Chapter Two

Amelia's Pov 

  My eyes opened slowly, and the first thing that I felt was the damp ground underneath me. I was initially confused, wondering why I was in such a muddy place, until it hit me all of a sudden, and I remembered the nightmare that had now become my reality. 

  Even after recalling everything, my mind still struggled to process the fact that Samuel and Sophie were lovers. And not only had they shamelessly deceived me, Samuel had also gone as far as hitting me with the intention of killing me.

  The pain at the back of my head was excruciating, and it was so bad to the point where I could barely think or breathe. I tried to lift myself off the ground, but it felt as though my head weighed a ton, and because of how heavy it felt, I couldn't move an inch. 

 I was, unfortunately, stuck on the dirty ground, and no part of my body was responding to my attempts to move at all. 

I tried to take a look around to see if I would recognize where I was, but with how blurred my vision was, I could barely see anything. The only thing I was able to confirm was that it was very late into the night, and I was certainly in the middle of nowhere. 

 Realizing what this could mean, I panicked. I tried to do my best to speak up and to call for help, but it was as though my voice had completely disappeared. 

I was barely able to make any sound, and the effort left me feeling exhausted, with the pain in my head intensifying with every attempt I made. Since moving and talking weren't working, all I could do was lie there with my mind racing while trying to figure out what was going to happen to me now. 

  It was at this point that I finally heard the voices—the familiar voices that sent a chill down my spine. 

“Hold the shovel and wait here, Sophie. I need to make sure no one’s coming,” Samuel voiced out to Sophie, and as soon as I heard him mention the word shovel, my heart skipped a beat.

 Putting two and two together, I figured that they had brought me here, wherever this was, to dispose of my body. They probably thought I was dead and were planning to do away with my dead body. 

 Fear gripped me at this thought—a cold, paralyzing fear that made it hard for me to breathe, and the only thing I could think of was finding a way to get out of here. 

 I listened intently, straining to hear their conversation. Sophie’s voice was softer as she responded. 

 “Hurry, Samuel. I don’t like the idea of being alone with a dead body.”

“Just stay calm,” he responded. “I just need to check, and we'll finish this quickly. You can start digging before I get back.”

 The sound of their voices faded, and I heard Samuel's retreating footsteps. I forced myself to focus and gather whatever strength I could muster, determined to find a way to escape before it was too late.

 While I was trying to gather as much strength as I could, I started to hear footsteps approaching where I was. The sound of footsteps grew louder, crunching against the muddy ground as they approached.

  My heart started to beat really fast in my chest, and even though I knew the chances were slim, I was hoping that when they saw that I was still alive, they would change their minds and help me. But the moment Sophie appeared in front of me, my hope shattered.

 She stood there, staring down at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. “I knew I heard something!” she scoffed, her tone filled with contempt. “I can't believe you're still trying to stay alive, Amelia.”

 Tears welled up in my eyes as I tried to speak, the attempt sending a sharp pain through my head. “Help me,” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

 Sophie's lips curled into a satisfied smile, and she let out a wicked laugh. “Help you? Oh, Amelia, you have no idea how long I’ve waited for this moment.” 

  She crouched down, her face inches away from mine, with a malicious look in her eyes. “All those years of pretending to care about you, calling you ‘Mom,’ playing the part of the dutiful daughter, it was so tiring. And now, here you are, beneath my feet, exactly where you belong.”

 I felt tears streaming down my face, and I tried to form words to plead with her, but my throat felt constricted, and no sound came out. My body was failing me; the pain and the shock overwhelmed every attempt to fight back.

 Sophie stood up again, towering over me. “You were always in the way, Amelia, but not anymore. Samuel and I don’t need you. We never did. You were just an obstacle, something we had to endure until we could finally be free. And now, after so many years, we'll finally be free!”

Her words hit me hard, and I couldn't believe this was the same girl I had taken into my home, loved, and treated as my own daughter. How could she be so cruel?

When my attempts to speak and move failed again, I lost all hope. My vision blurred with tears, and I couldn't help but wish my life had ended differently. 

 I started to wonder what exactly I had lived for, and when I realized I had nothing and no one I was leaving behind, I accepted my fate. 

