From the distance where she stood, Emelia noticed Paige rush to the parking space. She could tell something was up just at the speed by which she moved. Excusing herself, she dashed off to check up on her.
"Paige... Paige..." she called, following her daughter from a distance. The former neither stopped nor spoke. One could tell that Emelia's calls were not getting to her.
On arriving at the family parking space where Paige had run towards, she saw her car screeched into the driveway and zoomed off– hitting the main street.
Emelia was left staring after the car in panic as its tail light disappeared in the distance. She had never seen her drive off like that.
---
The bright evening sky was gradually cozying with dark clouds. The air was swollen and the night breeze was slowly emaciating icy and withering wind.
Driving through the busy streets, Paige's sense of anxiety increased. Her thoughts continued to torment her and she sped up. She drove along the by-pass to avoid the evening traffic. Engrossed with the thoughts of getting to the location that the unknown ID sent.
All along, Paige kept trying to get through to either Nolan or Itzel's line but none of them were answering. She felt her heart palpitate with rage. Perplexity took the best of her thinking as she navigated the route to the location.
About half an hour later, she veered into the forecourt of HAZEL BAY HOTEL. With a rude jolt, the car came to a halt. She flung her legs out and got off. Slamming the door behind her with a tod– not bothering to even lock it.
All eyes present at the moment instantly traveled her way as she hustled through the hotel's lobby. She could even hear the murmurs and questionable looks that veered her way any time she bypassed people but she didn't give a damn.
Fortunately, she knew where she should go. Room 408, she clearly remembered without even trying. Paige knew what she saw but as falsely as she wanted it to be, she was proved wrong when she swung the door open. A mistake on their side.
Her eyes instantly heightened in shock and she froze in perplexity.
Right before her, was her sister, but she wasn't alone.
Itzel was lying bare on the three-seater couch and between her legs, was her newly wedded husband, Nolan, whom she thought she knew for years with their clothes scattered around in the heat of the moment.
Nolan yanks her slowly and hard while Itzel blushes and moans beneath him.
As if suddenly shaken from a slumber, Paige charges towards them, hot with anger. They were in such a pleasurable and blissful moment that they didn't notice her presence.
Without warning, her hand wrapped around Nolan's arm and pulled him, "You cheating bastard!" she lands a slap across his face. Itzel intuitively jolts up in the cause of event, her brows arched in surprise, wondering how she got to know about them.
She was about to mentor out the same treatment to Itzel when Nolan held her hand midway. He rudely jerked her off.
Paige staggers but holds her ground while returning her gaze to her betrayers. Tears were by now, shimmering in her eyes.
Instead of feeling guilty and ashamed, a smile played at the corners of Itzel's lips, suddenly feeling important. They both remained unbothered.
Paige felt her heart heavy with emotions. Watching them, the tears she had been holding back, freely streak down her cheeks. Their indifference nettled her. "You miserable wretch!" Staring intently at Itzel, she mentally attacked her as she shook with anger.
Both Nolan and Itzel could easily read through her even if she didn't say anything. "What? Do you feel cheated?" he sounded rather mocking than apologetic though he could see the pain in her eyes.
As if to spite her, he took Itzel's hand with his left hand and squeezed it affectionately. Paige's eyes were monitoring him all along and remained fixed on his wedding ring.
"If you were going to be like this then why all these years? Why did you marry me?" she said, lifting her gaze to him.
He smirked, letting go of Itzel's hand. "This?" he asked, removing the ring. "This is just camouflage," he smugs, "Who was going to marry you with that condition of yours? You should be thankful I am doing you the favor." He prided himself.
"A favor?" she nearly went into a fit of rage. "Then what about all the time we spent together?"
"Don't get ahead of yourself Paige," Itzel snapped, dressing up. "Mum asked him to," she said, lying the truth squarely at her doorstep.
"Mum?" There was a tremor in her voice as she re-echoed her sister's words. She couldn't believe her family was in on it. The pain in her chest is exacerbated and she staggers, suddenly feeling weak.
At this point, Paige knew she wouldn't be able to take it anymore though she had braced herself for the inevitable. She looked hurt, and compounding her misery was her sister's attitude towards her.
Bantering words with them was only deteriorating her mental health. All that they said can't be true, she stated mentally. She needs to hear it all from her mother. Her sister's remark elicited a barrage of questions.
She staggers about to faint but holds on, 'I need answers, I need answers.' the words echo in her mind as she saunters out like a drunkard.
Walking down, under the same daggering and scrutinizing eyes, she exited the hotel. The leaden sky had now begun releasing its content.
Hopping into her car, she reversed it and drove at the same speed as she had come. Hitting the main streets, the rain came steady and cold against the windshield and rattled on the roof of the car. The wipers were barely keeping up with the cold hard rain. As it ran down the window, the street gleamed but Paige was absent-minded.
Their words echo and re-echoing. At that moment, lost memories of knowing about her sister and Nolan's affair started playing vividly in her head. It was then that she realized that this wasn't the first time.
She was living the recurring hurtful events she had lost memory of. Devastated, she shouted, banging hard on the wheels as she felt her frustration, coupled with a growing anger welling up within.
She was so engrossed in her emotions that she didn't realize when she veered out of her track. A bright headlight from a fast-approaching trailer strikes her windshield, jerking her to reality.
Before she could latch on her wheel and brakes, her car met heads-on with the trailer. Her vision instantly went blank, a loud clashing sound was the only audible thing in her ears while pieces of broken mirror and glasses flew in the air.
On the rainy and wet street, the tires of the two vehicles screech on the asphalt. Subconsciously, she felt the impact.
"Please save me, whoever you are." her subconscious mind cried to any deity at all.