Chapter 54 – Dawning Light
Isabel’s POV
+25 BONUS
The darkness seemed endless, pressing in on me from all sides. My breath came in short, panicked gasps. It felt as if the walls were closing in tighter with every second.
The small, enclosed space felt like it was crushing me. Squeezing out any last bit of hope. My head throbbed painfully, each pulse of my heartbeat sending sharp pains through my temples. Was this how I would die? Trapped, alone, and suffocated by my own terror?
The memories came rushing back, as vivid as the day they happened. Falling down those stairs. Lilith’s wicked smile. The sickening crack of bone against stone. Until there was only darkness.
I had lost my baby in that darkness. The same darkness that surrounded me now.
The fear that had taken root inside me was growing like a dark vine, swallowing me whole. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream. The overwhelming dread was too much.
But then, through the suffocating silence, I heard it–a loud crash. And then another. My head jolted upright. What was happening?
Light burst into the room. The oppressive darkness was finally broken.
My eyes blinked against the sudden brightness, and I saw a figure rushing toward me. Emerson. He was here again to save me, just like before. The look on his face was one I never expected–pure, unfiltered panic.
“Isabel!” His voice was sharp and desperate, “Are you okay?” It cut through the fog in my mind. “Emer-” I tried to respond, but my lips trembled uncontrollably.
No more words came out, only broken sobs as my body shook with fear. I tried to scramble, to sit upright. But I was still too weak from the shock.
The next moment, Emerson was right next to me. He pulled me into his arms. He held me close, trying to calm the storm raging inside me.
“You’re safe now,” he whispered, his voice strained. But it did little to soothe the terror still clawing at my chest.
My fingers clutched at his shirt, the fabric soft under my hands. All I could focus on was the wild beating of my heart and the lingering darkness at the edge of my vision.
1/3
+25 BONUS
Chapter 54 – Dawning Light
“Did you get hurt? Why are you shaking so badly?” Emerson asked worriedly, but all I could answer him with was a gasp of fear. He noticed the severity of my condition. Without hesitation, he scooped me up into his arms, cradling me as if I were made of glass. My head rested against his chest.
“Don’t be afraid, I’ll take you to see the doctor right away.” He was comforting me, but it sounded like he was comforting himself too. I could hear the steady thump of his heart–so calm, so unlike the chaos inside me. He carried me out of the building and into his car. His movements were quick but careful, as if he was afraid I might
shatter.
I was barely aware of the drive to the hospital. The city lights blurred into streaks of color as we sped through the streets. Emerson’s grip on the steering wheel was tight, his knuckles white. His eyes flicked over to me every few seconds, filled with a worry that made my chest ache in a way I didn’t expect. “Hold on, we’re almost there. We’re almost there.” he murmured.
When we arrived at the hospital, everything seemed to move in a haze. Emerson carried me inside, his voice urgent as he called for Eric.
“She needs a tranquilizer!” Moments later, I felt the sharp sting of a needle in my arm. and then the world faded into nothingness.
When I woke up, the room was dim. The only light came from a small lamp on the bedside table. The soft hum of the hospital filled the space, a stark contrast to the dark silence that had nearly consumed me earlier. I blinked, trying to orient myself.
Then I saw him–Emerson, sitting beside the bed. His face was shadowed with something I couldn’t quite place.
He looked at me with an intensity that made my breath catch. There was something different about him, something that made my heart beat faster. “When did it start?” he asked, his voice low and steady.
I frowned, confused. “When did what start?”
“Your claustrophobia,” he clarified, his eyes not leaving mine. “Did it start when you fell down the stairs?”
His words hit me like a physical blow, and I had to fight to keep my composure. How did he know? How could he possibly know? hadn’t told anyone. I hadn’t spoken of the terror that gripped me in small spaces. It was a secret I had buried deep. One I didn’t want to acknowledge, let alone share.
