Battle with a Billionaire: A Suspenseful Billionaire Romance (Hearts and Holdings Billionaire Romanc

Chapter 14

Rhythmic beeping filled her ears, the only thing tethering her to the world in a void of darkness. In another instant, pain also tied her there.

She struggled to understand what had happened, her mind desperately searching for answers. But none came. Only an endless maze of questions, none of which she could answer.

The scent of antiseptic filled her nostrils, reminding her of something she couldn’t quite put her finger on.

Dizziness swept over her, disorienting her even further as she seemed to float on water.

The lapping of waves filled her mind, but it all seemed unfamiliar. Images that made no sense swept through her mind, colliding with nothingness and sending her spiraling through a nonsensical world.

Another breath brought a sharp pain across her ribs. She gasped, her eyes fluttering open.

She stared at unfamiliar surroundings in the dimly lit room. Ceiling tile stretched above her. Tubes and wires snaked from her to monitors that beeped and bloomed with a variety of colors.

The disconcerting display made her head swim and ache even more than it already did.

Concerned faces hovered over her. They spoke, but she couldn’t hear them over the blood rushing through her ears.

She squeezed her eyes shut again to stop the room from spinning. Someone rubbed her forearm, and she realized that hands held both of hers.

Voices floated through her mind, echoing but making no sense. The sudden urge to vomit washed over her as salty saliva filled her mouth. She bit back the bile creeping up in her throat as lights burned through her eyelids, stinging her still-closed eyes.

The hands let go of hers, leaving her floating on the sea of nothingness again.

A voice finally broke through the haze. “Julia?”

She fought to steady herself enough to open her eyes. The room still spun in a dizzying array. She moaned as she squeezed her eyes closed again.

The voice called out an order. “Give her more anti-nausea.”

Cold liquid rushed into the crook of her arm. In a few moments, the sickness settled, though the pounding at her temples remained.

She swallowed hard as she allowed her eyes to pop open again. She scanned the now-well-lit hospital room as her brain tried to sort through the shock. The sterile expanse of white and gray coupled with the beeping monitor made her uneasy, though the constant, steady beep reassured her. The sharp smell of antiseptic threatened to overwhelm her again.

“Hey,” a dark-haired man said with a smile. “Feeling any better?”

She bobbed her head, though the movement made pain bloom across her forehead. Her parched mouth and dry throat didn’t allow for words to come out.

The man set his tablet down beside her and poured her a cup of water before he held a straw to her lips. She sucked on it, letting the cool liquid quench her thirst.

“Better?” he asked.

“Y-yeah,” she murmured as she tried to push up to sit in the bed.

The scrub-clad man eased her back into the bed. “Whoa, easy, easy, we’re not there yet, Julia.”

She scrunched her brow. Why was she in the hospital?

“I’m Doctor Gray. I was your surgeon.”

“Surgeon?”

He bobbed his head up and down as he tapped on his tablet. “You were in a very bad accident. You needed surgery. You were in a medically induced coma for just over forty-eight hours. It was touch-and-go for a while with you. But I’m glad to see your eyes open.”

She pinched her forehead as she tried to recall an accident. “I don’t remember an accident.”

“No? That’s very common.” He smiled at her. “Let’s just work on making sure you’re doing okay now. Do you have any pain?”

She winced again. Her mind searched her memory for an accident, but she couldn’t recall anything. Maybe that was for the best. Apparently, it had been fairly bad. “Yes.”

“Okay, where?”

“My head is splitting. And every time I take a deep breath, right here.” She grimaced as she rubbed her ribs.

“Your ribs are bruised. The head concerns me a little more. You had some swelling when they brought you in. It’s reduced, but I don’t like the headache. I’m going to order a few tests.”

Julia clicked her tongue as she let her head fall back against the flat pillow.

“What? You don’t like tests?” The doctor flicked his gaze to her.

“Does anyone? It’s bad enough I was in an accident, but now I have to be poked and prodded.”

He chuckled before he pulled a penlight from his pocket and flicked it in her eyes before he returned to her chart. “You were in very bad shape when you came in.”

“Really? What happened?”

“Someone ran a stop sign and t-boned you. Dr. Carter nearly lost you when you came in, but he managed to get you stabilized. And you were a champ through surgery. Can you squeeze my hands?”

She gripped his fingers and squeezed.

“Good. You’ve got a nice grip on you.”

“Can I forego the tests then?”

“Is your headache gone?” he asked as he tapped on the tablet.

“No,” she admitted.

“Are you ticklish?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” she asked.

He lifted the sheets by her feet and traced a finger up her foot. She yanked it away. “Yes, I am.”

“Sorry, I usually like to warn people, but you wanted to withhold that information.” He flicked a finger up the other foot.

“Hey,” she said, “I thought you liked to warn people.”

“I thought I did on the first one.” He grinned at her before he returned to her chart. “But those were good results. No spinal damage, no paralysis.”

