Rhea's POV
Ginny gently held his arm, her voice trembling, “Is Rhea doing this again to get your attention? Maybe… maybe she’s mad you spent my birthday with me instead of her…” As she spoke, tears slid silently down her cheeks. Kevin quickly wrapped an arm around her to comfort her, “Ah, you’re right. That’s it. I almost fell for her trick again. Damn it. Even if she dies, it doesn't matter to me, it helps us anyway. So Ginny, don't think about her, she doesn't matter to us anymore.” Kevin said and kissed Ginny, together, they fell on the bed. “Hahahaha… hahahaha…” I laughed hysterically to myself, tears falling dry my eyes like a waterfall. In the end, I lost. I lost everything! I continued laughing until I noticed how white my hands were. “What…?” My voice trembled, this time audible only to myself. “What’s happening to me…?” The edges of my vision blurred. My body was growing lighter, more transparent. I was leaving. “No, no, not yet!” I cried, “I can’t leave like this! Not when they’re still laughing! Still living! After everything they did to me?” Tears of helplessness streamed down my face, vanishing before they reached the ground. I clutched my chest as a sharp pull yanked me backwards, like gravity itself had changed direction. “Please…” I begged, “Give me one more chance. Just one. I’ll right my wrongs. I’ll make them regret everything. Please!!” I begged as everything around me faded, and then... I gasped and choked, my lungs seizing as liquid flooded my mouth. My eyes snapped and I choked immediately, on water. I flailed around, struggling to get up and when I was able to, I stared at the scene in front of me with shock, my mouth wide open. "W... What the heck is this?!" I murmured under my breath; I was inside a huge pool, people were standing around me, some were laughing, some sent mocking looks to me, while others just ignored me. My heart did a double flip as my eyes met the banners that were hung on the roof. “I like you, Kevin!” Were the words written on the banner. Immediately, memories came rushing back to me. This was the day that I had confessed to Kevin! I had planned this entire confession with Ginny, got her help with the food and drinks, even with the perfect atmosphere to confess but due to some mishap, the entire party went wrong and to salvage the situation, I had to confess to Kevin in front of the entire school. However, Kevin had rejected me without a thought, he even pushed me into the pool because I was trying to not make him leave. However, the embarrassment I had faced didn't faze me and I continued pinning after Kevin and confessing to him until he accepted my confession and we started dating. Thinking about it, it had always been Ginny giving me the go ahead to try to date him even after how the whole school made me a joke. When he agreed to date me, I thought that all my actions had finally paid off and Kevin would be nice to me, but he became worse. I clenched my fists, raising my head to stare at Kevin who stood right in front of me, crossing his arms and looking me down like I was just an ant in his world, an ant that he could just step on. But not anymore. I slowly climbed out of the pool, the water sliding down my skin as my clothes clung to me, revealing the shape of my body. I glanced around, gauging everyone's reaction. They had stopped laughing and were staring at me in shock. Well, I wouldn't blame them. I was the president of the ‘wear baggy clothes group’ and I never showed my body or curves in public. Also, Ginny had always told me that Kevin liked girls who covered their body and left nothing to the imagination and even today that I came to confess, I wore a long oversized gown, put my hair up into a ponytail and wore my big framed glasses. Well, I didn't blame him for rejecting me but… I was no longer the same Rhea. Kevin took a step forward, a smug curl to his lips, “Did you fall in again just to get my attention?” He scoffed, “Rhea, come on. You’re too old for these childish games. It’s pathetic.” My eyes flicked to his face, so confident, so sure that I still revolved around him. I chuckled, soft at first then it became louder and unhinged. I tilted my head, water dripping from my hair as I met his gaze. “Ah… Kevin, I thought you were stupid but now I know, it seems you're also disabled.” I started. “What?” He muttered, his gaze shocked. “Everyone here could see who pushed me into the pool and yet, you're claiming that I fell in to get your attention? What attention? Who the heck are you for me to pine after you?” I asked, my voice sharp and cold. Everywhere went silent, so silent that you could even hear the sound of a pin drop. Kevin's smile faltered, and I could tell that he was struggling to wrap his head around the words I said just now. “You