Grace_Eso

Chapter 88

Chapter 88: Chapter 88


Olivia’s POV


I stared at my phone in horror as Kira’s message sank in, the words seeming to shift before my eyes.


Sabrina and Vanessa? How?


My mind raced, trying to make sense of what I was reading. The last time I’d spoken with Vanessa in Alex’s car, she’d been absolutely head over heels for him. She’d gushed about their engagement party, about how perfect everything was going to be. And Sabrina? Just days ago she’d been crying to Julian in the bathroom about Maxwell, practically pouring out her love for him.


How the hell did both women suddenly give up their men and decide they wanted each other instead?


This is insane, I thought, scrolling through more of Kira’s messages. Is the moon mating with sun tonight? Why was everything suddenly falling apart? Did I wake up in the wrong universe or something?


I was still trying to wrap my head around this bizarre turn of events when David’s voice echoed across the empty lot, making my blood run cold.


"Olivia!" he called out, "Come back to me, sweetheart! Roy brought you a beautiful dress - wait until you see it!"


I pressed myself deeper into the shadows behind the dumpster, my heart hammering against my ribs. The smell of garbage and rust filled my nostrils, but I didn’t dare move.


"I love you, Olivia!" David’s voice was getting closer now, more desperate. "I’ve always loved you! We can work this out!"


Sick bastard, I cursed silently, clenching my jaw so hard it ached. The man who’d just tried to assault me was now declaring his love like some deranged Romeo beneath my balcony.


Could anything ever go right in my life?


I heard his footsteps crunching on gravel, getting closer, then farther away as they searched for me. My whole body was tense, ready to run again if I had to, despite the fact that my legs felt like jelly.


"She must have gotten out of the lot," I heard Roy’s voice say. "Want me to drive around and look for her?"


"No," David replied, and I could hear the frustration in his voice. "She’s probably halfway back to the city by now. That little bitch broke my nose."


I felt a surge of satisfaction at that bit of information. I hope I’d totally destroyed the nose, not just broken it.


After what felt like hours, I heard car doors slamming and an engine starting up. I waited until the sound faded completely into the distance before I dared to move, my muscles cramping from staying in the same position for so long.


Finally, when I was sure they were gone, I crawled out from behind the dumpster, grateful that this particular nightmare was over. Now I just had to figure out how to get home from... wherever the hell I was.


The industrial area looked like something out of a post-apocalyptic movie - abandoned buildings, broken streetlights, and not a soul in sight. I pulled out my phone to call Kira, my fingers shaking as I dialed her number.


Ring.


Come on, Kira, pick up.


Ring.



Please don’t let this go to voicemail.


Just as I heard Kira’s voice starting to say "Liv? Oh my God, where are you? I’ve been trying to..."


My phone died.


The screen went completely black, and no amount of pressing the power button would bring it back to life.


"WHAT THE FUCK!" I screamed into the empty night, my voice echoing off the abandoned buildings. "Are you fucking kidding me right now?"


I wanted to throw the useless phone into the nearest dumpster, but even dead, it was my only lifeline to the outside world. I shoved it back into my pocket with shaking hands, fighting back tears of pure frustration.


Okay, Olivia, think, I told myself, taking a deep breath of the cold night air. You’ve survived worse than this. You can figure this out.


But standing there in the middle of nowhere, still dressed in my cheap suit but looking every bit as Olivia right now, I felt more lost than I ever had in my life.


I started walking, my shoes unnaturally loud in the silence. I found myself glancing over my shoulder every few seconds, half-expecting David to come roaring back.


The road stretched endlessly ahead of me, lined with chain-link fences and flickering streetlight. I had no idea which direction led back to civilization, so I just picked one and hoped for the best.


Please,

I prayed silently, let me see at least one car. Just one person willing to help a desperate woman get home.


Twenty minutes later, my prayer was answered. I saw headlights approaching in the distance, growing brighter as they got closer. Without thinking, I practically threw myself into the middle of the road, waving my arms frantically.


"Stop! Please stop!" I shouted, not caring how desperate I looked.


The car - black sedan that looked very flashy even in the dim light - came to a smooth halt just a few feet from where I stood. The passenger window rolled down silently, and I bent down to peer inside.


"Thank you so much for stopping," I said breathlessly, my words tumbling out in my relief. "I’m completely lost and my phone died and I just need to get back to the city, I can pay you whatever you want..."


The driver didn’t respond. I couldn’t make out his features in the darkness, but he gestured for me to get in.


I should have been more cautious. I should have asked questions, should have tried to get a better look at the person behind the wheel. But I was exhausted, terrified, and desperate to get away from this godforsaken place.


I opened the passenger door and slid inside, immediately feeling the warmth of the heated interior wash over me.


"Thank you," I said again, buckling my seatbelt with trembling fingers. "I really can’t tell you how much I appreciate this. I live in the city, anywhere you drop me there is fine, I can catch a cab from..."


The car pulled away from the curb without a sound, the engine so quiet I could hardly hear it running. I tried to get a look at the driver, but the interior was too dark, and there seemed to be some kind of partition between the front and back seats.


Weird, I thought, but I was too grateful to be moving to question it too deeply.


That’s when I heard it, a soft hissing sound - the same I’d heard in Maxwell’s bedroom - being released from something. I looked around, confused, when I noticed a thin, sweet-smelling mist beginning to fill the passenger compartment.


"What..." I started to say, but my words felt thick and sluggish. The partition between the driver and passenger areas had somehow closed completely, sealing me in.


Panic shot through me like ice water. "Hey!" I banged on the partition with my fists, but it was really hard, unyielding. "Let me out! Let me out right now!"


But it was too late. I could feel the effects of whatever was in that gas already taking hold. My vision started to blur, my limbs growing heavy.


"No, no, no," I mumbled, fighting against the drowsiness that was pulling me under like quicksand. "This can’t be happening..."


My last thought before the darkness claimed me was how I was going to die before my life ever became stable.


Out of the frying pan and into the fire, Olivia. Story of your fucking life.


Then everything went black.