Page 20 of Broken Bonds

I wipe away my tears with determination, refusing to shed another one for him. He doesn’t deserve them.

He’s a liar.

A coward.

A thief who stole my heart for his own selfish gain.

But today, I will uncover the truth behind his deceit and manipulation. Fate may have a twisted sense of humor, but I am armed and ready for whatever it throws at me. Although my exhaustion, I force myself to take a steaming shower. I vigorously scrub my skin raw, trying to rid myself of the emotional turmoil that has consumed me. I reluctantly put effort into my appearance, braiding my hair and applying makeup that I usually avoid. As I stare at my reflection in the mirror, I can’t help but feel like a fraud. Like this pretense of normalcy will fool anyone.

Ethan’s offer to pay for anything I need only adds to the internal struggle. Is this another test? A way for them to gauge my intentions? They don’t know me, but soon they will learn everything about me.

I anxiously wait for someone to pick me up and take me to the hospital. My mind races with what-ifs and possible outcomes.

Just as I’m about to lose myself in despair, my phone rings. I bet that’s my mother, calling from another time zone where it’s already late morning. She’s probably finished tending the bees by now. The thought brings a small sense of comfort, but it quickly dissipates as reality sets in again as Lionel’s name flashes on the screen.

I let it ring, I’m not sure I should answer it. But in the end, curiosity gets the best of me, so I swipe to answer the call.

“Hello,” I say, expecting to hear his voice on the other side of the line.

But in return, I only hear silence.

“Lionel?” I call out, why is he calling if he’s not going to speak? “Lionel, is something wrong?”

I hear someone breathing on the phone, but no words come.

“Lionel, is that you?” I insist, and then I remember Ethan telling me last night Lionel’s phone disappeared after the attack, so I decide to end this evil game.

I’m not in the mood for pranks.

“Who are you and what do you want?” I screech.

Again, the silence and when I’m about to hang up, the same voice that so often has sworn its love for me says, “Don’t forget that you’re mine, Stella.”

“Lionel?” I scream like a possessed woman. But it’s in vain, the call ends abruptly.

What fucked up game is this?

Why is he trying to confuse me, torture me?

Wasn’t what happened at the hospital enough for him?

I drop onto the luxurious bed, leaning my body over the mountain of pillows, looking at the thin band on my finger.

Wondering over and over, what the fuck is going on?

???

My heart races as I hear a knock on the door at exactly eight o’clock. I’ve been rooted in the same spot since my call ended, paralyzed by indecision. I’ve been hesitant about calling Ethan because I know he has twins at home who need a lot of attention, so I thought it better to wait for him to go to the hospital first then tell him about what happened.

I shake off these thoughts, reminding myself that my phone could be tapped. The paranoia has set in after binge-watching too many episodes of Criminal Minds. But even without the fear of being watched, I am nobody. Just a small-town girl whose husband suddenly thrust her into the spotlight. Lionel and I were worlds apart, so why would someone like him want me? It’s absurd, almost laughable.

The knock interrupts my thoughts and I grab my bag before heading to the door. A man in a suit stands outside with an imposing figure and hands clasped behind his back. With a serious tone, he informs me that they are ready to take me to the hospital. I follow him out to the garage where a sleek black SUV with tinted windows awaits us. It’s similar to the one I saw on TV just four days ago, though it feels like a lifetime has passed since then.

Time seems to lose all meaning in moments like these. As we pull up to the hospital, I catch a glimpse of the paparazzi still lingering outside. My heart races as I realize they could be waiting for me, but thanks to our discreet entrance and tinted windows, I’m hidden from their prying eyes.

The elevator ride to the ICU floor was agonizingly slow, yet over too soon. My mind raced with thoughts and fears, questioning if I belonged here, if I deserved to see him like this. This was all too absurd, yet painfully real. As we reached our destination, my body moved on autopilot as I followed the same routine as every day before, but this time, they didn’t require me to put on protective gear. It was a small comfort amidst the chaos inside of me.

“His mother is with him, she just came in,” the nurse tells me. So, I need to wait a little longer for whatever is going to happen.

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