Chapter 1 he didn't come
Anaya’s P.O.V.
“Vincent clearly knows how to make you look more beautiful than you already are, making us jealous of your beauty.” Rose gushed, faking jealousy, and beamed in the end while looking at me admiringly through the mirror in front of us.
She wasn’t wrong about Vincent’s choice of the bridal gown, though.
I myself was admiring my reflection in the pure white off-the-shoulder bridal gown that Vincent had chosen for me. With my athletic build with the right curves, I was looking beautiful even without makeup.
I am sure that I will look more beautiful on my wedding day when I have makeup and other accessories on me.
“Speaking of the man…. Where is he? He must be here by now,” Nancy asked in a confused tone while looking at her wristwatch.
I also looked at my wristwatch; an uneasiness crept into my heart at the same time. Vincent and I talked an hour ago. He should be here by now.
“Let me call him,” Nancy said, and I nodded in response while looking at myself in the mirror again.
“What the hell,” Nancy yelled, making me look at her again. Anxiety gripped my heart when I saw the anxious look on her face.
“He…. He is not reachable,” she yelled again while looking at her phone screen.
“He may be caught in the traffic. It’s rush hour,” Rose comforted me while holding me from behind.
I nodded, hoping that that’s exactly the reason for his delay.
“You should sit down, Ma’am.” The salesgirl standing at a distance from us suggested it out of concern.
“Yes, Anaya. You have been standing for so long. The dress is already yours. Let’s sit down and wait for him a few more minutes.” Rose also suggested it but couldn’t mask her worry in her voice.
I took Rose’s raised hand and walked to the couch to sit down, but I asked Nancy for my phone.
“I am already trying him, Anaya. I also sent him a text message. He is not replying.” Nancy muttered under her breath, anger and anxiety mixed in her voice.
I slumped on the couch, so many negative thoughts filling my mind now.
Ever since my mother died when I was nine, nothing good has happened in my life. My stepmother was also caring, but it was my biological father who made my life hell.
I flinched harder when my phone suddenly rang aloud.
I looked at the screen immediately and saw an unfamiliar string of numbers.
“Take the call, Anaya. What if Vincent is calling?” Rose urged me anxiously.
I just nodded and took the call.
“Hello! Is this Anaya Rivers?” A strange man asked me in a calm tone.
My heart suddenly started beating furiously against my ribcage. A foreboding feeling crept into my heart.
“Yes. Who is calling?” I asked him anxiously, my palms sweating furiously now. The calmness in his voice was something that left me unsettled.
I felt as if I were sitting on pins and needles.
“Do you know Vincent Hart?” He asked me the next, and my heart sank.
“I am his girlfriend. We are about to tie the knot. Where is he? Is he okay?” I asked him anxiously after introducing myself to him.
“You need to stay calm, Ms. Rivers.” He asked me cautiously, and the color drained from my face, so many negative thoughts rushing in my mind, making my heart race against my ribcage.
“Where is he, Mister? And who are you?” I yelled at him this time, my voice cracking a bit.
Rose held me tightly by my arms.
“I am Detective Ralph, Ms. Rivers. You need to come to Holy Bell Hospital as soon as possible. Mr. Hart was in an accident half an hour ago and right now he is in OR fo……” I couldn’t hear the next words as a shrill ringing sound hit my eardrums.
My phone slipped from my hand, and my vision got dark.
“Anaya….. Anaya.” I heard someone yelling at me. My body shook badly, but all I could hear was that shrill ringing sound.
A sharp pain in my face jolted me awake, and I jerked my head harshly.
“You need to stay calm, girl. He is in the hospital. I am sure that he is okay. Let’s go.” Rose yelled at me.
I rubbed my cheek, which was still stinging badly, listening to her yelling but unable to react normally.
“Take her to change her clothes, Rose. I am running there. You bring her later.” Nancy instructed Rose hurriedly, and I slowly came back to my senses.
Vincent.
Accident.
Hospital…
I stood up abruptly and looked at Rose through tears.
“Let’s go. We don’t have time to waste.” Rose instructed me hurriedly and dragged me towards the changing room while she was still holding my arm.
I lifted the skirt of my gown and ran towards the changing room.
He must be okay. He promised me a lifetime of companionship.
He can’t break that promise to me.
He knew how precious our relationship is to me. He knew how important he is to me.
He can’t break that promise.
All the beautiful moments that I and Vincent spent together all these years reeled in front of my eyes.
From the first day of our meeting, from a competitor to a companion and then lovers…. The whole journey reeled in front of my eyes.
No, the heavens above can’t be this cruel to me. Vincent was the only good thing in my life. I prayed to the heavens to keep him safe for me.
I didn’t know how I changed my clothes, but the next thing I registered was that I was sitting in the passenger’s seat, and Rose’s phone was ringing badly through the car system.
“Is he okay?” Rose asked Nancy after taking the call. Her phone was now connected to the Bluetooth system of the car.
“Where are you guys?” Nancy asked Rose in a stiff voice, and my heart started sinking.
“Is he alive?” I asked Nancy in a shaky voice.
She didn’t speak. Her silence was noisier. the sound of a volcano eruption or the explosion of a bomb.
“Tell me he is alive, Nancy. No matter how badly he is injured or even if he is in a coma, just tell me that he is alive. That’s all I want to hear right now.” I pleaded to her in a choked voice while speaking whatever worse came to my mind, still holding a ray of hope in my heart when she didn't speak for a few seconds.
This wait was killing me now.
“Yo…. You need to …. To….. to stay calm, girl. I am sorry.” The whole world spun hard as soon as she uttered sorry.
“Anaya.” I heard Rose yelling my name frantically, but all I could hear was that sorry.
“I will never leave you, love. You will never be alone in this life span.” My mind played Vincent’s promise to me with that dashing and assuring smile on his lips.
And then…..
Everything turned black, and the world around me became silent.