Chapter 3

Katrina's POV

Just then, my phone buzzed, and I noticed a message from Alicia.

"Help me! I'm locked in that hospital in the woods. The abandoned one. I'm terrified and I don't want to die!!"

I felt my blood run cold. Alicia was my sister, and I loved her more than anything in the world. But she had also betrayed me in the most devastating way possible. She had slept with my husband.

I stared at the message for a long moment, torn between my love for my sister and my anger at her betrayal. I knew that I should help her, but I also knew that she had put me through a lot.

Finally, I took a deep breath and texted her back.

"I'm on my way."

I sprinted towards the hospital, my legs carrying me as swiftly as possible. When I arrived, I confronted the dilapidated building, its old rusty door hanging precariously by a thread.

I hesitated for a moment, my hand on the door handle. I could still turn around and walk away. But then I thought about Alicia, alone and scared in that abandoned building. I knew that I had to help her.

I took a deep breath and opened the door.

Stepping into the hospital, I initiated my search for Alicia. Instinctively, I reached into my pocket for my phone, only to discover it was missing.

It must have slipped out of my grasp back at the bridge. Desperate to locate Alicia, I called out her name, but my voice was met with a disconcerting creaking sound, followed by a resounding bang.

Rushing towards the exit, I realized the door had become jammed, effectively trapping me inside.

Navigating through various rooms, I carefully combed the area, hoping to find any trace of Alicia.

Eventually, I arrived at a window and caught sight of a silhouette staring back at me. As I focused my gaze, I recognized the figure as Alicia.

"Alicia!" I called out, my voice infused with relief.

"Please help me! The door is stuck! I can't get out!" I continued to yell, but Alicia responded with a chilling laughter that resonated through the air.

In a disheartening turn of events, I followed her gaze and noticed that the hospital was engulfed in flames.

My eyes widened in horror as panic set in, and I pleaded with Alicia, desperately imploring her to save me.

However, instead of offering assistance, she callously threw a large rock in my direction.

Before I could evade its path, the rock collided forcefully with my head, causing me to break down, blood trickling from the wound.

As the fire rapidly consumed the room, an intense heat enveloped me, searing my skin.

Overwhelmed by the flames, I found myself growing increasingly weak, unable to escape the perilous situation.

In those frightening moments, my life flashed before my eyes, and a sense of impending doom washed over me.

I struggled to keep my eyes open, but the weight of exhaustion was overpowering. The burning surroundings seemed to merge with my vision, as if my own existence was being consumed by the inferno.

In my mind's eye, I witnessed our wedding picture being reduced to ashes, symbolizing the destruction of my relationship with Domnic.

A disturbing vision materialized, depicting Alicia assuming my role in the mating ritual, flames reflecting in Domnic's eyes, a cruel reminder of his betrayal.

My thoughts turned to the absence of a child, a void that had persisted throughout the five years of our union.

Domnic had consistently discouraged the idea of having offspring, claiming he wanted me exclusively for himself. Now, the truth became apparent—his words were nothing more than lies.

Overwhelmed by despair and a profound sense of hopelessness, I made the decision to surrender, to cease the fight.

And then, everything faded into darkness..

I opened my eyes, only to find myself still confined within the sterile walls of the hospital room. Heat engulfed the space, flames dancing dangerous close to my body.

Yet, a wired insensitive shielded me from the searing pain that should have accompanied such a predicament. With hesitant steps, I rose to my feet, drawn in a way that cannot be explained towards the raging hell that engulfed the surroundings.

I was shocked and was too confused to do or say anything. , I retraced my path back to the spot where I had laid moments before.

What I beheld there was a sight that would forever haunt my memory. It was me, my own body consumed by the unforgiving flames, my eyes closed in eternal slumber.

"What is happening?" I shrieked, my voice quivering with fear. The realization washed over me like a server wave—I was dead.

I had perished. But why? Why was I subjected to this torment? I screamed in anguish, but no amount of protestation could alter the irrevocable truth of my demise.

Suddenly, a resounding crash echoed through the room, drawing my attention to the door. Hope shivered within me as I prayed for the arrival of Domnic, the person who held my heart.

However, to my surprise, it was Hudson who burst into the room, his features etched with determination. He had braved the inferno to rescue me? The question echoed relentlessly within my mind—why?

Hudson, the extremely handsome but annoying jerk who had awkwardly spilled wine on my dress during my mating party, remained my arch enemy.

His well-known dislike for feline companions puzzled me. So why was he extending a helping hand now? He had always violated my personal space displaying a blatant disregard for my boundaries.

I despised his presence and everything he stood for, but I couldn't push him away, for he was Domnic's brother.

"No, no, no, Kitty, please don't leave me," he pleaded, his voice filled with anguish as he delicately held my lifeless, burning body.

I couldn't make sense of the situation. Why would he subject himself to such torment for my sake?

He had never shown any fondness for me before. In silence, I watched him slowly succumb to the flames, his pain evident not only in his burns but also in the cries that echoed from deep within his heart.

Leaving the room behind, I wandered aimlessly through the complex corridors of the hospital, consumed by confusion.

Attempting to exit, I found myself inexplicably trapped within its walls. "Trying to escape, are we?" a gravelly voice called out.

I raised my gaze to behold an elderly man, his face disfigured and hauntingly mutilated, peering at me intently.

Overwhelmed by fear, I instinctively recoiled from the disfigured figure, hastily retreating from his presence.

Within the confines of the hospital, a multitude of spirits lurked, their ethereal forms haunting me relentlessly.

They tormented me, refusing to grant me a moment's rest. Their presence filled every corner.

"So, you yearned for a fairy-tale ending, only to be deceived," they jeered, their voices laced with a sinister knowledge of my personal journey.

"You were so naive, oblivious to your true mate," they taunted, their laughter echoing through the air. "She believed life was a perfect dream, a bed of roses.”