It was time. Five days had passed since Alisha had been let out of hospital, she had taken a break… A break that extended to her own stay-at-home hibernation for all five days. Eliza still went to places but she was concerned that Alisha would never leave the house.
It was at this time that Alisha had broken down everything she could do, starting with Bruce who had called her and was willing to help. First, she had to get Bryan out of her life and make him realise that she was wrong for him. Next, she had to become a lawyer. Third, Eliza had to finish her degree too. Fourth, Anabelle had to become the CEO in the next 2 months or else the company would be ruined by James. Fifth, she had to figure out a job for Fred…
Well, for now she had Bryan's file to help her. There wasn't much that screamed tragedy other than his mother's death, which was of course terrible but how was it enough to make him so possessive? She skimmed over it again until her eyes landed on something, Bryan's first love. "Maria Crews" an African-American woman, she was… in jail?
She looked up Maria Crews, and what came up shocked her. The woman had been jailed for a crime she didn't commit, and Alisha knew this because it would be revealed in two years who the real murderer was. It was a huge scandal because the evidence had been tampered with by the police, but no one knew why. Suddenly, she knew why.
Bryan framed his ex for the murder, why? Because she knew something, something that she shouldn't know. What could it have been? He had a life before her that was related to Maria Crews, but why? Why did he force his first love into jail?
She quickly found out which jail Maria Crews was in and called the police there to ask if she could meet with Maria. Of course, she called the insider officer her family had hired to keep tabs on the police who allowed her in immediately and without anyone else finding out. Being rich had its benefits.
She was greeted by a surprisingly pretty dark skinned woman, she had a pixie cut and the orange jail clothes on. If she wasn't in jail, that woman would have been an incredible model, Alisha couldn't help but stare at her.
"What do you want Ms Richards?" Maria Crews asked, her fingers rhythmically tapping the table.
"You didn't murder anyone."
"I know." she answered, an air of arrogance around her.
"Why did Bryan put you in here?"
"Bryan… Did that son of a bitch send you here stick legs? Tell him he can suck a d*ck and stick his head up his ass whilst his intestines are being rolled out and cut up." She snarled as she bashed her hands on the table.
"No. He's pursuing me. And if he succeeds I will lose everything. I want to bring him down."
"Why don't you just go crying to rich daddy? He can solve all your problems, can't he?" She rolled her eyes as she gazed hatefully at Alisha.
"My father hates me. I can't ask him to help and to be frank he wouldn't help me if I begged. I want to rid this world of Bryan but I can't just hire a hitman without rich daddy finding out. How can I bring him down Maria Crews?" Alisha snarled back.
"Stick legs, you gotta understand, Bryan Martinez is someone you can't beat. You might be the richest bitch on planet earth, you might be the smartest bitch, you might be the best schemer. But you can't beat psycho." Finally serious, Maria Crews had a wistful look on her face. As if she had played with fire and been burned to ashes.
"I will win. Because I have something he doesn't. Maria Crews, I was reborn. That's why I know you're innocent, that's why I know why everything will happen. I know who the real murderer is and which police officer messed up your evidence. I can get you out and I can get you a job and give you a happy life, just tell me what you know."
"Excuse me, you crazy? Reborn? Suck my ass. Don't f*ck with me stick legs."
"I kid you not. I'm perfectly sane, dependent on antidepressants, fighting fate. There's another like me, his name is Bruce. He was reborn too. In my last life, I married Bryan. He killed everyone I loved. He took rich daddy's riches and he took my own life. He made my stepmother crazy enough to kill my baby."
"Yeah, and? You think that's bad? You've clearly never been in prison. You think I look good now? You should've seen me two years ago, I was stunning! My skin glowed! My eyes were full of life. I had boobs! Now? I'm dull and dusted. I have scars all over my body, cigarette burns, choking bruises. Have you ever been stabbed skinny legs? I didn't think so." She spat as she glared at Alisha. Bryan didn't let anyone go.
"He'll have to. For both of us. We have to escape him before he kills us again. You know he's dangerous. You know what he's capable of. You know what he could do." She pleaded.
"I do know. And I know to stay away! Run away, go overseas. Go live on the moon. I'm safer here, getting stabbed than I will ever be out there. Stick legs, you can't kill Bryan without losing everything."
"Please."
Finally, after a second of hesitation, or perhaps contemplation, Maria Crews spoke of her story. It was dark outside by the time Alisha left, but she felt light. She was right to have come here, she knew what Bryan feared most. But, she also knew that she couldn't leave Maria Crews behind, it would be too cruel.
That day was odd, not because she had gone to prison but because of the overall feeling of the day. It felt like she was missing something, or that she was going to lose something. That feeling was one she was familiar with, time and time again she had felt it and lost someone. A terrible sixth sense to have. So she called all her loved ones, one by one they all told her they were okay. Where was this feeling coming from?
