An Unexpected Love

Chapter 2

It's been two days since the incident. She had suffered a trauma to the head and was one of the main reasons why Ezabela hasn't woken up yet. It seemed strange to the doctors but they had no clue about what she went through.

Bryce visited her when he had the time. He was worried for the poor girl. He was sitting beside the bed, hoping she would wake up soon. It seems his prayers were heard as he heard someone shifting. He looked up to find Ezabela staring at him. Unsure of how she ended up in the hospital.

"Oh thank God," Bryce said standing up. His movements alerted her to fight or flight response making her bury herself in the furthest spot on the bed. Bryce became alarmed too by her reaction, but it was to be expected. "Calm down, I won't hurt you, not now not ever," he said slowly making his way over to her.

"S-stay right there. Don't come any closer," she said pushing herself further into the bed if that was possible. Bryce immediately stopped his actions. "Who are you? What do you want?" she asked.

"My name is Bryce Bennet. I helped you the other day. Do you remember?" she looked at him confused. "What do you mean the other... What day is it?" she asked trying to find some sort of calendar.

"It's Saturday, you've been asleep for two days," he answered. This time she was shocked. "We contacted your family. They've visited you but you were asleep," he said.

"No no no no, please don't. I don't want them here please make them go away. They're not supposed to be here!," she shouted taking out the IV that was in her hand and whatever machine she was connected to.

Just then the door opened showcasing the father she wished to never meet again. "You're awake I see," he said. Ezabela then let out a gut-wrenching scream.

"Get him out of here! Get out!" she screamed instantly throwing whatever she saw at the man. Bryce asked the man to leave the room. He hesitated but left not a second later.

Bryce rushed to her quickly embracing her. "Let go of me!" but Bryce decided not to for her safety. Seeing that he wouldn't leave her, Ezabela broke down crying and screaming.

Doctors at this point hearing the commotion entered the room. They immediately tranquilized her to calm her down. Carlton had also entered the room.

"What happened?" he asked. Bryce was placing the now unconscious girl back in bed. "Her father came in the room and she started screaming asking me to make him leave," he replied.

"What?" Carlton was just as baffled as Bryce. "I don't know entirely what happened between the two, but it's best if he no longer visits if she's going to react like that," Bryce suggested. Without replying, Carlton only nodded his head in agreement.

For the rest of the time Ezabela was asleep, they ran other tests just in case they had missed something. While doing so they noticed scars along her legs, arms, and stomach. There was nowhere they had looked without seeing one or two scars.

They assumed that she had been a victim of either domestic abuse, child abuse, or both. They couldn't say for sure as they had no form of confirmation from the victim herself.

Bryce was beyond upset at the fact that such a thing could be done to a human. A helpless person at that. He might not have experienced things but he's seen the damage that can be done to a victim of such violence. He wanted the person who did this to her to suffer by his hands.

Ezabela started to move a bit stirring from the sedative that had been forced into her system. Her movements were noticed by the two men in the room who expected her to wake up anytime soon. Unfortunately, she had just moved a bit which made the two disappointed. "When will she be able to move?" Bryce asked. Carlton shook his head and said, "It won't be anytime soon," Bryce let out a sigh in response.

The two left the room shortly after as they had work to attend to. Carlton had a meeting to attend and a lecture at the school he currently teaches, while Bryce had a video conference he absolutely could not miss.

Upon reaching the office Bryce noticed he had multiple papers on his desk to read through and sign. With a sigh, he took a seat at his desk and started working. This is what he gets for slacking off a few days before. He could feel the pressure rising, something he was quite familiar with. Bryce loves his company but sometimes he feels like taking an excavator and running it through the building. Unfortunately for him, this is the only way he can earn money.

Ezabela's Pov

"No stop!" I yell bringing myself awake. Another stupid nightmare yet again. How much longer do I have to suffer? Haven't I suffered enough? What more does life want from me? Being thrown out of a house lathered of abuse was enough for me, but it just kept getting harder and harder. Why me?

I slowly embraced myself allowing the tears to escape. It was getting to be too much at this point. I want to be okay but I'm not. How funny the moment you thought you have everything, that everything turns into nothing. As if it wasn't there, to begin with. I've given up at this point. Nothing matters anymore especially me.

A bitter laugh escaped me as memories started to erupt.

Flashback

Today was the day I finally reached adulthood. I'm finally turning 18. I quickly got out of bed and ran downstairs to where I heard chatter. "Mom! Dad!" I shouted as I entered the living room."Can you believe it?! I'm finally 18," I said jumping around in circles. Before I could say anything else I felt the temperature change in the room. I looked up to see judgmental stares from my parents and my siblings.

"What's going on?" I asked nervously. "I can't believe that you tricked me! How could you Meredith?!" my father shouted at mom. "What do you mean dad?" suddenly he turns to me in anger throwing an accusing finger at me, "You are no child of mine!" he shouts. I take a step back from the hatred in his voice. "W-what do y-you mean? I'm your daughter. H-," before I could say another word I received a slap to the face that made me stumble a bit.

I looked up in shock at my mother, "It's true, you are not related to us. I adopted you only because I needed an excuse to marry your father. Pity I couldn't hide it a bit more. I truly loathed the time I spent with you," I was in tears at this point. Who am I then? Who are my real parents? Why didn't they want me? What did I do?

Suddenly my father walks towards me. His stride meant harm so I tried to run only to be grabbed by my brother. The one to who I told all my secrets and hardships. How could this happen? I trashed and screamed in his hold only for my head to be bashed against a wall. I groaned in pain unable to see at first. "Lock her down the basement and keep the lights off," 'father' said.

With my senses barely intact I could feel someone dragging me down a flight of stairs. This was supposed to be the best day of my life. Why?

End of flashback

I was hysterically crying at this point. I heard the door open but I paid no mind as I was drowned in my sorrows. I simply felt myself being pulled into a hug. Someone was talking but I couldn't hear. I wasn't sure how long I was in that state as slowly became aware of my surroundings and the person who was holding me. The man who saved me.

I pushed myself off him as I hate being held. "Have you calmed down?" he asked hearing that soothing voice yet again. "I'm okay," I answered. He didn't seem fully convinced but he let it go. "I'm sorry," he said. I looked at him confused. "Sorry for what?" I asked. "For calling your family without asking you and being hesitant to take you here," he said. "It's okay," I reassured. He started to shift a bit more towards me and having a bad experience with men I flinched away, almost flying off the bed.

He quickly backed up apologizing. "I apologize, I was just...I'm sorry," he said getting off the bed. "No, I should be the one to say sorry. I...I'm scared of men but not deathly scared. It's just that I've experienced things and-," I got cut off before I could say anything else. "You should never have to apologize for what you went through or your fears," he said. Those words felt like a jab to the heart. Not a bad one but something good. A statement no one has ever told me before.

Maybe, just maybe this is my beginning.