Chapter 4

The words of the cop echoed into her ears and she kept hearing his statement repeatedly in her head.

‘Was this truly the end of her? Had Francis truly left her here to rot.’ This was the question she asked herself over and over as she stared at the mind in silence.

She knew she had been framed, even the woman had come to thank her after the treatment. So, where had it all gone wrong?

A part of her told her the man was right, after all, he had outrightly thrown divorce papers at her when he had been caught cheating.

“My husband will come to bail me,” she stated again, her gaze unyielding and determined. 

The cop chuckled, he shrugged and walked out of the cell, leaving Camelia alone in the dark, chilly cell.

Her knees trembled and gave way when she was left alone. She wrapped her arms around her frail body in the cold, mentally exhausted from crying and all she could do was wait.

‘Would Francis come to save her?’

‘‘Ah!’’ She shrieked in pain, feeling a sharp cut in her stomach. She feared that this would happen, if she could guess right, it was almost twenty-four hours since she had been waiting. 

Her right hand moved underneath her blouse and she rubbed her tummy warmly. “Please hold on darling, your dad is coming to save you.” She whispered to no one in particular.

Camelia continued waiting in silence, watching as the crow of a new dawn signaled. It was then she truly confirmed her guts, Francis wasn't coming.

She recoiled back on the floor and stared blankly at the thin air, her mind drifting in and out of sleep as she thought about the past few days.

The signs were there but she had ignored it. The sudden late nights, him ignoring her and complaining about every little thing about her.

She thought it was all her imagination and when she received the pregnancy report, she got the confirmation- the baby had made her experience different emotions, even towards her husband. 

“Francis!” She clenched her teeth and moaned silently. Her face was pale and she felt a splitting headache, she massaged her forehead gently, despite her eyelids closing. 

‘You carry a high risk pregnancy, ma'am. This is a rare case of fetal anemia. Please be very careful.’

The doctor's words resounded in her ears before she dozed off on the floor. 

**

“Get up!” The cop banged on the iron rails startling Camelia who was deeply asleep on the floor.

She opened her eyes grudgingly, rubbing it weakly. She felt no strength in her body.

“Come out,” the man said coldly. “Thank your stars someone came through, if not you will rot in jail.” 

She stared at him dumbfounded, unable to grasp his words. Has she been bailed?

“Can't you hear me?” The man pursed his lips when he saw her still seated, not like to move.

Camelia sighed and rose up slowly, using the wall as a support. Never in her entire life had she gone through all this or been embarrassed to this extent. 

She was glad this was over and her licence was not seized or she would have lost herself. 

She followed the cop out weakly, her head hung over her neck. She paid no attention to what he was saying until he said, “If not for that man that came to save you, your case will reach the headquarters.” 

Her head sprang up immediately. What did he mean by that? Did Francis finally come to save her? 

A glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes as she looked at the man excitedly, “Did my husband finally come to bail me? I said it, he…”

“Who spoke of your husband?” He interrupted her, the words hanging on her throat. “Your husband didn't come, I'm talking about another.” He said, just as they reached the counter.

Camelia looked around in search of the man but the place was empty, excluding her and the other cops around the place.

“Where is the man?” She fired at him.

The cop eyed her before pointing outside, “He just left the…”

Before he could complete his statement, she ran outside the station.

Camelia looked around the road, her eyes scanning around the street for any man that may fit the description of someone she knows or could be her savior but she saw no one.

She sighed dejected and turned towards the station when her eyes caught something, or rather, someone beside the station.

Camelia squinted her eyes when he walked down the sidewalk, towards his car. His face was barely visible as he turned to enter the car but she noticed a black mole on his lower ear.

She definitely didn't know him!

Her lips parted, and she was about to call him out but something felt wrong. The street suddenly grew quieter, the world seeming to slow as her vision blurred. 

She blinked hard, trying to clear her head. But no matter how hard she tried, it was as if the ground was shifting beneath her feet.

Then, she felt it, warmth dripping down her side. She instinctively pressed her hand to her cloth. Her fingers came away wet, blood.

What she feared was happening!

Her eyes widened in horror as she glanced down at the spreading stain on her coat. 

She hadn’t noticed the pain when she ran out earlier, not until now, not until the blood began to pool beneath her, soaking through the fabric and onto the cold pavement.

But she couldn’t call out anymore. Her breath grew shallow as the world around her spun. 

She stumbled, her knees buckling under her. The world darkened around the edges as she fought to stay upright.

She wanted to call out to him but she didn't know his name or who he was. His figure blurred even more, becoming a mere silhouette in the dimming light.

She opened her mouth to speak, but all that escaped was a strangled gasp. Her vision was narrowing now, and the cold seemed to take over her senses. With the last ounce of strength she had, she reached out toward him, but it was too late.

“You would pay for this, Francis!” She said, her teeth clenched tightly with her forehead brimming in sweat, her eyes gradually closing gently to the dark.

-

“We are about to land, ma'am.” A gentle touch nudged her and brought her back to reality. She felt something wet drip down her face and only realised that she had been crying.

She scoffed. How was it that this place still managed to make her weak despite her believing that four years away gave her all the healing she needed.

She smiled warmly at the hostess and turned sideways to her left. Her smile got deeper as she stared at the little girl asleep.

“Thank you,” she whispered in appreciation. 

Camelia turned to her laptop that lay on her lap before she fell asleep. An email came in and she froze when she saw the sender's name.

Francis Noah…