A young nurse was tending to a millionaire lost in a coma, but the moment he suddenly awoke, something truly incredible occurred. The fluorescent lights of the Westbridge Private Heart Hospital cast a sterile hum over the pristine white corridors as Anna Munro made her way through them. She’d been a nurse on this floor for nearly two years, yet this particular day just felt… off.
From the instant she got the unexpected call to Dr. Harris’s office—the head of neurology—an odd knot tightened in her chest. What could it be? Had she made a mistake? Was she being moved to another department? She pulled in a steadying breath before rapping her knuckles on the heavy, polished mahogany door. “Come in.”
She pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding Dr. Harris already standing by the large window, his hands clasped neatly behind his back. His gaze, usually so sharp and focused on his staff, was distant, fixed on the city skyline. The air in the room was thick, smelling of sterile antiseptic and the expensive leather of his chairs, and the atmosphere felt much heavier than normal. “Anna,” he said, at last turning to face her.
His voice was measured, carrying a seriousness she rarely heard. “We have a patient assignment that requires… special attention. This particular job isn’t for the faint of heart.” Anna’s brow knitted in confusion.
“Not for the faint of heart?” she echoed cautiously. “What sort of patient?” Dr. Harris observed her for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before gesturing with his chin toward a thick medical file sitting on his desk. “Grant Carter,” he stated.
The name hit her. Anna felt her breath catch in her throat. Grant Carter.
The Grant Carter. Even if the name hadn’t rung a bell instantly, the cover of the file told the whole story. Taped to it was a stark, black-and-white newspaper clipping detailing a terrible car crash.
It had been a year since the city’s youngest billionaire was involved in that devastating accident. His high-end sports car had careened off a bridge in the dead of night, plunging him into the coma he’d been in ever since. His name used to be splashed across every headline.
Grant Carter: the brilliant, ruthless, seemingly untouchable CEO of Carter Enterprises. The man who had single-handedly built an empire by the age of thirty-two. And now? He was little more than a ghost, a mind trapped inside its own unresponsive body.
“His family rarely makes an appearance,” Dr. Harris continued, pulling her from her thoughts. “And most of the staff… well, they just do their required rounds out of a sense of obligation. But this patient needs someone dedicated.”
“Someone who will actually… care.” Anna bit her lower lip. She could hear the unspoken weight in his voice, the hesitation.
“And you think I’m that someone?” Dr. Harris gave a single, firm nod. “I do.” Anna let out a slow, measured breath.
It was a truly daunting task. She’d be caring for a man who might never wake up, a man whose immense wealth and power had once directed the lives of thousands. Yet, deep down, she knew what her answer would be before she even said it.
“I’ll do it.” Dr. Harris’s lips pressed into a thin, tight line, but she could see a faint glint of approval in his eyes. “Good. Your shift starts tonight.”
The private suite on the hospital’s top floor felt eerily quiet when Anna stepped inside later that evening. It was nothing like the cold, sterile functionality of the other patient rooms. This one was designed for luxury, boasting a spacious layout, softly dimmed chandeliers, and heavy, dark oak furniture.
And there, in the very center of it all, lay Grant Carter. Her breath hitched in her chest as she truly took him in. Despite the network of tubes, the quiet hum of the machines keeping him alive, and the absolute stillness of his body, he was… beautiful.
He had a strong jawline, and his dark lashes rested starkly against his pale skin. She could see the breadth of his shoulders even under the standard hospital gown. If it weren’t for that lifeless, profound stillness, he could have easily passed for a man who was just deeply asleep. But this was no ordinary sleep.
This was a man trapped in a silence that seemed to have no end. Anna swallowed hard, forcing herself to move closer. She checked his IV drip out of habit before reaching for the warm washcloth prepared for his care. She hesitated for only a fraction of a second before gently pressing the damp cloth to his skin…
