Flora’s Guide to a Second Chance at Love and Life

The harsh light made her instinctively recoil, shielding her eyes with her hand. She squinted slightly, propping herself up on the bed, and peered through her fingers. That's when she noticed Tyler standing in front of her, looking a bit puzzled.

Tyler had a touch of confusion on his face as he asked, "Hey, are you okay?"

Seeing the broken glass on the floor, he grabbed a broom from the doorway and cleaned it up. Then, he poured a fresh glass of water and handed it to Jasmine, who still seemed a bit rattled.

He had no idea what was going on with Jasmine.

"Do you want some water?" Tyler asked, trying to be patient.

Jasmine took the glass, letting the warm water soothe her throat, bringing a much- needed sense of relief.

She shared the story about the shadowy figure she'd seen earlier, and Tyler's expression turned serious. He moved to the window, opened it, and looked down at the dimly lit street below. They were up on the fourth floor; if someone had tried to climb up, he would've noticed.

He saw several large trees outside the hospital and thought maybe what Jasmine saw was just a shadow from the streetlights.

"There was no one there. You must've been mistaken. The party's over, and you've been through a lot. Just rest," Tyler reassured her, pulling up a chair beside her. "I'll stay here with you. Just relax."

Jasmine's cheeks turned a bright shade of red. She already had feelings for Tyler, and his words made her heart flutter. She nodded shyly, biting her lip. "Okay."

Her heart was full of happiness, and she carefully peeked at Tyler through her half-closed eyes. Tyler was lost in a book, but sensing her gaze, he glanced at her and gave a soft smile. "It's late. You should get some sleep."

To make her more comfortable, Tyler turned off the main lights, leaving just a small, cozy lamp on. In this soft glow, Jasmine admired Tyler's handsome face, her heart pounding.

Once Jasmine had fallen asleep, Tyler went back to the window and looked down again, noticing faint shoe prints by the fourth-floor window.

It seemed someone really had been there.

Tyler narrowed his eyes. Earlier, he'd taken a quick shower, and by the time he got back, he heard the glass shattering, which is why he hadn't noticed anything before. But one thing he realized was that he'd opened the window.

Maybe with the morning light, he could check for any signs of tampering, though

he worried any evidence might already be gone.

He took a deep breath and glanced at Jasmine, who seemed to be sleeping soundly, though her brow was furrowed as if...noveldrama

Was she having a nightmare?

The next morning, Fiona and the others showed up while Jasmine was still asleep. Shelly and Jane had already headed home.

Tyler filled Fiona in on the events of the previous night, mentioning how Jasmine seemed tough to wake.

"Why didn't you say something last night?" Fiona frowned, munching on a bacon sandwich as she opened the hospital room door. "Jasmine's been out for so long, she...

Her words stopped when she saw Jasmine waking up, stretching, and smiling at

her.

"Well, she's just a sleepyhead!" Fiona said, half-annoyed, half-amused, as she handed over breakfast. "Your favorite, beef and cheese breakfast sandwich."

"Fiona, you always know me best."