She swallowed hard as her stomach clenched. “Was there some question of that?”

“There’s always a question of that in accidents like yours. You were in very bad shape, Julia.”

She sucked in a breath as she shook her head. “Wow. I guess I was lucky.”

“Very. But you’re a fighter, that’s why. Now, let’s get these tests and see where we’re at, okay?”

“Thank you,” she said as the transport personnel arrived.

She shivered as the cold air brushed past her on the way to radiology. She rubbed her arms, unable to remove the chill. What would the tests show? Would she need more surgery?

She desperately tried to recall anything about the accident, but nothing formed in her mind. The doctor said she’d been in rough shape. How bad?

Before she could contemplate it further, she was whisked into another room.

“We’re going to start with your MRI, then a CT,” the nurse said. “Are you claustrophobic?”

“Ah, I’m not happy about going in there,” Julia answered, “but I’m not going to claw my way out of it.”

The nurse smiled at her as they situated her on the table. “Close your eyes and try to stay as still as possible. We’ll get you out of there as soon as we can.”

She offered a tentative smile as she laid back on the cold table. The nurse left the room and the loud machine whirred to life. Julia bit into her lower lip as she slid into the tube.

She wanted to squeeze her eyes closed, but she was afraid she wouldn’t wake up. Had the doctor said how long she’d been out? Forty-eight hours? Longer?

As she tried to focus on that conversation, the technician told her to remain still. She tried to stop herself from trembling, stiffening her muscles until they hurt.

She squeezed her fingers into fists, holding her breath as the machine whirred around her.

“Doing great, just a few more minutes.”

She swallowed hard, wondering what the results showed. Did the doctor say swelling around her brain? Was there more? Was that what her headache was from?

More questions flooded her mind. What if she needed more surgery?

After longer than she hoped, the table finally slid from the machine. She blew out a long breath as the nurse flitted back into the room to get her to her next test.

“This one’ll be easier. Just going to put a little contrast dye into your IV. It’ll make you feel really warm all over, so don’t panic, okay?”

“Right,” she said as the woman injected something into the line in her arm. They positioned her on the bed in front of the CT machine before the woman disappeared from the room.

Heat washed through her as the dye took effect, making her even more uncomfortable than she already was, but at least this one wasn’t nearly as claustrophobic.

When she finished, exhaustion coursed through her. Her headache had dulled somewhat, but not disappeared. She hoped that was a good sign, and she wouldn’t be in need of any more medical attention.

“So, how did it look?” she asked as the transporter pushed her bed back to her room.

“Dr. Gray should be in to speak with you soon. You’re in good hands. Are you cold?”

“I am,” she answered as she rubbed her arms.

“I’ll get you another blanket.” The woman parked her in the hall, darted into a room, and returned with a warm blanket. She draped it around Julia before they continued to her room.

She really hated being in the hospital. No matter where you went, people stared at you, wondering what happened to you.

As the comfort of her room surrounded her, she slouched under the blanket, letting her head fall back against the pillow again. She shifted on the uncomfortable mattress, trying to find a comfortable position. Her ribs had begun to ache no matter which way she lay.

She hoped the doctor would be in soon. Maybe he could give her something for the pain that would also dull the ache at her temples.

She chewed her low lip as the woman reattached all her leads and her IV. The monitor resumed its rhythmic beeping again, giving her constant reassurance that she remained alive.

The woman patted her hand and offered her good luck before she strode from the room, off to take her next patient wherever they needed to go.

Exhaustion coursed through her, but she remained afraid to close her eyes. She reached for her water but couldn’t get it. With a sigh, she figured she’d have to wait until someone checked on her.

Shadows stretched across the floor as someone hovered at her door. She hoped it was a nurse to give her medication, water, or both.

Instead, she spotted a man and a younger woman, flawlessly made up. They rushed inside, concern on their faces.

“Oh, Julia, it’s so good to see you awake,” he said as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

He leaned closer, rubbing her head.

“Yeah. We were so worried,” the woman said, flanking her on the other side to take her other hand.

Julia flicked her gaze between them as she tensed again.

“Julia? Are you okay?”

Her eyelashes fluttered as the room spun again, her senses threatening to overcome her.

“Julia?” the woman said.

Julia’s breathing ratcheted up, sending pain through her body, turning ragged as she continued to shift her gaze back and forth. Her eyes shifted back and forth before finally landing on the man.

She stared down at their clasped hands, then slid her gaze up to his face. Her forehead pinched.

He offered her a confused glance. “Julia? Are you okay?”

She shook her head, pressing her lips together. “No.”

“What’s wrong?”

She tugged her hand away from his, her features pinching. “Who are you?”

The expression on his face betrayed his shock, his chiseled jaw clenching. He snapped his gaze to the younger woman on the other side of her before he shifted it back to her. His forehead creased, and it seemed he was trying to speak, but no words came out.

