These last two chapters were the hardest chapters to write because I feel so bad reading about victims of abuse, so I did not want to subject my readers to it either. If you are a victim of sexual assault or you know someone, call this number for assistance. 1-800-656-4673
The group rode the elevator in silence as Raffy carried Regina close to his body protectively. Seeing her legs exposed, the men got all their button-down shirts and wrapped Regina from neck to toe to prevent revealing any part of her body. They wanted to escape that sordid room immediately, so they arranged to meet the first responders downstairs. It was so quiet that they got startled when Richie’s phone rang. It was the chief of police calling Richie to let him know Regina might be on benzodiazepine, a drug commonly known as the date-rape drug “roofie.” Given her unconscious state, it was the first thing her brothers speculated she was on, but they did not want to jump to conclusions, as misdiagnosing an unconscious patient could lead to their death. Doctors usually prescribed the drug to people with sleep disorders, but it was not produced in the country, as people could easily abuse it and handle it illegally. It acts as a sedative, knocking out people within fifteen to twenty
The Albright siblings took over the care of their sister as soon as she arrived at the local hospital. They did not have the top-of-the-line equipment at this location, which is why Richie wanted to transfer Regina to Grace Medical as soon as possible. He wanted to take care of her injuries and make sure they didn’t leave scars behind.“That son of a bitch!” Richie cursed as he inspected the wounds and bruises on Regina’s body. There were lacerations on her ankles and wrists where the rope dug into her skin. She had bruises around her neck that gave the impression of a hand, which made him hiss as he matched it with his own.Raffy did the initial inspection and applied medicine on every abrasion on her body, but he stood close by as Richie and Ronnie inspected his work. He knew it was not to criticize the job he did, but it was to find out what happened to their sister without saying it aloud.“That asshole bit Ginny everywhere.” Ronnie clenched his hand as he saw the U-shaped and ova
Based on the level of drugs in Regina’s blood tests and the amount of time she had been with Arthur, they injected her with so much benzodiazepine that was harmful to any human being. A few more doses could have led to her death.As the days went by, Regina began to exhibit withdrawal symptoms. Her temperature fluctuated so much that the nurses did not know if she needed ice packs to keep the heat down or more blankets to keep her warm.Tremors wracked her body so often that someone needed to watch her monitors every time it made a beeping sound. In her sickened state, Regina often called out for Owen, but he never came.Although he pledged to be there for Regina, Owen had to break his promise yet again. It was because at another part of the hospital, in the room they called the Intensive Care Unit, Owen was fighting to stay alive after his doctor administered surgery to stop his brain from hemorrhaging.Leaving the hospital earlier than was necessary after Arthur bashed him in the h
Owen looked at Raffy to ask if he could tell Regina about his accident, and Raffy nodded his assent. They discussed this issue before and agreed they should not mention Arthur’s name as his perpetrator until she recalled his involvement. Owen was concerned that Regina would think he was lying to her again, but her brothers had a point. He just needed to omit his name to stop triggering any horrible memory. Regina had already mentioned Arthur’s name, but recalled nothing. “I couldn’t come because I was in the hospital the entire time. Someone hit my head multiple times with a hard object as I got into my car that night. It caused me to be in a coma.” He heard Regina gasp and caught her scared reaction, but he kept going. “I fought back, but he had the upper hand when he surprised me with the first blow. I got lucky because someone called out and stopped the masked figure from doing more damage. They called an ambulance, but I was too far gone to give them any information.” “Why wou
As soon as Regina’s family heard she woke up, they came flocking to her private room at the hospital, bearing all sorts of gifts. They brought her favorite flowers, her favorite pastries, and lots of food to feed her visitors. She was tired as the last of them got shooed out of the room when Raffy needed to do another check-up. She appreciated their well-meaning gestures, but it was the main reason she lived alone. It was to escape the coddling from her mother. Regina was waiting for her mother and father to scold her every time they were left alone, but her parents uttered nothing about her disappearance and her condition. Her mother would constantly tear up, but would always pretend nothing happened as she straightened Regina’s bedding and touched her daughter’s hair lovingly. After Stephen scolded her siblings for leaving the hospital without telling anybody where they were, they all agreed not to mention anything about the incident to Regina. They were to act as if she had gott
Jason shyly knocked at the door of the hospital, afraid that he was intruding on Regina’s solitude. She was wrapped in a shawl with a book in her hand, but she was gazing out the window.“Oh, Jason. What are you doing here?” She looked at her outfit, conscious that Jason found her in a vulnerable state, wearing her pajamas, her face red. Had he come a few minutes early, then he would have found her throwing up her lunch.“A friend of yours called the cafe and told me you were here. I was beginning to think you were avoiding me.”Regina smiled. “You’re so sweet. Thanks.” She shook her head, avoiding his remark. She remembered kissing him back the last time they saw each other, and she did not know what that meant.“I wanted to cheer you up, so I brought you some of your favorites.”“Tell me you brought me a chocolate slice.”“I did better. I brought you the entire cake.” He said, revealing the bag he carried with his other hand. “I thought that if you had guests, maybe they’d want some
“I know who you are.” Owen had visited the prisoner known as Jacob Shipman. He wanted to uncover the truth about why he would harm Regina. They speculated Jacob took revenge on Regina when she rejected him, but Owen felt there was something else behind Jacob’s seduction. Bulletproof glass separated the two individuals, but Owen could feel Jacob’s hatred behind the glass. Nobody was allowed to visit Jacob, but Owen got special authorization from the chief of police.“You know nothing, Owen Bennet. You think you’re smart, but you’re just as stupid as everyone else,” Jacob taunted.“Your name is not Arthur Johnson, but Jacob Shipman. You stole the identity of a dead man.”Jacob ignored his statement. “I know everybody thinks she’s the most perfect individual. Ginny is genuinely nice and cares for others, but she rejected me and chose you. I knew it would eventually happen. I told him he was grasping at straws. He could never be with Regina, but he was insistent. He kept saying Regina wa
But we were best friends, so where he goes, I follow. I borrowed enough money to get a ticket and see him. He had been so lonely, so I stayed. He couldn’t stop telling me about Ginny and how they kissed. Everything was so perfect about her. I was so sick and tired of their story I could recite it in my sleep. His parents told him he could not return home until he got a diploma, so he studied like his butt was on fire. It took him three years to finish a four-year course. He took the maximum classes every term with no regard for his health, just to get back home immediately. Ginny was in her second year of medical school, and he could not wait to see her again. Our friends had been spying for us and told us Ginny never had a boyfriend during her time in school, motivating Arthur to get his diploma earlier. “Ginny is really meant for me. It was written in the stars,” he would say. But before he could graduate, he had to take his finals. Day and night he studied for this test, and he