Lydia


    I stared at the initials on the pen in my hand, my fingers trembling around it. Mason.


    Mason sent someone to kill me? I understood the words, but they didn’t make sense. They couldn’t make sense.


    The words felt like a hammer to my skull, breaking apart every memory I had of him, of us.


    Years of marriage. Waking up beside him. Loving him and supporting him. Years of being his wife. Of knowing every little detail about him-his favorite coffee, the way he ran a hand through his hair when he was frustrated, the way his voice softened when he was tired.


    And none of it mattered.


    None of it was real for him.


    I felt my breath hitch, my chest felt heavy. The car was suffocating me as hot tears filled my eyes. Gloria sighed beside me. “Lydia,” Gloria called softly.


    I shook my head violently. “No, don’t-don’t say anything. This-this isn’t okay… It’s not Gloria.” She sighed, moving closer to me, her hands resting gently on my arm, but I pulled away.


    “It’s not okay!” My voice cracked as the tears spilt over. I gripped the pen so hard my fingers felt numb. “I was married to him, Gloria. For two years. And what-what, it meant nothing to him?”


    Gloria’s expression softened, but she didn’t speak. I clenched my jaw, trying to breathe through the pain in my chest, but it was too unbearable. “And if I-if I meant nothing to him, then what about his flesh and blood?” My voice broke.


    “Did he not want them either? Did he want them to die with me?”


    Gloria exhaled slowly, her hand pressing against my back in slow, steady circles. “Lydia-”


    “What did I do?” I cried out as the tears spilt uncontrobly. I felt like I was drowning in endless despair. “Why does he hate


    me so much?”


    She didn’t say anything this time, but I saw pain reflecting in her eyes as it hurt her to see me like this. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to stop the endless stream of tears, but it was useless. My whole body shook.


    “I loved him, Gloria,” I whispered brokenly. I loved him so much.” Gloria ran her fingers through my hair, soothing and gentle, but it did nothing to stop the ache in my chest.


    I wiped my face, but the tears kept falling. “I wish I never met him,” I whispered. “I wish I never loved him. I wish I didn’t care. God… I hate him. I hate him so damn much now.” Gloria didn’t say anything, just kept patting my head like I was a child in pain.


    The room started fading. My chest felt too tight and heavy. I tried to breathe, but the air in the car seemed too thick and suffocating.


    Everything began to blur-Gloria’s face, the car, the lights-until it all disappeared.


    And then-


    Nothing.


    201


    I could feel hot rays hit my face as I grunted and turned my body away without opening my lids. I could also feel a in the room with me. I was awake but too tired to open my eyes. I felt the presence loom over me from a safe distance, but it


    was gone.


    I fluttered my lids when I heard the sound of the door shutting close. Sighing, I slowly turned back toy on my back but shut my eyes tight as the sunlight hit my eyes. It felt like it was my first time setting sight on such harsh light.


    Then it started to hit me. Where was I, exactly?


    I slowly opened my eyes again and sat upright, my half-opened eyes taking in the beauty of therge room I was in. It shouldn’t be called a room. This is way bigger.


    Again, where was I?


    I slowly looked down at myself. I was still tucked under the white fluffy duvet. It looked heavy, but it was as light as a feather. The bed was another thing. It was a king-sized bed.


    My eyes went back to the window where the sunlight wasing from. It was huge. Like a huge mansion. And it was also open, which meant the person who hade in here just now came to open it.


    My brain began to process everything that was happening. I remembered being in Gloria’s car and then she told me about Mason and… I think I had lost consciousness, and now, I am here.


    Nothing looked familiar.


    In a beautiful andrge mansion.


    Just before I could process another thought, there was a knock on the door.


    I remained silent for a second, still wondering why there was a knock in the first ce and who could be behind it. I had no one in mind and at the same time, I was hoping for it to be one person.


    My hope shattered into pieces when the door slowly opened, and Gloria’s face popped up. She immediately lit up as her eyesnded on me.


    “You’re awake.” She said, delighted.


    I wanted to smile, but I was so confused that I’m sure the expression on my face could tell. I looked her over and noticed she was dressed differently.


    She was wearing a simple yet elegant blue blouse and ck skirt. The jewelry was in the right ces, and by the distance, I could still tell they were expensive.


    In summary, Gloria was dressed in luxury.


    “Surprised to see me?” She asked.


    Did she seriously just ask that?


    “Gloria? Wh- where am I?” I asked the only question that had been on my mind since I opened my eyes.


    She began to walk over to me, her smile still etched on her face. I watched her until she was right beside me, blocking the sunlight from my view. I was at least grateful for that.


    She stared down at me for a second before speaking, “You’re in safe hands, Lydia.”


    273


    Uh, is that what I asked for? Um- no.


    “That’s not what I asked for, Gloria. I want to know where I am.” I gestured around me, “This ce? Where is this ce?”


    She sighed and looked away. That was never a good sign of whatever she was going to tell me. I kept my eyes on her, never looking away.


    “Lydia dear, listen. I’ll tell you everything when you’ve recovered well.” She nced back at me with a convincing smile, but that wasn’t going to work now.


    “No, no.” I started, shaking my head negatively, “I need to know now. I’m well recovered now. I’m fine. Just look at me. You’re a nurse. You can check me and see.” I was almost sounding desperate now, but who cares?


    I just wanted to know where I was and why she was dressed the way she was. I had an odd feeling that I refused to go away.


    She sat down on the edge of the bed gently and held both my hands in hers. They felt warm.


    She looked at me seriously as she spoke, “If I tell you, you wouldn’t believe me.”


    I stared back with the same expression, “Try me.”


    She sighed again and looked down at our hands. She was acting suspiciously now-too suspicious for anything to be normal.


    I was just trying to hold my thoughts as I watched her try to gather whatever she was going to say.


    “Lydia…” She started and paused, still looking at our hands. “I don’t know how you would take this news. I was nning on telling you, but I didn’t know when I was going to. I- I’m so s-sorry even if you decide not to forgive me.” She was stuttering a lot and even apologizing. Why was she apologizing? There should be no need for apologies if she did nothing wrong. Unless… unless she did.


    “W-what are you talking about, Gloria? What… Why are you apologizing? You owe me no apologies.”


    She finally raised her head to look at me again and her eyes were looking tear-filled. “I do, Lydia. I owe you a million apologies.” She rubbed the back of my hand soothingly as she spoke.


    “Okay, fine. Just tell me where I am first, and then you can tell me what you did.” That was all I wanted to know, honestly.


    “You’re in my house. We are not in New York but in Canada. I can’t allow you to stay there. I brought you down here that night.” She paused and continued, “I can’t afford to lose you again.” She dropped the bomb so fast I could barely catch it.


    Wh-what did you say?”


    She looked away again, standing up as she walked over to the open window. “You’re in my house, Lydia.” She turned to me, her face lit with pride.


    What in the actual hell was this woman talking about? How could this be her house? She was inst a nurse!