In the heart of Wales, behind the walls of the grandest estate in the city, lies a hidden gem: sixteen-year-old Anna Hussain. With her mother as serene as the morning mist and her father a vibrant burst of color, Anna grapples with her identity-caug...
I am planning on a Q/A video for The Captured and would love to answer your most asked questions about the book so drop here whatever you wanted to know about this story so far and I'll do my best to respond to your question.
P.s. enjoy today's episode.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
I sat on the bed, my chin heavy on my knee, tears cascading down my cheeks. Knocking on the door barely registered; I was lost in my grief. Crying had become my daily ritual, a silent symphony of sorrow.
The door creaked open, but I didn't lift my gaze. Someone entered, the sound of their movements blending into the background of my despair.
"Ann, seeing you like this... it's tearing me apart," he began, his voice heavy with emotion.
I turned slightly, meeting Tamimi's gaze briefly before looking away again.
"Please, forgive me. It's all my fault, but I never meant to hurt you.," he continued, his voice trembling with regret.
I swallowed hard, the weight of guilt pressing down on me. "I know," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
"I was waiting for you outside when Barron came to calm me down. We had a heated argument about you," he explained, his words weighed down with sorrow.
I turned to face him fully, curiosity sparking in my eyes.
"I told them I was taking you out for lunch, hoping they'd be happy about it. But it was all just an illusion.," he confessed, his voice tinged with sadness.
I felt a pang of disappointment, my hopes dashed once again.
"My dad insisted it wasn't safe for you to go out, with the paparazzi hounding us." He revealed frustration evident in his tone. "And your mom... she believes you're in danger, that you could end up in jail," he added, disbelief coloring his words.
A bitter laugh escaped him, mingling with the heaviness in the room.
"It's absurd, isn't it? Your mom thinks you're a criminal, when all you did was sit next to Mary. The accident wasn't your fault.," he exclaimed, his voice filled with indignation.
"I mean... I am so sorry for laughing, but seriously, man!?" he exclaimed, his laughter punctuating his words. "That was just over the top!"
I nodded in agreement, a wry smile tugging at the corners of my lips.
"Your mom knows about the law, and she knows you didn't do anything," he continued, his tone laced with disbelief. "You were just sitting next to Mary, and the cars came crashing. It's so funny."
I couldn't help but shake my head in disbelief at the sheer absurdity of it all.
"And here's the kicker," he said, his laughter subsiding slightly as he continued, "Linus was the one driving the damn car."
His words jolted me upright, my mind spinning with newfound clarity amidst the chaos of emotions.
"Even the police reports showed that Mary had fixed the car speed," he explained, his voice tinged with frustration.
"She was going 100 miles per hour, and Linus was at some 80 miles since I... don't deny I told him to overspeed and right at the turning, which was the most stupid and reckless thing to ever do. Your mom was the driving force, she was on all our nerves that night. But none of this puts you at fault."
He concluded, his words cutting through the tension like a knife.
As realization dawned upon me, a torrent of emotions surged through my veins. Why hadn't I considered this before?
Tamimi was right-technically, the crash occurred due to over speeding from both sides, and Mary had been the one to tamper with the car's speed. None of this implicated me. It was Linus who had hit the car, leading to Mary's tragic demise. Yet, everyone had placed the blame squarely on my shoulders.
Anger, frustration, hate, and disappointment swirled within me, mingling with the relief of realizing I wasn't responsible for Mary's death. The weight that had burdened my heart, the guilt that had consumed me, lifted slightly.
But then, another voice intruded, accusing me once again. It reminded me of the role I had played, the words I had spoken that had led to the tragic chain of events. The weight returned, heavier than before, as the voices in my head confronted me with my own culpability.
With my forehead now resting on my knees, I heard Tamimi's voice, soft and remorseful.
"Ann, I am so sorry. Please forgive me."
His words pierced through my turmoil, and I looked up to see him seated beside me, the bed shifting beneath his weight.
"It's okay... Tamimi," I managed to choke out between sobs. "I appreciate your concern. But you can leave me alone now."
He nodded silently, his footsteps echoing as he made his way out of the room. But before he left, he paused, a glimmer of hope in his voice.
"You know what?" he said, turning back to face me. "I asked you to walk out those gates because I saw dad watching me from the living room window. I wanted him to know I was going out on my own. I thought it wouldn't draw as much attention as driving you out. I'm sorry I didn't anticipate our parents going to such lengths. But I promise you, I'll figure out a way, and we will get you out of here."
His words lingered in the air, offering a sliver of hope amidst the darkness that threatened to engulf me.
With a nod, I acknowledged his promise, the flicker of optimism reigniting a spark within me as he left the room.
