Page 47 of Vintage

My Amery.

Chapter Twenty

Ilet out a groan as the bright light pierced my eyes. After being confined in that dreary mansion for months, it felt overwhelmingly intense. I had been doing everything I could to shield myself and my wife from harm.

I considered the possibility of sneaking out at night when she wasn’t around, thinking no one would notice—not the guard dog she had stationed or even her. But I knew that if I left, Amery could be in danger. The car accident wasn’t just a stroke of bad luck; it was a consequence of my own greed, my desire for my lover.

I pressed my hand to my forehead, wincing in pain, and attempted to gather my thoughts again. The incessant murmurs around me grew louder, becoming almost unbearable.

As my vision began to clear, I focused on the stark white walls surrounding me, trying to piece together what was happening.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

Darius!!

I looked at him in disbelief. No matter the reason for his presence, I had never felt such joy at seeing him.

"Can I give you a kiss?" I said with a playful grin, but his expression twisted in discomfort.

"He's still under the influence," the man said, prompting a familiar giggle from someone nearby... Wait a minute...

"Reese!! How? Why are you here?" Confusion washed over me, leaving me bewildered.

I groaned again, clutching my head and curling up into a fetal position. The throbbing was relentless, as if I had consumed an entire barrel of the strongest alcohol.

The tubes connected to me revealed the scant information I was after.

I feel a sense of relief here in the hospital. It signifies that these people saved me from that place. A place I could run from, but had to return there anyway. Where I was free but the most caged.

Doctors hurried in, performing their usual checks, chattering nonsensically to Reese before leaving us alone.

As the pain eased, I adjusted to a sitting position and faced them once more.

They were both perched on either side of the bed.

"What happened yesterday? My memory is quite hazy." Everything felt clouded to me. The only time I was free from that fog was when Willow would leave the house for hours. That was the only moment she would uncuff me, and I knew better than to act too clever. Her watchful gaze was everywhere, in every nook of this town. Outsmarting her in her own game was beyond me. All I desired was the chance to truly eliminate her. That made the most sense to me.

"What do you recall?" Reese seemed cautious, her eyes darting between Darius, me, and the phone in her hand. Was she waiting for a call or a message, or perhaps she had already informed Amery and was anticipating her arrival?

It was all speculation, as I could only perceive her anxiousness, which didn’t align with the thoughts I had.

"Maybe I had a dream about being intimate with Amery, followed by Willow's shadow striking her on the head while she was in bed with me? But to be precise, I think it was when Willow left the room and upped the dosage, she makes me inhale through the incense." I admitted, wincing as the foggy memories became even more indistinct.

Darius and Reese exchanged a knowing glance, but I couldn’t grasp their understanding.

"I believe you might need to draft another divorce paper, as you are clearly on the verge of losing your wife." Darius clicked his tongue and rose to his feet.

I was never good at puzzles, but he was making it increasingly difficult.

I stared back at Reese, gesturing to clarify what he meant, and she let out a groan.

"What’s going on, guys?" I asked, feeling frustrated.

They exchanged glances and began to speak in unison, which only confused me about who was saying what, but the gist was clear: I was in deep trouble.

"So, the dream I had yesterday wasn’t just a dream?"

"No," Darius replied flatly.

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