Chapter13
1005 Words
The room faded around me, not literally people still spoke but their voices sounded far away.
Papers still shuffled. Somewhere, Mrs. Harper was asking one of the nurses whether iron supplements should be taken after meals.
Out of the blue I understood they weren't protecting me.
They were making sure I couldn't run and judging by the calm look in Lucien Vaughn's eyes… He had known about it all along.
Something hot and ugly rose inside my chest. My fingers tightened around the blanket until my knuckles hurt.
"You knew."
Nobody moved.
I looked directly at Lucien.
"You most definitely set up this arrangement."
His expression didn't change. "As I said, it's temporary."
Such a harmless word. People used temporary for things like rainstorms.
For traffic, headaches not for taking someone's freedom or for deciding what another person could or couldn't do.
And certainly not for taking away their choices.
I laughed, the sound came out wrong.
"You signed it."
Nobody answered.
"You sat here and signed it."
The lawyers suddenly became fascinated with their documents.
Doctor Evans adjusted his glasses.
One of the nurses looked like she wanted the floor to swallow her whole.
Even Mrs. Harper seemed uncomfortable.
But not Lucien never Lucien.
His voice remained calm. "The investigation isn't over."
I stared at him.
"You don't trust me."
"I trust facts."
Another laugh escaped me.
Everything with him came down to facts, business, logic.
I pushed the blanket away and stood up.
Immediately three people rose with me.
Doctor Evans, Mrs. Harper and Lucien.
As though I'd announced I was jumping off a cliff.
"I'm going upstairs."
"Aria"
I looed in his direction and carefully spelt out the word "No” and simply walked away.
That seemed to have unsettled Lucien.
If he was expecting me to cry or beg he won't be getting anything of that sort.
That version if me is long gonehe won't get the satisfaction of seeing me grovel.
By evening, I was no longer angry but curious.
The sky outside had darkened into shades of purple and silver. Rain tapped softly against my bedroom windows.
The scent of lavender drifted from the diffuser beside the bed.
Mrs. Harper had brought dinner twice both times I'd sent it back untouched.
Not to punish anyone i just couldn't eat.
The mansion was quiet now like everyone was holding their breath.
I sat on the floor beside the bed wearing soft pajamas, my notebook resting across my lap.
I didn't know why I had taken it out maybe because memories failed me.
But paper didn't.
If everyone around me insisted on treating me like a problem to manage...
Then maybe I should start observing them too.
I wrote:
Mrs. Harper is kind, loyal but feels guilty.
Doctor Evans avoids eye contact.
Lucien's grandmother the heir matters more than me.
Selene Hart is too perfect and she watches everything.
Lucien Vaughn likes to be in charge way too much and needs to be sure about everything.
I stopped writing.
Rain tapped against the glass.
The grandfather clock downstairs chimed eight times.
Then I wrote one more line.
Everyone has weaknesses.
I stared at those words for a long time then closed the notebook.
Around nine, I decided to leave.
Focus, focussss, focusssss am not gonna take my lifee duhhhh.
I just headed downstairs.
I wanted air and to also see the garden.
I wanted proof that I could still walk wherever I wanted.
The two guards near the front entrance straightened immediately. "Good evening, Mrs. Vaughn."
I ignored the greeting and reached for the door.
"Open it."
The older guard lowered his head respectfully.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Vaughn."
I looked at him.
He couldn't have been older than fifty. Kind eyes, gentle voice. He genuinely looked uncomfortable.
And that made me even angrier.
"Open the door."
The younger guard swallowed.
"I'm sorry, ma'am."
Something inside me finally snapped.
"Stop apologizing."
Both men froze.
I smiled.
Nothing was funny at this point I was just too tired to keep yelling.
"None of you are sorry.”
My voice softened.
"So stop apologizing."
Neither guard spoke.
Because what could they say?
The rain outside smelled fresh. Cool wind slipped through the small gap beneath the doors.
Freedom stood less than ten feet away and I couldn't reach it.
Eventually, I turned around slowly and walked away.
By midnight, I had made up my mind.
If I couldn't leave physically… then I'd prepare.
I opened my closet.
My passport wasn't there anymore.
I frowned.
No problem I'd check the top drawer.
Still i couldn't find it.
Then i check the jewellery box nearby still nothing.
I ransacked the whole of my so called room again and again.
I still couldn't hold sight of my passports.
My breathing slowly changed.
No, no, no this can't be happening. I dropped to my knees beside the dresser.
The carpet scratched against my skin.
Drawer after drawer, cabinet after cabinet.
The little leather pouch where I used to see my cards was gone.
My passport was gone. Even the emergency cash inside the vanity drawer was gone.
The smell of lavender suddenly felt suffocating.
My heart began pounding.
I searched everything again. Under the bed, inside suitcases, behind books, inside old handbags.
I didn't find anything where could she have possibly kept her passport.
The room was upside down by the time I stopped.
Clothes covered the floor.
Shoes lay scattered everywhere.
My breathing sounded loud in the silence.
And then a deep calm voice came from behind me.
Terrifyingly familiar.
"Looking for something?"
My entire body froze.
Very slowly i lifted my head and looks towards the direction of the voice.
Lucien Vaughn stood in the doorway one hand inside his pocket. The other resting loosely by his side.
His gray eyes swept over the destroyed room.
Then settled on me and for some reason…
Lucien didn't seem surprised.He looked like he had been expecting this which meant… he knew exactly what I had been searching for.
- Writer
