When confronted with the question, the private driver did not utter a word. Only a faint smile slipped across his face, exuding a mysterious aura that was hard to guess. Without a signal, Daniel’s car suddenly stopped at the edge of a quiet street.
“Sorry, sir. I have to meet someone here. Would you mind waiting me for a moment?” asked the private driver in a polite and pleading tone, while the look in his eyes held an unrevealed secret.
Seeing the puzzled expression on Emily’s face, the private driver added with confidence, “I won’t be long, sir.”
“Alright then,” Emily replied without a single glimmer of suspicion crossing her mind, having trusted Daniel’s personal driver wholeheartedly.
“Thank you, sir,” the private driver said politely before stepping out of the car.
After the driver left, Emily picked up her cell phone, hoping to contact Daniel. However, disappointment set in when she realized her phone had died because it had run out of battery. Emily sighed in disappointment for a moment before finally putting her cell phone back into her pocket.
Because she was too focused on her phone, Emily was oblivious to the presence of a large truck coming at her from the side. Like a frozen second, the violent shock signaled that the truck had crashed into the car Emily was in. The sound of window glass shattering loudly echoed, accompanied by the screeching of the truck’s wheels hitting Daniel’s car.
Shards of glass scattered around Emily, creating a dangerous sparkle in the air. Emily, who was still sitting tremblingly on the passenger seat, felt a piercing pain in her body from the violent impact. Blood flowed slowly from her wounds, creating a red trail that contrasted with the pallor of her face.
In her injured and shocked state, Emily’s mind wavered between reality and overwhelming fear. ‘Am I going to die here?’ she thought frantically, punctuated with a faint whisper in her heart. ‘Daniel, help me.’
Her mind went back to the moment they exchanged their vows on the altar, to the first time the wedding ring sparkled on her finger, to the time when they were still uncomfortable with each other, to the first time Daniel’s smile touched her heart, to the warm embrace from Daniel that made her feel safe, to the beautiful night they spent together.
The memories flowed back like a beautifully engraved photo album in her mind until tears rolled down her cheeks. And in the midst of that beautiful flashback, the image of her loving father was also present, bringing peace and warmth amid her emotional turmoil.
‘God, help me, this can’t be happening,’ Emily thought in panic. ‘I can’t die yet, especially now that I’m in Daniel’s body. Dad… Daniel…’ she whispered to herself, fear creeping into her body.
Before everything dimmed in Emily’s vision, she could still feel whispers of ethereal voices screaming to help her.
‘Help… help me…’ Emily thought to herself.
However, her consciousness suddenly faded away like a light slowly extinguished in the darkness, leaving Emily submerged in a dark and silent nothingness, devoid of sound and light.
With a black hat partially covering his face and a mysterious black mask, the private driver stared contentedly from a distance before his steps darted away from the scene. His black eyes implied an unspoken threat.
***
Daniel, who had been tracking Emily’s whereabouts, was now sitting in the taxi car he had ordered. Unexpectedly, his heart felt like it was being squeezed with immeasurable force. An unstoppable tear escaped from the corner of his eye, signaling the deep pain within him. As if this body knew exactly that its owner was hurting, Daniel felt the pain clearly, connected through the soul that was now in Emily’s body.
“Please hurry, sir,” Daniel pleaded with the taxi driver.
From a distance, he saw several people swarming the scene, causing a sense of panic, slowly creep up on him. Without hesitation, he quickly paid the taxi driver and stepped out of the car.
‘No… Please not again…’ Daniel whispered to himself.
Piece by piece, the bitter memories of the past, where the death of his parents still haunted him. Not to mention the wounds from the recent incident that happened to his grandfather. Daniel felt he could not bear all that burden anymore if those tragedies repeated themselves in his life.
Panicked whispers from people added to the fear in Daniel and the few people who struggled to help Emily out of the destroyed car. It was then that Daniel’s eyes noticed the injured Emily. Her body shook violently as tears fell down his cheeks. The tragedy struck again, taking away his loved ones again, leaving a deeper wound in his heart.
The sound of ambulance sirens breaking the silence created a tinkle of sadness that pierced Daniel’s heart.
“I am her family,” Daniel said firmly, showing his dedication to Emily.
The medical staff carefully carried Emily out. Daniel’s face was filled with worry but also firmness, reflecting the sincerity and care he had for Emily.
Daniel gently passed Emily into the hands of the attendance, but never took his eyes off the woman he loved. He felt as if the world was spinning in slow motion as Emily was put into the ambulance. Without hesitation, Daniel also got into the ambulance.
“Please hold on, Emily,” Daniel said in a voice full of hope, while holding a hand that was actually his own, because Emily’s soul was trapped in his body. The ambulance continued to speed through the crowded streets. A few moments later, they finally arrived at the nearest hospital.
A nurse approached Daniel. “Sorry, ma’am. Please wait here,” she said, asking Daniel to wait in the waiting room.
“Emily, please hang in there. You have to survive,” Daniel murmured in a soft voice, filled with pain and hope.
As he recalled the footage of the incident at his grandfather’s residence, Daniel’s jaw hardened. Finally, he realized that the tragedy that befell his grandfather, his parents, and Emily was related to his personal driver. With anger burning in his chest, he pulled out his cell phone, ready to contact someone who could help him. Daniel’s fingers danced across the keyboard keys and searched for a contact number he hadn’t dialed in a long time.
“Hello, Mr. Daniel. How are you? What do you need to call me about?” came the voice of a man on the other end of the line. He was one of the city’s leading detectives.
“I’m sorry, I’m Mr. Daniel’s wife. Mr. Daniel is currently being treated for an accident. But before the accident occurred, he had told me to contact you to investigate a case,” Daniel said in a serious tone.
Daniel recounted the accident that befell her grandfather and Emily, outlining every tragic detail that accompanied it. Daniel also announced that he had gathered solid evidence and a witness who could corroborate his account.
“Well, I will immediately examine the evidence and conduct further investigation into this case. In the investigation’s process, I will need your full cooperation. I also hope Mr. Daniel can be granted a speedy recovery,” the detective continued.
“Thank you,” Daniel replied.
Daniel waited anxiously in the waiting room, hoping that Emily would be okay.
‘Emily. I will never forgive you if you ever leave me,’ Daniel thought to himself.
***
Inside the ICU room filled with tension and worry, the medical team, comprising surgeons, nurses, and other medical personnel, gathered around Emily’s bed, who lay helplessly. The room was filled with the sound of medical monitors that continued to monitor Emily’s vital condition.
At that moment, Emily’s heart rate monitor suddenly showed a significant change. The alarm sounded loudly, breaking the silence of the ICU room. “We need a defibrillator immediately! Prepare for emergency measures!”
The medical team moved quickly, working as one coordinated team to save Emily’s life. The medical team prepared the tools while the surgeon prepared for urgent action.
***
“Where am I?” muttered Emily, her eyes scanning the surroundings. She felt the soft sand under the soles of her feet, the breeze touching her face, and the warm sunlight enveloping her body. In the peaceful and quiet seaside, her soul was back in her own body. Her soul was no longer trapped in Daniel’s body.
“Emily!” came the voice that broke the silence, a voice that was so familiar and meaningful to her.
“I will never forgive you if you ever leave me,” the voice echoed back, stirring her heart.
“D-daniel?” murmured Emily hesitantly.