“You should have just stayed dead,” she spat, her voice cold and devoid of any remorse.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her move away, and then I heard it—the sound of metal scraping against the ground. My heart pounded in my chest as I realized that she was picking up the shovel. 

I initially thought she was about to start digging the grave they planned on throwing me in, but when I felt the cold, hard metal of the shovel press against my head, I knew I was wrong.

She stood over me, her face twisted with a sick sense of satisfaction. "Goodbye, Amelia," she whispered, almost lovingly.

  The first blow from the shovel landed with a sickening thud, and a pain I couldn't explain in words exploded through my head, making me lose my breath. 

I was still conscious, though barely.

Sophie didn’t hesitate, and the second blow came swiftly, the metal meeting my skull with a brutal force. The pain that hit me the second time was unbearable, and then, all at once, it was gone.

 Everything went black.

****

 The sound of a persistent beeping penetrated through my mind, causing me to feel restless.

 At first, I wondered if I was in heaven, but thinking about it again, I'd like to believe that there wouldn't be such loud, annoying sounds in heaven. As the beeping grew louder, I questioned why this would be the case in a place that was supposed to be peaceful. 

 Slowly, I forced my eyes open, wincing at the harsh light. The first thing I saw was a white ceiling, and it only made me even more confused. 

 This definitely wasn't heaven. I turned my head, feeling a dull ache throb through my head. I was in a hospital room, and the beeping was coming from the machines I had connected to me.

 How was this possible? The last thing I remembered was Sophie standing over me with the shovel and how the cold metal was smashed into my head. I was certain I wouldn't survive that. Yet, here I was, alive and confused.

 I had several questions running through my mind at once. How did I get here? Who had found me? What had happened to Samuel and Sophie?

  Before I could form any coherent thoughts, the door to the room opened, and an unfamiliar girl with bright red hair walked in. 

She froze when she saw me, her eyes widening in shock. “Oh my God! You’re awake!” she screamed in excitement. 

 She rushed to my bedside, her hands trembling. “I can’t believe it! You’re finally awake! It's a miracle!”

 I tried to speak, but my throat was dry, and my voice came out as a croak. “Who… are you?”

The girl looked at me with a strange expression. “You really don’t remember me?” she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

 I shook my head, feeling a little uneasy. “I’m sorry, I don’t know who you are.”

 She seemed hurt, her face twisting with confusion. “Emma, it’s me, Liane. Your cousin.”

My frown deepened. “Why are you calling me Emma?”

Liane looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Because that’s your name. Emma.”

 I opened my mouth to argue, to tell her that she must be mistaken and that my name was Amelia and not Emma, but the words got caught in my throat. 

 I felt a sudden urge to sit up and bring myself back to reality. The girl, Liane, helped me into a sitting position, and as I moved, my hair flew across my face.

My hair—it was red. 

Wild-eyed, I grabbed a lock and brought it to my face, my heart pounding in my chest. “What happened to my hair?” I demanded, my voice shaking.

 Liane’s look of confusion deepened. “Emma, are you okay? You’re acting really weird.”

“Just give me a mirror,” I said, my voice rising in panic.

 Nervously, she handed me a small mirror from the table beside the bed, and with trembling hands, I took it from her, bracing myself for what I might see. 

 When I finally looked into the mirror, the face that stared back at me was not my own. The reflection was that of a young woman with bright red hair and features that were completely different from mine. 

 She looked at least ten years younger than I remembered myself being, and I couldn't believe my eyes. 

 A loud scream escaped my throat, and I threw the mirror across the room in horror. It shattered against the wall, pieces scattering across the floor. 

“Emma!” Liane shouted. “What’s wrong with you?”

I clutched my head, trying to make sense of this impossible situation. “This can't be happening,” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “This isn't me.”

“I'll call the doctor, Emma,” Liane said gently. “He's going to help you.”

“No!” I shouted, shaking my head violently. “My name is Amelia. I’m not Emma. This isn’t my face. This isn’t my body!” I yelled in frustration, struggling to make sense of what was happening and how I ended up in this body.