Shattered Reflection

Chapter 1

Aria

The screech of the tires on the road almost blurs my vision. It’s frightening, a sound that will forever haunt my dreams. I try to hold onto the safety belt of the car, as I feel it lose contact with the earth beneath us. The car flips twice, shattering the glass, and I hear faint panic of Ethan’s voice before darkness consumes me.

When my eyes finally see the light of dawn again, it greets me with blurry visions of women in white., I think I’ve transcended to the great beyond. But then, the haze clears, and I realize I’m in a hospital room. My lashes flutter twice to steady the blinding light that invades my eyes.

"Aaaaah..." I whine, a sharp pain flashing across the right side of my face. I try to piece together the events of the night before, but my memory eludes me.

“It’s alright,” a nurse’s voice floods the room. I try to focus on her through the pain, but another wave of agony strikes, like a bolt of thunder.

“Aaaaaaah!” I clamp my hands to my face, but my hands hit the bandages that cocoon the left side of my face.

“Aaaaah, what’s going on?” I cry out, trying to push myself up from the bed. But the nurses hold me down, their hands firm, keeping me anchored to the softness of the bed.

“Leave me alone!” I scream, tears streaming down my face. The pain refuses to stop, a relentless wave. Then, I feel it—a needle burning into my skin. My eyes flutter once more, and the world slips into oblivion.

Before my body surrenders to the darkness, fragments of memories flicker through my mind.

*********

Our laughter blends into the air, soft and full of promise, as rose petals scatter across the floor. Ethan's hand holds mine firmly, our fingers entwined, making promises of forever. He pulls me close as the crowd cheers in anticipation of our public union.

"Kiss her!" they roar in unison.

Ethan’s hand draws me closer, the space between us shrinking until I feel the soft scrape of his tailored suit. His right-hand moves to the back of my neck, and he leans in, his lips meeting mine. His kiss is gentle, but there’s an underlying urgency. The crowd’s cheers rise again, and his kiss deepens, fierce and demanding. I lift my hands to his shoulders, pulling him away, gasping for breath.

When he finally releases me, I smile faintly, trying to steady my breath. He takes my hand, leading me to the car. I wave at my best friend, Evon. She smiles back, but I catch the doubt and fear flashing in her eyes.

Ethan Cross was never my choice. My parents were determined to make me marry him. I couldn’t fight it anymore. He’d promised them the world, and my stepmother wouldn’t let me say no. I know I am beautiful, smart, and capable of making my own way in the world, especially with my modeling career. But going against my parents... it was something I wasn’t ready to do. Still, I hoped I’d come to love Ethan. He seemed like a great guy.

As the car pulls away, fading from the crowd’s view, Ethan’s right-hand creeps to my thighs while his left stays on the steering wheel. When we kissed earlier, I tasted a faint trace of alcohol. I wonder why he didn’t let the chauffeur drive us to the hotel.

"Ethan, are you okay? Can you drive?" I ask, a small smile curling at the corner of his lips.

“Of course I can,” he replies, his left hand moving further up my thighs. I take his hand and gently push it away.

“Ethan, please, keep your gaze on the road. It’s dangerous to be distracted.”

“You doubt my driving skills, Aria?” He smiles again, a little too confidently.

“No, Ethan. I just want you to focus.” My voice sounds strained as I feel the car speeding faster than I’m comfortable with.

“Alright, little princess. I’ll focus.” His hand finally leaves my thighs, but it moves to my shoulder.

“Ethan, please keep your eyes on the road!” I panic as the steering wheel jerks in his hands. “Ethan, please, let’s—”

Before I can finish my sentence, I see our car veer sharply to the right, heading straight for a truck.

"Ethan!" I scream, my body frozen in fear as I watch Ethan struggle to avoid the collision, but it’s too late.

*************

I wake again to the smell of a hospital room. The harsh light overhead makes my eyes flutter open.

“Aria, it’s fine. You’re safe.” One of the nurses leans over me, her voice gentle but strained. She presses me back into the soft bed, her hands firm, but comforting.

“Ethan…” I murmur, my voice raw, almost desperate.

“Aria, calm down,” a soft voice calls from the other side of the room. The voice resonates deeply within me. I turn my head, and there she is—Evon, my best friend.

“Evon! Evon, where is Ethan?” I can’t stop the panic from rising in my chest.

Evon comes to my side, gently rubbing my hands. Her eyes are red, swollen with tears.

“Aria, you’re going to be fine.” Her voice cracks, and twin tears fall down her cheeks.

“Evon, why are you crying? I’m fine,” I try to reassure her, but her eyes are full of something I’ve never seen before—a horror that freezes me in place.

“Evon, what’s going on? Why are you looking at me like that?” I search her face for answers, but she just shakes her head, unable to speak.

“Aria,” she finally chokes out, “You’ve been unconscious for almost two months now, and…” She stops, her words thick with emotion like she can’t bring herself to finish.

I’m still trying to process her words when the door opens. Two police officers step in, followed by the doctor.

“Aria, can you see me?” the doctor asks, his voice clinical, detached.

“I need to see Ethan,” I reply, my voice trembling.

“Don’t worry. You’ll see Ethan,” the doctor says, but there’s a note of hesitation in his tone. “But we need to make sure you’re okay, that you can understand your surroundings.”

“She just woke up,” the doctor adds firmly. “This is not the time for questions.”

But the two policemen don’t budge. They remain standing, eyes cold, determined.

“We know, but the family of the deceased has been waiting for almost two months,” one of the officers says, his voice laced with something darker. “They need justice. So, please, let us do our job.”

His voice is unwavering, and despite the doctor’s protests, he doesn’t back down.

I try to sit up, but my body feels like it’s made of lead. I crash back onto the bed, and one of the nurses helps me adjust.

“What do you mean, ‘deceased’?” My heart races at the word, and I feel my chest tighten with dread. “Ethan, is he alright?”

My voice cracks as the tears begin to fall.

Evon comes to my side, trying to comfort me, but I turn away. The sunlight is breaking through the hospital window, casting soft beams across the room. As I glance at my reflection in the glass, I freeze.

A jagged scar runs across the right side of my face, from my forehead down to my jaw. My body stiffens in shock.

“My face! My face!” I whisper, reaching up with trembling hands to touch the rough edges of the scar.