<h4>Chapter 610: Way Ahead of You</h4>


    His voice softened. "But... from what I see now, your speech is intact. Your memory, your reasoning, your intelligence, not just IQ, but your emotional processing too. All of it is still there. Better than expected. Miraculous, really."


    Carl let out a small, disbelievingugh. "You even managed to pull out your own breathing tube the moment you woke up. That says enough."


    Then his expression sobered. "But... whatever miracle saved you from brain damage couldn’t stop the possible permanent consequences of the stab wound."


    "I’ll need to run a few more tests to confirm," Carl said carefully, "but... I think you’re paralyzed from the waist down. I’m sorry, Nnenna."


    The words dropped like a stone in the room. Everyone tensed, waiting for the explosion, tears, denial, shock, anything.


    Minutes passed. Nothing.


    No crying. No shouting. No disbelief. Nnenna justy there, calm as ever.


    Arthur finally broke the silence, his voice low with surprise. "You’re taking this... better than I did, when it happened to me."


    "It’s just paralysis. I’m not dead," Nnenna replied with a small chuckle, adjusting herself on the bed to get morefortable. "I’m counting my blessings."


    Arthur blinked at her, taken aback.


    "Besides," she added lightly, "you eventually walked again after therapy. I’m sure I’ll be walking too, sooner orter."


    Arthur hesitated. "I want to believe that too. But... I’ve seen your scans. Your injury isn’t like mine. We don’t know how long this mightst. And from what Carl showed me..." His voice trailed. "It might be permanent."


    "I see," Nnenna said simply, still smiling. The expression didn’t fade for even a second. "Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. Even if I don’t walk again, there are other ways. We live in a world full of advanced technology. I could team up with some mad scientists someday, build something that helps me stand, walk, or at the very least move aroundfortably."


    Her optimism was so steady it left the whole room silent again, no one quite knowing how to respond.


    "Okay," Arthur finally nodded, grateful for how calmly she had taken the news. Still, doubt flickered in his eyes. She can’t really be alright with this... she’s just holding it in. No one epts something like that so fast.


    "I think we should let you rest," he said atst, giving Carl a meaningful signal.


    Carl caught on instantly. "Alright, our favorite patient is awake and alert now, people. Let’s give her some peace."


    The nurses and doctors filed out, leaving Nnenna alone in the room. From the way she looked, rxed, even smiling, anyone would think she was simply napping off a long day.


    But Arthur wasn’t convinced.


    The moment they were in the hallway, he caught Carl by the arm and pulled him aside, away from the others. "I don’t think she’s taking this as well as she looks. Trust me, I’ve been there. I was rattled for weeks after my injury. Maybe it’s the same with her. Maybe she just wants to be alone, to keep up the act like I did."


    Carl frowned but let him continue.


    Arthur’s voice dropped, his thoughts spilling out. "When it happened to me, I told everyone I was fine too. I wasn’t. I hated it, I thought the paralysis would ruin my search for Anastasia. And it took time, a lot of time, before I epted it. No one just shrugs this off. Not like that. I think she needs a psych evaluation."


    Carl gave a small, humorless smile and lifted his lit up phone. "Way ahead of you. I already called in someone from our circle who specializes in psychiatry. They’ll be here in Riverum within twenty four hours."


    Arthur let out a breath, tension still coiled in his shoulders. Neither of them realized that, unlike him, Nnenna truly wasn’t pretending.


    "Why did you ask Darius toe? That flirt??" Arthur asked frowning once his eyes reached the name on top of the chat, "I was thinking... you. Didn’t you specialize in psychiatry some months ago?"


    "I did," Carl admitted with a small nod. "But I’m also a conflict of interest here. I’m her big brother, and something tells me she wouldn’t want to open up to me. At least, not right now. She might even feel the need to hide her feelings just so she can take care of our feelings." His eyes flicked to Arthur. "And it didn’t help that you told her about Somto."


    Arthur sighed. "How was I supposed to know she could hear everything I was saying?"


    Carl gave him a look, already finishing the booking on his phone. "Exactly. Which is why we need someone outside this circle. Even if we keep saying we’re here for her, she might not believe it, or worse, feel pressured by it. An external person is best."


    Arthur leaned over slightly. "When will he get here?"


    "At the very least, twenty four hours." Carl’s screen went dark as the flight confirmation came in.


    ---


    Back in the room, Nnenna was lying on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Then she suddenly let out a loudugh that bounced off the walls.


    Not that anyone outside would hear, it was soundproof anyway.


    "Love System," she whispered between chuckles. "They don’t believe me, do they?"


    "Of course they don’t," the Love System’s voice hummed back, a hint of amusement in its tone. "No normal person just epts permanent paralysis like that. It’s supposed to take at least a little denial, maybe some panic, maybe even tears. Not immediate eptance."


    Nnenna smirked. "Guess I’m not normal then."


    "And well, I’m really gotta be fine, whether I walk again or not," Nnenna said with a shrug. "Besides, I have you. All I need is enough points and I can walk again, right?" she asked, wanting confirmation.


    "Yes," the Love System replied. "But getting enough points is the keyword here. This isn’t temporary paralysis, it’s permanent. They don’t even need more scans; they already know. They’re just softening it with that whole bedside manner rule."


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