As the afternoon sun cast its warm glow, Cindy finally arrived at the Louis residence in her SUV, feigning exhaustion. But when she met Edward who had been there since morning, she felt her heart burn with hatred and bitterness.
Suppressing her true feelings and covering up with a genuinely happy and excited smile, she put on her usual deceptive act and rushed over to the living where there was Edward, Daisy, Mr Louis and Violet watching a television show.
After announcing her arrival and cheerfully greeting everyone, she rushed over to Daisy and threw her arms around her with teary eyes.
"Oh my God, I'm so happy for you," she cried as she withdrew the hug and began checking Daisy all over.
Daisy now looked far better than even the night before and that didn't escape Cindy's observant eyes and it made bitterness well up within her.
'Ha! This can't be!'
Then, she turned to Edward and started thanking him aggressively.
"Thank you so much, Edward, thank you! You're the best!"
Even Daisy was beginning to tear up. She knew how much her friends stood by her.
"You look exhausted," Daisy who was also really observant suddenly muttered as she stared at Cindy.
Cindy breathed out a tired sigh.
"That's cause I've been at the hospital. I could not get a wink of sleep all through the night," she answered as she looked back at Daisy with teary eyes.
Daisy's eyes widened at the mention of the hospital and even everyone around was also looking at Cindy shocked and wondering what had gone wrong.
"Hospital? Why is that?" Daisy asked with wide eyes.
Breathing out a sad weak sigh, Cindy smiled sadly before answering, "Rose got into an accident yesterday."
"What?" Daisy was shocked.
"Why? What happened?" Mr Louis asked shocked as well.
"She had left the house to see Edward to talk him into making a post, just like the one he made this morning but she met with an accident," she explained.
Daisy shot up to her feet stunned.
Her friends had gotten hurt just cause of her. The people around her were getting into trouble just cause of her foolishness.
He felt so guilty that tears began to stream down her face.
"No come on, Daisy, don't do this," Cindy immediately pulled Daisy into her arms as she began comforting her. "Rose did what she was supposed to do. We all did okay."
But Daisy shook her head and muttered tearfully, "No don't say that."
She was feeling extremely aggrieved
"How is she?" Daisy asked through tears.
"She'll be fine. I had to wheel her around almost all through the night for tests and stuff. She's still unconscious but she'll be back in a few weeks," Cindy answered causing the tension in the air to reduce a bit.
Even as that, they were all still sad and worried.
Daisy shut her eyes as more tears streamed down her face.
Well, Cindy had artfully spun a web of deceit, regaling everyone with tales of lies.
"I want to see her," Daisy suddenly said while looking seriously at Cindy.
"No don't worry. You will when you're stronger than this," Cindy immediately turned her down, pretending to care about her wellbeing, but Daisy countered adamantly, "I said I want to."
She was looking straight at Cindy seriously and stubbornly and the latter inwardly sneered, 'Like I give a fuck? Do whatever you want and I'll even be happier and satisfied if you also meet with an accident.'
Mr Louis got up and immediately went close to his daughter to console her.
"Daisy come on. I promise to take you over tomorrow," he began to promise but Daisy wasn't having it.
In fact, it suddenly felt like she was losing control of her head and she suddenly started to get agitated.
It was as if she was slowly losing her mind. Maybe because of the weakness of her body, just with a sudden turn, Daisy collapsed and in a second, Daisy was laying unconscious on the floor in front of them.
Daisy suddenly collapsing onto the floor in the living room caused everyone in the room to gasp in shock. They all rushed to her side, trying to help her regain consciousness.
In the midst of the commotion, Mr Louis swiftly lifted his daughter into his arms and gently laid her on the couch, worry and panic etched across his face.
With a trembling hand, he retrieved his phone, his fingers frantically dialling the number of their family doctor, the one from yesterday. And each ring that went unanswered amplified his growing panic and desperation. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he called repeatedly, hoping for a lifeline in this moment of crisis.
After repeatedly failing to reach the doctor, Mr Louis made a desperate decision to reach out to his wife. With trembling fingers, he dialled her number.
"Hello," his voice was laden with anxiety immediately the call connected.
"I've been trying to get your husband but he hasn't been picking up," he then relayed the unfolding situation.
This rising fear in his heart was gripping him badly.
But then, what he heard in response was a sniff from the woman.
And in hushed tones, the doctor's wife hesitated for a moment before revealing the truth. "I'm sorry, Mr Louis," she began, her voice shaky and then she sniffed again causing Mr Louis to widen his eyes.
Now his anxiety just skyrocketed cause what could have happened that was making the woman sniff continuously like that?
"My husband did not return home last night and have not heard from him too. I already made a police report but he is still nowhere to be seen," then the woman burst into tears.
The words hung in the air, each syllable laden with an ominous weight.
Mr Louis was stunned into silence, his mind struggling to comprehend the gravity of what he had just heard.
A surge of questions flooded his thoughts, each more frantic than the last. "Where could he be? What could have happened to him?" he muttered under his breath, the shock and confusion evident in his trembling voice.
'Since yesterday? Since last night?'
'Whaaaaaaaat??'
While Mr Louis made to get his daughter out of the house for the closest hospital with the help of the youths around, his mind remained troubled.
Even though his daughter is more important right now, that doctor is also a very important person to him.
Once Daisy is put under control, he'll go over to see the doctor's wife.
'How can he suddenly go missing?'
'No, what in the world is going on?'