Ghost Lights

Ghost Lights
Ivy’s POV

My eyes opened to the white light on the ceiling above me and to the hum of machines loud enough to drown out thought. Pain bloomed in my chest — deep, raw when I shifted, fire tore through my ribs. 

A soft groan slipped from my lips before I could stop it. That’s when I saw him sitting at my bedside,  “Cassian,” I called out his name, my throat dry and broken. He stepped closer and I saw his face—calm, controlled, like he was very sad and concerned.

Fucking hypocrite!

But his eyes… They said a different thing altogether. “Hey,” he said softly. “You’re finally awake.” I blinked, confusion cutting through the haze clouding my vision.  “What… what are you doing here?”

“You shouldn’t be here.”

He exhaled a shaky breath like he’d been holding his breath for hours. “You scared the hell out of me, Ivy. You’ve been unconscious for almost a week now, the doctors didn’t think you’d wake up so soon.”

That was when the thought hit me. Adrian. Where was he? The last thing I remembered was him calling out my name to hold on as he drove me to the hospital. “You,” I whispered. “You shot me.”

Cassian’s face didn’t change. Not even a flicker of surprise.  “Ivy—”

“Don’t,” I cut him off before he could finish. The monitor beside me screamed in response, the beeps spiking. “You tried to kill Adrain, you were aiming at him, and I—” My voice broke. “I stepped in front of him. You shot me.”

He looked at me and something cold moved behind his eyes. When he spoke, his tone was both smooth and dangerous at the same time. “You’re confused,” he said quietly. “You’ve been through a trauma and your mind is just playing tricks after something like that.”

“Don’t gaslight me,” I hissed. “I know what I saw.” He didn’t blink. “What you saw,” he replied,  “was Adrian losing control. You tried to stop him and the gun went off in the struggle.”

“That’s a fucking lie.”

“Ivy,” he murmured, closing the space between us as his hand brushed mine. “You’re safe now. He can’t hurt you anymore.” I yanked his hand away, the movement sending pain slicing through my chest. “Don’t touch me.”

A bitter laughter vibrates through him. “You need rest. Once you’re stronger, I’m sure you’ll remember things clearly.” Before he could finish the door opened, and the smell of expensive cologne filled the room. 

Damian.

He entered like he owned the place in his tailored suit and calm expression—voice smooth as glass. “Thank God,” he said, walking to my side. “You’re awake.”

“Dad…” My throat tightened. “What’s going on?” Cassian stepped back slightly, letting Damian take over like they had rehearsed this scene over and over again. “Everything’s fine now, Ivy,” he said as he took my hand. “You’re safe. Adrian won’t be bothering you again.”

I blinked. “What do you mean?”

He hesitated, studying me with that same calmness he always used when I was younger — the kind that made me feel small,
“Adrian’s been arrested,” he said finally. “For attempting to kill you.”

“What?”

“He shot you,” Cassian interrupted quietly from the corner. “The evidence against him says it all. His fingerprints, the witnesses…”

“No,” I whispered. “No, that’s not true.”

I tried to sit up, but my body rebelled as pain exploded through my ribs.  “He didn’t shoot me! He was saving me!” Cassian moved instantly, pressing me down by the shoulders as I tried to get up.

His grip was too firm. “You need to stop moving,” he warned in a low tone. “You’ll tear your stitches.”

“Let me go!” I fought his hand weakly. “You’re lying—both of you!”

Damian’s expression hardened. “Enough, Ivy.”

“You framed him!” I screamed, tears blurring my vision. “You’re working together—”

“Ivy!” His voice thundered across the room, “Listen to yourself. You were shot and almost died. You need to let us handle this.”

“Handle it?” I spat. “By destroying him?”

He didn’t answer at first, just gave me that cool. disappointed stare — the one that used to make me shrink as a kid. But I wasn’t that little girl anymore.“Why?” I demanded, my voice trembling. “Why would you do this to him?”

Damian sighed, “Because it’s for the best. Adrian has always been a problem — unstable, reckless. This was bound to happen someday.”

“That’s not an answer!”

“It’s the only way to protect you. With him gone, you can finally move forward. You and Cassian can have the future you deserve.”

“You did this,” I shot back, my voice echoing in the hospital room.  “You both did this all because you wanted to get rid of him.” Damian didn’t deny it. 

He just looked at me as if explaining business logistics. “It was necessary,” he said. “Adrian was an obstacle and now he’s gone.”

Tears burned my eyes. “He’s your son.”

“Step-son,” he corrected me too easily, like saying the word itself was a mistake.   “And a liability. He made his choices. Now he’ll face the consequences.” I shook my head, disbelief turning into fury. “You’re both heartless monsters.”

Damian’s gaze darkened. “Careful, Ivy.”

“Go to hell,” I snapped.

Cassian stepped forward again with that rehearsed pretense of concern on his face. “You’ll understand when you’ve rested. We both want what’s best for you.”

I turned away, silent tears streaking my cheeks. Damian’s voice came again, commanding and final, “You’ll need to cooperate, Ivy. Because when the cops return, you’ll give your statement. You’ll tell them what happened — that Adrian had the gun. Do you understand?”

I didn’t look at him nor did I even reply to him. I stared at the white wall across from me.  “Fine. Rest now.” A frustrated sigh came out of him, “We’ll talk later.”

They left together but Cassian was still lingering just long enough to brush his fingers across my arm before leaving.  “Don’t make this harder than it has to be,” he whispered in my ears before pressing a kiss on my forehead, then followed Damian out.

The door clicked shut. Only the sound of the machines and my ragged breathing filled the room. They’d both done it. They used this as the perfect opportunity to frame him for a crime he didn’t commit.

Adrian was out there somewhere — locked in a cell all because of me. I pressed a trembling hand against my chest right over the bandaged wound. 

“I’ll fix this,” I whispered.