Chapter 5:The secret
1191 Words
Alicia’s POV
I looked down at the contract again. Six months, six months of pretending to be his wife, six months under the same roof.
But then I thought of my grandmother, her face, her weak voice, the hospital room, and the bills I’ve been trying so hard to keep up with. My chest tightened, I couldn’t lose her.
“What exactly does living with you involve?” I asked.
David lifted his eyebrows.
“Living.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“You’ll have your own room.”
I relaxed.
“You’ll have access to everything you need, and I’ll give you your personal driver if necessary. And security. Anything required for public appearanc”.
“Public appearance?”
“My family will expect us to behave like a married couple.
I stared at him.
“So I’ll have to pretend to be your wife.”
“That’s the whole point of a marriage.”
I glared at him. He almost smiled, Almost.
I looked down at the contract again, My fingers hovered over the pen. Once I sign this there’s no going back.
I’d be tied to David Cross for six months, I’d live with him, pretend to love him, smile beside him, listen to people call me his wife.
I remembered my grandmother again, She was all that mattered. I picked up the pen,I lowered the pen to the paper, My hands were shaking, I signed my name. Alicia Dawson.
I stared at it for a moment, It looked permanent.
David took the contract and signed his name under mine, Then he closed the document.
“It’s done.”
I took a deep breath, just like that. I was married, Not because I was in love, Not because I had dreamt about marrying him, Not because I had liked him. I had married David Cross because I wanted to save the only family I had left.
David picked up his phone.
“Marcus.”
“Yes sir?”
“Prepare the penthouse.”
I stared at him.
“The penthouse?”
“You’re moving in.”
“Tonight?”
He looked at me like I had asked a stupid question.
“Why wait?”
I opened my mouth, then closed it back. This man is unbelievable.
“I have things at home.” I said
“Someone will collect them.”
“I’ll collect my things myself.”
“Fine”
I grabbed my bag.
“I’ll do it myself.”
David watched me walk towards the door.
“Alicia”
I turned.
“Your grandmother's treatment starts tomorrow.”
I tightened my grip on my bag.
“How do you know?”
“Because I made the arrangements.”
He had already done it. Before I even signed. For the first time I felt something unfamiliar in my chest, Gratitude. I pushed it away.
“Thank you.”
His expression softened for a slip second. Then it disappeared.
“I’ll see you tonight.”
I nodded and walked out.
That evening, I left the hospital after visiting my grandmother. She was asleep when I left. I stood beside her bed for a few minutes, watching her breath.
A shadow passed by and I caught a glimpse of it through the corner of my eyes. I thought I saw someone at the door but when I checked there was no one there.
I went back to my grandmother's side.
“I’ll fix everything.” I whispered.
I don’t know how, but I would.I walked outside, The evening air hit my face, For the first time in a long time I felt like I could breathe. My grandmother was getting treatment, Her bills were going to be paid.
I started walking home, my phone buzzed, I looked at the screen. A message from an unknown number.
Your things are being moved to David’s penthouse.
I stopped, I rolled my eyes, Of course. I continued walking.
A few minutes later strange things started happening to me. The streetlights seemed brighter than they were before, I blinked, My vision blurred, I slowed down.
Maybe I was just tired, I hadn’t slept properly in days. I continued walking, my stomach started hurting, I held it and took a deep breath.
Sounds around me started fading. Cars, Voice, Footsteps. I reached for a wall beside me, I barely touched it.
“Miss?”
Someone called from behind me, I tried turning.
“Im okay.”
A man hurried towards me.
“Are you sure?”
I nodded.
Even though I wasn’t. My knees suddenly went weak, My bed fell to the floor. I tried reaching for it but I missed, I fell straight to the floor. Hitting my head hard across the pavement.
“Hey! Hey, stay with us!”
I tried to answer.
Nothing came out. My vision went dark but I was still awake.
“Shes fainting!”
“Someone call the ambulance!”
“Call now!”
“Is she breathing”
I could hear them, I wanted to tell them I was fine, I wanted to tell them I had somewhere to be. But I couldn’t.
The last thing I remember was someone shouting for an ambulance. Then everything went blank.
The hospital lights were the first thing I saw when I opened my eyes.
No. I wasn’t awake, I was somewhere between awake and unconscious, I could hear voices. A Nurse, a doctor, Someone asking questions.
I tried to move my fingers, Nothing. Then suddenly, everything disappeared again.
“Miss Dawson?”
My eyes opened. A doctor stood beside my bed, I stared at him, confused.
“Where am I?”
“You’re in the hospital.”
I swallowed.
“What happened?”
“You fainted on the street… someone called an ambulance.”
I tried to sit up.
The doctor gently stopped me.
“Take it easy.”
I looked around the room.
“How long have I been here?”
“Not very long.”
My heart began beating faster..
“My grandmother-“
“Shes fine.”
I exhaled, I was relieved.
Then I noticed the expression on the doctor's face.
He looked serious.
“What happened?”
He hesitated.
“We ran several tests on you because of your symptoms.”
“Is something wrong?”
The doctor pulled his chair closer to my bed.
“There is something you need to know.”
I stared at him
“What?”
“You’re pregnant.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.
“Pregnant?”
No, that couldn’t be right. My mind immediately went back to that night, The hotel, The stranger, David.
My hand slowly dropped to my stomach. The doctor continued speaking but I barely heard anything, because suddenly everything made sense. The dizziness,The exhaustion, The collapse.
I stared at the doctor refusing to believe.
“Are you sure?”
He nodded.
“The test was positive.”
My heart pounded, I was about to say something when I heard the door make a sound. I turned to look but I saw a retreating figure unaware of who it might be.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD