Chapter 5

NILA

Life is full of twists and turns. It can be frustrating—sometimes you get saved just when you’re ready to give up, and other times, when you crave comfort, you end up getting knocked down instead.

I shut my eyes and stood frozen, bracing myself for the inevitable impact of the car’s metal frame clashing with my body. I wondered how it would feel to fly off the road and land on the ground with a loud bang, my bones broken into pieces as I hit the hard gravel.

I guess I would only ever get to wonder as nothing happened. The car stopped mere inches from me, and then I heard footsteps, angry ones, marching in my direction.

Seriously? They stopped? How hard is it to just hit me? People die in car accidents all the time.

I could already picture the driver cursing me out, demanding to know if I was out of my mind for nearly forcing him to commit a crime.

I braced myself, staring at the ground, as he approached. But instead of the harsh words I was expecting, a gentle voice broke through my thoughts. "Are you okay?"

I swallowed hard, the unexpected kindness catching me off guard. That was my undoing. The tears came, and I shook my head.

"No, I'm not okay," I whispered.

So much had happened, but I wasn’t about to spill my pathetic story to a stranger. I felt pitiful enough as it was.

"Come, Let's get you off the road."

The voice sounded familiar, and I looked up, startled, to see who was with me. It was Nathan—Silas’ brother.

"Nila?" His eyes widened in shock, clearly taken aback by my appearance and the situation.

"Nathan!"

I had no idea whose gasp was the loudest but I knew it wasn't excitement we felt as we saw each other again. I felt ashamed to see my brother-in-law like this and he seemed surprised to see me looking haggard and trying to commit suicide in front of my husband's house.

"What happened to you?" He asked.

"A lot." I sighed.

He nodded. "I think I can sense that." He wrapped his arm around my shoulder. "Come, let’s get you home. I'm on my way to see Silas."

I wanted to laugh in self-mockery at that point. "I have no home."

He stared at me like I was crazy. "What do you mean by that? Don't you recognize your husband's house?" He asked, pointing at the house.

I sighed. Maybe it would’ve been easier if I *was* as crazy as he thought. But I was fully aware, and the clarity made the betrayal all the more painful.

His expression softened, pity filling his eyes as he took in the sight of me. "I forgot you were in a coma," he murmured, noticing the hospital gown I was still wearing. "Did you leave the hospital without your doctor’s approval because you missed Silas?"

I snorted, wishing that was the case. "Nathan, please," I whispered weakly.

He flinched at the despair in my voice. "What is going on, Nila? I'm really confused right now."

"Not here," I said.

I wanted to die before, but since I wasn’t allowed to go through with it, I just wanted to be anywhere but here.

Nathan seemed to understand. He nodded and guided me to his car. I didn’t say a word as he gently helped me into the backseat, handling me like an invalid, and then he quickly moved to the driver’s side.

He slid in and faced me without turning on the ignition. "Now tell me what happened."

“Let’s just get out of here,” I replied, my voice trembling.

He hesitated, studying me for what felt like an eternity. I half-expected him to drag me out and march me straight to Silas’s door. But instead, he nodded and sparked the car to life.

“I’m taking you to my house, Is that okay with you?” he asked, glancing at me.

I managed a small nod, grateful for the escape.

"Yes, thank you," I said, shaking my head.

"Should I play the radio?"

"Please do." I nodded. My thoughts were raging wild and I desperately needed a distraction.

I leaned back into the seat, closed my eyes, and let Nathan drive me to his home. I could feel his eyes on me but I didn't say anything.

"We are here." He said as he drove the car to a stop.

"Thanks," I said, getting myself out of the car.

If it was another day, I would have admired the mansion.

"This way." He said, moving towards the door.

We got in and I sat on his couch while I watched him move around the house. He left for a while and came back with a glass of orange juice.

"Here. I thought you might need this."

"Thank you," I said as I picked up the glass and downed the contents in my throat in one gulp.

I wondered if Nathan had always been sweet like this.

The juice was just what I needed. It was at that moment I realized that I hadn't eaten anything all day since I woke up. I hoped that my stomach wouldn't grumble out. I was already embarrassed enough in front of Nathan.

