Zander's POV
As I pulled up to the hotel, my heart was racing against my chest . I quickly parked my car and went inside. The lobby was bustling with travellers, but I was on a mission. I made my way to the elevators and pressed the button for the 40th floor.
As I pulled up, I could not help but feel frustrated and angry. The doors finally opened and I stepped out. But as soon as I stepped out of the elevator, my eyes widened in horror. The corridor was packed with people, and I knew something was wrong.
That's when I saw Cynthia being wheeled out on a stretcher, her eyes closed and her face pale. I could not believe what I saw. The hotel manager promptly approached me and informed me that my wife had ignited a fire in our room and remained inside.
My heart fell when I realised the gravity of the situation. I knew Cynthia was unpredictable, but I never expected her to do something like this. The paramedics rushed past me, pushing her stretcher out of the hotel and into an ambulance waiting outside.
I followed them outside, my mind racing with dread and bewilderment. I asked one of the paramedics whether Cynthia was okay, but their reaction made me even more nervous. They stated that she had breathed too much smoke and should be transported to the hospital immediately.
I got into the ambulance with them, desperate to be by Cynthia's side and make sure she was okay. But as we drove away from the hotel, I could not help but wonder what motivated her to ignite the fire in the first place.
~~~~~~
I sat outside the ward where Cynthia was taken, anxiously checking the time. I had an important meeting to attend, but I couldn't leave her alone. The ward entrance finally opened, and I quickly approached the doctor.
"How is she?" I asked, my worry evident.
"She's stable now. You can go see her," the doctor replied with a smile.
I rushed into the ward to find Cynthia lying awake in bed. I couldn't comprehend her actions.
"Cynthia, why did you start the fire?" I asked, my tone cold and disbelieving.
Her gaze remained fixed on the ceiling as she calmly explained, "I was alone in your dark apartment, consumed by terrible thoughts. It drove me crazy, and I thought burning it down would give me some retribution. I wanted to escape from you, to hurt you in any way possible."
I shook my head, taken aback by her words. "What if you had died?" I countered, my anger barely contained. Dealing with her unpredictable behavior was just as challenging as I had anticipated.
"But I didn't die, did I? Besides, my death would have brought you joy. Your precious secret would have died with me," Cynthia casually replied.
As anger, frustration, and worry washed over me simultaneously, I struggled to control my emotions. "Get up, we're going home," I commanded, trying to sound composed.
"Can't I just stay here for the night? Being around you suffocates me, and being in your house feels like being trapped in a graveyard," she calmly requested.
"I'm giving you two minutes to rise from that bed so we can leave," I said sternly, my blood pressure rising with each passing second. Cynthia closed her eyes and held her head as if in pain. I frowned, wondering what new drama she was about to pull. She quickly opened her eyes and started panting heavily, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"They are coming!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling. I raised an eyebrow, wondering who she was talking about now.
"Zander, we need to leave this place immediately. Our lives are in danger," Cynthia said, quickly getting off the hospital bed and putting on her shoes. I was sure that the medicine was affecting her brain at this point, as she was not making much sense.
I walked towards the door of the ward and opened it, ready to leave. However, my eyes widened as I saw a group of women dressed in white coming towards the ward. Judging by their scent, I knew they were shapeshift foxes , and I knew they had not come for a good reason.
I closed the door urgently. "Cynthia, we have to jump out of the window or else we're as good as dead," I said. Cynthia's eyes widened in shock.
"I'm scared of heights, I can't jump," Cynthia stammered.
"Trust me, I won't let you fall," I promised. Cynthia scoffed.
"I'd rather trust a stone than trust you. Didn't you say that trust was an illusion?" Cynthia asked, using my own words against me.
Without saying a word, I moved swiftly to her using my speed. I held her tiny waist, pulling her to me. Moving to the window, I pushed it open and jumped, holding her close to me. Cynthia hid her head in my chest, her tiny frame trembling. For some silly reason, I felt a heat flushing through my body as I felt how close she was to me.
With my feet touching the ground, Cynthia quickly slipped out of my embrace.
"You can't escape us, Zander," a group of men in front of us warned, each of them brandishing swords.
"What do you want?" I asked, my tone icy.
"I want your wife dead, just like you ruthlessly killed mine. I've come for revenge, an eye for an eye, a life for a life," their leader sneered.
"I think I should make it clear now so you can tell your friends too. If you dare lay your filthy hands on my wife, you must know that hell will break loose and blood will be shed. Keep that in mind," I said sternly as I drew my gun from my trousers and fired at one of the guards, prompting the others to begin their attack.
Shielding Cynthia behind me, I fought back, shooting and kicking the men who were attacking. The hospital grounds erupted into chaos as gunfire, bodies hitting the ground, and groans filled the air.
"Stop!!!" Cynthia's voice rang out, causing the ground to tremble and some of the men to fall.
"I command you to leave this place immediately!" Cynthia's voice resonated loudly, causing the earth to shake even more as her eyes gleamed silver. What was she?
In less than a second, all the assailants vanished and Cynthia fell unconscious onto my chest. Something was clearly going on with her, but I still had to figure out what it was as I carried her to the car.
Within moments, I arrived at my villa, parked my car, and proceeded inside. The guard opened the door for me as I entered.
As I entered the dining room, my expression turned sour at the sight of someone sitting on the couch.
"Zander, you're here!" Nancy exclaimed, rising from the couch with a smirk on her lips.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, perplexed at her unexpected presence.
"Your Grandfather sent me, so I'll be staying," she replied with a smile, fully aware of my feelings towards her but unwilling to give up.
Silently, I made my way upstairs, leaving her standing alone.
Upon reaching my room, I gently laid Cynthia on the bed, her eyes closed in sleep.
As I turned to leave, I heard her softly murmuring something. Leaning in closer, I listened to her words.
"Mommy, where are you? Please, I need you," she mumbled, tears welling up in her eyes as she repeated the plea.
Exiting the room, I descended the stairs to find Nancy waiting for me. As soon as our eyes met, she made her way over to me, embracing me and pulling me into a passionate kiss, to which I reluctantly responded. I may not have loved her, but I couldn't deny the physical connection between us.