Chapter Six

PEARL’S POV…

My eyes were still fixated on the television. I blinked and closed my eyes multiple times, reopening them to see that I wasn't dreaming or imagining things. Everything I heard and said was real and so hard for me to accept.

It had to be a mistake. I began to feel cold air seep into my body; beads of sweat were formed on my forehead as I wiped it off with my trembling hands as the weight of the news settled in.

I was dead. The world thought I was dead, but here I was seated down and breathing just like every other human would do. There was no way I could bring myself to process it.

“How could this be? Didn't my family try to look for me, not even once?” I whispered to myself as my eyes softened with pity.

I was deep in my thoughts, my head swinging in different circles. After all, no one cared about me, not even my parents, nor my sister, or the monster I married and called him a husband. That was the hardest pill of truth I had ever swallowed, and I knew I was going to make it through.

Bracing myself up, I knew I had to make a decision if I wanted to forget about my pain, and that decision was never to go back to Illinois.

I was no longer Pearl Hammond. Pearl was dead; instead, I would become someone else, someone new, and I would start life all over again, making sure I made better choices.

That was when I came to a decision to start a new life in Philadelphia, far from the life I once had and knew.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Over the past few weeks, I had spent it trying to change my looks to that of a different person. Lori Whitlock, that was going to be my new identity after all. I was being addressed by that name when I woke up in the hospital, so there was no better advantage than taking ownership of the name.

In order not to look like my old self, who was Pearl Hammond. I cut my hair, made it shorter, and dyed it. I changed my style, completely altering my appearance so drastically.

I stared at my reflection through the mirror, and I saw a total stranger. Her name was Lori Whitlock. The name sounded unusual and foreign when I first whispered it to myself, but I knew that over time it would become familiar to me.

It wasn't easy at first, knowing fully well I had a son to care for. A boy who had been without me for too long, and he didn’t even get to be showered with the love of a mother. He was the reason I couldn't just be self-centered anymore, even if I wanted to be.

I needed to be there for him as his mother and give him the childhood life I had always dreamed of having. I was styling my hair when I heard something drop downstairs. It sounded like a glass shattering into tiny pieces, and the only room close to the window apart from mine was my son's room, Ethan.

Panic filled my heart. I rushed towards the window and I looked down to see if Ethan was there but it wasn't, it was just a shattered glass on the ground just as I had predicted.

I walked out of my room with quickened steps as I reached for Ethan's room. The door was shut close and I twisted the knob of the door, pushing it open.

My eyes landed on Ethan who was playing with his toys on the bed. I rushed towards him, pulling him in a tight embrace as I kissed his cheeks.

“What happened mama?” He asked, his soft voice filling my ears.

“It's nothing Ethan. I just missed you, didn't you miss me?” I questioned, breaking away the hug and I lifted him up, placing him on my thighs.

“I missed you more than you missed me mama. You instructed me to stay in my room so you can dress up without any disturbance “ He replied.

“Yes I know about that. But I also told you not to shut the door” I reprimanded.

“I didn't shut the door mama. I think it got closed on it's own” Ethan revealed, making me feel more disturbed.

“Okay, baby. Now I'm more aware that you didn't shut the door, but did you throw anything downstairs?. Don't lie to me; Mama doesn't like lies, I stated, and he shook his head at me.

“I didn't throw anything downstairs” He responded and a new wave of panic surged through me.

That was when I began to feel as though something was wrong. Was there really another presence in my house apart from my son and I?

I masked up my worrisome look with a forced smile. I didn't want Ethan to see me looking worried, he would ask me a whole lot of questions and if I am unable to give him an answer, it would also make him feel worried.

“Alright Ethan. Keep being mama's good boy” I praised, lightly pinching his nose as he giggled out loudly, smiling at me. “I'm all dressed, so let's go outside so we can have lunch and you will also get to play with your friends” I said.

“I don't want to have lunch outside; neither do I want to play with my friends,” Ethan said, taking me completely unaware, and my eyebrow creased up in confusion.

