KIMBERLEY
I walked.
And walked.
And walked.
My feet ached. My dress clung to my skin, damp from the mist in the air. My heels, long abandoned, dangled from my fingers.
The whispers still rang in my ears.
The laughter.
The judgment.
The humiliation.
I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the memories away. But they refused to leave, taunting me with every breath I took. I could still hear them, their voices ringing in my ears like an echo I couldn't escape.
"Did you see her?"
"Pathetic."
"What was she thinking?"
"As if someone like Alexander would ever truly want her."
I didn't know where I was going. I just knew I had to get away.
From the ball.
From those people.
From Alexander.
My vision blurred, but I refused to cry.
I was already weak enough. I wouldn't break on top of it.
The sky rumbled.
A warning.
Then, without hesitation, the heavens opened up.
The rain came fast.
Cold.
Merciless.
Within seconds, I was drenched. My dress heavy against my skin, my hair plastered to my face.
Still, I walked.
Because what else could I do?
I had no money.
No phone.
No one to call.
And even if I did, who would come for me?
Not my family.
Not Alexander.
I bit down on my lip, pushing through the icy drops pounding against my skin. My body shook violently from the cold, but I didn't stop.
I couldn't stop.
I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.
I refused to be the girl who broke down in the rain over a man who didn't even care.
I don't know how much longer I walked before my legs finally gave out.
One moment, I was moving. The next, I was on the ground, my knees scraping against the wet pavement. The pain barely registered, drowned out by the numbness spreading through my body.
I was shaking violently now, my body protesting against the cold, but I couldn't find the strength to stand again.
I was exhausted.
Physically.
Mentally.
Emotionally.
And for the first time since I had started walking, I felt it creeping in.
The hopelessness.
The exhaustion.
The overwhelming sense of being alone.
I swallowed hard, blinking against the rain that blurred my vision.
No one was coming.
No one cared.
I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to stop the shivers wracking my body. My breath came in uneven gasps, my chest tight with emotions I didn't want to name.
ALEXANDER
The rain poured harder.
I sat in my study, a glass of whiskey in my hand, trying to focus on the papers in front of me.
But I couldn't.
Because all I could think about was her.
Kimberley.
Alone.
In the dark.
In the rain.
I clenched my jaw.
Why should I care?
She embarrassed me.
She made a fool of me.
Yet…
Yet.
I set my glass down with a loud clink.
My chest felt tight.
I could picture her now lost, soaked, shivering.
She was stubborn.
She wouldn't call for help.
She wouldn't ask.
I exhaled sharply and pushed back from my chair.
Before I knew it, I was grabbing my keys.
My coat.
And heading into the storm.
The rain was relentless, slamming against the windshield as I drove down the empty streets. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, my jaw locked in frustration.
Where the hell was she?
She had no phone. No money. And knowing Kimberley, she wouldn't have asked for help. She would rather suffer than admit she needed someone.
Damn it.
I shouldn't care.
I should let her deal with the consequences of her stubbornness.
But I couldn't.
Something in me, something infuriatingly persistent refused to let this go.
I scanned the sidewalks, the alleys, and the bus stops. Nothing.
The streets were nearly deserted, the storm forcing everyone indoors. But not her.
I pressed harder on the gas, heart pounding.
Then….
A figure.
Lying motionless on the pavement ahead.
I slammed the brakes. The car skidded slightly before stopping.
My pulse roared in my ears as I threw the door open and ran towards her.
"Kimberley!"
She didn't move.
Her skin was icy cold, her body limp.
I crouched down, pressing my fingers to her cheek. Her breathing was shallow, her face pale beneath the streetlights.
She must have slipped. Maybe hit her head.
I cursed under my breath before scooping her up.
She barely weighed anything.
Her wet dress clung to her frame, her lips slightly parted.
I shouldn't have let this happen.
Damn it.
Without another thought, I carried her back to the car, placing her gently in the passenger seat. I reached over and buckled her in, brushing damp hair from her face before pulling away from the curb.
The hospital wasn't far.
But it felt like the longest drive of my life.
KIMBERLEY
A steady beeping pulled me from the darkness.
My eyes fluttered open, the harsh white light making me wince.
Where... am I?
The scent of antiseptic filled the air. Machines beeped rhythmically.
I was in a hospital.
Confusion settled in.
The last thing I remembered was walking in the rain.. then I sat close to the pavement when the rain became too much, then tried to cross over the pavement but I saw myself falling.
How did I get here?
I turned my head, wincing at the slight ache at the back of my skull. A nurse was checking something on the IV stand beside me.
I swallowed hard. "Who... brought me here?"
The nurse barely glanced at me. "You should rest, miss. You had a nasty fall."
"Please," I pushed, my voice hoarse. "Who brought me here?"
She hesitated. Then smiled politely.
"I'm sorry, but I can't disclose that information."
My heart sank.
Who would have bothered to bring me to the hospital... and then leave?
I already knew the answer, or maybe It's just my wild imagination. He left me, left me there, he didn't even believe me, instead he left me.
He won't come back, not when the rain is even pouring.
And for some reason, it hurt more than I expected that he wasn't the one who brought me here.