Is He Sadistic Or What!?

Claire's POV

I leaned back on the seat, exhaustion hitting me like a wave. My body ached, my wrists still raw from the chains, and my mind was a mess. But as tired as I was, I didn't dare take a nap in a stranger's car, not in the condition I was in. Who knew what could happen? My eyes fluttered shut for a moment, but I forced them open again, checking the road ahead.

Am I on the right track?

I glanced out the window every few minutes, watching the dark streets pass by. My fingers curled into fists, my mind still racing from everything that had just happened—escaping the mansion, Evander's piercing stare, and the endless questions swirling in my head. What is he planning? Why didn't he stop me?

I was so lost in thought that I barely noticed when the taxi slowed to a stop. My breath hitched. The car wasn't near the place I wished to go. A sudden chill ran down my spine, my heart pounding in my chest. Why is he stopping here? Panic surged through me. I barely escaped my ex-husband, and now this? Was this another trap?

The driver looked back at me through the rearview mirror; his expression was unreadable.

"Miss, I was told to take you here to the hospital because you were injured," he said, his voice oddly calm. "You don't need to pay the fare."

My mind reeled. The taxi fare... I hadn't even thought about that. I had no money on me, nothing but the clothes on my back. "What?!" I barely managed to respond, still trying to process what he said.

"I… I didn't know—" I stammered, my hand reaching for the door handle, ready to flee if necessary. My heart raced even faster as I climbed out of the taxi, every instinct telling me something was wrong. "Did Susan ask you to—"

I stopped mid-sentence. My stomach turned at the thought. How could she help me tend to my wound?

The driver must have overheard my question because he looked at me, his brow furrowed.

"No, miss, it wasn't a woman. It was a man," he said, his voice a little lower this time. "He told me to take you to the nearest hospital. He said his wife was injured badly."

My blood turned to ice.

"A man?" My voice trembled as I repeated his words.

 Evander.

There was no doubt in my mind. My jaw clenched in fury as the driver drove off without another word, leaving me standing alone under the dim streetlight.

I stared after the disappearing taxi, my mind spinning. Evander… It was always him. Even now, even when I thought I had escaped, he was still pulling the strings, controlling my every move.

"Just what the hell are you, Evander?" I hissed through gritted teeth, my heart pounding with a mixture of rage and helplessness. The man was everywhere, in every corner of my life, never letting me go.

With a frustrated sigh, I turned toward the hospital. I had no choice but to go in and get my wound treated. The dull pain in my ankle throbbed, reminding me to tend to it.

But why would he let me leave, only to have me brought here? My mind refused to settle on any answer that made sense.

Is he sadistic or what!? He never acted without purpose, and that was what terrified me the most. What game was he playing this time?

As I stepped through the doors of the hospital, the sterile scent hit me, and for a moment, I felt nauseous. My mind still reeling, I walked up to the reception desk, doing my best to calm the storm inside me.

Before I could say a word, a nurse in a crisp white uniform approached me with a sympathetic smile. "Miss Claire," she said softly, as though she had been expecting me. "Please come this way."

I followed her through the quiet halls, my legs heavy and unsteady. My heart thudded in my chest as I glanced around. 

It was the same hospital I was in when I lost my child! Almost nothing changed here… other than me!

She led me into the emergency room and motioned for me to sit on the sterile hospital bed. I did as she asked, wincing as I shifted my weight to accommodate the throbbing pain in my ankle. The nurse moved quickly, retrieving a small tube of ointment from her tray. As she dabbed it onto my wound, a sharp sting shot through me.

"Ouch!" I hissed, recoiling from the burn. The pain was intense for a moment, but it was soon followed by a soothing coolness that settled over my ankle, dulling the ache.

"It's done," the nurse said gently, stepping back. I looked at her for a moment, my mind buzzing with questions I couldn't form into words. Why does everyone know who I am? Why does everyone know more about my situation than I do?

Sensing my confusion, the nurse gave me a soft, knowing smile. "Your husband already paid the bill," she said, sending a fresh wave of frustration through me. "You can stay here for the night and—"

Before she could finish, I pulled my legs off the bed and tried to stand, but my body protested. It felt weak and shaky from everything it had endured, but I couldn't stay here. I didn't want to stay another minute under Evander's watchful gaze. He played games with me, and I refused to be his pawn.

But as soon as I stood, the room spun, and my legs gave way, nearly sending me to the floor.

"Easy, miss!" The nurse rushed to my side, catching me just before I hit the ground. She helped me back onto the bed, her hands steadying my trembling form. "Please, stay here! I don't wish to lose my job."

I slumped back against the pillows, my breathing ragged. 

The nurse's words echoed in my mind: Your husband already paid the bill. 

I was still lost in my thoughts, trying to make sense of everything, when an elderly woman approached me. Her face was weathered with age, but her eyes sparkled with warmth and familiarity. "Claire, my love!" she said, her voice soft yet full of affection, taking me completely off guard.

My eyes grew bigger in surprise as tears welled up in my eyes!

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What game do you think Evander is playing and who is this elderly woman? Read ahead to know more, till then, don't forget to send gifts and Golden tickets! Please help me grow my book. Your support is much needed!