“Julia, what do you mean? It’s Daddy! Your husband, duh.”

Julia’s eyes widened as she stared at the man. She had no memory of him whatsoever. She couldn’t have married him. “My what?”

“Husband,” Sierra said, her voice slowing. “He’s your husband. I’m your stepdaughter. You can’t actually tell me you’ve forgotten me.”

“I…”

“Sierra, easy,” the man said.

“Well, obviously she’s just confused—she just woke up. She’s probably half out of it from all the drugs.” The woman patted her hand and grinned. “It’s okay, Julia, we’ll forgive you.”

“Julia,” he said, his voice softening, “just…take a breath. It’s me. It’s Grant.”

She shook her head, panic rising within her, mirrored by the ever-faster beeps from the machine. “I don’t know any Grant. I don’t know you. I don’t know her.”

His features crumpled at her words, concern mixing with disappointment. “Okay, okay, take it easy. I’m going to find the doctor.”

The man strode from the room, leaving the woman behind. Julia glanced at her, confusion reigning in her mind.

“It’s okay, Julia. I’m sure it’s just temporary. I’ll bet Doctor Whatever-his-name-is will be able to fix this.”

Julia tried to make sense of it and to search the far corners of her mind for any trace of this woman in her memory, but she found none. It alarmed her, and her heart monitor agreed.

The speaker in the hall crackled to life. “Paging Dr. Carter, paging Dr. Kyle Carter.”

She couldn’t remember the accident, however, the doctor said that was normal. She hadn’t realized at the time that she couldn’t remember anything at all. How had she forgotten she had gotten married?

Grant returned a moment later, his features still registering dismay. She shrank further down in the bed, feeling awkward with a man who knew her but she couldn’t remember.

“Did you find him?” Sierra asked.

“Yes, he’s coming right in.” He rubbed her shoulder, and she stared at his hand as though it was a wild animal. “It’s okay, Julia. We’ll get this figured out.”

Relief coursed through her as the dark-haired doctor rushed back into the room with his tablet in hand. Maybe now she’d get answers. She half-expected him to throw the other two out and tell her it was a joke.

“Okay, Julia, I hear you’re having a little trouble remembering things.”

“Apparently,” she answered.

“Okay, let’s take a look at your test results, first.” He tapped on the tablet before he paused, studying something. “Looks great. Do you still have a headache?”

“It’s dull, but still there.”

“Okay.” He pushed past Sierra and smiled down at her. “Let’s talk about this memory issue. Do you remember that your name is Julia?”

She shrugged. Did she or did she just believe them when they called her that? “I guess. Everyone’s been calling me that. It feels right, I guess.”

“Okay, how about your last name? Do you remember that?”

She chewed her lower lip as she tried to recall it. “Stanton.”

The doctor flicked his gaze to the man next to her. “That was her maiden name.”

“Okay, so that’s not terrible. You remember some things. But…you don’t remember this guy.” He poked a finger at Grant.

She stared at him again. “No.” Her voice broke as she choked out the word.

“Okay, there’s no reason to get upset. This is not uncommon. I’m just going to step outside with your family for a second, okay? You just try to relax.”

She nodded, her features pinching.

“Relax, don’t try to force anything with your memory, okay?” The doctor ushered the other two out of the room.

Alone, Julia wrapped her arms around her midriff. She tried to relax, but she worried about her memory.

Within a few minutes, the doctor shuffled back into the room. Grant and Sierra remained at the foot of her bed.

“Okay, Julia, I want you to try one last time,” Dr. Gray said. “Just…let your mind relax and let me know if there’s even a vague hint of recognition for your family. It doesn’t have to be a solid memory. Take your time.”

Julia swallowed hard as she stared at them both, hoping for some flicker of remembrance. She tried to force her heart rate to slow, and her brain to process their faces. Maybe it was simply panic and overwhelm that was blocking her.

She narrowed her eyes, pinching her eyebrows together. After a second, she flicked her gaze to the side as she wondered how she’d tell them she had no recollection of them at all when she caught sight of another man leaning against the door jamb.

Her eyebrows knit tighter as her lips parted. Images floated through her mind, and she sucked in a sharp breath. “You.”

All eyes turned to the doctor in her doorway.

“That’s Dr. Carter. He took care of you when you came in. And if I’m not mistaken, he’s also family?” Dr. Gray slid a questioning glance at Grant who nodded.

“Kyle,” she said.

“That’s right, yes.”

“I remember you. I remember Kyle.”

She gripped the railing on the side of her bed, hope and dread filling her. She remembered someone, but from what they’d told her, it wasn’t the person she should remember.

Her mind was like a blank page, each attempt to remember like trying to read something that hadn’t yet been written. The frustration of not remembering Grant gnawed at her, creating confusion. Yet, the flicker of recognition for Kyle seemed like a lighthouse in her stormy thoughts.

Why was she remembering the wrong man?