HIS MOST WANTED KARMA

The nurse at the reception was just going through the screen, and the cry of a baby was heard from one of the wards. Alicia sat on the bench, her fingers locked tightly together, rubbing them together to reduce the anxiety that was building up. Her eyes were fixed on the closed ICU doors where Lucas had just been wheeled in. Beside her, Amaya rubbed her back gently, while Becky stood leaning against the wall, arms folded, tapping her heel softly against the floor.They had been waiting for what felt like hours.The tension between the three of them was unspoken but still palpable, as if they could hear each other's breath. Finally, the doctor appeared from the room, stethoscope in hand and a serious look on his face. He walked up to them and cleared his throat gently.“Mrs. David,” he said, eyes meeting Alicia’s. “May I see you in my office?”Alicia stood slowly. Her legs were shaky beneath her, but she followed the doctor down the corridor.Becky frowned. “Why just her?”Amaya cro

Lucas rushed through the hospital, his heart racing as fast as his feet. Rain slapped against the hospital windows like angry hands. He was drenched, but he didn't mind this time. His mind was spinning, refusing to believe the words from the phone. He didn’t remember parking very well. He didn’t remember the elevator. All he remembered was a nurse leading him down a straight pathway, quiet and slow.They stopped outside a room. The walls were white, just too white for the type of news they deliver. “Are you ready?” the nurse asked gently.Lucas nodded quickly.The door opened, and he stepped inside. There was a body on the bed, covered in a white sheet. The room was silent, and just footsteps were heard. Two nurses stood beside the bed. One of them slowly pulled the sheet down, revealing the face.Lucas took a step back.It was him.His father.Mr. David’s face was still, his eyes closed, a bandage wrapped around his forehead. There were bruises along his cheekbones and dried bloo

Becky’s voice was still ringing in Lucas’s ears.“My sister is dead.”The living room suddenly felt like a burial ground. Lucas looked at her, unable to speak. His mouth opened, but no words came out.Becky walked in slowly, like her feet were heavy, hands folded tightly behind her back, she needed to make an appearance to cover up any tracks. “She… she jumped,” Becky said, her voice quiet, like it hurt to say the words. “We were on the boat, and she said she wanted to be alone for a minute… next thing, I turned, and she was gone.”Lucas looked at her, stunned. “Jumped?”“I thought she was just looking at the water,” she added, quickly wiping her eyes. “She didn’t say anything. I didn’t know it was that serious.”She appeared too innocent, acting well the script she played in her head. He walked to the center of the room, slowly shaking his head. “No… she wouldn’t…”“She did,” Becky cut in. “I tried to look for her. I even screamed. But by the time the boat crew got there, she was

Alicia stared at her reflection, still holding the mirror with both hands. The woman looking back at her didn’t feel like a stranger, or maybe not, but she wasn’t Alicia King either. Not the quiet one, not the one Lucas married out of pressure. This face was spotless, fresh, almost too perfect, like someone else’s life had been laid over hers.She blinked slowly, unsure of what she felt. Confused? Shocked? Grateful?Lucas… what would he do if he saw her now? Would he even recognize her? Would his heart skip a beat? Or would he just admire her like any other beautiful woman passing by?And Maya? Her sweet daughter with sleepy eyes and curly hair. Would she know her mother? Or would she pull away, scared by this new face, and run away?Alicia touched her cheek softly. It didn’t even feel real.Then there was Amaya, her best friend. Her voice had been the last thing Alicia thought about before everything went dark. She’d called her name, screamed, maybe asked thousands of questions. And

Days turned into weeks, and Alicia’s strength came back bit by bit. Her face had fully healed. The pain was almost gone. And now, she stood outside the hospital, ready to leave. Her discharge papers were signed, and they headed straight to the airport. The fresh Miami sun greeted them as they stepped out of the airport hours later.Captain Smith’s black car pulled up in front of a cream-painted house with tall trees lining both sides. It was a huge building that had few people living in it. Alicia stared at the building in silence, her thoughts still on everything that had happened and everything that might come next. There was this level of uncertainty that kicked in.The housekeeper was already waiting. She carried their bags in as Alicia stood quietly beside Captain Smith. She wasn’t saying much these days, just observing, adjusting, and learning how to live in her new skin.Tim came out from the kitchen, apron tied around his waist and a spoon still in his hand. He had been prepa