She recalled Julian’s words earlier.
"Does it mean...I have a new face now?" She wondered out loud, her hands going to touch the bandage on her face. "Xavier?" She mumbled that name.
She recalled Julian’s question before he left about going back to her husband, and as soon as those words had rolled off his tongue, she recalled when Michelle had said Xavier wouldn’t want a used garbage like her.
She’d been used by several men and that memory made tears pool in her eyes. She decided not to think about her husband anymore and concluded he wouldn’t want her back. She was trash after all.
She’d slept for months and only been awake for a few hours. However, she still wanted to go back to sleep. Anastasia gave in to the temptation and gentlyid back on the bed.
There was tomorrow and there were still some questions she needed to ask Julian.
Downstairs, Alex was waiting for Julian and when he saw him, he cocked an eyebrow in question.
"She didn’t answer and I don’t think she will answer that question anytime soon. She just woke up after being in aa for four months. Let’s give her a breather."
Alex merely shrugged but didn’t say anything.
"What if she doesn’t want to go back to Xavier?"
"Are you asking me that question or you’re asking yourself?" Alex questioned. "Of course, if she doesn’t want to go back, you’re going to have to take her in, marry her, and then she can be your wife and a mother to Emma."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Julian snapped, clearly exasperated.
"You asked a question."
Julian had to distract Emma from wanting to meet with his <i>friend </i>by asking the nanny to take her out to y.
"Emma needs a mother figure in her life, someone she could rely on. However, not Anastasia."
Alex hummed, yet still, he didn’t utter a word.
When it was time for dinner, the nurse helped Anastasia to the dining table where everyone was seated, including Alex.
"I’m so d that you’re awake now, father won’t be sad anymore," Emma blurted out as she scooted her seat closer to Anastasia.
Anastasia exchanged eye contact with Julian, wondering when she’d be his friend. The girl looking at her with so much curiosity in her eyes weirdly made her feelfortable.
"Emma, you need to eat your food and go to bed. It’s almost your bedtime," Julian said. Emma pouted before starting to dig into her meal.
Meanwhile, Anastasia wanted to throw up as soon as the soup the nurse had prepared touched her tongue. It was nd and full of nothing. Such soups wouldn’t even be served to the prisoners in jail.
Julian noticed her difort and a small smile stretched on his lips as she stole nces of their meal, devouring everything subconsciously.
"I can already tell you don’t like the soup. But don’t worry, the doctor said you are only going to take them for a few days until your bandage is removed," he said and responded by nodding.
Despite seeing the new faces and the new environment that was different from where she’d been the past few months, Anastasia still found it hard to believe anything.
She thought she was dreaming and would soon be woken up to reality.
<i>Michelle</i>
<i>Xander</i>
<i>Samantha </i>
This was the freedom she’d asked for, the freedom she begged for but was restricted from getting.
Her grip tightened on the spoon as those memories she wanted to forget clouded her mind once again.
If only she could trade them for the ones she’d lost, then she would have dly done so.
She was sure she had a family searching for her, but would the memories she’d acquired from those filthy ces—the awful things she’d experienced let her be?
She wanted <i>re—</i>
"Anastasia..." Julian’s voice immediately interrupted her thoughts and she turned to look at him. "It will be alright." He gave her a reassuring smile, and that was when she noticed the dimple that popped on the side of his cheeks.
"It will be alright," she responded. She felt a small hand holding hers and she looked at Emma.
’They will burn in hell,’ she promised herself as she smiled at the small girl.