Chapter Twenty-Four
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Zarah
I walk the grounds of Zane and Stella’s house, their two German shepherds bouncing after me, sniffing at the grass. I still call it Zane and Stella’s, even though I’ve lived here for a few months now and Stella let me help decorate saying she wanted the house to feel like mine, too.
One day they’ll want their privacy or get tired of me being in the way. Zane says that will never happen, but it will. For now, I live with them, and every day I walk their huge yard. Zane says the house sits on thirty acres of land, but I don’t know how big that is.
There are a lot of trees on the property, and I like the way their branches rattle in the wind. The soothing sound and the fresh air curbs my anxiety.
You can probably understand why I don’t like closed-in spaces. I prefer spending time outside, like on the rooftop of the Crowne, but Zane says I can’t go there anymore and I’m sad about that. He explained it was because of Ash, and he had to open it to guests. I didn’t need him to say more. Everything is because of Ash these days, and Stella says that won’t end for a long time.
Fall crept up on us, and the leaves are turning yellow, orange, and brown and drifting to the forest floor. Autumn is my favorite time of year.
I’ve always liked dressing up for Halloween—pretending to be someone else. Except, the next morning I’m always back to Zarah Maddox, heiress of the Maddox fortune. A young girl to be admired. Envied. Hated.
I wonder if they hate me now, after what happened, or if they pity me.
Inhaling a deep breath of crisp, cool air, I sit on a log. One of the dogs pokes her wet nose at me in concern, but I shoo her away and let her explore. Zane would never let me walk alone if we didn’t have the dogs.
I check the time on my phone. In an hour, Douglas will drive me into the city for my therapy appointment. She’s been encouraging me to open up about my time at Quiet Meadows, and she says it’s okay if I can’t remember. She read my file and knows how much they were drugging me.
Stella saved my life the day she broke into my room. There’s nowhere on paper that anyone has found so far detailing Ash’s intentions, but I know he was slowly killing me. Without Stella, he would have succeeded.
My stomach grumbles, and I rub my belly through the thin material of my jacket. If I want time to eat and clean up before my appointment, I need to head back. Skipping my therapy appointments is non-negotiable. I may need a therapist for the rest of my life. It’s something I’ll have to come to terms with, but if I think too far into the future, I start to panic. My recovery seems insurmountable. Impossible. I can only live day by day and trust Zane and Stella will always support me.
I stand in the sturdy boots Zane asked me to buy specifically to wear on my hikes. One day I’d like to buy running shoes and start jogging the trails. Physical exertion sounds appealing. Like maybe I can sweat the fog out of my brain.
Turning, I call for the dogs, and a glint in the foliage across the meadow catches my eye.
I stare, waiting for it to happen again.
It does, then it disappears.
My mouth dries, and the dogs growl, sensing my fear.
Someone is watching me.