One Hundred and Nineteen

CHAPTER 119

Alicia pulled up a chair, coming closer. She looked at Brittany's face, which looked like it was in pain with a Band-Aid covering her head. Now and then Brittany blinked her eyes, so she could see further than the view she was now seeing.

"Kevin and I... fought."

Brittany's soft voice drew Alicia's attention. Alicia grasped her best friend's hand, she looked at her intensely and her ears listened carefully.

"But that incident... I saw Kevin having an affair, Alicia," Brittany continued. The girl swallowed, struggling to form the words to tell her story. "I wanted to take his cell phone, but he wouldn't let me do it. And all of a sudden, Kevin slammed the steering wheel to the side of the road."

"I saw that you were badly hurt, Britt. But Kevin..."

"Is he okay?"

Alicia nodded her head, then continued to explain. "Did Kevin drive the car into the tree?" Brittany nodded her head in agreement. "Kevin... accidentally hit the tree and aimed it at your seat, didn't he?"

Again, Brittany nodded in agreement.

Alicia's intuition was becoming more and more evident.

Alicia's mind raced, trying to put together the shattered pieces of the conversation. Kevin, Brittany's boyfriend, was having a secret affair, causing the rift that led to this terrible accident. She took a deep breath, calmed the storm inside her, and focused on Brittany, who looked fragile yet resolute.

"I'm here for you, Britt. We'll get through this," Alicia promised, her voice remaining calm in spite of the emotions inside her.

The hospital room was silent, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of monitors. Brittany's eyes pleaded for understanding and support, and Alicia sensed something more to this devastating reveal.

"It looks like Kevin has evil intentions for you."

Brittany didn't immediately agree. The girl seemed to be lost in her thoughts. She thought back to Kevin's seemingly different attitude over the past few days. There was something strange about Kevin and it happened after Kevin met Alicia.

But Brittany had doubts, should she tell Alicia? What if Alicia took offense to her words?

"Britt?"

Alicia felt the weight of Brittany's unspoken words hang in the air. She approached, a mixture of concern and determination etched on her face. "Britt, you can tell me anything. I'm here to help, no matter what."

Brittany hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of the blanket. "It's just... after Kevin met you, he started acting weird. Keeping secrets, calling when he thought I wasn't listening. I've told him off, but he brushes it off, and he says that I shouldn't think about things that aren't important."

"After meeting me? You mean... at your farewell, Britt?"

"Yes, Alicia."

Alicia's mind was spinning, connecting dots she had never thought of before. "Britt, I think there's more to this than we know. Whatever it is, we'll face it together. But we have to find out what Kevin is hiding. He looks suspicious, and I think that's bad for you."

Brittany's eyes widened with worry. "What if it's dangerous? I've never seen Kevin act this weird."

Alicia's determination grew stronger. "We will tread carefully. But we can't let fear stop us from uncovering the truth."

Brittany swallowed again, her throat completely dry. It was lucky that Brittany could still wake up and see Alicia there, at least she had told her about Kevin's strange behavior.

"Can... you not judge him, Alicia?" Brittany bit her lip, afraid that Alicia would take offense to her request. "After all, I've spent many years with Kevin. I think Kevin's strange behavior is a bad sign."

The room was tense as Brittany's plea hung in the air. Alicia's gaze softened, understanding the complexity of the emotions at play. "I'm not going to judge him, Brittany. But I need to help you think this through, for both of your sakes."

They sat in silence for a moment, contemplating their next move. Alicia, known for her determination, had already planned their investigation. "Let's start by observing without making Kevin feel pressured. Maybe we'll find something that will explain what's going on."

Brittany nodded, grateful for Alicia's support. "Thank you, Alicia. I'm scared, but I trust you. I just want everything to go back to normal."

Alicia spread her arms, trying to embrace Brittany's body, which seemed to be struggling to move. Brittany could be heard wincing in pain, the wounds on her body still feeling very painful.

Brittany gasped as Alicia's arms embraced her, the gentle embrace paired with the pain etched into her body. Despite the physical pain, Brittany tried to hold herself together, unwilling to give in to her torture.

"Alicia," Brittany's voice trembled, "I don't know how much longer I can hide this. The bruises, the fear... I couldn't let Kevin see it. Not with that weird, horrible attitude of his."

Alicia pulled away, her expression a mix of concern and determination. "Brittany, you don't have to hide this. We'll find a way out, together. But first, we have to uncover the truth. I will support you every step of the way."

Determined not to let fear get the better of them, Alicia guided Brittany to a nearby couch, helping her settle into a comfortable position. "Let's start by documenting everything. Dates, events, anything that can help us organize it." Alicia snapped her fingers in the air, "We'll start thinking about it once you feel better about the injuries."

Brittany nodded weakly, her mind racing with memories of Kevin's subtle threats and manipulative tactics. "I still can't believe he's not who I thought he was, Alicia. I just want to free myself from this nightmare." Kevin has really turned into someone else and he's... scary."

Alicia grasped Brittany's hand firmly. "We're going to do it, Brittany. We're going to unmask him and make sure he never hurts you again." With determination in her eyes, Alicia reached for her cell phone, dialed a number. "I'll let Nicholas know, he also came and stayed with you last night. I think he'll be happy to hear that you're awake today. Just a moment."