Phantom Rider: The Aftermath | Book 1

Gardener

Yekaterinburg, Russia

Every single day, Sergei tried to remind her of the past life. Nothing seemed to work. The longer time passed, the more he became convinced that the life she has now might not be so awful for her after all. She was mostly happy. Her days were simple and carefree. As much as he wanted her to remember, his protective instincts told him to maybe stop and let it be the way it is.

That is until one day he saw her bursting out of her room, crying uncontrollably. Panic gripped him as he ran after her, finding her in the bathroom. She was clutching her face in her palms, gasping for air.

"What's wrong?" He put his hand on her shoulder, but his voice was strained. She looked up at him, her face full of anguish, with her cheek red and bruised.

"Don't say anything to anyone, please!" she begged, her voice trembling.

"Did Matt hit you again?" Sergei's blood boiled with rage and frustration.

"It's nothing. Really, it's fine. Please don't do anything to him!" she pleaded, her eyes wide with fear. Sergei's anger flared at her defensive tone.

"He can't do this to you again. After everything he put you through, he still dares to touch you!" he shouted, his voice cracking with emotion.

"Sergei, don't. You will get me into more trouble, and they will send you away. I can't stay here alone without you." She sobbed, her voice breaking. She seemed so small and vulnerable, and Sergei felt his heart breaking.

"Can I get you out of the house? Just to help you ease your mind? How about a little trip?" His voice was softer now, almost desperate. He hoped this would be the breakthrough he needed to reach her mind.

"I would love to go on a trip!" She managed a small smile, but it was fleeting, and Sergei could see the exhaustion behind it.

"Then get yourself ready, we are leaving in 10 minutes!" This was his last straw, his last chance to make things right. His voice was firm, but his hands were shaking with a mix of hope and anxiety.

Mila jumped in his car, looking much better than 10 minutes ago. "Where are we going?"

"Just on a little trip. I want to show you something!" He smiled at her reassuringly. The same way he took Bill in his car before, he now drove Mila to the very same location.

"You brought me to my mom's grave? I thought we were going to do something fun?" She stood next to the car, a bit disappointed.

He led her to the grave, watching carefully every facial expression of hers. She froze, looking at two graves.

"Why are there two graves?" She shrugged in confusion.

"Mila, I am sorry I didn't do this sooner. I waited for the right moment." He was very cautious of her every move.

"Stop talking in circles, please!" she looked for answers.

"That second grave is your baby." He stepped back in the exact same manner he had stepped back from Bill.

She looked at both graves, her eyes widening in shock. Her eyes traveled from her mother's headstone to the much smaller grave next to it. 

Instead of a headstone, at the end of it was placed a glass box with two old toys in it - a bunny and a fox. The grave embankment was covered with blue and purple spring flowers: Forget-me-nots.

She started breathing heavily, gasping for air.

"Mila, that's Bill's and your unborn child sleeping there. Bill planted the flowers," Sergei said, his voice full of pain and hope.

She stood there a long time. Sergei was mesmerized, looking at her. She seemed almost in a trance, reacting with the same emotional depth he had seen in Bill, as if they were two sides of the same soul.

His hopes were shattered when she turned to him, her eyes vacant and detached. "I do not remember!"

"Mila, please. Try! Just give yourself time. We have all day," he said, getting desperate.

"No! Take me home. Now!" she demanded, turning away abruptly. Her voice was sharp, and her movements were quick and decisive. She marched back to the car, leaving Sergei hopeless.

If this didn't work, nothing will...