Whispers in the Midst of Chasms

EPILOGUE

"Wakey-wakey, Dahlia," a voice hissed. It was sharp, familiar, and dripping with malice.

Alana.

I tried to speak, to cry for help, but my voice cracked as I felt a sharp kick to my stomach. Pain rippled through my body, and I gasped for air.

''The litch is wake up now! Let's play a fun game. im was waiting for you.'' Alana's voice was full of fury, each word laced with venom. I could hear her pacing around me, her heels clacking against the cold floor.

Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I bit them back. I couldn't give her the satisfaction.

Suddenly, I heard the shrill ring of a phone echoing through the room, slicing through the silence like a blade. Alana's footsteps stopped, and I could hear her rummaging through her purse before she picked up.

"Where the hell is she?!" Keous's voice blasted through the phone, the rage unmistakable. He was furious—beyond furious.

I could feel Alana's smirk without even seeing her face. She had always been good at playing games. "Oh, so now you care, Keous? Now you want to come running for your precious Dahlia?"

"Don't play with me, Alana," Keous growled, his voice dangerously low. "If you've hurt her, I swear—"

"You'll what?!" Alana snapped, her voice rising in hysteria. "You've always been weak, Keous! Always! You think you can just turn your back on me and run to her after everything we've been through? You owe me!"

"Where. Is. She." Each word was a ticking bomb, and I knew Keous was close to losing control. The sound of his voice was enough to bring a fresh wave of tears to my eyes, knowing he was looking for me, fighting for me.

Pero hindi pa ito tapos.

"You think she's so innocent? She's ruined everything!" Her voice cracked, spiraling into madness. "I'm going to make sure she never sees you or your son again! I'll kill her before I let her take everything from me!"

I could feel her presence looming over me, and the next thing I knew, her hand was around my throat, squeezing tightly. I choked, gasping for breath as she whispered, "You're nothing, Dahlia. You always were."

I could hear Keous shouting on the other end of the line, his voice desperate. "Alana, stop! You're making a mistake!"

I thought it would be the end. Alana's grip tightened, and I felt the edges of my consciousness start to slip away, but then—

A loud crash.

"Get off her!" Keous's voice boomed through the room, followed by the sound of something smashing to the ground. Alana screamed, her grip loosening as she was yanked away from me.

I fell to the floor, gasping for breath, the blindfold still covering my eyes. I heard the chaos around me—Keous shouting, Alana screeching, and then the sound of a scuffle as Keous tackled her.

There was a loud thud, followed by a silence that stretched on for what felt like forever.

"Dahlia, hold on!" Keous's voice was at my side now, his hands gently removing the blindfold. I blink as the light blinded me momentarily, and through blurry vision, I saw him kneeling beside me, his eyes wild with fear and pain. "Are you okay?"

Before I could answer, a loud bang echoed through the room as the door swung open. Paige burst in, followed by the police, her face pale with terror. "Oh my God, Dahlia!" she cried, rushing toward me as the officers grabbed Alana, who was still trying to claw her way out of Keous's grasp.