It was now six in the afternoon, the sun had set early, the moon was out but was hiding half its face. She put her headphones on, she didn't know where to go or what to do. 'Hey there Delilah' played in her ears as she basked in the peaceful loneliness. Everyone was at home, and they all were okay. She opened her eyes and saw Richard in the distance, he was talking to someone. Suddenly she saw him turn and spot her, his eyes grew panicked and he sent the other person away. Her eyes followed the other person, it was George. Why were they together? Suddenly Richard was approaching her, he looked confused, probably because they were in front of a jail. She wanted the song to finish, and by the time it finished she was staring up, craning her poor neck, to see the ladder-like Richard looking down at her.
"Alisha."
"Richard."
He sighed and placed himself next to her, his arm wrapped around her, she could see his breath because of the cold air, he was warm. They both sat, silently, as the world seemed to turn, slowly she placed her head on his chest and he squeezed her. Both knew that the other was hiding something, but neither wanted to speak. Their silence was interrupted (rather rudely) by a ring. Alisha pouted as Richard answered the call from Eliza.
"She's with me."
"Don't worry about it."
"I'll drop her home."
"Here." He passed the phone to Alisha who reluctantly answered her frustrated sister.
"Alisha, I know you're older than me but we have a dinner to go to. Get your butt home so that we can leave!"
"I don't wanna go!"
"Boohoo and the world weeps."
"I'm coming home. Is it fancy? Will father be there?"
"Yes and yes."
"Ugh."
"Love you!"
"I really do love you Eliza."
"Okay weirdo."
Eliza cut the call and Richard took his phone back. There was a missed call on Alisha's phone from when Eliza had called her, but the headphones (which now lay on her lap) had prevented her from hearing.
"Richard, I'm sad."
"I know hun, but why?"
"Because one day all of you will leave me. And none of you will say goodbye."
"Where will we all be going?" He snorted.
"Heaven. You'll all be going to heaven. Maybe except Fred, he's probably already reserved a spot in hell."
"Probably, but you might leave me before I leave you."
"I won't." And a sharp pain hit Richard's heart as he heard her say those words, as if she knew. He saw her teary eyes and he wondered why the usually stoic Alisha was so emotional today.
"What's wrong?" He asked again, because he needed to know, he felt like if he didn't find out now he'd lose her forever.
"Everything." She whispered. And tears dropped down her face, straight transparent roads down her frozen skin, thawing it, leaving red in their trails.
"Alisha, what's wrong?" He begged. Her forehead rested against his chest and her hands scrunched and wrinkled his jacket as she hid her face in him. He wrapped his arms around her and let her sob into him, wondering if she was okay. Why was she here? Why at the prison?
He scooped her face in his huge arms and kissed her forehead, "Alisha I will never leave you, and if I do I promise I will call you and say goodbye. What's wrong?"
"Bryan's what's wrong. He's crazy Richard, he's gonna take you all away from me, but the only way to beat him is to be with him. I have to sacrifice myself, I need to be his to take him down. Richard… I don't wanna do this. I don't wanna be anywhere near that piece of shit, I just wanted to live this life happily. Richy, I wanna be happy. I don't wanna depend on pills, I don't wanna do this." She cried into him, he felt her trembling and he felt afraid. George knew that Bryan was dangerous, and he had told Richard that everyone around Alisha had to be careful, but how did she know?
"Alisha, it's okay. You have me. Why do you think all of this?"
Suddenly her head jerked up, she cocked it to the side. "What do you mean? You know something. What do you know Richard?"
He sighed and placed his head on her shoulder, he was like an open book for Alisha. "George warned me, Richard, about Bryan when he, George, found out that he, Bryan, likes you, Alisha."
"What were you planning to do with this information?" She asked, suddenly aware of the future and past.
"Well, if you loved him nothing. But you don't feel much love romantically so I was planning on creating a safety plan for everyone. An escape route. That's why I met up with George, he has one. People that guard him constantly from the shadows to protect him."
"Richard… Richy no. He knows. That's why he killed you. Richy… have you met anyone new? Romantically?"
He looked surprised. "Yes… as a matter of fact I have. Her name is Samara, Samara Winford."
"RICHARD! No! No! No! No! Dump her! Right now! Call her right now and dump her. Richard now!"
"What? Why?" He responded to her frantic screaming.
"She's one of his people. Don't you get it? She's going to kill you."
"Alisha what the f*ck? Why would Sammy kill me? Why… would…? His people?"
"She works for him Richy, she's not someone you want to be around. How did you meet her?"
"I met her at a bar that… Bryan… recommended…" The realisation hit him.
He grabbed his phone and rang a number. He put the phone on speaker.
"Hello?" A pretty voice asked.
"Sammy…"
"Hey Richy Rich! What's up?"
"I'm with a friend of mine, and we are wondering if you knew any of our mutual friends."
"Okay…"
"Do you know George Derriks?"
"No."
"Alisha Richards?"
"No, but you do talk about her a lot."
"What about Bryan Martinez?"
"No, I don't know him either. Apparently I don't know a lot of your friends."
"Hey, honey, I also called you because I realised something."
"What'd you realise?"
"We're over. I just don't like you romantically. It was fun at first but now... the fire's just died."
"W-what? Are you serious?"
"Yes. Bye."
"Alisha, what the f*ck?" asked a devastated Richard.