Chapter 371 Maya
Serena’s POV
I opened my eyes in the sterile hospital room, finally alone. The silence was almost too much after all the visitors and commotion. My body ached for rest, but my mind refused to shut down.
God, I was exhausted. Weeks of late nights revising designs, micromanaging every detail at the studio, and now this fire. My body had finally forced me to take a break—through the worst possible means.
Sally had just left, phone in hand. “Serena, focus on recovery. I’ll be back tomorrow. Got a message from Mr.Alvin that needs handling.”
With her gone, the quiet in the room became oppressive. Every time I closed my eyes, all I could see was that wall of flames, feel the smoke burning my lungs, clouding my vision until I couldn’t see anything at all. Then someone charging through the fire to grab me…
I found myself wishing it had been Cedric who’d saved me. The thought startled me awake. Why would I even think that? What was wrong with me?
A sudden knock at the door made me flinch.
“Come in,” I called, trying to sound stronger than I felt.
A nurse poked her head in. “Mrs. Lancaster, there’s someone insisting on seeing you. Mr. Lancaster left instructions not to allow additional visitors, but she’s quite persistent.”
I frowned. “Who is it?”
“She says her name is Maya, the general manager from LUXE Group. Claims she’s your friend.”
Maya. The name was familiar—wasn’t she the one who’d stood me up for that meeting? The last thing I needed right now was a business discussion or fake sympathy.
“Please tell her I’m not feeling well enough for visitors,” I said firmly.
The nurse nodded and closed the door. But peace didn’t last long. Within minutes, I heard raised voices outside.
“Mrs. Quinn, you cannot go in! The patient needs rest! Please leave immediately!”
“Move aside!”
The door burst open, and a woman with red-brown hair rushed in, her gray eyes scanning me frantically. When she saw me, her entire face changed, eyes instantly rimming with tears.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I snapped, irritation flaring. “I’m a patient who needs rest, not your uninvited concern!”
The nurse had followed her in, trying to coax her back out, but this Maya person completely ignored her, staring at me like she’d seen a ghost.
“Serena…” she whispered, rushing to my bedside. “It really is you! Why are you pretending to be Mrs. Lancaster from Elegant Realm studio?”
My mood darkened instantly. Was this Ryan’s doing? Some twisted game? The small flicker of gratitude I’d felt toward him for saving me vanished completely.
“Mrs. Quinn, please control yourself,” I said coldly. “I’m not this ’Serena’ person. You’ve got the wrong woman.”
Maya shook her head, disbelief written across her face. “That’s impossible. We’ve been best friends for years—I’d recognize you anywhere, even in ashes.” She sat on the edge of my bed, grabbing my hand. “Are you angry with us? The car accident—we had no idea until it was too late, and by then you’d vanished. The Quinn family and Mr. Blackwood have been searching for you for three years! If you’ve been alive this whole time, why didn’t you come home?”
I yanked my hand away. Her words sounded like someone else’s story—completely disconnected from my reality.
“Mrs. Quinn, I’ve already told you—you’ve mistaken me for someone else,” I said firmly. “I understand I might resemble this woman you know, but I am not her. Please see clearly.”
Being repeatedly confused for someone else was infuriating. My already raw throat made my words sound even harsher.
Maya froze, her expression shifting from shock to something like dawning horror. I’d never seen such raw emotion on a stranger’s face before—except it didn’t feel entirely strange. Something about the way she tilted her head when processing information seemed oddly familiar.
“Serena,” she said slowly, her voice dropping to barely above a whisper. “You… you don’t remember anything, do you?”
Something flickered in my mind—a shadow, a whisper of recognition that vanished before I could grasp it. I didn’t immediately deny her claim, which seemed to confirm her suspicion.
Maya inhaled sharply. “I should have realized. Why else wouldn’t you recognize me?”
I didn’t want this conversation to continue. I pressed the emergency call button beside my bed.
Nurses rushed in within seconds.
“Mrs. Quinn, please leave. You’re seriously disturbing my rest,” I said coldly.
Maya refused to budge. “Serena, listen to me. I don’t know what happened to you before, but now that you’re back, you don’t have to be afraid anymore.” Her eyes pleaded with me. “You can tell me anything—everything.”
She reached for my hand again, but I slapped it away.
“Mrs. Quinn! Get out!” My voice rose with anger, triggering a violent coughing fit.
The nurses quickly moved to comfort me while others escorted Maya toward the door.
“Serena! What’s happened to you?!” Maya cried out desperately,