6

Slowly coming to my senses, I became aware of a monotonous beeping sound that were like an ominous soundtrack resonating within the hollow hospital room. The sterile surroundings and pungent smell of antiseptics engulfed me as if they were part of a recurring nightmare. Hospitals had never been my favorite place; their impersonal nature always left me feeling uneasy. Yet here I was now - lying on that clinical bed instead of standing at someone else's bedside.

Hospitals had always made me uneasy with their starkness and artificial lighting, but now I was immersed in it completely.

“My baby is awake.” I heard a voice as a pounding headache overcame me.

I tried to sit up but the piercing pain that came from my whole body forced out a cry from me.

“Please lie down.” I heard my mom’s voice clearly now.

“Mom?” I said, my voice coming out cracked and scratchy.

“Yes sweetheart? I’m here.” She replied with a calm smile.

“What’s going on? What happened?” I asked.

“My dear, you got into an accident.”

I looked up in shock, fragments of what happened that night suddenly coming to me. “And how long have I been here?”

“A month and three days now, don’t talk too much, I’ve called your sisters, they are on their way.” My mom stood up before kissing my forehead. “I’ll let the doctor know you are awake.”

She left to go call the doctor as I laid back down, trying to remember what happened and how I stayed in this place for more than a month.

Then he walked in, He was looking exactly the way I remembered him just that his stubble was starting to grow into beards and his hair that used to always look put together was looking unruly, like he had been running his hand through it.

“How are you feeling?” He said coming to sit on my bed.

“Hmm.” I mumbled before turning my head the other way.

We stayed in silence till my mother got back with the doctor, my father and sisters came in after them.

The doctor examined me and asked a few questions before turning to my family. “She’s fine, but she’ll have to go through some physical examination, to check her vitals and the recovery progress of her bones, also to check on her wounds.”

“Thank you doctor.” My mom said as Alfonso saw the doctor out.

“What happened?” I asked.

Speaking felt painful, it was as if my lungs were clogging up and my throat was being scratched at. I felt like downing a whole drum of water right now but my mother settled for a glass of water instead.

“My dear, have some water.” My mom told me as she poured water for me while my sisters sat on either side of my bed.

“I was so scared Priscilla, I thought we were going to lose you.” Daphne said as a tear slipped down her face.

“If you thought you were going to get rid of me easily, you better be joking.” I joked. “Because I’m still yet to model for your clothing brand and even if I die I’m going to haunt all your brand ambassadors and models.”

Francisca playfully hit my arm as she started to cry too. “Stop talking about dying, nobody is dying.”

“My princess.” My father said as Francisca stood up and wheeled his chair closer to my bed.

“Dad.” I smiled as i slipped my hands into his cold ones.

“Do you remember what happened?” He asked as my smile disappeared.

I could never bring herself to tell my father what happened that i decided to run from the house that day leading to my accident. It would not only lead to my father trying to take me back but it would lead to putting my family’s life in danger too, with the way Alfonso appeared, he seems to be up to no good and he wasn’t someone to be messed with.

“No, not really.” I responded.

“Is he treating you badly? Did he lay his hands on you? Is he touching you inappropriately?” He said gripping my hands tightly and looking into my eyes with an assurance that he was there for me and I didn’t need to be scared of anybody.

“I’m fine really, he hasn’t done such.” I assured him.

Just then Alfonso walked in and glanced at all of us, easily sensing we were talking about him.

“The doctor said she could go home if the examination reports came back positive.” He told us. “So I would like to take my wife home if they come back positive.”

“Okay.” My mom muttered as they all looked at me as if asking if I was okay with going home with me.

I nodded with a small smile before my eyes met his, and for a moment there, I saw remorse, before it switched back to his cold look.

“I need to talk to my wife.” Alfonso said making everybody turn to him. “Alone.”

My dad looked at him for a while, probably contemplating whether to ask him those questions he asked me, before looking at Priscilla, signaling her to help him.

Daphne and my mom followed suit, leaving I and Alfonso in the coldness and quietness of the room. We stared at each other for a while, nobody speaking until his deep voice cut the silence.

“Why did you do it?”

“Why do you care?” I asked instead.

His jaw ticked and he gave me that cold look he always gave whenever he sees me starring into his golden eyes for too long.

“It’s like you don’t know what I’m capable of Priscilla.”

“Will you kill me?” I chuckled humorlessly.

“That guy, what’s his name again? Parker.” He said making my blood run cold. “I’ll have him six feet under before you can even think of saying his name.”

“You monster, what are you?” I asked with shaky voice.

“It’s fine sweetheart, you will soon know.” He said with a smirk, turning to leave but then stopped. “Ah, just so you know, I won’t be sparing your family either.”