Leave Me If You Dare

“Mom?”

“Mom! Don’t leave me!”

“Don’t leave me. Mom.”

She could hear Adam’s crying in the dark.

"I will never leave you, my son." She uttered crying.

Arabella woke up from her dream with the noisy ringtone of her phone. Opening her eyes slowly, a strange room greeted her. The first thing, she saw was her leg hanging in front of her with a brace. Then she moved her numb hand to her neck slowly which made her realize that she was wearing a neck brace too. She could feel numbness in her entire body which made her suddenly remember everything that happened.

Looking at the road, flashbacks of her tragic past drastically came in. She saw herself holding her father’s hand trying her best to save him with her remaining strength. She saw her mother’s crying and suffering when she lost her husband. Her memory brought her back to the pain she felt when she became the center of fun in the club that she almost lost Adam. Her memory of being humiliated at the Sky Corporation Anniversary party. Cursed and blamed by everyone because of the death of Ed Sky.

All her miseries, Bill was there.

The only person who put her in an agonizing situation.

She didn’t want to go back to that dark time again.

She didn’t want to feel any pain caused by him anymore.

She rather dies escaping from hell than be with the devil.

Driven by an intense fear of pain in the past, she jumped off the car without thinking it too much. There’s only one thing in her mind, run!

Ran away as far as she can.

“Don’t touch me…” With a weak staggering voice, she pleaded. She could feel pain all over her body as her tears flowed down.

“Shit! Fucking stubborn!” She could hear Bill’s curse when he lifted her in the air before she lost her consciousness.

As she tried to recall everything, reality struck her.

She was sure that she was in a hospital. With a heavy cemented arm, she reached her cell phone to see the caller.

Adam.

Her eyes went wider to see his name then she felt the extreme guilt of what she did.

‘I’m sorry Adam.’ She whispered in her heart as her tears started to drip down again.

She almost killed herself there.

How could she forget Adam?

How could she leave her son just like that?

How could she forget her mother who needs her?

Before being caught in her messy thoughts, she answered her phone stiffly.

“Mommy? Finally, you answered. I almost call the police.” Adam sounded worried.

Now because of her stupidity, she had to lie to her son.

“I’m sorry Adam. Is Uncle Damien still with you?” She really hoped so as her mess brought her to a very big dilemma.

“Yes, mom. Uncle Damien is here waiting for you.” Adam announced.

“Okay. May I talk to him, honey?” She tried her best to sound okay. She could not make her son worried for her.

“Sure, mom,” Adam replied.

“Where are you?” Damien’s voice was stern.

“I am in the hospital.” She didn’t lie but she knew Damien would think that she was attending to her mom. “Damien, I have to bother you with some favor if you don’t mind.” She added with gritted teeth. After what she did to Damien, she knew she had no right to ask him a personal favor but she had no choice.

“What is it?” Damien asked.

“Please be with Adam. I may stay in the hospital for quite a while.” Intense guilt was poking her heart but she could not tell them the truth as she knew Adam would make his way to look for her.

“Okay. Do not worry. I will take care of Adam. Just take care of your mom.” Damien said with a reassuring tone.

“Thank you. I owe you once again.” She said with a wave of guilt in her heart. She wiped her tears silently to avoid being detected by them.

The call ended with a single relief that someone would take care of Adam on behalf of her absence. She could only rely on Damien as she didn’t want to disturb Farrah's honeymoon.

After the call, the door opened. She panicked as she thought it’s Bill but when she saw a man with a white lab gown, she heaved a sigh of relief.

“Good afternoon, Mrs. Sky. I’m Dr. Henry Stone, your physician.” A middle-aged doctor greeted her with an accomplished smile. “How do you feel?” Then he asked.

“I am sorry. I am not Mrs. Sky. I am Ms. Jones.” She argued in disbelief at his words.

“Oh!... My apology but your information is written here clearly signed by your husband, Mr. Bill Sky.” The doctor gave out the patient information sheet to her.

“Ah!!!!” Arabella could not help her annoyance as she screamed. She had to lie to her son and Damien because of her impulsive decision to escape from him. Now, she could not move. She could not run away.

“Is there pain? Where is it?” The doctor panicked. He could not offend the wife of the owner of the hospital most especially, Bill Sky.

“No.” Arabella calmed herself down.

“Then why did you shout?” He put anesthesia on her so she should not be in pain but hearing her made him question his action.

“Nothing. I’m okay. I’m sorry to make you worried.” Arabella looked at the doctor with sincerity.

“May I know, when I can walk and get out from here?” She asked with all her curiosity. She couldn’t wait to get out of the bed and run away.

“3 months but your husband gave us 1 week to make you recover, Mrs. Sk…Ah...Ms. Jones.” The doctor answered wiping his forehead with a handkerchief. He was obviously uneasy with the order.

“You are lucky enough that you don’t have broken bones. You just have to undergo intensive treatments to speed up your recovery.” The doctor explained with uneasiness.

