Chapter 2

Neriah’s POV

A battered heart and wobbly feet was all I had left when I got to my car. My knuckles blanched as I grabbed the steering wheel firmly and screamed my heavy heart out. I felt like I was living through a nightmare and the worst part was; I had no one to run to. I'd been so engrossed in supporting my husband's company that I'd neglected my social life.

Kicking the car engine to life, I quickly drove away from the hospital parking lot. Tears blurred my vision as I sang along to ‘The Night we met’ that blasted through the car radio. 

My head throbbed with pain as the memories came flooding back. The way Liam had held my hands— after I had my first miscarriage— and assured me that he'd stay by my side no matter what. The man who swore forever with me. The man who'd looked at me with so much love gleaming in his orbs.

But he slept with my sister and they had a baby!

“I changed my whole life for you," I whispered. My voice barely made a sound, hoarse from hours of crying. "I gave up everything. For you both.”

Tears came pouring down my face as I remembered brushing Laura’s hair on her first day of high school. She had no idea how to braid, so I did it for her. I remembered staying up all night helping her write an apology letter to the college dean when she got caught sneaking boys into the dorm. I took the blame when Mom’s ring went missing. I bailed her out when she overdrew her account. I took the blame so she could keep dancing under summer skies.

I cleaned up her messes.

Every. Single. Time.

Because I was the big sister, and that was my job, wasn’t it? 

And besides, I was the only family she had. But what did I get in return? Betrayal. 

I gave Liam my heart on a silver platter, and he handed it to my sister like a hand-me-down. And Laura? She took it without a second thought. Just like she always took everything from me.

I pressed the gas pedal harder, tears blurring my vision. I sniffed and wiped the snot drooling from my nose but my eyes grew wide when I realised that a truck was heading towards my direction at full speed, I quickly swerved to the side of the road and stepped on the brakes but my car kept moving at full speed. 

“What's happening?” I muttered as I stepped on the brakes again, that's when I noticed it. A spongy feeling beneath my foot, a lack of resistance that made my stomach drop. 

My brakes weren't working.

Panic set in, my mind reeling with questions. How was this possible? My car was in perfect condition just a few hours ago. I drove it to the hospital without a hitch. Had someone...?

Before I could even finish the thought, a blaring horn cut through the air, making me jump. An oncoming delivery van was mere feet away, its tires screeching in protest. I tried to swerve, but it was too late. 

The van crashed into my car, throwing me forward against the seatbelt. Glass shattered, metal crumpled, and the airbag exploded in my face, its chemical scent burning my nostrils. Something sharp cut across my arm. The seatbelt dug into my ribs like it was punishing me.

I felt a searing pain in my chest, and my head spun with a dizzying nausea. As I slumped back in my seat, everything began to fade away. The sounds of screeching tires and shattering glass grew distant, and the world around me began to blur.

I tried to call out for help, but my voice was barely a whisper. My eyelids felt heavy, and I couldn't keep them open.

And then, everything went black.

•••••

I woke up to a jabbing pain in my legs and an explosive sensation in my head. My breath felt like I was inhaling gunpowder. For a moment, I thought I was still in the car, still bleeding. Still waiting to die.

I blinked slowly. Everything felt... foggy. Like my thoughts had been dipped in glue, but soon my eyes adjusted to my environment and I realised I was lying on a hospital bed. 

The door creaked open and a nurse in powder-blue scrubs stepped in, holding a tablet. She glanced up and her eyes widened.

“Ms. Stone, you're awake. How are you feeling?” The nurse’s voice was soothing, but wait, did she just refer to me as Miss Stone instead of Mrs. Chadwick?

I tried to speak but coughed instead. My voice sounded hoarse and weak. “Yeah,” I said with a tight-lipped smile. “Also, I’m Mrs. Chadwick and not Ms Stone.”

“Oh, I’m sorry ma’am, but the record says otherwise,” the nurse insisted. “Anyway, I’m here to check your vitals and—”

Everything was becoming sketchy. How long have I been unconscious? And why did the nurse insist on calling me by my maiden name?

“How long have I been out?” I blurted out. 

“You’ve been unconscious for three days,” she said gently, adjusting something on the IV stand.

I blinked at her. “Three...?”

The nurse nodded. “You came in with multiple fractures, bruised ribs, and a minor concussion. Honestly, it’s a miracle you made it at all.”

Her words echoed in my head. Three days.

I’d been... gone. Just floating in nothingness while life moved on without me.

“Where’s my husband?!” I snapped as the realization hit me. I’d just survived a near-death encounter and Liam wouldn’t be so heartless to abandon me alone in the hospital. 

“Ms Stone, I think it’s best you remain calm, so your body gets to heal properly.”

“Answer me!” I yelled.

The nurse paused. Her expression shifted into something unreadable. She shook her head slowly. “Nobody’s come to see you. Not since the stranger dropped you off.”

I stared at her. My heart stumbled over itself. “Stranger?”

She let out a small sigh, like she'd already had this conversation too many times in her head. “Yes, ma’am. A man brought you in. He said he found your car off the highway. He paid all the bills upfront and once your vitals were stable, he left.”

I sat up, instantly regretting it as pain stabbed through my side. “But who was he?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t leave a name.” She double-checked my pulse, made a note on her tablet, and then looked at me. “He didn’t say a word. Just made sure you were alive... and vanished.”

The silence that followed felt suffocating.

No Liam. No Laura. No family. No friends. Just... some nameless man. Why would a stranger pay for everything?

Before I could ask more questions, the nurse offered a small, polite smile. “You should rest, ma'am.” 

“I’ll just turn on the TV for you,” she picked up the TV remote by the bed stand and turned on the news. “You could use a little bit of relaxation, I’ll be back in a few hours to check your vitals again.” 

I gave a weak nod, barely paying attention. My body ached in places I didn’t know existed. I wasn’t here for entertainment, I just wanted answers.

Without another word, she turned and walked out, the door closing softly behind her.

I rolled my eyes in confusion. Everything was happening fast and I couldn’t keep up. 

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted when I heard a familiar voice. It was coming from the television and when I raised my head, lo and behold, there was the image of my husband, all dressed in a black suit and perfectly trimmed hair. His eyes were bloodshot as though he had just cried.

Liam is holding a press conference while I’m at the hospital?

I couldn’t believe my eyes but the next words that Liam spoke shattered every piece of my existence. 

“Thank you all for coming within such short notice,” Liam sniffled, dabbing his eyes with a white handkerchief. “It is with a heavy heart that I announce the death of my dear wife, Neriah Chadwick.”