Blinking at the closed door, I tried to interpret Fergus's words.

Henry made Aurora's life miserable, and she couldn't raise Finlay like that. As a mother, she couldn't take Fergus away from his parents, so she left for Pennsylvania with her son.

A few minutes later, the rest of the Cockburns came to check on me. Dolina kissed me all over my face and thanked me again and again for saving her grandson, making me flush.

They all were surprised by what Blair and Angus were cooking under their noses and thought they were doing this because of their business greed. No one mentioned Finlay destroying the business, and that made me realize they didn't know about it.

They told me the doctors have let no one meet Finlay and wanted to make sure of his recollection.

After hours of being under observation, the doctors prescribed me some medicines and discharged me with a huge amount of bill that Fergus paid for.

I thanked him for it and he dismissed it by saying I did more than that by saving his son's life. No matter what Finlay did, Fergus still loved his son. Though he didn't show it, I could feel it.

Sitting in the cafeteria I ate my lunch while everyone was waiting to meet Finlay in the lobby. My face scrunched when I took a bite of the dry sandwich.

Even this tastes like medicine.

Picking up my coffee, I took a sip of it and leaned back in the chair. I grabbed my phone and stared at the missed calls from my uncle and Kayla.

It was Monday and I should be at work, but how can I tell them I just got out of a life-and-death situation and want a long relaxing week?

A figure came into my vision and I glanced up to see Neil sitting in front of me.

"Gwd to see ye breathin' again." He chuckled. I knew he was trying to lighten the mood, but failed miserably.

I darted my eyes over his tired face. He had dark eye bags like he haven't slept for ages. The carefree expression he had was replaced with a rigid one. I knew he was good at masking it, but sometimes people give in.

"How is Finlay?" I put my phone back in my pocket.

"The doctors gae him some medicines, an' he'z sleepin' for now." He plopped his back on his seat.

"His condition?"

"He'z been panickin' since he woke up an' the doctors said it'z normal as for the poison. Blair was givin' him some kind of slow thallium poisonin' an' she gae too much in the last shot to kill him. The doctors gae him antidotes an' flushed the poison out of his body."

Nodding my head, I gulped the coffee and processed his words.

"How did they find out what poison it was so quickly?"

"The test results came out yesterday." He answered calmly and my brows shot up. I remembered the doctor who took Finlay's blood sample after I found out he was getting injected.

"You knew?" I looked at him in disbelief. "What didn't you say anything?"

"The doctor iz our family friend. Ah told him to first inform meh. When he did, ah waz shocked because ah had naw idea who an' why would anyone do that to him." He scratched the back of his neck, avoiding eye contact. "First, ah suspected ye."

"If it was me. Why would I tell anyone about it?"

"Ah ken that's why ah said nothing an' asked the doctors to give Finlay antidotes widh his other medicines." That's why the poison didn't affect him that much. "Ah kept quiet because ah dinnae want to alert whoever was doing it."

"You did the right thing." I bobbed my head. "Blair would have gotten the idea of it. Good thing you didn't mention it to Alistair, or else he would have told her."

"Alistair doesn't tell her everythin'-" He paused when I gave him a deadpan look. "Fine, maybe he does."

"How is he holding?"

"He'z heartbroken." He grumbled. "But Ah'm sure he'll get back to himself soon."

"Hope so..." I blew a breath. "How come no one else knew about Finlay's revenge plan?"

"When faether found out, he felt betrayed." He stared at the table absently. "But he also ken why Finlay waz doing it. Alistair an' ah were managin' the businezz with him, so we ken, an' he told uz nawt to tell anyone else in the family."

"But Alistair told Blair." I pointed out.

"Bloody bawbag." He scowled. "If he had kept his mouth shuwt, nothing like this would have happened."

And I would have never met Finlay.

"Everything happens for a reason." I shrugged. "Because Finlay was in a coma, your father took it as an opportunity to name the business to you."

"How did ye ken...?" He frowned. "He dinnae announce it at the festival."

The Cockburns won the Whiskey competition last night at the festival and Fergus was going to announce the big news of Neil taking over the business, but stopped when he got the call from Mr. Bulter.

"I guessed it, like other things." I gave him a half-shrug. "What I don't get is why don't you want the business, Neil?" I put my elbows on the table and leaned towards him.

"It's a lon' story..." I narrowed my eyes at him.

"I don't have anywhere to go."

"It's just... It's lame, ok." He blew a breath, giving up, knowing I wouldn't let him slide again. "Ah'm afraid to get it because ah feel like ah will disappoint mah family."

"What?" I dropped my head in confusion.

"Ye have naw idea how much pressure it is. Everyone expects highly fae meh since ah'm the next in line to get the business an' it stresses meh a lot. Ah'm not like mah faether, an' it's hard to handle a family businezz with the possibility of doin' somethin' wron' an' losin' it forever." He explained.

"I get it." Placing my hand over his, I gave it a light squeeze. "I don't have a family business hanging over my neck, but I understand you."

It makes sense now. Neil is still like a little kid who is looking up to his brother to make things easy for him. That's why he wanted Finlay to come back home and work with him.

"Ye'er makin' fun of meh." He grumbled when he saw a smile on my face.

"I'm not," I said, but my lips curled into a huge grin.

"Liar." He huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

I'm just glad everything is getting better.

• • • • •

After hours of roaming around the hospital, I get back to Finlay's room. He was admitted to a private room and was still asleep, but the doctors were letting everyone see him. I waited for my turn as everyone went inside, one by one. Poor Dolina was crying her eyes out, but she was happy to see Finlay getting better.

When Neil walked out of the room, it was my turn. Taking a deep breath, I stepped inside the room and closed the door behind me. The lighting in the room was dull, and I didn't pay any attention to the surroundings as my eyes were focused on the man who have been haunting me for the past few weeks. His chest heaved in slow breaths and looked like he was still in a coma.

"Hi, Fin," I mumbled, standing next to him. "Congratulations on your awakening." I chuckled, but there was no response. "Not right now, but... You know what I mean." Gulping, I touched his hand and interlaced our fingers. "I miss you..."

I said and waited for... I didn't know what. Deep in my heart, I thought he might pop out of the wall or window and scare me like he always does, but nothing. Staring at him for a few minutes, I gave up and was about to let his hand go, but stopped when I felt it move.

"Fin...?" My eyes darted to the machines and saw the lines speeding up. "Finlay..." The grip of his figures tightened around my hand and saw his eyes fluttering.

He's waking up!

I quickly pressed the nurse button next to the bed and in a minute, a nurse and a doctor came inside running with the Cockburns. Finlay's eyes opened, and the nurse pushed me back as they check up on him. I stepped behind everyone and watched with others as they helped Finlay sit on the bed. He looked around the room in confusion.

"Mr. Reed... It's alright." The doctor cautiously said and explained the situation to him. "You are in the hospital right now." The doctors explained to him the situation to relax him. "You had an accident. Do you remember it?"

"Yeah..." His horse's voice sent an electric shot straight down my spine.

"What is the last thing you remember?"

"I... I was at a nightclub and fought with my friend." I snorted at the word he used. "And then... I got in my car and was driving towards my apartment and then there was this black car that hit me and... I woke up right now."

My heart dropped at that, and everything around me faded away. He remembers the accident and nothing after that.

He doesn't remember me.

• • • • •

A/N

Eeek!!

Happy belated New Year and Eeek!!!

Finlay woke up but...
He doesn't remember his adventure with our Phoenix. I feel bad for Amber...😬

Around three more chapters left 🙊

Let the countdown begin!