Chapter Two - The Road To A New Beginning

Varda's POV

The beeping sound of the heart monitor caused me to snap my eyes open. I furrowed my brows in confusion as my eyes came in contact with an unfamiliar white ceiling.

I rubbed my eyes with the back of my palm as I slowly recognized this place to be the hospital. Why was I here though? Last thing I remember was being at the wedding. Wait, my wedding? Alex! All my memories slowly began to resurface in my mind.

I jerked off the bed and wiped the drop of sweat off my forehead. Where was Alex? Was he okay? I remember seeing him lying helplessly in his own pool of blood.

I needed answers and fortunately for me, I was about to get them because the front door flew open wide and my parents barged into the room. My eyes met with mum and I could sight the tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Mum." I choked out a small cry. My mother rushed towards my direction and pulled me into a tight hug. She patted my back gently and muttered kind words into my ears.

"How are you feeling?" My dad's stern voice interrupts I and my mother's bonding time. I pull away from my mum's shoulder and turn to gaze at dad. "I am okay dad, I was not shot but what was that all about? What about Alex? Is he okay? I-I...." Dad had not let me complete my sentence. He interrupted me with a loud cough, he cleared his throat and gazed at me with a straight face. "Varda, I need you to be strong."

"Yes baby." My mum whispered in a soft tone. I raised a brow at the both of them in confusion. I was in suspense, the athmosphere was tense and I was starting to become scared.

"What is going on? Why do you both have dead looks on your faces? What about Alex?" I threw questions at them, while impatiently waiting for an answer.

"Alex is dead." Dad's next statement made my entire body freeze. At that moment, my whole body felt numb. The hairs on my skin began to rise and my legs trembled. Alex was dead? Dead? That meant he was gone for good?

Everything felt too sudden, too much for me to process. I was unsure of how to feel since I never loved Alex and it was the same for him. Our relationship was nothing but a mere contract, he never cared for me yet for some weird reasons, I felt bad, I felt terrible that Alex was dead.

Some would see it as a free card of freedom for me. Alex's demise meant I could marry Davis, the one true man that I loved wholeheartedly.

"That is good news for you right?" Mum suddenly smiles at me. I gaze at her with a look irritation plastered on my face. How could she even say that? No one's death is good news. Although I get why mum does not feel bad at all. Alex was never nice to her. He called her a gold digger several times and often made mockery of her.

"Watch your tongue Clarissa!" Dad snapped at mum immediately. I heard my mum grumble words before whispering into my ear. "Do not mind your father, it means you can finally marry out of love and not spend the rest of your life paying a huge debt caused by your father." Mum says.

I nod my head, unsure of what to say to her.

"I am going to see the doctor. I think you are set to go home." Dad said, without wasting anymore time. He turned around and walked out of the room. I released a heavy sigh and ran a hand through my hair. Alex was dead? Just like that, he was going to cease to exist in the life of everyone else.

A few minutes later, Dad walked back into the room and ordered mum and I to leave the room and meet him outside of the hospital, in the parking lot.

Mum turned to me with a small smile on her face. "It's Davis calling, he wants to know how you are doing." She paused to point at her phone which is currently vibrating. I signed heavily, the last thing I wanted to do was talk to anyone, not even Davis.

"Can you talk to him instead? Let him know I am doing okay." I said in a low tone barely above a a whisper. Mum nodded her head at me and excused herself out of the room. I slowly began to pack a few of my things when I suddenly heard a loud yell echo in the hallways.

I hastily rushed out of my room and I was shocked to see Emma standing in the hallways with tears in her eyes. Our eyes met and i watched an angry look grow on her face.

"You killed him! I know you killed him you fucking loser!" Emma spat at me bitterly.

My whole heart shattered into pieces. The tears i had been trying to fight all these while finally began to flow down my cheeks. How could my own best friend say such a thing? She tried to lash out at me but the nurses around hastily held her.

They escorted her out of the hospital but I knew that was not the end, Emma would be back for a round two.

Mum came to me and I could not even tell her about the stunt Emma had just pulled. We made our back home and for the next few days, I and parents lived together in silence until one day when Dad summouned for me.

I stood a few feets away from him and watched him talk. "I talked to Alex's grandfather. He is still on about the contract marriage.

"What! Alex's dead, what does he expect me to do?" I snapped at him with wide eyes.

"He wants you to marry his other son, Stephen McCall."