Silence hung heavy after Vicky's final words. Everyone in the room looked stunned—no one quite knowing what to believe.
Nathan's brows furrowed. Cinthia looked to Sofia. Even Monica—always quick with her mouth—remained uncharacteristically quiet.
The lead officer stepped forward, tone careful but firm.
"Miss Samuels… did Mr. Shikongo do this to you? Look, you don't have to be scared."
The air thinned.
"What?" Nathan gasped.
"You think my husband attacked her?" Catty demanded, voice shrill with indignation.
"No!" Vicky shouted. "Necro would never hurt me. I was safe last night… because of him."
That name again. Necro. Everyone looked at each other, unsure whether to believe it was real or another ghost from Vicky's fractured mind.
The officer pressed. "Then please… tell us. Who hurt you? And why?"
"I… I don't know." Vicky's voice cracked, like something inside her was trying to get out but couldn't.
"You must know," Catty snapped. "Otherwise, they'll think my husband did it. And he'll be jailed—for you!"
The nurse, who had been silent in the corner, suddenly spoke.
"When she first woke up… she tried to attack me. Asked if my boss sent me to kill her. She thought the clothes had a bomb in them."
"She thought that?" the detective asked, scribbling.
Vicky's eyes widened. "Wait—what? I said that?"
"You did," the nurse confirmed.
"Oh, for God's sake," Catty muttered. "Am I the only one seeing through her? She's obviously gaslighting all of us—and you people are falling for it. Even the police."
"How well do you even know her?" Monica shot back. "You sound like someone who feels threatened."
"Enough," Sofia said firmly. Her voice quieted the storm.
Cinthia raised her hand like a student. "Actually… when we met her earlier, she did say something strange. Said last time she woke up in a hospital, a masked man tried to kill her."
The family murmured in agreement.
Catty threw up her hands. "I can't believe this," she said, before storming out of the room.
The detective turned back to Vicky.
"So… you don't remember any of that?"
Vicky shook her head slowly. "No."
"How can someone remember and forget?" Ruben whispered to himself, before stepping away to make a phone call.
The detective leaned toward one of the doctors and whispered something.
Nathan stepped forward. "What's going on?"
"We just need to take a look at the clothes she was found in," the officer replied. "Could help us identify something… or someone."
The nurse nodded and left the room.
Nathan sat beside Vicky, quieter now. He glanced at her bandaged hand, then at her face.
"Are you mad at me?" he asked. "Because of that kiss?"
Vicky turned slightly, a ghost of a smile forming. "Nah. I'm keeping it safe… to blackmail you someday."
Nathan chuckled under his breath. Vicky noticed.
"I'm sorry," he said softly. "I never meant to make you sad. Or angry. Or dishonor you in any way."
Vicky studied him. "So… I wasn't dreaming last night? You're actually a nice person?"
Nathan smirked. "No. I'm not. I just can't defeat you, so I'm trying to befriend you… to outwit you."
She giggled. "Hm. Friends?"
"You're still asking after knowing my evil motive?" he teased.
"Yeah. It'll be interesting. And don't worry—I'll win," she said confidently.
Nathan nodded. "Friends."
They both sat there, quietly locked in a wordless truce. He looked at her, and for the first time, she didn't feel watched. She felt seen.
"You're going to be fine," Nathan said gently.
Vicky nodded. "I believe that. But I am telling the truth. I don't know why I can't remember. It's like something deleted the whole footage of last night… except the part with you."
Suddenly, her hands began to tremble. Her fingers twitched uncontrollably.
Nathan instantly reached for her hands and held them firmly.
"Hey—hey, look at me. I trust you. I'm not here to scratch that memory open. I believe you," he said, locking eyes with her.
"I—" Vicky began, a flicker of something surfacing from the fog—
"…And we will find whoever that masked man is," Nathan added.
Just then, Catty returned and dropped herself between them—wedging herself like a wall.
Vicky leaned back slightly.
So did Nathan.
But their eyes never stopped looking at each other.