The room was electric with tension, every eye glued to Alicia as an unexpected, jarring moment unfolded.
Alicia's eyes widened in shock as a sharp slap landed across her face, the sound of it ringing through the room like a gunshot. Her hair whipped violently, falling across her face, and the sting of the blow shot through her, leaving her breathless. She staggered, the floor seeming to rise up to meet her. Her body trembled, and with a soft thud, she collapsed to the ground, her face draining of color, her gaze clouded with disbelief.
"How dare you slap your soon-to-be brother-in-law?!" her mother hissed, her voice thick with anger and disbelief. "I didn't raise you to be like this, Alicia. This is not the woman I taught you to be!"
Her mother stepped forward, her voice laced with venom, each word sharper than the last. But Alicia didn't hear the accusations. She could only feel the coldness creeping into her chest, the weight of the world pressing down on her like a suffocating vice. It was as if the room, the air, the people everything was closing in on her.
Selina knelt beside her, a blend of concern and frustration in her eyes, but her voice was fierce. "Mother, stop! Alicia was right!" she shouted, her words trembling with emotion. "Jake deserved that slap. You have no idea what he's done to her! You wouldn't believe me if I told you!"
Her mother's expression darkened, eyes narrowing. "I don't care about your justifications, Selina," she snapped, her gaze never leaving Alicia, who remained silent, her eyes distant.
As the two women argued, the world around Alicia began to blur. She didn't hear them anymore. Every word, every accusation was a distant echo. The cold, oppressive weight continued to settle in her chest, growing heavier with each passing second. Without a word, she slowly pushed herself to her feet, her movements stiff, as if every bone in her body protested. She turned and walked toward the door, the pressure inside her building with each step.
The storm outside was relentless. The cold rain pelted her skin like needles, but it was nothing compared to the numbness inside her. She didn't care if she caught a fever or if anyone noticed she was gone. She needed to escape the suffocating weight of everyone's expectations, the constant pressure to be someone she wasn't. She needed to break free.
The rain blurred her vision, her thoughts clouded, and before she realized it, she found herself standing at the edge of a steep hill. The wind howled, like a voice in the storm urging her to take the plunge. Her family's voices grew faint, drowned by the noise of the rain. The void below her beckoned, a dark and comforting abyss where nothing would matter anymore.
She closed her eyes, and as the wind howled louder, she took a step forward, letting the earth slip away beneath her feet. The darkness began to swallow her whole.
But just as she braced herself for the end, a voice soft, almost otherworldly cut through the storm like a knife.
"Alicia, dear… Alicia, what are you doing? May I have this dance?"
Alicia blinked, shock spreading across her face. She opened her eyes, and everything changed. She was no longer standing at the edge of the hill. She was back inside, sitting in the middle of a grand hall, surrounded by people. The storm was gone, the chaos was gone, and the tension in the air had lifted.
Her mother's voice broke through the surreal shift in reality. "Doctor, what happened to my daughter?"
The doctor, standing nearby, looked at Alicia with a calm, almost indifferent expression. "It's okay," he said, his voice soothing. "She just fainted, probably from the stress. But she's fine now."
Selina turned to the crowd, offering a bright, reassuring smile. "Everyone, continue as you were. It's all fine now," she called out, motioning for the others to resume their dancing. Without another word, Jake took Selina's hand, pulling her onto the dance floor. Not a single glance was spared for Alicia.
Her parents followed the doctor out, their conversation growing more distant. Alicia was left standing alone in the midst of the gathering.
That's when she saw him.
Standing before her, like a ghost from the past, was someone she thought she'd never see again.
"Rebel?" Alicia whispered, her voice a mix of disbelief and longing. "When did you come back? Why didn't you tell me you were coming?"
Rebel's smile was both warm and mysterious. He chuckled softly, pulling her into a tight embrace, his arms strong and familiar. "I wanted to surprise you," he said, his voice teasing. "When I heard Selina was getting married, I couldn't resist coming to see you. I had to make sure you were okay."
Alicia felt a rush of emotion, her heart pounding as she pulled back slightly, looking up at him. "You've been gone for so long. Why didn't you tell me?"
Rebel stroked her hair, his expression softening. "I wanted to be here for both my favorite cousin," he said quietly, his voice almost too calm. "I didn't want to miss this moment, so later on you will update about everything and I'll do the same."
Rebel gently took her hand and led her toward the dance floor, Alicia's mind began to race. The rain, the hill, the desperation it had all felt so real, so crushing. But now, everything seemed almost too perfect, too surreal. Was it an illusion? Or was something darker at play?
She shook her head, trying to focus on the present, but questions swirled in her mind. What had really happened on that hill? Why had the storm disappeared so suddenly?
Rebel's grip tightened around her as they moved together on the dance floor, his presence grounding her in the moment. For a brief instant, Alicia felt at peace. But the unsettling feeling lingered in her chest. Was she truly safe? Or was something far darker waiting just beneath the surface of this twisted reality?
There are still many untold stories waiting to unfold. Discover more in the next chapter of Secret Spy.
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