THE END OF ME

Chapter 3. Morning After…

The sound of the moving vehicle outside woke me up, and I realized I had fallen asleep on the cold, hard floor. I opened my eyes slowly, blinking away the sleep, and gazed up at the sky slowly brightening up. The pale light of dawn crept over the horizon, casting a warm glow over the desolate landscape. I pulled my bag closer, feeling the familiar weight of it against my side, and brought out my phone to check the time. The screen lit up, displaying the time: 6:16 already.

I stood up energetically, my feet pounding against the cold ground. I began to bang on the metal gate, the loud clang echoing through the morning air. The noise was jarring, and I knew it was probably disturbing the peace,But I didn't care.

I opened my phone and dialed Ryan's number. The phone rang and rang, the silence punctuated only by the distant hum of traffic. Finally, on the third ring, Ryan answered, his voice groggy with sleep.

“ what is it?”he asked

“Ryan, I need your help. I've been locked out since last night. I need to get Alina and get out of here,” I said, fighting back tears.

“What did you just say?” he asked, his voice laced with surprise.

“Just come here, please,” I replied, my voice shaky.

I exhaled loudly unable to have a proper thought on what to do. 40min ticked by before Ryan’s car pulled and he rushed out, his face etched with concern. He stopped in front of me, wordless and then enveloped me in a tight hug. I couldn’t help but to sob uncontrollably on his shoulder.What hurt wasn't just Roland's infidelity – he'd done that before – but the fact that this time, it was with Cassia, someone I'd trusted the most. The pain of that betrayal cut deep. After a while, I pulled away, slowly wiping my tears as I tried to compose myself.

“What happened?” Ryan asked, his voice soft with concern, but I couldn't bring myself to answer. The memory of what I'd seen still stung, and the pain felt like a fresh wound.

“Can we just get Alina? I'll tell you about it later,” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

“Should I call the cops?” he asked, but I just shook my head.

“Roland's influence is too much – the cops wouldn't be any help,” I muttered, sniffling silently as I struggled to hold back tears.

“Elara, let's go. I don't think Roland will let you have her today. It's his child, he's not going to hurt her,” Ryan said, trying to reason with me.

“Cassia, what if Cassia hurts her?” I asked, my voice cracking with fear. Ryan's expression turned puzzled as he looked around.

“Wait, where is she? Why are you the only one out here?” he asked, confusion etched on his face.

“Let's go,” I said, opening the car door and sliding in without waiting for Ryan. I didn't want to talk anymore, didn't want to think about the pain that was already overwhelming me. Ryan stood outside, still looking confused, but eventually got my bag and joined me in the car. He started the engine, and we drove off in silence. The only sound was the hum of the engine.

I let out a loud sigh, finally unburdening myself to Ryan. His eyes reflected the pain I felt, as he struggled to maintain his composure. I wanted to tell him it was okay, but I knew that would be a lie – I was shattered.

“Why should it be Cassia?” he muttered under his breath, the words laced with frustration and hurt. I could hear the anguish in his voice.

“I don't care about any of them, all I need right now is Alina,” I said firmly, wiping away my tears as I stood up from the couch. “I'll go wash up,” I added, turning to leave.

I walked into the room Ryan had shown me earlier, shutting the door behind me and let out a loud exhale, the weight of my emotions still heavy on my chest.

“I shouldn't care about any of them,” I told myself, trying to muster some resolve as I walked towards the bathroom. Without bothering to undress, I sank into the warm bathtub that Ryan had already prepared. The warmth enveloped me, and I closed my eyes, letting the soothing water calm my frazzled nerves. For a moment, my thoughts grew quiet and calculating, a rare calm washing over me.

The knocking on the door broke my tranquil moment, and I opened my eyes to Ryan's concerned voice.

“Elara, are you okay?” he called out, followed by another gentle “Elara.”

“Oh no,” I muttered to myself, suddenly aware of the time. I hastened my bath, shedding my soaked clothes and giving my body a swift wash. A few minutes later, I emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my chest, and rushed to open the door.

“Hey, I'm okay, what's wrong?” I asked, opening the door in a rush. Ryan's face was etched with relief, and he let out a dramatic sigh.

“Jesus Christ, you almost gave me a heart attack,” he said, placing a hand on his chest. I was taken aback.

“What? I was only taking my bath,” I replied, confusion written all over my face.

“For four hours?” he asked, his eyebrow raised. My eyes widened in surprise.

“Four hours? Like, four?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Oh my god, I think I fell asleep in the bathtub,” I exclaimed, and Ryan suddenly burst out laughing. I looked around, feeling even more confused.

“What’s funny?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

“The fact that you slept in there for four hours without realizing it,” he replied, still chuckling. I couldn't help but laugh too.

“Get dressed and come down for breakfast – I'll have to heat it up again,” he said, giving me one last glance before walking away.

“Damn, Elara,” I muttered to myself, a brief smile crossing my face before I locked the door behind him.