crazy… How dare you speak to me like that? You like me, remember and if you want me to accept your confession, then you better…” “Ah… That's the thing. Like you? Mhm… I actually did.” I nodded my head and crossed my arms, then kicked my legs forward playfully. The corner of Kevin's eyes twitched, “Of course you do so if you want me to forgive you, then you better kneel and beg me to accept you because what you just said made me angry. Also, I have a party to attend tomorrow and as usual, you're going to pay for my drinks and…” “Do you really think you're worth it?” I cut Kevin off, glaring at him with all the hatred that I had left in me for him. “W… What?”Chapter 52 Rhea's Pov “Can you not go? I'm still a bit scared, I don't want to stay alone.” I said, looking hopefully at him. It felt like someone else could burst through that door at any moment. Great. Now I had a trauma from opening the doors. However, Alaric didn’t answer immediately. The room fell into silence, soft beeping monitors and the low hum of lights were the only sounds. He just stared at me, his expression unreadable. That silence stretched, and for a moment, I wondered if I had overstepped. Maybe he thought I was being childish, clingy and weak.Slowly, I began to remove my hands from his arm, the tips of my fingers trembling as I murmured, “Sorry… I didn’t mean to hold you like that. I just… I’m just being selfish, aren’t I?”But before I could let go completely, his hand caught mine. It was firm and gentle. I gasped, my eyes snapping back to him.“Then be selfish.” Alaric said, voice low and steady, “If you want me to stay, I’ll stay. I'll do anything you want, no
Chapter 51 Rhea's Pov “Rhea!” Alaric stormed in, breath heaving, dark eyes locked on me with a look that could freeze hell. “Let. Her. Go.”His voice was low, cold, each word like a gunshot. Jones jolted behind me, tightening his grip, the blade pressing even harder against my skin. I winced as a thin line of blood trailed down my throat.“You take one more step, and she dies!” Jones barked, dragging me back toward the window, “I swear to God, Vale, I’ll do it!”Alaric’s hands curled into fists at his sides, “Don’t test me.”My knees buckled again under the pressure. I couldn’t hold my own weight, but the moment I heard Alaric's voice, something shifted in me. I wasn't going to become a fucking hostage! My hands, trembling and slick with sweat, suddenly shot up to Jones’s arm. I gripped it with every ounce of strength I had left, then threw my weight sideways, using the only leverage I had, gravity.The movement caught Jones off guard and we both stumbled to the ground. And in th
Chapter 50 Rhea's Pov “How… How are you going to escape this place? Everyone would have seen that you tried to push me out of the window, they won't let you leave.” I muttered, my eyes going towards the lock of the door. I had to get there, somehow. “Simple, I'll just have to take you with me. If I threaten you with this…” He brandished the knife in the air, “They'll let us leave. No medical practitioner would want to put their patient's life in jeopardy.” “Are you missing one thing? I can't walk, for now, I'm paralysed so I'll only drag you down. Just… Just call the police here, the ones who imprisoned you and I'll tell them whatever you want me to, I promise I'll do that. I… I don't want to die, I really don't want to die.” I sniffled, tears running down the corner of my eyes. Jones laughed maniacally, his voice booming in the lonely ward, “Now you don't want to die?! What about me?! You tried to put me in prison, didn't you think about my own life and if I was going to die. Yo
Rhea's POV “H… Help me. Somebody please help me!” My scream tore through the ward like a blade, raw and desperate. “HELP ME!” I cried again, my voice hoarse and trembling. Jones laughed. A low, deranged sound that echoed in the quiet room and turned my blood to ice. “No one’s coming, Rhea.” His tone was mocking now, laced with a twisted kind of pleasure, “This is the VIP wing, remember? No nosy neighbors, no nurses lurking around. You’re all mine right now.” “No, please…” I sobbed, but he cut me off with a sudden jerk, pulling me upright. Pain screamed through my legs. My knees buckled beneath me, and I cried out again, struggling to stay upright. He didn’t care. “Stand up!” He barked, dragging me by the arm. “I can’t! My legs…!” He ignored me and hauled me toward the window with alarming strength. I whimpered, my body was barely able to keep up, my feet dragging against the floor. With one hand, he shoved the window open, cold wind blasting into the room. With the other, he