It was a miracle indeed.

It looked like a miracle happened to a person who suffered enough in the past.

She breathed relief with the doctor's words.

“If I may ask. Can I be transferred to another hospital?” She didn’t want to stay in the monster’s hospital.

“Mrs. Sk… Ms. Jones, We are 5 doctors assigned and standby for your needs. Why do you want to transfer?” The doctor asked with a very puzzled expression.

“Nothing.” She didn’t want to explain as she was thinking to grab the opportunity of speeding up her recovery. One week is enough and she could not afford another week more. Adam would be worried and wondered for her. Adam should not know that she was admitted and injured or else he would find her. If that happens, Adam would be in great danger.

Aside, she could not leave her mother. It would be an advantage for her to be admitted to the same hospital with her mother as she could easily monitor her.

The doctor went out after her check-up and load of medicines.

She wanted to choke herself for a bad decision but it’s too late. She could not move and instead of running away, she put herself into his dungeon again.

Such a stupid mistake!

The day was almost over. From time to time different doctors visited her and gave her medications and therapy. The pain reliever that they gave her was really effective as she could not feel any pain but still had limited actions due to the different braces she was wearing.

She also contacted the personal nurse of her mother. Jaime was responding well in her treatments. It’s another good news for her.

Night came and she could not sleep thinking of Adam and her mom when her door opened again. She closed her eyes as she thought it was another doctor doing another round of check-ups.

“Okay! Set the meeting by tomorrow.” Hearing the man’s voice inside her room, she quickly opened her eyes. The man was talking to someone on the phone still wearing his business suit. He seemed to go there directly after his work as he shoved himself on the sofa with an exhausted face.

Is he lost?

Instead of going home, he went into her room.

“Why are you here?” Arabella asked with a hateful tone.

She made sure that he would hear it but instead of responding to her, Bill took off his coat and tie then walked towards the bathroom. He was acting like he was in his home.

What is he doing here?

What does he want from her again?

Isn’t he satisfied with what happened to her?

Is he here to kill her?

Arabella started to feel scared and uneasy with his presence. She tried moving but it’s to no avail even sitting was very hard for her to do. After quite a while of trying, she gave up and just closed her eyes. If she could not run away at least she would not see him. It's better that way.

She tried stabilizing her unstable breathing and her panic mind. She needed to calm down to recover very soon.

After a while, the bathroom door opened. She could smell his aftershave and newly showered scent.

Through his pleasing scent, she knew his distance to her.

“Opened your eyes.” He ordered.

She didn’t comply. He didn’t get any reaction from her.

“Fucking stubborn,” Bill muttered. “You see, in your situation now, I can do anything to you.” He added with a provoking tone. He was obviously pissed off of her action.

“Then kill me if you want.” She could not help herself not to utter a single word to his wickedness. Trembling inside, she still managed to close her eyes. She hated him to the bones and she never wanted to see him again.

“Hmmm…Just wait. We will get there.” Bill replied with a sinister tone.

Arabella held her breath. She knew it! He’s going to kill her sooner or later.

“Then why you didn’t let me die in the street? Why did you bring me to this hospital?” She asked with tears dripping in the corners of her eyes as she felt intense pain in her heart.

“Hmmm… You can only die in my hand.” He announced with a calm yet provocative tone.

“Evil!” She shouted in fury. She called him evil without minding his response.

“Still not.” He replied. “You still haven't seen the worst.” He added with sarcasm.

Why she has to be with a person like him? How could she recover fast with him around?

“Please go out now and leave me alone!” She was really tired of his presence. She felt suffocated and the air wasn't enough for them to breathe.

“It's my pleasure seeing you suffer, my dearest wife.” He declared with arrogance. He hated her for ordering him.

It was clear that he was there to laugh at her situation. Her suffering is his happiness.

He is not human!

She cursed him in her heart again and again.

Arabella clenched her fists strongly until she felt the intense pain in her arm. It seemed the pain reliever had gone when she used ample strength due to her anger.

She shut her mouth never wanting to talk to him anymore when she smelled his scent again very close to her. She gathered her calm but her trembling never stopped inside.

“You are still beautiful. It’s such a waste if I’ll kill you sooner.” Bill muttered near her. His explicit scent wafted in her nostril that made her spikes rise stiffly.

Even her eyes were closed, she knew Bill was staring daggers at her. She could feel her heart was thumping fast and an intense uneasiness crazily running throughout her veins. They were restless whenever he's around.

She chose to be silent and just continued cursing him in her heart realizing that fighting him was useless in her situation. She had to reserve her energy and strength for her fast recovery. That’s the only way she could get out of the place and never see him again.

Her breathing became stable when she thought of him doing something to kill her at that moment.

She was caught in her deep thinking, her anger, and her discomfort with him when suddenly her lips were covered by his.

He kissed her.