It was a cold, unforgiving night as Annalise stood at the bridge, her gaze fixed on the water miles below.
She had made a resolute decision: if she ended it all, everything would finally be alright. She wouldn't waste another moment trapped in misery, nor would she endure a life of poverty.
This was her third attempt to end it, yet somehow she always returned to the same point just before the leap.
The horror of what she had experienced lingered in her mind.
Why should she continue to live? There was nothing left worth fighting for.
Once, she had lived as a princess, indulging in extravagance without a care. Then everything changed. Her family went bankrupt, and here she was, staring at the abyss, ready to put an end to it all.
Embracing poverty was not an option she could accept. She had been spoiled—getting everything she desired, showered with love and support from her family, surrounded by friends. Now, she had been cast aside, her friends gone, her boyfriend's betrayal fresh in her mind. Her wealth had vanished, and with it, everyone she had relied on.
What was left for her in this life when it felt like it had all crumbled?
As tears streamed down her face, she looked at the water below, a distance that made her heart race. She had tried this before, she reasoned; she could do it again.
Annalise took a step back, then rushed toward the edge but stopped short, her fear anchoring her. Like the times before, doubt clawed at her resolve.
Wiping her tears, she muttered to herself, "I can do this." She took another step forward but halted again, mesmerized by the depths.
"I'm scared," she internalized. "If only I could..." Closing her eyes, she thought of surrendering to the fall. It seemed easier that way. But fear gripped her, forcing her to open her eyes again, biting her lip in frustration.
Should she turn away? Wasn't a life of poverty worse than death? What would those who had once admired her riches say? They would mock her, tearing her down even more. No, she had to see this through.
With this in mind, Annalise leaped from the bridge, diving headfirst into the dark water below.
She clenched her body as she braced for impact, then plunged into the icy depths. With water invading her senses, panic set in as she struggled to find her way back to the surface. Pain coursed through her, and she felt her body waging a war against the water.
Death was a brutal reality, but at that moment, she doubted her ability to achieve it.
The water enveloped her, pulling her deeper into its cold embrace. As she ceased her struggle, her once wide and panicking eyes fluttered close, bubbles escaping her nose as she surrendered to the darkness, letting it wrap around her.
Had she truly escaped life?
Would she not return?
At last, she believed she was gone... free from it all.
Until, "Miss, what are you doing over here?" Annalise snapped back to reality as a police officer approached, his flashlight illuminating her tear-streaked face. He squinted at her. "This area is dangerous. Move to the safer side," he commanded firmly.
At first, confusion washed over her, but then clarity struck like lightning. She was back—back to that dark moment where she had wanted to end it all.
Who was responsible for pulling her back? Why was death refusing to welcome her?
Questions surged through her mind, but answers were nowhere. She had been certain she plunged into the water, fully aware of every agonizing moment of drowning, every desperate struggle to escape.
Yet somehow, she was now here. This was impossible. How had she returned?
•
•
•
...Everything began at the Grey mansion...
Annalise was engrossed in her phone while a maid stood behind, combing her hair as she had ordered. Everything seemed fine at the beginning until a scowl settled on her face as the maid continued combing through her hair.
"Be gentle, you fool!" Annalise frowned hard at her.
"I'm so sorry, Anna" The maid's voice quivered fearfully.
She placed the brush gently on Anna's hair to continue brushing, her fingers trembling and body sweating, but ended up yanking at it. Anna gnashed her teeth in anger now.
"I'm so sorry, Anna, I didn't mean to" The maid muttered, worry contorting her face. She wondered what she was doing wrong.
"Just get on with it" Anna waved her off dismissively.
The maid brushed again but it yanked Anna's hair harder.
Anna was now convinced that this maid was trying to kill her, but she didn't know that the maid wasn't doing it on purpose.
The maid was yanking it painfully due to an unnoticed knot.
Annalise shot up from her chair, swiveled on her heels and glared at the maid.
"I told you to be careful! You're ruining my scalp!" Anna snapped, her voice sharp and demanding.
She touched her hair, wanting to know what the cause was exactly until she noticed one hard knot. "You fool, you mean to tell me, you didn't see this knot? And you just wanted to brush through it!?"
The maid fell to her knees, gripping the brush tightly. "I'm so sorry! I didn't see it," she stammered, tears already brimming in her eyes, aware this was only the beginning of her misery.
Anna seized a handful of hair and yanked the maid's head up, her voice seething with anger. Then hit her across the face.
"Did you feel that? Now you know how it hurts when someone pulls your hair!" She barked.
Anna then began to massage her head.
The maid bowed her head, tears streaming down her stinging face. "Please, I'm so sorry! I was stupid to have not noticed it—"
Annalise smirked cruelly. "You're right; you're stupid. And now you're fired. Get out of my sight and don't ever come back," she declared, her voice icy and authoritative.
"Please, I have nowhere else to go!" the maid begged.
"That's not my problem. Leave before I decide to teach you a lesson on manners," Anna shot back, stepping forward to assert her dominance.
The maid scrambled to her feet and hurriedly handed back the brush before slipping out of the room, tears still falling. Annalise scoffed in satisfaction and began brushing her hair herself. "Next time, I'll do it myself," she muttered, irritation still evident on her face.
Just then, her mother, Keira Grey, entered the room, a concerned look on her face.
"What happened? I heard you shouting," Keira said, approaching Annalise, ignoring the fact that the maid had been crying when she ran out of the room.
"It was the maid, but don't worry, Mother. She's been fired," Anna replied as she approached her mother and they shared a hug.
Keira didn't say anything about that. "I hope you didn't let her get on your nerves. You know how I feel about you stressing yourself."
"You don't need to worry, Mom. I'm perfectly fine now" She said, trying to calm herself down although she was still angry that the stupid maid had yanked her hair.
Keira nodded firmly, "Alright, I'll bring in another maid to assist you. But first, what do you need right now?"
Anna's response was quick, "The maid was supposed to wash my dress and my undies after brushing my hair, but she's gone now" she pouted, clearly frustrated. "Can you do it, Mom?"
"I'll take care of everything myself," Keira assured her without hesitation.
"You are the best mom," Anna said with a large smile, wrapping her arms around her. Keira returned the embrace with a smile.
Keira gathered all of Anna's clothes, including her underwear, and took them to handle the laundry herself while Anna flopped onto the bed, scrolling through her phone.
Annalise was nearly 18 but was entirely dependent on others. She was so spoiled that sometimes she was carried to bed. She had never actually done any work in her life. Her days consisted solely of shopping, vacations, and outings. She lived like a princess and fully expected that to continue.