Chapter 52

Laura POV


"Laura! Laura!! Laura, wake up!" The voice was distant, but urgent. I tried to open my eyes, but they felt like lead, refusing to budge. My body was heavy, my limbs weak. I was trapped in a dark void, unable to escape. But my mind was racing, focused on the dream that had been playing out in my head. I couldn't let go; I couldn't wake up. Not yet.

"Is she dead?" A faint voice whispered, the words barely audible. I tried to speak, but my voice was hoarse and barely audible. A gentle tap on my skin made me jump, my heart racing as I struggled to sit up. The room spun around me, my vision blurry.

I blinked hard, trying to clear my eyes. Where was I? This wasn't my room. The walls were a different color, and the furniture was unfamiliar. "Where am I?" I croaked, my throat dry and parched.

"Laura, there," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I turned to the voice, my finger trembling with fear as I pointed. "You?" I asked, my eyes wide with shock and speechlessness. I was overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of the lady I had met weeks ago. She was the last person I expected to see.

I tried to adjust myself on the king-size bed, pulling the blanket away from my body, but my gaze began to fade. The room was spinning, and I felt myself falling back into the darkness. "Laura, be careful!" she exclaimed, rushing towards me with concern etched on her face.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I sank my hand into the mattress, my fingers digging into the soft fabric. My lips pressed together, holding back the fear and uncertainty. "Who are you?" I asked, my eyes fixed on her face. "And why are you stalking me?" I demanded, trying to hide the tremble in my voice.

She chuckled softly, her eyes filled with concern. She sat closer, her hand rubbing my shoulders in a gentle motion. "My name is Evelyn," she said, her voice soft and soothing. "I'm just a friend who saved you from those cruel people three nights ago. You were in a bad state, and I couldn't just leave you there.”

"Three days ago?" I screamed, my voice echoing through the room, my anger and fear boiling over. Evelyn's eyes weakened, filled with discomfort, as she gazed at me. I turned to her, gritting my teeth in dismay, my jaw clenched in hatred. "Clara," I mentioned huskily, my voice barely audible.

Her gaze stayed fixed on me, surprised, as if she had never seen me like this before. I continued my voice calm but laced with venom, "Sorry, ma'am, she's just a pervert who indulges herself in people's business. She has no boundaries, no morals. She's a monster." I dropped my eyes to the ground, trying to hide the anger and fear that threatened to consume me.

Evelyn's expression changed from surprise to understanding. "I see," she said, her voice soft. "You have a history with Clara."

I nodded, my eyes still fixed on the ground. "She's been stalking me for months. I thought I had finally escaped her, but"

Evelyn's hand on my shoulder tightened. "You're safe now. I won't let her hurt you again."

I looked up at her, searching for sincerity in her eyes. And I found it. This stranger, Evelyn, was telling the truth. She would protect me from Clara.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion. "I want to go home. My aunt might be looking for me." I remembered the errand I had to run that morning—returning a jewelry box to a nearby store to resolve a small issue that had arisen between my aunt and the seller. I caressed my hair backward, arranging the strands that fell across my eyebrows, trying to compose myself.

"You can't go home, Laura. Your home is far from here, two cities away," Evelyn said, her voice firm but gentle.

"What? Did you say two cities?" I exclaimed, jolting upright and rushing to the window to confirm the unfamiliar surroundings. "Oh my god!" I clamped my hands over my face, my fists clenched in shock, as I gazed out at the unfamiliar cityscape. "Do you live alone?" I thought aloud, my mind snapping back to the voices I had heard in my sleep.

Evelyn's words struck me like a thunderbolt. "You can't go home, Laura. Your home is far from here, two cities away." I felt like I had been punched in the gut.

Two cities away? That was impossible. I jumped out of bed and rushed to the window, pulling back the curtains to reveal an unfamiliar cityscape. The sights and sounds were completely alien to me. I clamped my hands over my face, my fists clenched in shock and disbelief. "Oh my god," I whispered, my mind reeling. And then, a disturbing thought crept into my mind. "Do you live alone?" I thought aloud, my mind snapping back to the voices I had heard in my sleep.

"Yes, I live alone. But don't worry Laura; you're safe here. I promise." I searched her face, trying to discern any hidden motives. But all I saw was kindness and concern.

I took a step closer to Evelyn, my eyes locked on hers. "How long have you been stalking me?" I demanded, my voice low and even. "Because I believe your eyes have been on me for weeks."

Evelyn's smile grew wider, and she relaxed back against the pillows, looking entirely too comfortable. "Not weeks, Laura. Months and months," she said, her voice dripping with amusement.