PHOENIX
As I slowly regained consciousness, the soft hum of the hospital room greeted me. Blinking away the remnants of sleep, I found myself disoriented, my mind still foggy from the medication. The memories of childbirth flooded back, accompanied by a sense of relief knowing that our baby was safe in the crib nearby.
A gentle smile played on my lips as I gazed at the empty crib, the warmth of motherly love enveloping me. But my moment of peace was short-lived as I noticed Rome’s tense figure standing by the door, his expression a mix of anger and concern.
“Rome?” I called out, confusion tingeing my voice as I sat up, the weight of exhaustion still heavy on my limbs.
His silence was deafening, a stark contrast to the gentle reassurance I had expected from him. Panic fluttered in my chest as I scanned the room, searching for any sign of our baby.
But the crib remained empty, sending a jolt of fear coursing through me.
“What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice trembling with anxiety as I met Rome’s gaze, pleading for an explanation.
“We need to talk, Phoenix,” Rome’s voice was strained, his words sending a shiver down my spine. I could sense the tension in the air, the unspoken turmoil threatening to engulf us both.
I struggled to steady my breathing, the panic rising within me as I waited for him to speak. But Rome remained silent, his eyes fixed on mine with an intensity that made my heart race.
“Rome, please,” I pleaded, my voice barely a whisper as I reached out to him, desperate for reassurance. “Tell me what’s going on.”
But Rome’s expression hardened, his features etched with anger and betrayal. Without another word, he closed the distance between us, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud.
My heart hammered in my chest as he stood before me, his gaze piercing into mine with accusing eyes. I felt a knot form in my stomach.
“I know what you did,” Rome’s words hung in the air, a sharp dagger aimed straight at my heart.
Confusion clouded my mind as I struggled to comprehend his accusation. “What are you talking about?” I asked, my voice trembling with fear and uncertainty.
But Rome’s expression remained cold and unforgiving, his eyes filled with a pain I couldn’t comprehend.
“Don’t play games with me, Phoenix,” he spat, his words cutting through me like a knife.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I met his gaze, the magnitude of his accusation too much to bear.
“I swear, Rome, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I pleaded, the desperation evident in my voice.
But Rome’s resolve seemed unyielding, his grip on my wrist firm as he pulled me to my feet.
“Where is my son, Phoenix?” he demanded, his voice laced with anger and betrayal.
My heart shattered at the accusation, the weight of his words crushing me under their weight.
“He was here not quite long, where is he?,” I whispered, my voice barely audible over the pounding of my heart.
But Rome’s expression remained impassive, his eyes filled with a pain I couldn’t ease.
” You want to deny??” He asked looking at me with so much betrayal.
“I don’t understand, Rome, Where is my son?” I pleaded, tears blurring my vision as I struggled to comprehend the gravity of his accusations.
But Rome’s anger only seemed to escalate, his words cutting through me like shards of glass.
“He is my son and not yours, please stop acting dumb and tell me where the hell my son is,” he snapped, his voice laced with frustration and betrayal.
His words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me breathless and disoriented. What had I done to deserve such accusations from the man I loved?
“I was just sleeping, Rome,” I stammered, my voice trembling with fear and uncertainty. “Where is he?”
But Rome’s accusations continued to fly, each one more hurtful than the last. “Stop trying to act dumb,” he spat, his voice filled with venom. “You want to sell him… for what? I would give you that money even more than you have ever seen, just give me back my son.”
His words struck me like a blow to the chest, the accusation of selling our own child unfathomable and utterly devastating. How could he believe such a thing?
“I know you are a thief…” he accused, his voice trailing off as my eyes widened in shock. How could he know about my past? And why was he bringing it up now, in the midst of such turmoil?
Before I could gather my thoughts, Mrs. Dante entered the room, her smile masking the turmoil brewing beneath the surface. My heart sank as I realized she must have played a part in Rome’s sudden accusations.
