Page 78 of Shattered Echoes

Meanwhile, I feel utterly overwhelmed. I can't bear to be in this room any longer. I just need some air.

Without a word, I slip out of the room and make my way up to the hospital rooftop. The cool evening air offers some respite from the stifling atmosphere below. I find a secluded spot and sink down, my hand going to my belly once more.

That’s better, right?

As I sit there, staring out into the night sky, a sense of determination washes over me. Despite everything, one thing remains clear — I want this child. I want to be there for them, to be the best mother I can be. Yes, and I want that with Antonio.

The hours slip by unnoticed as I sit, lost in thought.the cool night air chills my bones, and I know it's time to return to the world below. I make my way back to Antonio's room, the corridors of the hospital quiet and dimly lit. The soft glow of the moon filters through the windows, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Henry, Leo, and Gabriela have gone out, leaving Antonio and me alone in the night's stillness.

Thank God.

I approach Antonio's bedside, my heart heavy with worry and sorrow. Even in the dim light of the hospital room, I can see the weariness etched into his features, the shadows beneath his eyes reflecting the ordeal he's endured.

My beautiful man.

But despite the exhaustion, his gaze follows me as I draw near, blinking as he watches me approach. As I settle beside him, the day's events bear down on me, attempting to crush me beneath its oppressive burden. Tears well up in my eyes, spilling over onto my cheeks as I struggle to find the right words to say. But I know I must try, for Antonio's sake, if not for my own.

With a trembling voice, I reach out to him, my hand seeking his in a silent gesture of comfort and support. I want him to know that he's not alone, that I'm here for him, no matter what. And though the words catch in my throat, choked by emotion, I spoke.

"It's okay," I whisper, my voice more than a breath. "I don't blame you. I know how overwhelming it can be, how terrifying. And I want you to know that I understand, that I'm here for you because I understand."

Time to spill.

"I haven't told you everything about my ex," I confess, my voice a whisper. "There's more to it than what I've said. And I think you deserve to know the truth… all of it."

With a heavy heart, I recount the horrors of my past, the memories flooding back. But I push through the pain, driven by a need to share my burden with someone who understands, someone I love.

My heart races as Ricardo's chilling presence fills the room, his figure looming over me like a dark omen. Fear grips me tightly, its icy fingers tightening around my throat, making it hard to breathe. I can feel his anger, heavy and suffocating, like a leaden shroud.

"You ruined my life, you ruined everything for me," he spat in a venomous tone. "It's your fault my life fell apart. If you were a better wife, we would have had a better relationship."

His words break through the silence, each one a painful reminder of the hell I've endured. He blames me for everything, hurling accusations like daggers aimed straight at my heart. I shrink back, trying to make myself smaller, hoping to disappear into the shadows.

"If only you had just kept your mouth shut, Colette, you bitch," he hisses.

I plead with him, begging for mercy, but his eyes are cold, devoid of any compassion. He raises the gun, its metal glinting ominously in the dim light, and my blood runs cold. Panic wells up inside me.

"Please," I whimper, "Don't do this. There's still time to stop." But my words fall on deaf ears, drowned out by the deafening silence that surrounds us. I'm alone, trapped in a nightmare from which there is no escape.

"Colette, are you in? Open the door."

Like a beacon of hope, I hear Henry's voice on the other side of the door, calling out to me. Relief floods through me, washing away some of the fear. But it's short-lived, a fleeting moment of respite in the face of impending doom.

Ricardo's hand trembles as he raises the gun, his finger hovering over the trigger like a sword poised to strike. I scream, my voice raw with terror, my pleas falling on deaf ears because he's not listening. Instead, he’s lost in his twisted reality.

"Col! Col! What is going on?" Henry shouts for me, hearing my scream. The tension in the room mounts. I can feel the walls closing in around me, trapping me in a nightmare from which there is no escape.

"Ricardo, stop this! Henry is here. There's no way you'll get away with this." I try to stop the tremble in my voice.

Henry can't see us, as the window is a one-way glass, and he is trying to break down the door. Panic surges through me, a tidal wave of fear threatening to engulf me.

“Who says I want to get away with anything? " Ricardo responds.

Then, in the blink of an eye, everything changes. Ricardo puts the gun to his head, his actions swift and final. Time seems to stand still as the gunshot echoes through the room, reverberating like the thunderclap outside within the silence that follows.

Blood splatters across the walls and floor, a macabre painting of death and despair. I can taste its metallic tang on my lips, feel its warmth against my skin. It's everywhere, staining everything it touches, an indelible reminder of the horrors that have unfolded.

When Henry bursts through the door, I'm lying on the ground, my body wracked with sobs. He rushes to my side, his hands shaking as he tries to rouse me from my stupor. But all I can see is the blood. The image of Ricardo's lifeless body burned into my mind like a brand.

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