White walls, the antiseptic smell and the beeping of the monitor caught her by surprise. Everything seemed too dazzling as she strained to open her eyes. The last thing she remembered was the contract and the juice she drank.
Her mind felt too heavy to remember anything else. A sense if Déjà Vu hit her, the last time she was in a hospital is when her mother was involved in the accident as she was heading to watch her dance at the school.
Selene pushed the painful memory at the back of her head when she heard the door click.
"Miss you are awake," a nurse entered the room. "What's your name?"the nurse asked as she examined her eyes.
"Ah Selene Rogers," Selene answered, forcing out a chuckle. The question made her remember her mother who kept training her how to remember her name when she was ten years old.
"Let me get the doctor and the person who has been here since you were admitted," the nurse informed her exiting the room.
The door suddenly opened with a bang revealing a fuming Jackson. "I didn't think you would stoop that low. Would you rather die than marry me?" he fisted the wall with his hands breathing heavily.
Selene was confused,when did she ever want to die? "What are you talking about?" she asked, her brows cringing together.
Jake turned to her walking towards her bed. "Don't even try to pretend you're innocent,listen carefully,"he paused, running his palm on his face.
Jake had never been this furious over anyone but seeing her body lying on the kitchen floor did something to him. How could she overdose on sleeping pills just to avoid being his wife.
"Just to make it clear we are getting married on paper only, so you can strive to stay alive for the sake of your family's business," Jake furiously said storming out of the room.
Selene froze her brain still in shock of Jake's reaction. What exactly happened to her? The hate in his eyes made her heart hurt.
The door opened making Selene almost jump out of bed.
"Oooh my love,what's happened to you? Why do you look scared?" Charlotte said, her tired face looking worried.
"Charr,I don't know what happened to me, everything's just too much," Selene said as she moved in Charlotte's open arms.
Time passed as they held each other on the hospital bed.
"Everything will be alright,I got worried for the few days you were unconscious," Charlotte said sobbing.
Days went by and the hospital finally agreed to discharge her.
" I see you are all well bitch," Lilian said , disappointment evident in her voice. Selene turned around looking at her.
" I knew you were behind it Lilian,what did I ever do to you?" Selene asked, her face dawning with realization.
" Yes and so what? you were supposed to die and let me marry Jake," she said coldly.
"You are so cruel Lilian, is my dad aware of this?" Selene asked, guessing the answer to that.
Lilian scoffed, " if you tell him anything,this time I'll put just enough to send you to your stupid mother," she threatened leaving the room.
"Are you ready? I am taking you home, the wedding is in three days," Jake's voice startled her.
"What? The wedding is still on?" Selene inquired, feeling stupid to hope that Jake could care less about her feelings and health.
"If that's so, can I get a night out with Charlotte please?" Selene pleaded, her shoulders dropping.
Jake looked at her in disbelief but with a cold gaze. He could at least give her what she wanted before he told her about the terms in the contract.
"Okay ,you can but you'll be guarded and later they'll drop you at the house, I don't want you escaping before the wedding," he said, throwing her a knowing look.
Later at the club Charlotte seemed to be running late,she had promised to be there in ten minutes time. Selene picked her phone to call her but it went straight to voicemail. She turned to leave but a hand stopped her.
" Leaving too soon," the bartender from last time asked, touching her hand.
" My friend bailed, I'll just go home and have some rest," Selene said, pulling her hand away from him.
"Allow me to buy you a drink as we get to know each other,maybe your friend is stuck in traffic,she'll be here," he insisted, handing her a drink.
Turning her head she thought she saw Lilian at the corner but when she checked again there was no one.
Her head got dizzy, Selene blamed it on mixing alcohol with the medicine. " I think I don't feel well,I'll just head to the restroom quickly," she said, swaying and she walked. The security she'd brought were waiting outside the club as she had insisted they not tail her.
She saw a familiar figure hovering over her and heard him say something.
Time seemed to have passed when she came to. She looked around the unfamiliar room seeing Lilian sitting on the bed with an envelope in her hand.
" What are you doing here?" Selene asked her, confused. Her clothes seemed to have found their way away from her body all she had on was lingerie.
"What did you do Lilian?" Selene asked and pounced on the grinding woman next to her.
"Not what I did but what you did?" Lilian retorted.
Selene's eyes widened in shock. All she could remember was the bartender saying something like 'it was nothing personal.'
"I have all the evidence here," Lilian said, waving the envelope. Selene felt her world come to a standstill. Just how far was Lilian willing to go to take Jake? Hot tears found their way down her cheeks.
"Let's see what Jackson has to say about having a slut for a wife when he sees this file," Lilian said, getting out of the room.
Selene wore her scattered clothes and coiled in a ball form on the bed, uncontrollable tears running down her face. The door was pushed wide open but Selene couldn't move. She felt paralyzed.
" What else do you want?" She mumbled not caring to look at the person assuming it was Lilian.
"You've finally managed to ruin my life and reputation,what else,tell me?" Selene asked in anger and pain.
" And here I thought you were in danger in my club after the bartender was reported to have entered the room with you?" Jake's voice said sarcastically.