Chapter 10 - TEN: I Am Finally Free!

My mind was filled with the pale face of the girl on the bed. Who is she? Why is there such a resemblance? Could she be my... I shook my head as it was impossible for such a coincidence to happen. It’s been fifteen years, and I don’t want to raise everyone’s hopes again like last time, only for it not to turn out positive. I got in my car and tossed the file on the back seat, wondering if I should still take the risk. I drove out of the hospital absentmindedly, my fingers clutched the steering wheel like it could ease the tension in my heart. The drive only took half an hour, and I arrived at the special forces Base. " Cole, you have thirty Minutes to find out everything about this couple," I ordered as I handed the file to one of my loyal subordinates. "Sir," he saluted before hurrying away with the document. I walked to my office and sat behind my desk before bringing out an old, rusted locket that had been in the drawer for years. I flicked it open, and a picture of a little girl with the brightest smile was in it. The girl’s smile is so captivating that one can’t help smiling back. "Where are you, Eva?" I asked while staring at her eyes that held all the stars in the world. Memories of what happened fifteen years ago flooded my head like always. Her frantic screams as the water pulled her away from the shore, how I swam to save her, er and how I passed out before getting to her. All I saw in her beautiful eyes was intense fear before I passed out. Her eyes have hunted me every night since that day. If onlywerewas stronger back then. Knock knock! A sudden knock on the door pulled me out of my thoughts. "Come,e in, I said, and the door was immediately pushed,d open, and Cole walked in with a file in his hand. "I am ten minutes late, Si," he said while standing at attention. I checked my wristwatch and saw that he really was ten minutes late. I always lose track of time whenever I think of Eva. "Send the soft copy to my email, il" I said to him before collecting the file and gesturing for him to leave. "Yes, sir!" He said and quickly exited my office like he was being chased. If it were another time, I would have punished him for not adhering to it, but I guess today is his lucky day. I took the file and read through it. Every line I read made me feel extremely disgusted. To think these monsters were roaming free in this City. I immediately dial Kendrick’s number while still going through the file. "It is done, I will send it to you soon," I informed him as soon as he picked up. "Is there anything that can land them in jail?" He asked with an emotionless tone. "With what I am reading right now, life imprisonment will be too lenient," I said with a disgusted tone. "I will be returning to the capital soon., I will thank you properly when we meet," he said before hanging up. I finally finished reading the file and closed it with a smile. Kendrick is the last person anyone will want to offend, and this couple wouldn’t even know how they died. My eyes felt so heavy when I tried to open them, and after a few tries, I was finally able to open them. I looked around the unfamiliar room with a frown, and then the memories of what happened yesterday rushed into my head. Hot tears ran down my cheeks as I remembered Piper’s betrayal. I would have never imagined it in a million years. I slowly moved my body, which felt extremely heavy due to the medication. I heard the sound of the door opening and quickly wiped my tears. I didn’t want anyone to see me in such a vulnerable state. "Feeling better?" Kendrick’s magnetic voice came from the door, and I slowly turned to look at him. He looked good as always, and he gave me this feeling of being safe. "The doctor said you can only eat light foods for the next two days," he said, and dropped a bowl of pudding on the bedside table. I struggled to get up from the bed, and he just stared at me. I felt grateful that he didn’t offer to help, as I didn’t want to be a burden on anyone. "If you need help, just press the green button on your left. A nurse will come and attend to you," he informed me expressionlessly. "Thank you," I said as I slowly drank the pudding. I could feel his eyes on me, but I just ignored him and finished the pudding before dropping the bowl back on the table. "There is something you might want to see," he said as he picked up the TV remote and switched it on. "...Benjamin Scott and his lover, popularly known as Madam Colette Wells, have been arrested this morning following a major investigation. Charges include forced prostitution, murder of his wife, drug distribution, and involvement in human trafficking..." I blinked severally times to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. I didn’t know how to react at the moment. I reached for the remote with trembling fingers, and he handed it to me. I turned up the volume. The screen switched to their mugshots. Benjamin’s smug face was now pale and bloated, his eyes hollow with a lot of bruises on his neck, while Colette looked like she had aged ten years overnight; she looked nothing like the diva that made us tremble at the club. My heart kept pounding as I continued listening. "Both suspects were apprehended following credible tip-offs, and law enforcement believes this bust will uncover a major underground ring of influence abuse. More details coming..."𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖 I slowly turned off the TV, and my heartbeat was intense. It felt like my heart wanted to burst out of my chest. "Ha..ha..ha..h, a" I laughed in excitement until tears started streaming down my face again. I am finally free! I got justice for everything they did to me! I kept screaming these two sentences in my head while crying. "Aren’t you supposed to be happy?" Kendrickaskedk,d and I turned to look at him. I forgot he was still he, I quickly wiped my tears and smiled. "I am very happy, thank you so much," I said to him, but he just stared at me with a frown. "I was shedding tears of joy," I said as I felt the need to explain. He clearly was not an emotional person and definitely doesn’t understand emotions either. "It’s good that you are ha," he said while staring at my face like he didn’t believe what I said. "We will be leaving for the Capital as soon as you are discharged," he informed me, and I just nodded in response. "Is there anything you might need?" He asked me while staring at his phone. "I was thinking of getting a makeover to mark my beginning," I blurted out the first thing that came to my mind, and bit my tongue. "I actually didn’t...." "A stylist will be here to attend to you. I am leaving now," he said expressionlessly before walking out of the room. I just sat there and stared at the closed door. Was he serious? I asked myself before lying down on the bed. I stared at the ceiling while recalling all the hardships I suffered in the past years of my life. In the afternoon, a nurse brought me another bowl of pudding, and I had just finished drinking it when I heard the door creak again. I expected it to be a nurse or t Kendrick. But when I looked up, I saw an unexpected person. It was Piper or Emily. Her makeup was smeared, her eyes puffy from crying, and her expression twisted in pure rage. "You!" she hissed, slamming the door shut behind her. I sat up in alarm. "Piper?" " Don’t call me that, my name is Emily, and this is all your fault!" she screamed, marching toward me. I froze as I stared at her enraged expression. She was nothing like the sweet little girl that I had known my entire life. "Why couldn’t you just let us be? Belinda is finally out of the way, and now everything is ruined thanks to you!" She yelled angrily while glaring at me with so much hate. "You are reallCollette’s’s daughter. How did I miss the resemblance all these years, or does it seem like you are just really good at pretending and also delusional?" I said with a smirk. "Let’s see how smug you will still be when I ruin that face of yours," She yelled angrily and lunged at me. The tray on my bedside table clattered to the floor as I struggled to block her fingers from touching my face. Her nails scratched down my arm, and I pushed her back with all the strength I could muster up before pushing the green button to call for help.