29. Eva
CHAPTER 29
EVA
What is that damn beeping noise?
Its all I can hear, just beep,beep,beep and fucking beep, someone please make it stop.
Where the hell am I?
I try and move my arm, but the second I do, sharp pain shoots up towards my shoulder, causing me to gasp as I grit my teeth, trying my best to breath through it.
A noise appears from the other side of the room, quickly followed by footsteps rushing towards me.
No, no, no, no. Please don't let it be them. Just leave me alone, let me die.
I squeeze my eyes shut tighter, wishing for this to be all a nightmare that I will one day wake up from. I can’t face them again.
I brace myself, ready for a heavy impact but instead a hand touches my arm softly. It’s different to before, this one is gentle… light as if they’re scared they’re going to hurt me.
They run their fingers in circles, up and down my arm but something about it seems so familiar.
“Eva, it’s me. Mandy”
Mandy? No, that’s not possible. She was taken from me. Ripped out of my life by someone I trusted. It can’t be her.
My mind screams at me not to believe her, that it’s a lie to trick me so they can laugh at me, but my heart is telling me to look.
Slowly, I crack open my left eye, but the brightness pierces through making me flinch as a throbbing pain bangs against my skull.
“It’s okay, take your time Eva. I’m right here.” The voice says.
They even sound like her.
My chest tightens. I’m torn between hope and disbelief. It can’t be her, it just can’t be.
I try again to open my eyes, slower this time to adjust to the light. I push past the sting as I force myself to keep going, fighting the urge to close them as I blink, waiting for the shapes around me to focus.
And then I see her.
Mandy's face comes into view, and before I can stop it, a cry tears from my throat as relief floods me.
“Mandy? Is it really you?” I choke out, my voice trembling.
She nods frantically, unable to speak as tears of her own fall down her cheeks.
I can’t control it as the walls around me crumble, my sobs coming hard and fast at the sight of her being in front of me and unharmed. She reaches out, brushing my tears away, “You’re safe now,” She whispers, her voice cracking. “You’re safe with me.”
We sit facing each other, enjoying the comfort of each other's presence. I can tell she wants to say something,
“Mandy, what is it?” I question.
She turns away, unable to look at me as she dries her face with her sleeve.
“It’s just-they said you would wake up. I just wasn’t sure if you would.” She takes a moment to gather herself before looking back at me, “I was so scared Eva… I thought I lost you.”
Wait, she thought she lost me ?
“Mandy, I thought I lost you.” I look away, unable to think straight as I replay the moment I saw she was gone. “They told me… they said Axel took you for leverage.”
She removes her hand from my arm, taken back by my words.
“They lied Eva… Well Axel did take me. But not for the reasons they told you.”
I shake my head, not wanting to believe her words, “No… no, it has to be true, I heard them. I felt them. Why would they lie about that?”
She leans in slowly, making sure to not get too close, “Because they’re scared. They wanted to hurt you, Eva. To make you doubt him. To pull you both apart.” Her voice cracks, but her eyes remain steady, begging for me to believe her. “Axel never hurt me. And he would never let anything happen to you if he could stop it.”
I want to believe her, I really do. But why didn’t he tell me? It doesn’t make sense. None of it does. I don’t want to believe the Axel is a monster, but I can’t help wonder if there is some truth to Marcos' words.
I glance towards the door, anxiously waiting for him to break it down, “Where is he?” I ask, not taking my eyes away from it.
Mandy hesitates for a moment before answering. “He’s here. He hasn’t left the hospital since we got you here. But… he’s a mess, Eva. I think he’s scared to see you like this.”
Her words hit me harder than I expect, and for a moment, all I can do is stare at the door, the beeping of the machines filling the silence.
“I’m not ready to see him,” I admit quietly, my voice breaking as I feel my heart shatter.
Mandy sighs from beside me, “Then you won’t. Now get some sleep Eva. You need to rest, I promise I’ll be right here when you wake up.”