CHAPTER 8
ARIA’S POV
The feeling of waking up makes me light for several seconds, like I am floating in the realm between life and death until I finally feel my consciousness slip back in. My eyes flutter open after that. I blink once, twice and some more when the vision in front of me doesn’t change into a familiar one.
I sit up, expecting to see the dull blue walls of my room but the room I woke up in is painted differently in a brighter and warmer color that makes me feel relaxed to be here. Before I start to question the changes I am not used to, a fast train of memories slam into my mind and it starts to make sense. Everything that happened from Grandmother’s funeral to me standing in front of the hotel, drained and desperate.
From there, I remember nothing else. I must have fainted, completely blacked out and was brought to this strange place.
I find it strange because it clearly isn’t a hospital room which I assume I should have been taken to if I fainted out of nowhere. The room is clean and almost empty with just the bed I am lying on and a small drawer to my right which gives it away that it is merely a guest room. I am still battling with the thoughts of who, why and how when the door creaks open and I straighten up quickly, ready to flee at the first sight of danger.
“You’re awake.” The door opens all the way to reveal Regis who walks in and closes it behind him.
My mouth hangs open. I do not know who I expected to see but I never thought it would be Adam’s uncle either. Regis hands me a mug of mildly hot tea. My throat and mouth are so dry that I don’t hesitate to take the mug from him and chug down half of its content. When I am satisfied, I hand it back to Regis who has been watching me with keen interest.
“Thank you.” I say, still confused but no longer thirsty.
“How do you feel? You were really burning up yesterday.” He says, placing his palm over my forehead to feel my temperature before I can even respond. He takes his hand away and nods, “You seem better now.”
I flush in embarrassment, from both the unexpected contact and the realization that Regis‘ voice must have been the one I heard right before I lost consciousness last night.
“You saved me.” I say and Regis merely gives me one of those gentle smiles I know him for.
“Thank you.” I say to him again.
“Thank God I was around that hotel for a meeting at that time, Aria. What were you doing out alone looking like that? You were drenched and your whole body was so cold that it scared the shit out of me.”
I avoid looking at him for fear that he will see through me. That and the embarrassment I felt at him seeing me at my lowest point, looking so pathetic and helpless.
I am meeting Regis again after two years and two times now–at the cemetery and at the hotel–he has witnessed the things that I would have preferred he didn’t know about. It is almost laughable how he left right before I got married and returned now that I am in the process of a divorce.
“How long have I been out?”
“An entire day and a half.” He says, shocking me. I can’t believe I was unconscious for an entire day just because I spent a few minutes in the rain. Deep down, something tells me it is beyond the cold but I shrug it off.
‘Is this about what you said at the cemetery? Adam impregnated someone else. Did he do this because of that? Did he send you packing from the house?” I can’t tell if the anger I hear in his voice is real or I am imagining it. I don’t see why he is angry on my behalf when we have never really been friends,
CHAPTER
+25 BONUS
“It’s nothing like that.” I finally find my voice.
Then tell me what is going on, Aria. You could have gotten seriously sick last night.” His voice softens as he speaks.
“I appreciate your help, Regis, I really do but I’d rather not talk about it.” I say, hoping he doesn’t argue. I am already embarrassed enough and can’t bring myself to tell him what really happened.
Regis stares at me for a few seconds and just nods.
“Fine. It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it now but know that I am willing to listen to you anytime you are ready to talk. You can also stay here for as long as you want to.”
1 shake my head quickly, “No, I can’t stay. I don’t want to bother you.”
“Who said anything about you being a bother? I mean it, Aria. You can stay here until you figure things out.”
No. I don’t want to stay here.
Regis might be a good man but he is still Adam’s family and I want nothing to do with anyone from that family for
ΠΟΥ.
“I already have a place to go,” I say, lying right through my teeth and failing to meet Regis’s eyes while at it. The thought of needing to leave here as fast as I can reminds me of the key chain I had brought out of my bag as a last resort. The jewellery piece grandmother had given me.
“I just need to find that key chain.” I say more to myself than to him because I look everywhere around and fail to find it. The fear that I dropped it at the hotel overwhelms me and I want to slap myself hard in the face for losing my grandmother’s last gift to me.
“Looking for this?” Regis‘ voice pulls me out of my messy thoughts. He holds the key chain in between his fingers, stretching it towards me. Relief floods me that instant.
“Thank you,” I say and attempt to take the key chain from me but he shifts back, making me raise my brow in confusion at his strange action. He inspects the key chain briefly before turning his gaze back to me.
“Where did you get this?” He asks and I frown, getting slightly annoyed that he is holding onto what’s mine and asking questions about it.
“My Grandmother gave it to me and I would like it back so I can find the person it belongs to.”
Regis still doesn’t give it back and his expression turns even more questioning
“Wait, did you just say you need to find the person it belongs to? Why are you in search of the owner of this key chain?”
Regis asks. I could never imagine that Regis would be interested in the owner of this key chain. I was pretty sure, it was because of the way the key chain looked like that got him interested. It was my reaction too at first glance.
The antique piece looked like it held a secret that was ready to be uncovered.
