CHAPTER TWO
1003 Words
Annette walked into the mall, looking for a cheap outfit. She didn’t have much to spend, so she focused on the clearance section.
As she browsed, the store suddenly went silent. Workers lined up, bowing their heads as a tall man walked in with a group of men behind him.
He was striking tall, with sharp features and a strong jawline. His suit was perfectly tailored, and everything about him screamed wealth and power. Annette figured he was the owner.
She went back to searching through the clothes, uninterested.
Then, a loud scream made her look up.
One of the workers was on her knees, begging. The man’s expensive suit was covered in coffee. Annette rolled her eyes. All this over a little spill?
“Security. Take her away,” the man said, his voice cold.
The woman cried as security grabbed her and dragged her away. No one spoke up. The other workers kept their heads down.
Annette felt a wave of irritation. Rich people and their egos. She tried to focus on the clothes again, but the scene stuck with her.
Something about it just didn’t sit right.
The security dragged the lady away, and Annette frowned internally. All this just for a spilled coffee?
She looked at the man, and his eyes met hers.
“Sucker,” she muttered.
His face showed a flicker of surprise before he looked away, as if wondering why she had said that to him. His suit was expensive, sure but was it really worth getting someone dragged out like that?
Annette couldn’t stand how everything played out, so she walked out of the store.
She made her way back to the motel. She had searched every nook and cranny of the area for a job, but there was nothing.
When she reached the motel, she pushed the door open and stepped inside. The young man at the front desk looked up and smiled at her.
“Rough day?” he asked.
She nodded and headed toward the elevator.
“I have a cup of coffee for you if you don’t mind,” he added, stopping her in her tracks.
She paused and turned to look at him. If he’s trying to be nice, then he better just be nice and not try to hit on me, she thought.
Still, she walked over and sat on the empty couch. He poured hot coffee into a cup and handed it to her.
“Thank you…” she hesitated, looking at him.
“Tony. My name is Tony,” he said.
“You can call me Annette”
She gave a small smile and took a sip. The warmth of the coffee brought an instant wave of relief.
In the corner of the lobby, she heard muffled voices. An old man was speaking in a quiet, almost pleading tone to someone in a fine suit. She couldn’t get a clear look at the man since his back was turned to her, but she could see his sleek, jet black hair and the sharp lines of his tailored jacket.
Tony’s eyes kept darting toward them. He was tense but masked it with a smile whenever he glanced at her.
Annette finished her coffee and stood up, heading toward the elevator just as the old man and the suited guy approached Tony.
Her eyes widened slightly when she got a proper look at the man.
Him?
The arrogant CEO from the store.
What was he doing here?
“Mr. Jenn, have a nice evening,” The arrogant CEO said, forcing a polite tone.
Mr. Jenn sighed heavily. Annette stared at him as their eyes met again. He looked away and walked out of the motel without a word.
The elevator dinged, and Annette stepped inside, letting the doors close behind her.
She stepped into her room, tossed her bag onto the bed, and let herself fall face first onto the mattress.
All she wanted was for this nightmare to end. For her memory to come back.
The doctor had said it might take time, that her memories could return in bits and pieces. But why wasn’t anyone out there looking for her? Did she even have a family? The thought sent a dull ache through her chest.
She reached for her bag, digging through it until her fingers brushed against something familiar her phone. She pulled it out and pressed the power button.
The screen lit up.
Annette shot up in bed, heart racing. But something was wrong. The screen was completely blank. Then, suddenly, the phone started vibrating.
Her breath hooked in her throat.
She jolted off the bed and rushed downstairs to the lobby, her feet barely touching the steps.
“Tony! Tony!” she called, running up to the front desk.
Tony turned to her, confused.
“My phone it’s on!” she said, breathless, her eyes shining with hope.
Tony blinked at her. “Uh… okay?”
“But the screen is blank! I need to get to the people who know me.” She shoved the phone toward him.
Tony took it, staring at the device just as the screen went black again.
“Well… it’s not on anymore,” he muttered.
Annette snatched the phone back, frantically pressing the power button, but it wouldn’t turn on again. It was like it had come alive just to taunt her.
Her shoulders slumped.
“I know a guy,” Tony said. “A repair guy. We can take it to him tomorrow.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Thank you.”
Without another word, she turned and got into the elevator.
For a brief moment, she had believed things were finally turning around. That maybe, just maybe, her family was out there, looking for her. That she wasn’t alone in the world.
But now…
She lay back down, staring at the ceiling as silent tears slipped down her face.
Doing this alone was tough.
Being alone in this world was even worse.
- Writer
