An Arranged Marriage

005: BUMPING INTO HIM

Is that their mentality?..

That Bella is my twin?!..

That cruel brat who maltreats me like I'm not three-years older!..

Well, I guess the whole fault and cause of my maltreatment is my dad and not Bella or her mother...

He had been having a relationship with Gina even when my mom was alive and when she died, he brought Gina home two days after with her two-year old daughter.

Indeed, I was just five then and remembering incidents nineteen years later seems somehow surprising but there are really some incidents that can never be forgotten because of the lasting scar they caused.

How could my father be so cruel to bring home a new wife two days after my mother mysteriously died?

Infact, since then, he never made me feel like I had a father. He never paid me attention nor cared about my well being.

“She is not –” the remaining words got stuck in my throat when we had a voice outside the room.

“I said I need to speak with Detective Sam!” the masculine voice was loud enough to interrupt me and the situation in the room.

“I think your attention is needed” the cop who walked in earlier with a laptop said.

“That should be Jeremy Thompson” I heard the detective mutter before getting up from where he was seated.

“What about her?” the second cop asked, pointing towards me like I was a mere thing.

“Take her to the cell, I think I'm done for now” Detective Sam said, walking away.

“Cell?..” I found myself asking in fear.

“No, I want to be here, you can't take me to the cell” I said, pleading and at the same time raising my voice.

I've watched movies and read novels about the dreadful activities that do happen in cells especially between inmates and I really don't want to be there.

“Didn't you say I'll be out of here if i confess, I already did!” I said, stopping the detective in his tracks.

My word made it seem like I was indeed guilty of all accusations but what's the need to prove my innocence anyways?..

It will definitely be in vain! I was sure.

The detective smirked.

“Exactly, you'll be out of here.. to the prison while we prepare your case for court” he said. My eyes widened and till he left, I couldn't say a word.

Everything happened so fast and in fact, I had no idea of which event was more painful.

Being arrested at my wedding?..

Being impersonated?..

Being manipulated to become a murderer?

Every single event made my heart ache badly like it was being stabbed with a two edged sword.

“We should leave now” the second cop made me divert my gaze from the door to him.

“Leave? I'm not going anywhere, I want to remain here. I'm not a prisoner!” I raised my voice.

“I'll advise you to save yourself the stress and follow me,” the cop said.

I disliked his coldness, even detective Sam's creepy smirk was more preferable.

“You won't like tortures, stand up and move!” he yelled at me and i found myself getting up from the chair.

I was very sure I'll be spending the rest of my life in the cell. I had no one to bail me nor a good lawyer to save me.

If I'd been told by a soothsayer or a foreseer that I'll become a prisoner on my wedding day, I'ld have fled from home a long time ago.

I moved like he instructed but my tears didn't stop or take a pause and that only made my throbbing headache increase.

We walked out of the room while the cruel cop paid no attention to my pleas nor cries.

My world became totally crushed when the gates of the cell were opened.

At instant, the definition of prison echoed in my ears.

‘A place where one's moves will be restricted.’

My legs instantly got glued to the spot and my breathlessness intensified.

I stared at the big padlock in his hands and the rust iron chains in dread. The cell was an empty one and not where the criminals were, probably because I hadn't been judged by the court yet.

“Get in” he ordered like the place was a good and pleasant place to be.

“No, I can't be here” my voice came out cracked and low while my heart kept thumping fast..

“Don't waste time, get in,” he instructed.

“I did not commit murder and there's no way I can get in here!" I yelled in tears and with a frustrated sigh, he grabbed my wrist, trying to push me inside.

At that point, only one word rang in my ears and that's ‘Run’..

I wasn't sure if running would save me completely or cause some dire consequences but that was really the only solution my mind proffered at that instant.

“Do it, Anna!” my mind screamed and without hesitation, I struggled with his grip and ran.

“s**t!!. Be alert everyone!” the cop shouted, running after me too.

All thanks to my ability to recognise things easily, I was able to locate the path where we passed through.

I was about thanking the heavens for granting me the grace to run without seeing any cop on my way, when I collided into something hard...

No, not something but someone.

At that instant, weakness took over me

and I found myself having a blurry vision, probably because of all that had happened and made me sick in a single day.

I was so weak that I had to stand on my toes and wrap my arms around the masculine figure's neck so I wouldn't fall.

I heard gasps behind me but I didn't care.

I managed to look to see who I'd bumped into and I realized he wasn't a cop since he wasn't cladded in the cops' uniform.

He's probably the one who came looking for detective Sam.

I stopped standing on my toes and since he was much taller, my head rested on his chest.

“Save me,” was all I could say before going limp on his body..

But before I could fall, I felt him grabbing me and with that, I slipped into an unconscious state..