Chapter 6
When the lights finally went out, I felt like a ghost haunting the place.
I found an empty bedroom and collapsed onto the bed.
That night, a fever hit me out of nowhere.
Half out of it, I heard Victor's voice drifting in from the master bedroom.
His voice was deep, warm, and gentle, like he was spinning tales of Syraland, its legends, and heroes from days long past.
He was reading to the baby in Gwen's arms.
He'd made the same promise to me once.
Back when we lived in that small apartment, he'd often wrap his arm around me, his hand resting on my flat belly.
"When we have kids, I'll tell them stories every night. Stories about our family, gold, and..." he said.
"Evelyn? Evelyn?" I didn't know how long I'd been out before someone called my name.
It took every bit of strength I had to open my eyes.
Victor was sitting by the bed, holding a glass of water and a few pills.
"Why are you burning up like this?" he asked with concern.
He reached out to touch my forehead, his eyes full of worry.
His touch was so familiar it hurt, like nothing had ever changed.
But as he got closer, all I could think about was what I'd seen.
My stomach churned, and I turned away, pulling back from his touch.
"Evelyn, I'll leave the pills and water here," he said.
For a moment, he looked like he didn't know what to say.
"Gwen's not feeling well. She's pregnant and has to take care of the baby. She'll be staying in the master bedroom for a while.
"Stay in this room. Don't go out. Keep your distance from them.
"Your fever might be contagious, so I'll have to lock the door from the outside. The maid will bring you food and medicine," he said.
As soon as he finished, he stood up, like he couldn't bear to stay a second longer.
It was as if lingering any longer would only make things harder.
A moment later, he was gone. The door closed behind him.
Then came the sound of the lock clicking shut.
Tears rolled down my cheeks before I realized it.
How absurd. Once, I was the one he treasured most.
Now, I was the one he had to lock away, like I was some kind of threat.
Perhaps Gwen was the one who ordered it. Food and water weren't delivered regularly anymore.
My fever never broke. I was dizzy, and everything looked fuzzy, but with the walls between us, I could still hear laughter.
Victor and Gwen were in the bedroom that used to be ours, watching old movies. The same movies he and I used to watch together, over and over.
There was a candlelit dinner in the living room, like the surprise dates he used to plan for me every month.
They were talking about baby names, the way he used to pull me into his arms and talk about it with me.
I could still remember him holding me close, whispering in my ear, "What do you think about Gabriel for a boy and Anna for a girl?"
But now, I heard him choosing different names. "If it's a boy, we'll name him Felix. If it's a girl, Lucia."
I curled up on the bed, biting down on the corner of the blanket.
I fought with everything I had to keep from breaking down.
After three days of burning up, I finally had enough strength to get out of bed.
The day I finally left my room happened to be the day of Gwen's daughter's baptism.
The ceremony was held in the family's private chapel, tucked away behind the manor, surrounded by ancient oak trees.
Every important member of the Callahan family and the Archer family was there.
Ernest stood at the center of the crowd, smiling as he held the baby, accepting everyone's blessings.
Expensive gifts were piled everywhere. Jewelry. Toys. Ribbon-wrapped boxes.
Having grown up in an orphanage run by nuns, I knew better than anyone what a baptism truly meant.
But standing in this beautiful little chapel, I felt more like an intruder than a guest.
"Victor, this is for Gwen," Donna said, stepping forward with a velvet jewelry box in her hand. Inside was a big blue diamond ring.
"Just a little gift to thank you for bringing such a healthy child into our family," she added,
Victor took the box.
With everyone watching, he slid the ring onto Gwen's finger himself.
"Thank you," he said softly.
Gwen nestled closer to him, a shy smile playing on her lips.
It was the perfect picture of a happy family.
The guests couldn't help but shower the baby with compliments.
"She's got Victor's eyes," someone said.
"Look at her. She's going to be something special," another added.
"What a wonderful family," someone else exclaimed.
I stood quietly in the corner, watching the scene.
Gwen suddenly appeared beside me, holding a glass of champagne. "Ms. Zane, let's get a picture together.
I shook my head. "No, thanks."
"Oh, come on," she insisted.
Before I could say no again, she grabbed my hand and pulled me over to the photographer.
We ended up standing beneath a massive statue of the Virgin Mary, overlooking the altar.
Gwendolyn leaned closer and taunted me in a voice only the two of us could hear. "See how good Victor is to me now? He stays with me every night, tells the baby stories, and doesn't leave until I fall asleep. You heard it all from your room, didn't you?"
I closed my eyes. I didn't want to listen, and I was too exhausted to fight back. I wanted it all to be over.
The camera flash went off.
Right then, I felt Gwen deliberately shift her weight toward me.
And then, there was a sudden, sharp crack in the air. Something snapped overhead.
"Watch out!" Before I could react, Victor rushed over and yanked me out of harm's way.