pulled away to freshen himself up. He had taken a shower, changed into a clean set of clothes, and was finally presentable again.
Kaden had been able to live 500 years without Lina, but that didn't mean he lived well. He behaved like a man with no aspirations in life.
Kaden gave up on the basic necessities of a human.
Kaden didn't drink blood for the entire week, didn't take any urge supplements, and didn't react as one should. It was for the same reason he had been separated from Lina in her second life. Her parents, at that time, deemed him as a street thug seeking the hand of a daughter from a reputable family.
"But your tie is crooked…" Sebastian grumbled, his voice resembling an aggrieved mother who only wanted to look after their child.
Kaden suppressed an eye roll. He roughly adjusted his tie. He fixed it to perfection. That way, Lina wouldn't think he behaved like a homeless man the entire time she was in a coma.
Kaden had sat by her bedside, refusing to move and eat. At some point, his eyes were strained from watching her for so long.
By now, Kaden had memorized every single thing about her. She had light sun marks on her fingers, he had counted the strands of her hair, and realized her lashes were beautifully long. She had slight blemishes on her face, they were so faint, that normal eyes couldn't see them.
"Mr. DeHaven?"
Kaden sharply turned at the mention of his surname. DeHaven. In his first life, they were a prestigious family that helped him usurp the throne. Their loyalty to him was so undying that the heir to House DeHaven had abandoned his position.
Though, Kaden was certain a motherless little girl had something to do with it. How could Kaden forget? In his second life, shortly after he had lost Lina, he stumbled across a man who, also, should've died. But hadn't.
Needless to say, both of them recognized each other and knew what they were.
"Mr. DeHaven…?" The doctor repeated, wondering if this young heir needed MRI and ear scans too.
"What are my wife's reports?" Kaden demanded.
"Everything is back to normal, Mr. DeHaven. Although…. she's extremely malnourished from the coma, but it seems this isn't her first time. Her records indicate she's—"
"I know that," Kaden deadpanned.
"What about that small scar behind her neck and on the sides of her head? It looks like something sharp was placed on it, like some helmet," Kaden pointed out.
"It resembles surgical scars. She also has a prominent small scar the size of a dot on her hands. Those types of scars only form when a patient has been injected with an IV for a long time, Mr. DeHaven," the doctor reported.
The doctor flipped through the clipboard, his brows taut. Most people nowadays used a high-tech tablet that showed the 3D hologram of everything. He preferred to keep it old-school and used paper and a pen.
"As for her MRI scans… We've employed a completely new technique to try to research into what you mentioned last time," the doctor stated.
Kaden narrowed his eyes. It was just as he had predicted. Lina was never home-schooled. Sebastian had reported back to him that neither maid or butler saw her leave her room.
Lina didn't exist in the house. If not in the house, then where was she? Obviously, not at home. But where?
When Sebastian pried further, he discovered a supposed summer camp. When Sebastian had visited there, it was an actual summer camp. There were kids running around, laughing on handmade wooden swings, and getting along with nature, as most people do in summer camps. There wasn't anything bizarre about the place.
"Hm, has your wife witnessed something traumatic in the past, Mr. DeHaven?" The doctor asked with a slight frown, gesturing to this clipboard where a scan of Lina's brain could be seen.
"What is this old-school drawing," Sebastian dryly commented. "DeHaven Conglomerate is the largest donor of this hospital, and you mean to tell me the technology isn't state of the art?"
"No, no, everything here is perfect and well-funded. I prefer old-school—"
"This part is abnormal," Kaden seethed, pointing to the hippocampus of her brain. It was smaller compared to normal. He'd know.
Kaden had been around long enough to learn every single detail about the human body. One would think being immortal meant he found the cure to cancer. That'd be impossible.
"Great observation, Mr. DeHaven!" The doctor complimented, his aging eyes growing wide. He just loved youngsters who actually paid attention in school!
Unlike his other colleagues who had been too frightened by the cold-hearted man, the doctor was mellow. He was old already. If he died from a heart-attack from serving this heir, then it'd be a fulfilling death. At least, he'd die working in a profession he dedicated his entire life to.
"I asked about trauma because of the typical coping mechanism of someone who has experienced something trauma. It seems your wife is blocking out memories, whether it's from her childhood or her youth," the doctor said.
"Whatever happened in her past must've been so haunting that her brain doesn't want her to remember," the doctor stated. "As a result, whenever she has been reminded of it, her head has begun to hurt. Her body must've adapted to respond with this habit to protect her from the truth, Mr. DeHaven."
CLANG!
Kaden's head snapped to the end of the hallway. His face grew murderous. Who was the peeping rat lurking in this corner? Then, he saw the cane.
"Lina," Kaden called out.
Kaden instantly lost interest in the doctor. He rushed to the corner. Sure enough, Lina had dropped her cane. She would've fallen to the ground, had the bodyguards not caught her.
"What do you mean something traumatic happened?" Lina asked him. "N-nothing happened, I—"
"What about that summer camp?" Kaden asked her, grabbing her by the elbows.
Kaden helped her to her feet, but her knees gave out from underneath her.
"What about the scars on your hand and around your head? There's even one on the back of your neck!" Kaden seethed. "You—"
Kaden breathed in deeply. He saw her face crumble with the realization. His wife was far too vulnerable right now. In a single scoop, he lifted her into his arms, bridal style.
"You need to worry about yourself more," Kaden scolded, in a much softer voice. "Come now, let's take you back to bed."
Lina didn't respond. She felt her heart tremble like a small kitten. Her head began to hurt again. She could feel the horrendous sensation building. She wished she was run over by a truck and reincarnated. That's how agonizing this pain was.
Luckily, Kaden had changed the subject in time. Or else, she wouldn't have known what to do with herself.
"Have you eaten yet?" Kaden asked, dropping his gaze to her.
Kaden experienced a stir in his chest. She was staring at him like a helpless animal. His dear, little dove. Ever so endearing.
Kaden let out a soft breath, his attention drifting to her delectable lips. To make matters worse, she licked her mouth. His gaze darkened.
"No…" Lina mumbled. "Did you eat?"
'No, but I want to eat you,' Kaden dryly thought to himself.
"Seems not…" Lina trailed off, seeing the thirst and hunger in his eyes.
Lina realized a startling fact. If Kaden was immortal, then what'd happen to her? Lina was a human.
A love between an immortal man and a human girl. What could possibly go wrong?