Chapter 7: Living The Nightmare

Since the accident last Saturday, Nathan and I have barely spoken to each other, avoiding one another like the plague. Even though we knew we must talk and be civil, part of me was glad that we didn’t.

I'm afraid he'll ask about the fainting episode during the lunch meeting.

"Hey, Uncle Peter, you called for me?" I asked as I entered his office. Earlier, after school, Athan had told me that my uncle wanted to speak with me, but he couldn’t accompany me because he and Danny had plans for a boys’ night out. And that usually meant girls were involved.

"Oh yes, sweetheart, I just wanted to apologise for the marriage arrangement and for the news I’m about to share." His tone was apologetic, and I could sense something serious in his words.

Confused, I just looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Taking a deep breath, my uncle said, “Sweetheart, you’ll be living with the Stevens family. Since you two are engaged, this change would help you both grow closer.”

The news hit me like a ton of bricks. Nonetheless, I gave him a weak smile and kissed him on the cheek before walking out of the room, still reeling from the unexpected announcement.

Later that night, after finishing my homework, I stepped outside to the backyard and walked toward the mini-forest near the pond. I lay on my back, letting the cold wind touch my face while the moonlight bathed me. Looking up at the stars, surrounded by nature, always gave me peace.

The night was proof of the beauty darkness could possess—if you just looked up.

It gave me the strength I needed to hold back the tears after hearing the news. First, a forced marriage, and now I was supposed to live with Nathan? For most people, living with their betrothed would be a dream come true, but for me, in a situation where my fiancé loved another girl, it felt like a test I wasn’t prepared for.

I knew I had become fragile since the tragedy. I couldn’t handle too much pain or shock anymore without breaking down. And now, being forced into a situation that triggered memories I desperately tried to forget only made things worse.

For the rest of the night, I stayed there, trying to keep my eyes open, too afraid to fall asleep and face my nightmare once more.

Every night, those memories haunted me in my dreams, like a videotape that replayed endlessly. Nightmares were a twisted form of reality created by your own mind, torturing you, and you could do nothing but pray for someone or something to wake you up. But in that moment, feeling the peace that radiated from nature, my eyelids grew heavy.

I opened my eyes, still half-asleep, only to find that I was being moved. Danny was carrying me in his arms.

“Hey, go to sleep. I’ll carry you to your room,” he said gently.

I wasn’t sure how he had found me, but I was grateful. He laid me down in bed, then sat beside me, stroking my hair.

“Don’t frighten us like that again, okay, Rosie? We were worried when your uncle called and said you weren’t at the house,” he said softly.

“Where are they?” I mumbled, referring to Uncle and Athan.

“Don’t worry. I’ll call them to come back. They’re out looking for you.”

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered, still on the verge of sleep.

“Sleep, Rosie. You’ll need it,” Danny said, his voice soft.

“Thank you, Danny. I love you,” I murmured with a small smile.

“I love you too,” he replied softly, kissing my forehead before walking out of my room.

The next morning, I started packing my things, preparing to transfer to my soon-to-be in-laws’ house.

“You ready, baby? Let’s go,” Uncle said as he helped load my things into the trunk of the car.

“Let’s go!” he called inside, signalling for Danny and Athan.

After an hour-long drive, we finally arrived at the Rodriguez’s house, where we were greeted by Aunt Clarisse and Uncle Arthur.

“Hey, sweetie! Welcome to our home!” Aunt Clarisse greeted me with a warm hug, while Uncle Arthur gave me a big smile.

As I looked around, I noticed that Nathan was nowhere to be found.

“Are you looking for him?” Uncle Arthur asked, noticing my gaze. “Don’t worry, he’ll be here soon. He’s stubborn, I’m sorry. But he’ll come around.”

I didn’t know how to feel about that, but I tried to push the thought aside as we entered their beautiful home. The Stevens house was elegant but not showy. It was a two-story house with a small pool in the backyard, simple yet exquisite. The décor was mostly antique, which I loved, and the house was filled with natural light from all the windows and glass walls.

“Please take care of my niece, Stevens. She’s already like a daughter to me,” my uncle said, his words making me smile, though I tried to hide the emotion.

“Of course, we’ll take care of her. She’ll be our daughter soon,” Aunt Clarisse said with confidence.

After chatting for a couple of hours, Uncle and the boys said their goodbyes, leaving me with my new family. Aunt Clarisse showed me to my room, and it was more beautiful than I could have imagined. The walls were painted forest green, and the antique closet and bed gave the room a cosy, timeless feel. Everything was organised, and my bed was large and inviting.

"Do you like it?" Aunt Clarisse asked nervously, playing with the tips of her fingers.

I couldn’t help but smile at her. “Like it? Auntie, I love it!”

Her face lit up with the biggest smile, and without thinking, I hugged her tightly, feeling a wave of gratitude for the kindness she had shown me.

Just as we were enjoying the moment, a cough interrupted us. I turned to see Nathan leaning in the doorway, his arms crossed.

“Mom, can I talk to my fiancée?” he asked, his tone cold.

Aunt Clarisse nodded and left the room, leaving me alone with Nathan.

I hesitated before speaking. “Uh, what do you want to talk about?” I asked, shy and unsure of how to act around him.

He didn’t waste time with pleasantries. “Look, I’ll only say this once. I don’t care if you’re my fiancée or if you’ll be my wife. I love my girlfriend, and she’ll always have my heart. So, if you think you’re going to be a part of my life, think again.”

With that, he left, slamming the door so hard it nearly made my ears ring.

He loved someone else. This marriage was bound to be worse than what my parents had. At least my mother had found love in the middle of her marriage, but Nathan already had someone else in his heart before this even began.

Tears filled my eyes as I let out the pain I had been holding in. I cried to relieve the pressure, the stress, and the memories that threatened to overwhelm me. And just as I was about to drift into sleep, I realised I was falling into another nightmare.

Could this situation get any worse?