Chapter 1
There was something hard under my pillow.
It was cold and sharp.
I slowly took it out.
It was a letter opener. The head was an intricate design of a raven trapped in vines. The tip was dangerously sharp.
My memory instantly flooded back to me.
I was Colette Alden, the much-hated villainess of this book about the grudge between several wealthy families.
Just yesterday afternoon, I had stabbed Lyra Mayer, the female lead of the story, in her wrist with this letter opener.
Her blood had splattered on me.
It was warm.
Thereafter, I was hit by the male lead, Austin Gales's, car.
In the book, Colette had survived the car accident but had landed in a vegetative state for the next ten years.
She eventually met her end when she was taken off life support.
I shivered at that thought. The letter opener in my hand nearly pierced my skin again.
No. I can't let that happen.
I had to get myself out of this story. Right now.
Just then, the room door opened. A nurse came in with a basin of water.
"Ms. Alden, you're awake?" She walked in with a smile.
"Mr. Gales had just left. He left instructions to be informed the second you're awake." The nurse placed the basin on the table and slowly wet a face towel.
"There's no need," I responded as I kicked off the blankets. "I would like to be discharged."
The nurse paused.
She started, "Ms. Alden, the doctor's orders were for you to stay here for observation…"
"To observe what?" I cut her off. "To see when I become completely bedridden?"
In one smooth movement, I yanked the IV drip from my arm.
Droplets of blood instantly appeared, but I couldn't care less.
The nurse was panicking now.
"Ms. Alden, you can't do that!" She reached out a hand to stop me, but to no avail.
I grabbed my bag lying by the pillow and frantically stuffed the cold letter opener into the inner pockets of the bag.
"Tell Austin this." I stared at the nurse as I instructed, "The Colette he knows is dead. The one alive now is quitting."
*****
I shoved past the nurse.
My bare feet hit the cold floor as I bolted for the door.
The hallway seemed to stretch on forever, and the smell of disinfectant was overpowering.
I must've looked insane.
My hospital gown was way too big, and my hair was all over the place.
My bare feet smacked loudly against the floor with every step.
People gave me weird looks. A nurse even tried to block my way.
But I acted like I didn't see a thing.
All I knew was that I had to run. I had to get as far away from these people as possible.
They say that the main characters are always lucky. But right now, I would willingly give such luck away to anyone who wanted it.
All I wanted was freedom.
Standing in front of the elevator, I watched as the red numbers on the display climbed agonizingly slowly.
16…17…18…
Ding.
The doors slid open.
Inside stood a man.
He stood tall and strong in his dark gray suit.
He was like a sword unsheathed, sharp and imposing.
It was Austin.
What's he doing here? Didn't he just leave?
I was confused. The nurse sure snitched on me fast.
Austin looked at me. His eyes were unreadable. They were cold and still, like a frozen lake.
His face was void of emotion, but the intensity of the moment made it hard to breathe.
I instinctively took a step back and backed up against a cold wall.
"Colette," he spoke up. His voice was quiet and low.
"Are you done playing games?" Austin asked.
My throat tightened.
"Get out of my way." My voice was shaky, but I did my best to hold it together.
"I'm leaving," I said.
He took a step forward, out of the elevator. His presence felt even more suffocating.
"The doctor hasn't cleared you," he stated it as a fact.
"I have cleared myself! I decide what happens to me!" I shot back, my voice rising.
"Austin, you control everything! Now you want to decide when I can get out of bed too?" I was furious.
He frowned slightly, seemingly surprised at how blunt I was.
The Colette from back then was always walking on eggshells around him, caught between loving him and being afraid.
"You're hurt," he said, his gaze fixed on the back of my hand where I'd ripped out the IV.
Blood was still oozing out.
"Get back to your hospital room." he ordered, his tone left no room for argument.
"No!" I shoved his hand away.
His hand was cold, cold like the letter opener.
"Listen to me, Austin. From now on, keep your nose out of my life. Whether I live or die is none of your damn business!" My words echoed down the hallway, and everything went dead silent.
Even the patients and nurses passing by stopped in their tracks as they stared at us in shock.
Austin's face fell. His eyes, cold as a frozen lake, iced over even more.
"Colette Alden," he called out my full name. His tone was pure warning.
If this had been before, I would've caved.