Rhea's POV “They said her car was forced out of the highway by a truck. They both collided with each other as well, however, the driver must have disappeared in the midst of the chaos. He's nowhere to be found.” Alaric's hands clenched at his sides, and I saw the flicker of something deadly pass through his eyes. Rage. Pure, cold rage. “I’m coming.” He said tightly, his voice clipped as he strode toward the door. But then, right before he crossed the threshold, he turned back to me. His eyes locked on mine, dark and heavy with a thousand unspoken thoughts. “I’ll come back.” He said, “Later tonight, I’ll come check on you.” I blinked at him, stunned he was still thinking of me in a moment like this, “No, Alaric.” My voice came out more urgent than I intended, “Go. Just go now. Don’t waste another second.” He hesitated, clearly torn. “I’ll be fine.” I added, softening my voice, “Just take care of your family. You can come back later. Make sure Elena's fine.” His eyes held mi
Rhea's POV “You're going too far!” Howard yelled. “I'm going too far?! Aren't you the one who is willing to kneel for your adopted daughter?! Why? You can't handle the company over to me? Why is that? Jason already has his inheritance, Damien as well, so why can't you give me the company?” I questioned, but then I remembered, they had also never given me the company in my past life. That time, I had to work and work and work for the company, thinking I was going to inherit it but… “Don't tell me, you're intending to hand the company over to Ginny?!” Howard flinched, like I had slapped him with the truth. “You are, aren't you?” I whispered but my voice was loud enough for them to hear it. I chuckled softly, “I'm your real daughter and you were thinking of handing the company over to an adopted daughter. This is so crazy. But it doesn't matter, that company, give it to me and Ginny will be free. That's the only way out. If you don't, then forget about it.” There was finality in
Rhea's POV “I can see that you do not take me seriously.” Alaric straightened up, his height towering over everyone standing. My heart beat faster, and I could not control the smile that widened my lips. “Rhea, Ginny is your sister, you swore to take care of her after her parents died and she was adopted. But now you are trying to send her to jail after a little misunderstanding?” Damien cut in, staring at me with a kind of gaze that if it was the former me, I would have broken down in tears. But I merely shook my head, pinching myself to make my eyes look bloodshot, “Since you want me to testify that it was merely a misunderstanding, then… Would you be willing to do anything?” I glanced at Rachel especially and she nodded, they all nodded. “What do you want? Just tell us and we'll do it for you.” Jason added in. “Kneel.” I said coldly, my eyes throwing daggers at Howard, “Kneel and apologise for whipping me, then I'll think about helping her out. If not, then she can rot in ja
Rhea's POV I blinked at them. Jason’s voice rang out so boldly you’d think he was the one who just spent days locked in a dark basement, not me. Rachel followed behind him, her lips pressed into a tight, unforgiving line, and Damien trailed in, keeping a cautious distance like the weasel he was. I shifted in bed, wincing as pain shot up my spine again, “What does that have to do with me?” I asked calmly, voice sharper than the heart monitor beside me, “Ginny pushed me down the stairs. She should receive the consequences for her actions.” Just like I had always faced the consequences of things I had no idea of. Rachel scoffed immediately, arms folding across her chest, “Oh, stop being so dramatic, Rhea. You’re acting like she committed murder. It was an accident.” Jason nodded, “Exactly. She made a mistake, alright? She didn’t mean to push you. She probably just lost her balance, or maybe you startled her.” I narrowed my eyes, “She just lost her balance? That's the best explan
Rhea's POV Alaric turned to Jason and Damien, his voice sharpening, “Either of you want to be arrested as accomplices? I suggest you move before I call the police myself.” But instead of stepping aside, Jason placed himself between Ginny and Alaric, “Mr Vale, wait.” He said quickly, holding up a hand, “You have gotten it wrong. It definitely wasn’t like that.” Damien chimed in, nodding nervously, “Yeah. Ginny didn’t threaten Rhea. She went down to check on her, that’s all. Rhea… she’s unstable. She must’ve gotten the knife somehow and turned it on Ginny.” I narrowed my eyes, “You really want to go there, Damien?” He avoided my gaze, “We just don’t think jail is necessary. This is all a huge misunderstanding.” “Really?” Alaric crossed his arms, “So this is a misunderstanding?” He gestured to me, blood at the corner of my lips, my body crumpled on the floor, a knife gleaming just feet away, “Then explain what I just walked into. Explain the knife in her hand. Explain why Rhea was