“What do you mean by that? Are you upset with mama? Did I do anything wrong?” I queried.

“No mama. You can never do anything wrong to me, I just want to spend much time with you. So I want us to go to the local supermarket and then you will get to buy some foodstuffs so you will prepare lunch for me” Ethan said, making me melt Instantly.

Hearing those words from him made me so emotional. What more happiness do I need when my son wants to eat a meal that was prepared with my hands?

Tears welled up in my eyes. I knew I had to stop being a crybaby; I had a son now, so I had automatically become a mother.

“If that is what little Ethan wants, then who am I to say no? Let's get going to the supermarket, I urged, intertwining my fingers with him as we walked out of his room, slamming the door behind us.

Just as we walked down the stairs. I felt as though someone passed by me, and when I turned my gaze to the side, I saw a shadow.

Fear got instilled inside of me. I knew I had to act strong, not just for myself but for my son. I grabbed his hands tightly as I began to check each and every corner of the house, but there wasn't anyone there.

At that moment, the only thing I thought about was going to the nearest police station to file a complaint, and at least I could get some officers to be on standby at my apartment just for my safety, even if it meant giving them the comfort they needed.

It didn't take long for us to reach the supermarket, and for some reason, I still felt as though I was being followed. I knew it wasn't my imagination, or probably I was overthinking.

I helped Ethan in picking a lot of foodstuffs he liked, and while doing that, I had to be attentive to his likes and dislikes. Once we were done, we pushed our trolley towards the cashier.

Our items were being weighed, and it was left for me to pay for everything. I slipped my hand into my purse, bringing out my card, and then I swung backwards and grabbed the neck of the person behind me, pointing the sharp knife that was in my possession.

I got the opportunity to pull out the knife under the disguise of paying for the items.

“So you have been the one keeping a tab on me all this while? Don't tell me you followed me right from my house to the supermarket.” I asked, my voice laced with anger.

I gazed down at the person's physique. It was that of a man; his hands were lifted up in the air as all eyes were on us.

“I bet you don't want to get me killed in public. You will be arrested for murder; you should know that better than anyone,” he aired out in a deep voice.

I let go of him, pulling Ethan in front of me as I shielded him. The man turned around to face me as I stared into his green eyes.

He was a tall man with dark hair with an intoxicating charm that caught my attention, but even with all of that, I didn't forget to protect myself as I pointed the knife at him.

“I don't have any more time to waste here. So tell me what you want. Why have you been following me?” I inquired, but he smiled at me, a smile that sent a jolt through my chest.

“I want to pay for your groceries. Let me do that,” he said casually, and I raised my eyebrows at him. I was left startled in a state of confusion.

He stepped closer to me, and I believed he knew what he was doing. I suddenly felt an undeniable pull towards him, but I had to force myself out of it. I couldn't make the mistake of being close to anyone apart from my son; I needed to stay hidden if I wanted to be safe.

“Thanks, but it's not necessary. I bought the groceries, so it's better I pay for it, I said, forcing a smile at him despite my racing heart.

“You can't say no to me, and I won't take no for an answer because a beautiful woman like you needs a man like me to pay for her groceries.” He insisted, and before I could say another word. The cashier was already packing the groceries as he swiped his card towards her.

“I'm Lucian,” he said, stretching forth his hand for a pleasantry after the transaction was complete.

I gazed down at his hand, hesitant enough to react, but I still took it, unsure of what to say. “I'm Lori,” I replied.

“Lori,” he repeated, “Your name suits your beautiful face. If you don't mind, can I take you out for a coffee date?” He asked, and for a moment I was tempted, but then the realization kicked in that I couldn't become Lori Whitlock and Pearl Hammond at the same time.

I needed to choose one, and I chose to live the life of Lori Whitlock.

“I'm sorry, but I would mind if I accepted to go out for a coffee with a stranger. I barely know you,” I said, and without giving him an opportunity, I grabbed Ethan and walked out quickly from the supermarket, my heart still pounding in my chest.