I sighed as I dropped the glass on the stool beside me, relieved that my stomach was behaving well at the moment.

"Now tell me why you were trying to kill yourself instead of getting kissed by your husband after you woke up from your coma?" He asked. “You should consider yourself lucky I was the one driving by. Anyone else, and you’d be gone by now.”

I wondered if I was really lucky for not being dead now.

"Silas wasn't there by my hospital bed when I woke up." I sighed.

He let out a dry laugh. “So, you ran off from the hospital just to confront him about that? You two are something else. Sometimes, I get a little jealous of whatever twisted thing it is you share.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of his words and the sharpness of my own pain. “You shouldn’t be jealous.”

I sighed and shook my head, feeling ashamed at the words I was about to say. "I ran from the hospital to ask him why he wanted to divorce me."

"Divorce?" He gaped. "Silas would never do that to you. That idiot defied our parents to marry you. He is hopelessly in love with you."

I swallowed hard. “I thought the same thing… until a few hours ago.” My voice broke, and a single tear slipped down my cheek.

"What happened? Why a divorce all of a sudden?"

"I would also like to know."

"Tell me everything, Nila. I'm your brother-in-law, not a stranger." Nathan insisted.

"I got divorce papers from the doctor when I woke up and ran home to confront Silas." I cried as I spoke. "I thought he would tell me that it was a prank, that he was only teasing me because I stayed in a coma for too long but it wasn't a prank. My husband, um, I mean Silas really wants to divorce me and has even moved on."

"Moved on?" He gasped. "Who is the bitch he moved on with?"

"Amira. My sister." The words tasted like bile in my mouth as I spat them out.

“Wait… your younger sister, Amira?” His eyes narrowed as if he couldn’t process what I’d just said.

I nodded, my throat tightening. I had only one sister.

Nathan’s expression darkened, his jaw clenched in rage. “Is he out of his damn mind?” he growled, his fists tightening.

I winced. I didn't want him to call Silas crazy. I hissed, hating myself. How could I still worry about him after what he had done to me?

"Did you see him?" He asked.

"I did. I saw the two of them. They now live together. Amira says she is pregnant."

He winced, moving forward on his seat to hold my hand. "Oh, you poor thing." He said, his voice a low purr as he consoled me.

I nodded, letting the tears stream down my face. He held me in while I cried, patting me gently on the back.

I finally stopped crying and removed my head from his chest. I winced as I realized what I had done to him.

"I’m sorry, I soaked your shirt with my tears."

He snorted. "My shirt is the last thing you want to worry about. Let's get you out of that hideous gown first."

I chuckled softly, feeling the weight of the day’s chaos lifting just enough for me to breathe. Maybe I’d survive this after all. I still had no idea what my next steps would be, but the crushing loneliness I’d felt earlier didn’t seem so overwhelming now.

“Thank you for finding me,” I said, my voice steady. “I mean it, Nathan.”

He glanced at me, his expression softening. "I'm glad I found you. I would hate to watch the TV tomorrow and learn about your death on the news."

I chuckled, sadness tingling the sound. "I doubt the news would care to tell my story. The sister I worked tirelessly for years to raise got pregnant by the man I love. Why would the rest of the world care when the two people who meant the world to me betrayed me?"

"I care about you, Nila." He said.

There was something about his eyes that made me uncomfortable. "Do you have something that I can wear? Maybe an ex-girlfriend's forgotten dress?"

"I will get you one of my shirts. I hope you don't mind." He offered.

I felt odd. I had only worn Silas' shirts and none of another man. Wearing the shirt of another man felt like I was betraying him too. I hated that I was still affected because of him at this moment. I had to break free and let him go just as he did to me.

"Let me have it."

"Good. I will go out now to buy some clothes for you at the boutique while you freshen up."

"Thank you, Nathan."

"Is there anything else you need?"

"I don't think so." I shook my head.

My stomach thought otherwise as it chose that moment to embarrass me. I blushed and Nathan chuckled at the loud rumble that emanated from it.

"I think I should get that monster fed before going out." He chuckled as he moved towards the kitchen.