Chapter 4: The Woman Everyone Protected
I couldn't sleep that night.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the same moment.
The elevator doors opening.
The light rushing in.
Alex's boots walking toward Valerie.
Not me.
Never me.
The human mind has a cruel way of replaying the moments that break it.
I remembered every detail.
The sound of the metal being cut.
The firefighters shouting.
The relief I felt when I heard his voice.
I remembered thinking:
"I'm safe now."
And then...
I wasn't.
The next morning, the doctor came in with an update.
"You and the baby are stable."
I nodded.
"Can I go home?"
The doctor studied my face.
"Physically, yes. Emotionally..."
He stopped.
I understood.
"There's no medicine for that."
He gave me a sympathetic look.
"No. There isn't."
After he left, I slowly packed my things.
My wedding ring was still gone.
A tiny piece of platinum.
Something that once represented forever.
Now it felt like a warning.
When I reached the hospital entrance, I saw Alex waiting.
He stood beside his truck.
For a second, I almost turned around.
But I didn't.
I had spent too much time running toward him.
Now he could learn what it felt like to stand still.
"Lucy."
His voice was softer than usual.
"I wanted to take you home."
I looked at him.
"Why?"
His expression changed.
"Because you're my wife."
I stared at him.
"Am I?"
The question hurt him.
Good.
Because I had been hurting alone for months.
"Lucy, don't do this."
"Don't do what?"
"Act like I don't care."
I looked at him.
"Then prove it."
He stepped closer.
"I love you."
I almost believed him.
Almost.
Then my phone rang.
It was an unknown number.
I answered.
"Hello?"
A woman's voice came through.
"Lucy?"
My body went cold.
I knew that voice.
Valerie.
"What do you want?"
There was a pause.
"I think we need to talk."
I looked at Alex.
He immediately looked nervous.
That was when I knew.
There was something he wasn't telling me.
"Why?"
Valerie sighed.
"Because you deserve to know the truth about what happened in that elevator."
Alex stepped forward.
"Lucy, don't."
I looked at him.
"Why?"
Silence.
Because he was afraid of the answer.
I put the phone back to my ear.
"Tell me."
May you like
Valerie spoke quietly.
"Alex didn't tell you everything."
