House Alpha
1629 Words
I awoke with a pounding pain in my head as my eyelids slowly fluttered open. The brightness of the surroundings in contrast to the darkness I was awakening from was blinding.
Squinting, I raised my palm to shield my eyes from the piercing brightness, rubbing them vigorously as if that would shake off my disorientation. My eyes darted around, trying to figure out the unfamiliar room and see if anyone was around to explain.
Where was I?
I winced when I tried to lift my other hand. I felt a needle-like inflicted sharp pain shooting through my arm. An IV drip was attached to my wrist, a clear explanation of where I was—the hospital.
“You’re awake. Thank heavens!” A warm voice exclaimed as the door of the room squeaked open. It was Elena. I felt relieved to see her clearly worn-out but concerned face as it came into view.
“What happened, Elena?” I asked, my voice barely more than a whisper.
“Relax, Adeline. You fell down the stairs,” she said soothingly, placing her hands on my open palm.
My brows furrowed as soon as she mentioned that. Memories of what happened rushed back.
I fell? Was that the story they came up with?
“Who pushed me?”
“Pushed?” Elena’s curious tone asked.
“Yes. Someone pushed me. I’m sure it must be that w***e of an ex.”
“Catherine?” Elena questioned curiously.
“Yes.”
“Are you sure about this, Adeline?”
“Or was it Donald?” I pondered aloud, uncertain who must have done such a cruel thing to me.
“Nobody mentioned a push, Adeline. Donald reported that you tripped while descending the stairs.”
“Lies! Lie…” I tried to yell hard, but it gave me hot pains in my head.
“Easy, Adeline, easy. We will talk about this later, once you’re fully recovered.”
“How long have I been here?” I asked with a foggy mind.
“A few hours,” Elena replied gently. “Don’t worry, the nurse will be right back to check that you are fine.”
I winced as Elena continued, “And you were bleeding when they brought you in, Adeline.”
I gasped as my hand instinctively flew to my chest—my baby.
“Are you pregnant, Adeline?” Elena’s voice was shaky.
Tears trickled down my eyes, my heart thumping hard in my chest.
“Is everything alright? Oh God, I hope this brought no harm to my baby.”
“I hope so too, but the doctor is yet to say.”
"Is Donald aware of this?” I asked.
Elena shook her head. “If you’ve never told him, I don’t think he would be aware that the bleeding was due to pregnancy.”
“If anything happens to my baby, I swear I will never forgive him for leading a reckless life and for involving that heartless woman in our lives.”
Elena grasped my hand and offered a gentle, soothing squeeze. “You will be fine. This too shall pass.”
***
The air around me was tense with anticipation as I waited for Dr. Maggie to reveal the outcome of the fall on my pregnancy. My heart raced with every passing second. Elena held me warmly, offering a delicate sense of comfort.
Our gaze locked onto Dr. Maggie, her expression masked with compassion. Her guided words hung in the tense air, protracting the suspense.
“Please, just tell me,” I implored silently, my thoughts racing with worst-case scenarios.
I wanted her to go straight to the point and let me know whether my baby was safe.
“I’m sorry, Adeline,” Dr. Maggie finally said gently, her tone cutting through the tension.
She paused, and it felt like an eternal wait. “The pregnancy couldn’t survive the fall,” she concluded, her words reverberating in my ears.
I screamed on top of my voice. I couldn’t believe what was happening to me. It seemed that I was a target for all the cruelty of life. Elena held me tight as I sobbed uncontrollably and she wrapped her arms around me.
“How could this happen?” I wailed and trembled. Elena’s warm embrace was my anchor.
“You’re strong, Adeline. You can fight this and get through this. Trust me.”
I placed my head on her chest and wept on. Amidst the storm, I knew I had to fight; I had to take charge of my life.
Days passed in a blur throughout my stay in the hospital, but Donald never showed up to check on me. That fool! He has sold his compassion to his seductress.
A conflicting desire battled within me: a part of me craved his visit, eager to unleash the pent-up anger and spit my rage in his face. Another part prayed he'd stay away forever.
