Thea's Point of View
“It’s a testimony that says you’re leaving the company to me because I’m the only one who can handle it.” He wasn’t looking at me, even though I had once glanced up at him so he could elaborate. He passed the pen to me.
“Why would I sign it?!” I whacked him on the back of the hand. The pen rolled to the floor and approached the door. As I gasped at what had happened, his gaze followed its motion. I felt short of breath with just an insignificant movement because of the incision on my side.
He stepped over there saying nothing, and I tossed the papers to him as he stooped down to pick up the pen. He then picked up the papers, but when he got up, he strangled my neck quickly and viciously.
Because I was already out of breath, I removed his grasp from my neck and took his hand in mine. I then smacked the hand that was choking me, but he refused to release go. The way he suffocated me was like he had been holding back for a while, and I just obeyed his patience. His small nails had also been buried in there. I couldn’t see him since I had closed my eyes to avoid feeling my wound and finding air. After all, the air was shut off. He was slowly killing me.
He released go of my neck as my white eyeballs raised. I exclaimed. I sputter. And I kept breathing as if I was about to die because my body was feeling too much. I didn’t stare at him with disdain because I couldn’t stop coughing. After all, my throat feels like had been slashed.
*Cough* *Cough*
Simultaneously with my coughs was his speech. “I’m giving you a chance so you don’t have to go back to that stinking prison. And I won’t terminate my contract with Craig, but you’re using my patience. It’s a win-win situation.” He picked up the papers again and handed them to me, but I did not accept them.
He laid the pen and paper on the side of the bed. I didn’t look at it and when I regained my breath and my movements were stable; I took my breath calmly. I didn’t want to shout now because my body might only get worse and I might be forced.
“It’s not a win-win situation. I will lose my parents’ company forever when I sign— ”
I didn’t finish what I was about to say when he suddenly threw the lampshade belonging to the hospital on the side hospital table. His eyes were angry, the redness immediately rose from his chest to his face.
“HOW LONG WILL YOU CHASE THE COMPANY?! DO YOU KNOW HOW MISERABLE WE ARE BECAUSE OF YOUR FATHER!” His voice echoed throughout the room and surprisingly no police entered. Fortunately, I only had one hand handcuffed.
“It’s your mother’s fault, too! She knows my dad is married! They both got carried by temptation!” He was so adamant that his mommy was decent and it didn’t do anything wrong!
He shook his head as if he wanted to insist that his mommy was innocent. He stepped back, then touched both waists, then wet the bottom of his lip. “I will give you time until this morning. If you still don’t decide by that time, you will rot in jail.”
He left the papers on the side of the bed and did not bring them. I swallowed because my heart was beating so fast; I was weak. The door slammed shut, but still, no police come in.
I laid the papers back on the side table. While thinking, the door opened next. I didn’t look at it, thinking it might be the cop, or maybe Mason was back, but my heart jumped when I heard Cray’s voice. When I looked up, I saw Craig and them both. In the short few days, I didn’t see Craig; I didn’t expect that much would change in his appearance.
His former’s fresh face has changed, and he seems to be going through five big problems in his life. Black under his eyes, deepening eyes, growing beards.
“MOMMY!” Cray called out to me loudly and wanted to come down to get close to me, but Craig wouldn’t let him. He looked at Craig with tears in his eyes because he thought maybe his father was angry with him.
“Mommy is sick. She needs to rest.” Craig hugged Cray so that he would not cry and he succeeded.
“How are you?” Craig was far away from me when he asked that. Good and he’s not looking at the side table, so he can’t see the paper.
I took a deep breath before answering. I don’t want to cry in front of them because I don’t want them to worry about me. I pretended to laugh to make the ambiance even lighter.
“This, I miss you and Cray. I never thought that the floor in the jail cold?” I boosted my laughter to make myself more convincing. I sniffed even though the pain was already blocking my throat.
“You two? How are you? Is Cray crying?”
His eyes muffle at me and seemed unwilling to answer my question. I smiled to show that I was fine and that they had nothing to worry about. Fortunately, I covered my hand with handcuffs when Cray shouted. So that he can’t ask anything else.
“Mommy, when are you coming back? We already miss you.” Cray’s long eyelashes gleamed because of the tears that ran down his eyes. We haven’t been separated from each other yet, so maybe he’s not used to me not being by his side.
“Mommy will be home tomorrow. I promise you that, for now. You need daddy to go home because I still have work to do.” Even if I don’t want to send them away and I still want to be with them, I can’t. I don’t want them to see me like this.
After I said that, the police came in. He first looked at the lampshade that has broken, then at Craig and me. He was still holding his baton that you thought was going to whip someone.
“I’m sorry to inform you, sir, visitors are not allowed to stay long now with ma’am so you need to go out.” He scratched his head as if embarrassed because he had to let them out.
I could see in their eyes that they still didn’t want to leave me, but they didn’t do anything. When they got out, the police picked the broken lampshade, and then he had taken it out when I called him. He looked at me with just a normal expression.
“Can you call Mason? I had something important to tell him.” Even though I knew my mind was blank now because of what was happening, I was still forced to say that even against my will.
Mom. Dad. Sorry.
He went out and closed the door. As soon as he closed the door, I removed the blanket that covered my hand and then took the pen and paper from the side table.
Sorry, mom and dad.
But I will make sure I can find a way to reclaim that again.