Chapter 4 SHOCK

When her eyes finally fluttered open, approximately around 5 p.m., Ayla was met with the strangest shock of her life. A pounding ache throbbed through her head, so severe that she felt her eyes bulge out from their sockets. Her vision, initially blurred, slowly began to sharpen, and at once, she knew something was off-deeply off-around her.

There was this strange stillness in the air, a silence too thick for comfort. There was something in her life, in her surroundings, that she couldn't lay a finger on. Something unnatural. She couldn't feel her face at the moment, her cheeks numb, her lips dry and unresponsive. But that wasn't her major concern.

As she slowly lifted herself upright on the bed, the sterile crinkle of hospital sheets beneath her was unfamiliar. Her eyes ran across the room-bland white walls, fluorescent lights overhead, a beeping monitor by her side. The kind of bed she laid on was foreign, rigid. The uniform she was dressed in-a pale blue patient gown-clung to her skin like paper. The strong smell of antiseptic stung her nostrils. Only then did she realize where she was. A hospital.

But why? What could she be doing there? How long had she been unconscious? What had happened? The questions hung in her mind like dark clouds, circling with no trace of an answer.

Minutes passed-maybe more-and the door creaked open. A nurse stepped into the room, her arms burdened with a stack of books and a pen tucked in between. She was a beautiful lady with the kind of smile that could melt stone-soft, angelic, and comforting. She placed her materials gently on a table beside the bed and made her way straight to examine the IV drip attached to Ayla's right hand.

"Hello, Miss Defne," the nurse greeted, her voice cheerful and kind, her eyes sparkling with relief and joy.

Ayla blinked. "Miss Defne?" she repeated silently. That name echoed in her mind like a jolt of ice water. "What could that mean? When has my name changed to Defne? What's going on? Has she been mistaken for Defne?"

That particular name... Defne... sent a sudden puzzle crashing into her brain. Defne was her best friend. That was true. Their resemblance was often called uncanny-same height, same complexion, even the same voice. Strangers often assumed they were sisters, sometimes even twins. But Ayla was certain-absolutely certain-they hadn't been together before whatever incident brought her here.

"Does your head hurt?" the nurse asked. Ayla had been quiet for a long time, staring blankly at the room as if trying to decode a cryptic message.

"Yeah," she muttered, her voice hoarse. "So much that I think it will explode." Her eyes wandered suspiciously around the room, searching for a clue, a familiar object, something. Anything.

The nurse quickly moved to check her temperature. "You will be fine soon, Miss Defne. Let me quickly call the doctor. We have waited so long for you to open your eyes-and you did, finally," she said with a note of pride and relief, gathering her books again as she prepared to leave.

"Defne again..." Ayla's thoughts spiraled. The nurse's insistence unsettled her more than the pain in her skull. "When has my name changed to Defne?"

Sure, she and Defne looked alike. It wasn't news. But they hadn't been together recently. Not at all. There was no logical reason anyone should mistake her identity under such circumstances.

"I'm not Defne," she uttered with quiet conviction.

The nurse only smiled, her expression unreadable, and patted Ayla's head gently before heading to the door.

"What happened?" Ayla asked quickly, just as the nurse reached the threshold.

"Don't worry, dear," she replied, her voice tender. "Your parents will be here soon." And with that, she disappeared.

"My parents?" Ayla's eyebrows furrowed. "The last time I checked, my parents were in the countryside. So how could they get to the hospital soon? What really happened?"

The room spun slightly as more questions circled in her mind like vultures. No answers came.

Suddenly, the door flew open, breaking the tension in the room. A tall figure dashed in, his white coat flowing like a cape. A famous surgeon, his face had graced the internet a million times. That was Dr. Mustafa-a celebrity doctor-admired all over the city, especially by the fashion-forward ladies.

"Wow, see who we have here. It's amazing how strong you look," Mustafa said warmly, his voice as casual as if she were an old friend. He approached her bedside with a confident smile.

"Defne, can you tell me how you feel now?"

Something twisted uncomfortably in Ayla's chest. Maybe it was the haze of whatever drugs she had been given. Or maybe it was the surreal discomfort of being called 'Defne' over and over again-her best friend's name.

"Ayla," she corrected him politely, her voice firm, her eyes narrowing slightly.

But the doctor didn't seem to take her seriously. He simply smiled, brushing her correction aside, and continued.

"May I know if you are having any unusual sensation?" he pressed on, leaning closer, examining her eyes with practiced precision.

"Nothing," she replied coldly.

Her tone made him pause. He stared at her for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Okay, I see. Feel free to report if there's any change," he said, stepping back slightly.

"How long have I been here?" Ayla asked. Her voice trembled now.

"Five days," he replied evenly, his attention fixed once more on the IV drip. His countenance remained unchanged, as though five days was nothing more than a brief nap.

"What...! Five days?" she repeated, her eyes wide with disbelief.

What happened? Why was she here? Where was her best friend? Why was everyone mistaking her for Defne? Could it be that Defne was involved in whatever led to this? Were they both brought here?

"Miss, I think your parents are here," the doctor said, clearly relieved to have a reason to step out of the interrogation.

Ayla fixed her gaze at the door. The knob twisted, creaked gently-and opened.

Two imposing figures stepped in. Elegant, striking, and almost ethereal in presence. They seemed more like demigods than humans

Her body froze instantly.

"What the hell... they are not my parents. They are Defne's," she muttered in disbelief to the doctor.

Dr. Mustafa didn't respond.

"I guess I have to leave," he said instead, offering a polite smile to the newcomers. After exchanging brief pleasantries with them, he quietly slipped out of the room.

And just like that, Ayla was left alone-with the demigods who might change everything.