On the day of my discharge, I lay on the hospital bed, waiting listlessly for Elena to request my discharged papers. The antiseptic air nauseated me.
Just then, Elena’s face popped in through the door, unexpectedly radiant, and I wondered why this was. “Someone’s here to see you, Adeline.”
I sprang up from the bed as I wondered whom Elena was introducing gleefully.
“Who?” I asked, curiosity piqued.
“Donald’s father is here to see you,” Elena said with an excited tone. My eyes widened in surprise.
Don Morris, the benevolent billionaire, had found out about my hospitalization.
As I reflected on our connection, memories flooded back. We first met at a charity event he sponsored, where I rescued his drowning dog. A moment that sparked an unbreakable bond between us.
He invited me to his home afterwards, welcoming me as he would a daughter and introducing me to Donald as the perfect bride. But little did he know that behind my radiant smile, I hid the struggles of living in the estate with Donald's manipulative circle. His mother and sisters never accepted me. I was way beneath their standard—a mere chef, they would say.
But I never revealed any of this to Don Morris, preserving his positive image of our marriage. It had been a year since our paths last crossed, as his business in Duluth had kept him away from Minneapolis.
Elena swung the door ajar, and he entered, an unfamiliar handsome tall man wheeling him in. Tears streamed down my face as our eyes met. “Adeline!” He exclaimed, the warmth of his voice filling the room.
I rushed to his side, embracing him tightly.
“Are you alright, my darling?” he asked, concern etched on his face.
If he had known what I was going through, he would have fought for my comfort.
“I'm sorry I didn't protect you better. Sonia told me everything. Why would you keep it away from me? That you were struggling to stay?”
His eyes scanned me, assessing my well-being. “Go sit, Adeline. You shouldn’t be stressing yourself.”
I nodded, turned, and sat back on the hospital bed. Elena left and shut the door.
I sighed heavily.
“Why would Sonia bother you with trivial matters?”
“Adeline, never trivialize your well-being,” he chastised gently. “I have spoken to Donald, but he’s furious. Sometimes he acts so unintelligible, and I wonder whether he understands the true value of compassion.”
“I’d rather not discuss Donald, Mr. Morris,” I replied calmly.
Mr Morris nodded. “I respect your wishes.”
An awkward silence followed as memories of my misfortune rushed back again.
“I will send you some money to start out with,” he offered.
“I don’t need charity, Mr. Morris.” I insisted.
I didn’t want any more attacks from Donald or his circle. Nobody should tag me a leeching ex-wife.
“I know how you feel, Adeline. And nothing I do right now can mend your broken heart. But you have to let me do what I can to cushion the blow.” He took a breather, his stare growing more intense. “When I got crippled, I almost gave up, but I fought. How would I have met a sweet soul like you if I hadn’t? Fight, Adeline.”
Another moment of silence followed; I didn’t still want a penny from him.
“Here,” he said, handing me a sleek key fob. I looked confusedly at him.
“House Alpha is yours, for as long as you need.” I stared, bewildered.
“What?”
“Yes. Until you find your feet and feel that you can move. Consider it a safe haven.”
“Nobody wants me in the estate. I can't.”
“I’ve informed everyone in the estate about my decision, and nobody will dare come in your way.”
The fob felt weighty in my hands. I couldn't tell what I’d do with a house on that estate.
My thoughts wandered off.
For the first time, my eyes caught the piercing gaze of the young man that wheeled him in, who has not uttered a word since he stepped in, staring at me. His facial features were uniquely chiseled with deep sitting blue eyes and he had a princely aura.
Who was this stranger, and why did his gaze seem to make my heart skip a beat?
“Adeline, this is Alexander, the one who runs the empire in Minnesota. He came around for a business mission.”
Alexander? His illegitimate son, whom Sonia speaks highly about.
Alexander’s eyes locked onto mine, and I felt an incomprehensible jolt of unspoken connection within, leaving me breathless.
- Writer
