Novel Xo
34
Los Angeles, Mia
I woke up when the sun kissed my face, its gentle warmth seeping through the curtains and coaxing me from slumber. Last night had been anything but restful; my mind was plagued by thoughts of the ominous letter that had arrived at our doorstep. It was a chilling, unsettling message, made all the more disturbing by the fact that the sender seemed to possess intimate knowledge of Sebastian’s new address.
As I lay there, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease that had settled in the pit of my stomach. Sebastian and I had spent hours speculating about who could be behind the letter, running through a list of possible suspects until exhaustion finally compelled us to give up. In the end, we had decided to send a picture of the letter to Patrick, hoping that his analytical skills could shed some light on this mystery.
I turned my gaze towards the couch, where Sebastian was still fast asleep. Another thought had been occupying my mind, one that had little to do with the unsettling letter. It was the memory of our unexpected kiss, a passionate moment that had taken both of us by surprise. The memory of it sent a shiver down my spine.From NôvelDrama.Org.
Our lips had met so suddenly, and time had seemed to stand still in that brief, electrifying instant. It was a kiss filled with longing, with unspoken emotions that had been building between us. Despite having known Sebastian for only a relatively short time, the challenges we were facing together had drawn us closer than I could have ever imagined.
I couldn’t deny the flutter of my heart whenever his gaze locked onto mine. There was something about the way he looked at me, a mixture of understanding and protectiveness that made me feel safe and cherished. In my heart, I had no doubt that he would be an incredible father to our unborn child.
With a soft sigh, I realized that I had been staring at him for longer than I intended, lost in my thoughts like some sort of a mesmerized observer. I chuckled softly at my own behavior, feeling a blush creep onto my cheeks. It was strange how easily he had become a focal point of my life in such a short span of time.
As I carefully rose from the bed, I couldn’t help but wonder about the letter again. The handwriting was unmistakably the same as the one from our previous encounters with the anonymous sender. It was twisted and eerie, like something out of a horror story. Patrick, with his analytical mind and expertise, might be able to discern something that we had missed.
With a yawn and a stretch, I mustered the willpower to begin my day.
The soft patter of my footsteps led me to the bathroom, where I would start the daily ritual that would help shake off the remnants of sleep. I gathered my long hair and twisted it into a loose bun, securing it in place with a hair tie. With each passing day, it seemed my hair had taken on a life of its own, growing thicker and shinier, almost as if it was responding to the life growing inside me.
I slowly shed my clothes, feeling the cool air against my skin as I stood there, vulnerable and exposed. There was a growing awareness of my changing body, a tiny human I carried with me. As I reached for the shower handle and let the warm water cascade over me, I couldn’t help but place a gentle hand on my abdomen. There it was, a small bump, barely noticeable to the outside world, but significant to me. It was a promise, a whisper of things to come, and it filled me with an overwhelming sense of love and responsibility.
A soft smile crept onto my face as I thought about the precious life I was nurturing within me. My little munchkin, as I affectionately called the tiny being growing in my womb. I would do anything to protect and care for this unborn child, to ensure a safe and happy life.
With a sense of purpose, I continued my morning routine. I knew that in a few weeks, I would have to go for another ultrasound appointment. By then, I hoped that my belly would show a little more, that the world would see what I already felt so profoundly. The anticipation of seeing my baby on the monitor again filled me with both excitement and nervousness.
As the warm water cascaded over me, I began to hum a familiar tune from my childhood. It was a song that had provided solace during the darkest moments of my past. I couldn’t help but smile through the lyrics, each note a reminder of strength and resilience.
In the recesses of my memories, I recalled a time when my father’s cruelty had known no bounds. He would lock me up in a dark room for hours, depriving me of food and drink as a form of punishment. It was a torment that I wouldn’t wish on anyone, a childhood filled with fear and pain.
But there had been a light in those dark days, a flicker of hope and love. Kieran, my father’s favorite, had always defied his wishes. While my father forbade anyone from feeding me, Kieran had always found a way to sneak snacks and ice pops into the room for me. In the beginning, I had envied him for the favor my father showed him, but as time passed and Kieran stood up for me, a bond between us had formed that transcended our roles as siblings.
I remembered the way Kieran’s eyes had sparkled with mischief as he defied our father, slipping me bits of comfort and sustenance. Those small acts of rebellion had been a lifeline, a reminder that even in the bleakest of circumstances, there could be kindness and love.
As I turned off the shower and reached for a towel, my heart was lightened by the bittersweet memories of my childhood. The scars remained, both physical and emotional, but they had shaped me into the person I was today, resilient and determined.
However, just as I stepped out of the shower the door suddenly opened revealing Sebastian who stared wide eyed at my naked body.
I screamed.