“I know, I steal a lot of things for survival, but not a human being,” I protested, my voice barely above a whisper. “I would never.”
But my words seemed to fall on deaf ears as Rome’s anger continued to simmer, his accusations ringing in my ears like a haunting echo.
With a heavy heart, I watched as he stormed out of the room, leaving behind a trail of devastation and unanswered questions.
Mrs Dante walked towards me and she stood in front of me, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of anger and disbelief at her callousness.
“Wow,” she murmured, her smile sending a chill down my spine. “I’ve never seen Rome so angry before, but… well… it’s good knowing that you’ll be out of his life forever.”
Her words hit me like a punch to the gut, leaving me reeling with shock. How could she be so heartless, so devoid of empathy?
“Do you think doing this will make your son’s life better?” I retorted, my voice trembling with emotion. “Taking his own son away from him… how could you be so heartless as a mother?”
But Mrs. Dante merely rolled her eyes, dismissing my words with a wave of her hand.
“I didn’t come here for you to tell me what to do,” she said dismissively. “Just wait and see what Rome will do to you next. I bet he won’t even care about your little fling.”
With that, she turned and walked out of the room, leaving me alone with my tears and shattered dreams.
As I sat there, consumed by grief and despair, I couldn’t help but wonder how everything had gone so horribly wrong. I had loved Rome with all my heart, and now it seemed that love had only led to my downfall.
I was left in this empty room, the silence weighing heavily on me as I struggled to process everything that had just unfolded. The pain between my legs served as a cruel reminder of the ordeal I had just been through, but I pushed past it, determined to gather myself and face whatever came next.
With great effort, I managed to stand up, wincing with each step as I made my way to the bag by the bed. Dressing myself felt like a monumental task in my current state, but I forced myself to focus, needing to pull myself together.
As I emerged from the dressing room, a wave of disbelief washed over me as I saw police officers entering my hospital room. My heart raced in panic, and I froze in place, unable to comprehend what was happening.
Then, I saw him-Rome-standing among the officers, his expression unreadable as he uttered the words that shattered my world.
“Arrest her,” he murmured, his voice like a knife through my heart.
“What? Rome!” I called out, my voice trembling with shock and disbelief. But he didn’t meet my gaze, his eyes cold and distant as he turned away from me.
The words of the police officers echoed in my ears as they read me my rights, their actions swift and unforgiving.
” You have the right to remain silent because anything you say or do will be used against you at the court of Law” one of the police officers said.
Handcuffs were placed on my wrists, binding me in a cold, metallic embrace as I watched in disbelief.
Rome believed I had kidnapped our son. The realization hit me like a physical blow, the betrayal cutting deeper than any physical pain. How could he think such a thing? How could he turn against me, the woman who loved him with all her heart?
But as they led me away, I couldn’t help but wonder-was this the end of our love story, or just the beginning of a nightmare I couldn’t wake up from?
~~
The atmosphere in the room was thick with tension as the baby’s cries pierced the air. She watched with disdain as the doctor hurriedly prepared a bottle to pacify the infant.
“Lord, I hate children,” she muttered under her breath, her voice tinged with irritation.
“Give him the damn bottle,” she instructed the doctor, who complied with a nod.
Taking a drag from her cigarette, she exhaled a cloud of smoke before sinking into the couch with a heavy sigh.
“When are we going to end him?” a man’s voice cut through the silence, drawing her attention.
“Calm down, Sebastian,” she replied coolly, her eyes fixed on the swirling tendrils of smoke.
“Doctor Jeff has the right medicine for it,” she added, her tone laced with malice. “That would kill it slowly.”
Sebastian nodded, his expression grim, as he took a seat opposite her.
“And the other lady?” he inquired, his voice low and cautious.
“Oh, Jess?” Her lips curled into a smirk. “Kill her, I mean today.”
The callousness in her tone sent a shiver down Sebastian’s spine, a chilling reminder of the ruthless nature of their operation.
TBC