Chapter 76 Shadows of Memory
BELLA
Julie’s words echoed in my mind like a sinister whisper. I don’t want to die. Her voice had trembled, her wide eyes darting toward the door as though David might burst in at any moment.
I gripped her hand, my own trembling slightly. “No one’s going to hurt you,” I said, my voice firmer than I felt.
She shook her head, biting her lip. “You don’t understand, ma’am. If Mr. David finds out I told you…” Her words trailed off as tears pooled in her eyes.
I leaned closer, lowering my voice as though the walls had ears. “How would he find out? It’s just us in this room. I swear, Julie, your secret is safe with me.”
Her lips curved into a shaky smile, but there was no relief in her expression. “Boss always finds out. He has… his ways. But if you really want answers, maybe you should talk to Elowen. You used to tell her everything.”
“Elowen?” The name felt foreign on my tongue, like it belonged to someone else’s life. “I don’t even know who that is. How do I reach her?”
“You have a phone,” Julie said quickly. “Boss keeps it in his drawer. I’ve seen it.”
My heartbeat quickened. “And the diary?”
“There’s a day I saw you writing in it. You hid it under your bed when I came to deliver a message. Maybe that diary will help you remember.”
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. A diary, a phone, and a friend I couldn’t remember. Pieces of my life dangled just out of reach, teasing me with the promise of answers.
Before I could ask more, the door creaked open. I froze, my pulse pounding in my ears as David stepped inside, his sharp gaze landing on Julie.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, his voice calm but laced with suspicion.
Julie stiffened. “I… I was cleaning ma’am’s room,” she said, bowing her head. She didn’t wait for a reply, brushing past him in a rush as though his mere presence was suffocating.
David’s eyes lingered on her retreating figure before settling on me. The intensity in his gaze made my skin prickle. “What were you two talking about?” he asked, his tone deceptively light as he walked toward me.
“Nothing important,” I said quickly, forcing a smile. “Just girl stuff.”
His lips twitched into a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Hmm.” He leaned down, his hand brushing my hair as he kissed my forehead. “I’m heading out for a while. Do you need anything?”
I shook my head, pulling away. “No. I’m fine.”
He paused, studying me for a moment longer before finally leaving.
The second the door clicked shut, I exhaled the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My fingers itched with urgency as I dropped to my knees and began searching. If the diary was under the bed, then maybe…
Dust tickled my nose as I groped blindly beneath the frame until my fingertips brushed against something cool and smooth. I pulled it out, my heart hammering in my chest. A slim leather-bound book.
The moment I opened it, a wave of unease washed over me. The handwriting was familiar yet foreign, looping elegantly across the page. The first entry stared back at me:
He says he loves me, but sometimes I feel like his prisoner.
I slammed the book shut, my chest rising and falling rapidly. This diary held answers, but was I ready to face them?