Chapter 2

KIRA POV - One Year Ago, A quick trip down memory lane.

Kira woke up to her body on fire.

Not actual fire. Just the kind of heat that came with fever. The kind that made her skin burn and her teeth chatter at the same time.

She tried to sit up, but her head was spinning and she could hardly see anything.

She was sick. Really sick.

Kira forced herself out of bed and walked to the bathroom. Splashed cold water on her face, it kind of didn’t do anything.

Her reflection in the mirror looked terrible. Pale skin. Dark circles under her eyes. Lips cracked and dry.

She needed to see a doctor.

Kira walked downstairs slowly. Each step felt like climbing a mountain.

When she reached the living room, Adrian was sitting on the couch. Vanessa sat beside him, ohhh vanessa yes the famous assistant. They were looking at something on her laptop.

“Adrian,” Kira said. Her voice came out weak.

He looked up. “What?”

“I need to go to the hospital. I don’t feel well.”

Adrian glanced at her, then back at the laptop. “You look alright.”

“I’m not fine. I’m burning up. I think I have a fever.”

“Take some medicine. It’ll pass.”

“Adrian, please. I need to see a doctor.” Only me knows how I feel and this isn’t normal.

Before he could respond, Catherine, her mother in law, literally the weapon fashioned against her walked into the room. She took one look at Kira and her face squeezed.

“Oh my God, Kira. You’re so lazy.”

Kira blinked. “What?”

“You know the investors are coming today. You’re supposed to prepare four dishes. And now you’re faking sick?”

“I’m not faking. I’m really sick.”

“You look fine to me.” Catherine crossed her arms. “Stop being dramatic and go start cooking.”

Kira’s legs felt weak. She grabbed the edge of the couch to steady herself. “I can’t. I need to go to the hospital.”

Adrian stood up. “Kira, you’re being soft. Get a hold of yourself. You’re embarrassing me.”

“I’m not trying to embarrass you. I’m sick.”

“Then take medicine and deal with it. We have important people coming over. I need you to be functional.”

Tears filled Kira’s eyes. She tried to blink them back, but she couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Please,” she whispered. “I just need to see a doctor.”

She took a step forward. Her vision went black.

Then she hit the floor.

When she opened her eyes, she was lying on the carpet. Adrian and Catherine were standing over her. Vanessa stayed on the couch, looking so irritated.

“Get up, Kira,” Catherine said.

Kira tried. Her arms were shaking now.

Adrian sighed. “Fine. Go to the hospital. But you need to be back before noon to cook.”

“Noon?” Kira pushed herself up slowly. “That’s only a few hours.”

“Then you better hurry.”

Kira stood up finally. She pulled out her phone and dialed one of their drivers.

It rang twice before Adrian snatched the phone from her hand.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Calling the driver. To take me to the hospital.”

“No. All the drivers are busy. Some are running errands. The others need to pick up the guests.”

“Then how am I supposed to get there?”

“You know how to drive, don't you?”

Kira stared at him. “Adrian, I can barely stand.”

“You made it down the stairs, didn’t you? You’ll be fine.”

Catherine waved her hand. “Just go, Kira. And make sure you’re back before noon. I won’t tolerate you embarrassing this family.”

Kira didn’t say anything else. She just turned and walked out.

The walk to the car felt impossible. Each step made her dizzy. Dear God, one more step, one more step as she took each step.

She got into the driver’s seat and gripped the steering wheel.

The hospital was twenty minutes away. Just twenty minutes.

She could do this.

Kira started the car and pulled out of the driveway.

The entire road was blurry, she kept blinking trying to focus.

Ten minutes in, her eyelids started to droop.

No. No. No. Stay awake please.

But her body wasn’t listening, her head fell forward as her eyes finally closed still on the highway.

The car swerved.

A loud horn blared that brought Kira back to consciousness. When she opened her eyes, It was a truck

A truck was coming straight at her.

She jerked the wheel to the right with all the strength she had left.

The car swerved off the road. The side scraped against the pavement as the tyre screeched.

Kira slammed on the brakes.

The car stopped.

She sat there, breathing hard. Her hands shaking on the wheel.

She’d almost died.

Almost.

Kira looked at the side of the car. A long scratch ran down the door. A dent near the back wheel.

Catherine was going to kill her.

But she didn’t have time to think about that. She needed to get to the hospital.

Kira pulled back onto the road and kept driving.

When she finally reached the hospital, it was seven in the morning.

A nurse helped her inside. Took her temperature. Asked questions.

The doctor came in ten minutes later.

“You have a high fever,” he said. “Your body is fighting an infection. We need to admit you.”

“I can’t,” Kira said. “I need to be home by noon.”

“Mrs. Westbrook, you’re in no condition to go anywhere. You need rest and fluids.”

“I can’t. Please. Just give me something so I can go home.”

The doctor looked at her like she was insane. But he didn’t argue.

“Fine. I’ll give you a drip. It’ll take about three hours. But you need to come back if your condition worsens.”

“Thank you.”

They hooked her up to the IV. The cool liquid flowed into her veins.

Kira closed her eyes. Just for a minute.

When she opened them again, it was 11:15 AM.

She’d overslept.

Her phone was buzzing on the table beside her. Seventeen missed calls. All from Catherine. A few from Adrian.

One voicemail.

Kira played it.

Catherine’s voice screamed through the speaker. “Kira, if you don’t come home right now and make this food, you’re done. You hear me? If you embarrass me in front of these investors, kiss this marriage goodbye. Rubbish.”

Kira’s hands shook as she pulled the IV out herself. The nurse tried to stop her, but Kira was already moving.

She had to get home.

Now.

The drive back was a blur. She drove too fast. Ran two red lights. Didn’t care.

When she pulled into the driveway, they were all waiting outside.

Catherine. Adrian. Vanessa.

Kira barely had the car in park before Catherine stormed over.

“Where the hell have you been?” she screamed. “Why didn’t you answer my calls?”

“I’m sorry. I fell asleep at the hospital. But I’m here now. I’ll cook.”

Kira opened the car door and stepped out.

Catherine’s eyes moved past her. To the car. To the long scratch running down the side. To the dent near the wheel.

Her face went red.

“What the fuck did you do to my car?”

“I’m sorry. There was a truck and I had to swerve. I almost crashed but I….”

Catherine’s hand came out of nowhere.

The slap hit Kira’s face so hard her head snapped to the side.

Pain exploded across her cheek. Her ear rang.

Kira stood there. Frozen. Her hand slowly moving to her face.

“That was my favorite car,” Catherine said. Her voice was ice. “And you destroyed it. You poor thing. You don’t know how to take care of anything.”

Kira’s eyes filled with tears, why did they hate her so much? She looked at Adrian.

He was standing a few feet away. Arms placed across Vanessa’s shoudler. Face blank.

He said nothing.

“I’m sorry,” Kira whispered. “I’ll pay for it.”

“With what money?” Catherine laughed. “You don’t have money. You have nothing.”

Kira’s throat burned. She wanted to scream. To cry. To run.

But she didn’t.

She just stood there.

And took it.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​