The Stand In Wife's Revenge novel Chapter 39

Chapter 39

The darkness encircled me oppressive and dense. The sheets coiled

around my body like shackles and the bed beneath me felt far away

but I was immobile. I was confined. A sharp sound faint at first but

getting louder reverberated in my mind.

Let it drip.

Pour.

Let it drip.

I was standing in a long deserted hospital hallway when my eyes opened–inside the dream. The white sterile walls extended indefinitely on either side and the harsh fluorescent lights flickered

overhead.

A chill ran down my spine as the chilly air pressed against my skin.

Something metallic hung beneath the familiar antiseptic smell that

filled my lungs. Blood. The steady rhythmic sound of dripping water

grew louder hammering at my skull. Water was absent though.

Only silence was heard. Then–action. A door at the far end of the

hallway creaked open. My throat tightened with breath. Fiona. She

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entered the gloomy light radiant and complete. Her delicate features

were unaffected by illness and her dark hair fell in gentle waves over

her shoulders.

The effortless grace with which I had fallen in love with her had

replaced the frailty I had last seen in her. A hospital gown was not on

her. Instead a flowing white dress that shone like moonlight

shimmered as she moved. Everything in me froze for a second when

she smiled.

“Alexander” she uttered quietly her voice cozy and homey.

As I stepped forward my chest constricted. “Fiona?”

Her head nodded. “Come on.“She raised a hand and reached for me.

Gravity itself drew me toward her causing my body to sway forward. I

felt my heart pounding on my ribs. To run to her–I shifted. But then

A noise. A choking piercing sob. I took a break. There was a change in

the air. chilly. heavy. Another door had creaked open behind me down

the other end of the hallway. Ava..

The woman was lying on the ground. Her arms were bloody and her

dress was ripped. As her fingers dug into the material of her gown her

chest heaved as she gasped for air. Her abdomen-. Her round swollen

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belly. I felt my heart pound. Avas face twisted in agony as her

trembling hands gripped her stomach protectively.

Tears ran down her cheeks and her eyes were wide desperate and

beseeching. Alexander please. Her tone was hardly audible above a

whisper. I felt a sharp twist in my stomach. Still smiling and holding

out her hand Fiona was still there. Once more she whispered “Come.”

However Ava… Ava broke down in tears. Her skin was gushing blood.

Her life was over. With my body motionless and divided between the

two women on either side of me I turned to face Fiona. Then-. A

shadow moved. Another figure stepped out of the shadows. Liam. He

walked into the light with slow purposeful steps. His presence was

unwanted and his face could not be read.

And–in his hand. a firearm. He raised it pointing it at Ava. As Liam

took another slow step forward a glint of metal caught the faint

hospital light. His gleaming gun was cold and ruthless. As the

flickering light above created unsettling shadows in the hallway my

stomach turned. It was a suffocating moment.

As if to protect the life within Avas body instinctively coiled around

her stomach as she gasped. Breathing in short ragged sobs tears ran

down her bloodied cheeks. She choked Please.. Her eyes were burning

with desperation as her fingers shook as they reached for me. Please

dont let him..

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As my mind cried out for me to move my muscles stiffened frozen in

place. There was still Fionas gentle enticing voice. Alexander please

come… Unfortunately I was unable to. Not with Liams finger at the

trigger getting tighter. Something changed in the air. Everything

slowed. All I could hear during that fleeting moment of darkness was

Avas sobs as the overhead light flickered once more.

Then-. A thunderous clap. The gun went off. Raw and in pain Avas

scream drove through the hallway. As crimson blossomed like a dying

rose on the white fabric of her dress her body jerked violently. Time

jerked back to normal. At last my feet moved. I ran. I ran forward

reaching–too late–and the name tore from my throat “Ava!”

Keeping her hands on her stomach she fell to the chilly floor. Her sobs became feeble trembling gasps. The immaculate hospital tiles were stained by the dark never–ending pool of blood that gathered

beneath her. “No no no-”

My hands hung over her powerless. As she attempted to speak her lips

quivered and only a choked whisper came out. “Alexander. I

shuddered all over. I turned to Liam fury brewing inside of me. But all

he did was smirk. Once more he raised the gun.

Then I lunged–the world hazed. “Noooo000!”

My own scream broke the stillness of my bedroom as I rushed to my

feet struggling to breathe. The dense oppressive darkness that

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Chapter 39

enveloped me was real. Yes I was awake. I was sweating and my heart

was pounding.

I gripped the sheets tightly as my mind tried to distinguish between

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