Chapter Five

As I sat at the hospital bed, my mind drifted back to the cryptic letter and the key that I found at the attic. It was so funny to think how Daniel would think that I would cheat on him. Really funny.

I was trying to make sense of the whole thing. Like what is this key for? Where was it going to unlock? And what will i find out?

Knock! Knock! Knock!

My head tilted right towards the door. I saw a stranger. He was tall with piercing blue eyes and a charming smile. He had dark hair, a prominent forehead and sharp jawline just like a model's. 

"Come in." I said and he got in. What could a stranger be looking for in Daniel's room?

"Hey, I'm Alex," he said extending his hands to me, "Daniel's old friend from way back."

I shook his hand, my grip firm. "I'm Lexi, his wife."

Alex's eyes widened in surprise. "Wife? Daniel never mentioned he was married."

I raised an eyebrow, "Well that's strange considering you're an old friend."

Alex chuckled, "We lost touch for a while. I have been trying to reach out to him for years."

I was not convinced. There was something about Alex that just didn't add up but I couldn't tell what it was. Maybe it was the way he seemed to appear out of nowhere or the way he spoke about Daniel's past with an air of familiarity that made me uneasy.

"Can I have a seat?" He gestured.

"Sure." I patted at the seat and he sat down next to me.

He chuckled, "You know, Daniel was always fascinated by the supernatural. He got into a secret society, one that dabbled with the occult."

I squinted my eyes wondering why Alex was telling me this. I mean, Daniel had never told me this before.

"They promised him power, knowledge, and secrets beyond his wildest imaginations." He turned his neck and looked at me.

"What kind of secrets?" I felt a cold chill run down my spine as I swallowed hard, my heart beating loudly.

Alex hesitated for a bit. He looked around the hospital as if walls have ears and what he would tell me would be overheard then he pushed his attention back at me.

"Dark secrets Lexi. The kind that can destroy lives." He answered lowering his tone as he spoke, "Daniel was obsessed with uncovering the truth, but it consumed him. He became reckless taking risks that could put himself and those around him in danger."

"Why are you telling me this?" I shuddered.

"Your life is in danger Lexi. As long as you are close to Daniel, your life will always be in danger."

"But I can't leave him Alex. I can't." I cried.

"I'm not telling you to leave him but you need to understand what you're getting yourself into. You are messing with the supernatural by trying to bring Daniel's memories back. His memories needs to be gone forever. Permanently."

That word hit me hard like a stone. Gone forever?

"Why?"

"You ask too many questions Lexi. That key in your hand." He pointed his eyes at the key in my right hand, the one I found at the attic. "Best to throw it away. You won't like what you're going to discover."

I felt a cold breeze around me. Fear and terror surrounding me.

As the visit ended, Alex handed me over his card. "If you need anything, don't hesitate to call. I'm here to help."

I took the card and held on to it absent-mindedly. My mind was racing with a cloud of questions but I was still dumbfounded by what I just discovered today.

I turned and looked at Daniel lying so innocently on the bed. There was still more I didn't know of this man whom I got married to.

♡

I was running away from something. Something was hunting for my life. I knew very well that I was in a bush, barefoot, running really really fast. I couldn't see what was chasing me but I knew something was chasing me.

I tried my best to run as fast as I could but then I stumbled upon a stone and twisted my ankle. I felt pains around my ankle and couldn't get up. The storm calm down and then a calm whistle surrounded me.

It was very scary. It was calm yet scary.

"Lexi," a voice whispered in my ears and I popped my eye open.

It was just a dream. Thank God it was just a dream. Cold sweat was dripping all over my body. I have never had a dream like this before.

I raised my head and saw Daniel still lying on the bed with his eyes shut. As I stood up something fell off me. I looked down, a note. 

I got down and picked up the note then I turned it to see the message in it.

It made my blood run cold: "Stop digging Lexi while you still can."

Who sent this message?

I ran out to the entrance of the ward, looked right and left but couldn't see anyone apart from the doctors and nurses. Could it be that one of the staff was playing a prank on me?

No. The dream can't be a coincidence either. Then I remembered what Alex told me about Daniel.

"Your life is in danger Lexi. As long as you are close to Daniel, your life will always be in danger."

It hit hard on me. What i was getting myself into was no child's play.

I started hearing murmurings by the door. It grew louder, then the door popped open.

Victoria. Daniel's mom.

I couldn't say if I was excited to see or if I was just neutral. I mean, she never even seemed to care about Daniel. Even when I called her up to check on her son when he had amnesia. Seemed she had more important things to be handling.

She got closer and closer looking round the hospital with her eyes narrowed the she turned to me. "Lexi, we need to talk."

"Sure mother. How are you doing?" I sensed a tension in her voice but I tried as much as possible to stay calm.

She dismissed my concern with a wave of a hand. "I'm fine. It's John I'm worried about. And you?"

"Me?" I asked taken aback.

"Yes you," she glared her eyes at me. I could see what looked like hatred. "Can we talk outside for a moment. At the waiting room."

"Sure," I followed her out and we sat at one of the empty benches.

"Lexi," she placed her hands on top of mine, "You've always been a bit of a mystery to me," she squinted her eyes.

"Daniel never told me much about you but I could tell he was obsessed with you." She peered at me, "a very unhealthy obsession." She emphasised on the last word.

Daniel obsessed with me? Wasn't it the same Daniel that treated me like trash? Why would he be obsessed with someone he treats like trash?

I swallowed hard and shifted uncomfortably on my seat. "Mother, I assure you. My relationship with your son is genuine. I love him and I'm only trying to make him recover," I assured her. 

Victoria snorted, "Stop it Lexi! I know all your little games."

My eyes widened.

"You've been manipulating Daniel from the start," she continued, "playing with his vulnerabilities. And now his memory is gone, what next? You are taking advantage of him even more." She rose up from her seat in anger.

I felt a surge of anger at her accusations. "Don't lie to me Lexi," she continued, "I know what I see. You're using Daniel for your own selfish purposes and I won't let you continue to hurt him."

"Hurt him?" My eyes got watery, "I would never think of causing any harm to your son." I grabbed her hand to reassure her.

She flung it away, "Liar!" And stormed off. 

I couldn't understand anything. I really couldn't understand anything. What was happening?