Page 62 of Anastasia

“Keep talking. Come on, Orabella, don’t stop,” I said desperately. When she didn’t respond I shook her body, trying to get any word from her mouth only for her head to lifelessly roll to the side.

“Fuck!”

Anastasia

Sarah had gratefully gotten the location where Orabella and Valentino were. My heart dropped when she told me they were at the hospital. I prayed they were both okay.

I hurriedly made my way to the hospital, the place I’d really begun to hate with every fiber in my body. The moment I arrived, I could see Orabella being pushed through the halls. My jaw dropped when I noticed she was covered in blood. Nurses and doctors were rushing her into a room, and I tried to follow but was pushed back.

“Orabella!” I shouted, tears falling from my eyes.

I tried to find Valentino, but he was nowhere to be found. Worry clouded my mind as I hoped he wasn’t hurt.

I picked up my phone and tried dialing Valentino’s number again, but it wouldn’t go through. It kept going straight to voicemail. This undying need to scream settled within me. I couldn’t handle the thought of losing someone I loved again.

“I’m sorry, ma’am, but you’re going to have to go back to the waiting room,” one of the nurses said. A sharp, shooting pain erupted in my lower region. I looked down to see blood trailing down my legs as black dots began to cloud my vision.

“Oh, my God!” the nurse shouted just before everything went black.

* * *

I wokeup to the sound of my heart monitor beeping repeatedly. My eyes almost shot out of my head as I looked around to notice I was in a hospital room. A doctor walked into the room, wearing a kind smile.

“Hi, how are you feeling?” the doctor questioned.

“What happened?” I asked as the pounding in my head reminded me of the blood I had seen running down my leg.

“You passed out, and after I learned you were here for Orabella Martinez, I have reason to believe your stress played a huge factor. We did a pelvic exam, and I’m so sorry,” her voice cracked as she looked at me. “You had a miscarriage.”

“I had a baby?” I asked, my eyes shut as I laid on top of the table.

My eyes moved up to look at the light above my head. My body was shaking, and I knew it was because I was crying. There were no sounds to be heard. All I could hear was my slowing heartbeat as I thought about my baby.

“I am so sorry.” She frowned. “There is nothing wrong with your body. I checked and ran a few tests. As I mentioned, my only assumption is that the stress of your friend really took its toll on you.”

I didn’t bother to say another word as my eyes stared at the wall in front of me.

“When can I leave?” I cried.

“I’ll go get your discharge papers,” the doctor muttered sadly before walking out of the room.

“Yellow, like the sun after rain,” Alex told me. “The way it beams on every piece of land—you love every part of everyone just the same.”

I couldn’t stop my tears as the memory played out in my mind. I knew she only existed in my imagination, but I needed her. I needed my little sister back. Everything was always better when she was with me.

“Every person you touch, you make them better,” she whispered before running her hand through my hair. “That’s why I admire you, Anastasia. You are so beautiful on the inside, just like the color yellow.”

I knew now that she was nothing but a liar. If that were true, why was I lying in a hospital bed all alone? Every person I touched, I damaged. Just like Orabella, just like my sister, and now, just like my baby.

The doctor came back with my discharge papers. I didn’t have any extra clothes, but the doctor gave me some that they kept for patients. Weakly, I threw on the clothes. She tried to tell me about therapists I could talk to and support systems I should have, but I was too far gone for that kind of thing.

I exited the hospital room and traveled down the halls until I could find Orabella in the small hospital. Before I went home to cry my eyes out, I at least wanted to make sure that Orabella was okay.

After a long walk, I finally caught sight of the raven-haired girl. My lips parted in shock as I looked at her. So many tubes and wires were attached to her body, leaving me to pull my brows together.

Just as I was about to take a step closer to her, the sound of Valentino’s voice hit me. A feeling of relief flooded through my body as I found myself turning to see him. However, when Vincenzo pushed by with a deep scowl on his face, I knew things weren’t good.

“This is why I can’t wait to get the hell away from you!” Vincenzo seethed. “Look at what the fuck you did! I told you to let this stupid plan of yours go. If Orabella had died, I would havekilledyou! I mean it!”

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