Prologue – AVERY'S POV
"NO!!! NO!!!" A woman ran down, shouting into darkness, her voice echoing through the empty street. She ran desperately, glancing back at intervals as though she was being chased. A scarf was clutched tightly in her trembling hands. She held it protectively, as though her life depended on it.
"Wahhhhhhh," a baby cried. The cry pierced through the air, and Avery's heart twisted. She cried out of discomfort as the woman had wrapped her tightly in her scarf.
"My angel, please don't cry," she begged, tears in her eyes. The last thing she wanted was for the cry of her baby to be heard.
Her gaze fell upon the desolate road—a road that seemed to stretch into the unknown. How was she going to make it? No cars, no human presence. How did she even land here?
Avery had just been discharged from the hospital. Today was the day of her discharge. Her driver, Trevor, had arrived late at night to pick her up, but she had thought nothing of it at the time. Fatigue had soon taken over, and she fell asleep with her baby nestled in the carrier beside her.
On opening her eyes, her gaze travelled from her baby to outside the windscreen. The road looked too dark and quite unfamiliar. Her heart began to pound as she tried to make sense of her surroundings.
"Trevor, where are we going?" she asked alarmingly, fear already creeping into her voice.
Her question didn't get an answer as Trevor's eyes remained focused on the road. Instead, he accelerated.
"Trevor, please stop! What's happening? Why are we here?" she pleaded, her voice filled with fear. She had no idea why he was acting this way. She became very confused.
Trevor's eyes flicked with unease. "I'm sorry, madam," a silent mutter escaped Trevor's lips.
Suddenly, he stopped the car. Avery's stomach dropped. A cold shiver ran down her spine, and for a brief moment, she felt the overwhelming weight of helplessness. She quickly grabbed her baby, clutching her to her chest. Trevor opened the door and dragged her violently out of the vehicle. Her baby shielded in her arms, she fought him off, using her body to protect the precious life she held.
Trevor pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.
"Why are we here? Please, what the hell is going on?" Avery's voice cracked.
His eyes were bloodshot from what may be pain. Overwhelmed with emotions, he turned his back on her, leaning on his vehicle.
Avery quickly grabbed a nearby log and smacked it across his head, and he fell to the ground. Without taking another glance, she ran as fast as her legs could carry her.
She heard footsteps behind her as she ran. Why was Trevor determined to kill her? He had worked for her for five years. He had been more than a driver—he was a friend, someone she trusted.
"Avery, stop there!" Trevor's voice echoed behind her, desperation mixed with anger.
Fear gripped Avery. Her heart raced. She kept running.
She turned to look back to see how close he might have gotten. Just a split second—and a vehicle from nowhere was speeding toward her, its headlights blinding.
"AVERYYYYYY!" Trevor screamed.
As she turned to look forward, she saw the vehicle coming toward her at full speed. She clutched her child, and while she tried to move sideways, the vehicle ran into her.
Hitting her with full speed, her body was thrown a distance. She used her entire body to shield her baby, taking the full hit. Everything seemed to slow down, the world spinning in disorienting circles as the vehicle's roar faded into nothing. She lay unconscious, her eyes staring into her baby's eyes, then down to the little necklace on her neck engraved with her name. Her little angel smiled, without a clue of what was happening.
"LINDA," she whispered her name silently, as everything went dark.
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CHAPTER 1: LINDA'S POV
Giggling loudly while trying to run off, but I was caught before I could make a few steps away. He drew my arms swiftly to himself.
"Come on, love," Nich said, grinning from ear to ear. He held me tight in his arms and planted a soft kiss on my lips.
"Hmmm," I mocked, making a playful moan.
He planted another kiss on my forehead. "I love you," he whispered, staring into my eyes.
"Now, that's too cliché," I teased. I tried to push him back, but he held on to me tightly. This made me lose balance, and we both fell into the grass with a burst of laughter.
I turned and faced the clouds. They were a bright shade of blue. Nich raised a finger, shielding my squinting eyes from the sun's glare.
This was the very reason I loved this man. I turned and faced him, staring into his blue eyes. He had brown hair that had little blonde highlights. My eyes narrowed to his eyebrows, which were perfectly shaped, then down to his long lashes, as though he was a woman. His little moustache curved down and connected to his beard. I loved him so much.
"Babe, we need to get going," Nich whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.
"I can't wait to see you in that dress," he whispered again, giving my ear a playful nibble.
"Nicholas Duncan," I groaned, pushing him away.
"What do you get out of teasing me?" I asked, tugging on his ear.
"Ahhhhh..." he squeaked like a child.
I stood up, brushing off any grass that might've clung to my clothes. Nich stood up too, placing his hands on my shoulders from behind.
We made our way to the bridal area, where I was going to try on my wedding gown. We had agreed that Nich wouldn't get a peek until the big day, but my impatient fiancé couldn't resist.
Nich sat in the waiting room on a couch while I entered the dressing room for the fitting. The bridal stylist helped me with the dress, making sure it fit perfectly.
I looked at myself in the mirror, and I couldn't believe it. This was going to be me soon. Linda, the bride-to-be. I let out a deep breath and stepped out.
Nich's jaw dropped in awe. He was speechless. He was completely mesmerized by her beauty. He imagined her walking down the aisle, and he knew how lucky he was to have her.
"Helloooo, is that really how beautiful I look?" I teased Nich as I smirked to myself.
As Nich struggled to find the right words, his eyes widened in awe, his mouth forming silent shapes of astonishment. I couldn't help but feel a surge of happiness, knowing that my dress had achieved the desired effect. Countless trials and adjustments had led us to this moment, where Nich's reaction spoke volumes.
"Come closer," Nich beckoned, his hands gesturing with urgency. I obliged, taking each step with a mix of anticipation and nervousness. As I walked, his gaze intensified. The delicate fabric of my gown caught on the sharp edge of a nearby stool.
A loud rip echoed thro
ugh the room.
My heart stopped.
Nich stood frozen.
"No... no... no!" he whispered in horror.