Chapter 9 Time To Start New

Tatiana's Point of View

The sharp sting of antiseptic hits my nose before my eyes even open. 'Where the hell am I?' My lashes part slowly. White walls. Beeping machines. A stiff mattress beneath me. This isn't home. This isn't anywhere familiar. Then it clicks. The rain. The betrayal. Scott's voice in my head. Katrina's hands on him.

My throat burns. My body won't move. I've been broken before-but never like this. I try to move, but my body feels leaden as if weighed down by invisible chains. Panic claws at the edges of my consciousness, threatening to consume me whole. I struggle to make sense of my surroundings, my heart racing with a mix of dread and confusion.

A soft rustle draws my attention, and I turn my head to find a figure standing by my bedside-a doctor, clad in a crisp white coat, their expression unreadable. I open my mouth to speak, but my throat feels dry and scratchy, the words catching in my throat.

"Good morning, Miss," the doctor says, their voice gentle yet clinical. "How are you feeling?"

The question hangs in the air, and for a moment, I'm at a loss for words. How am I feeling? Confused. Terrified. Lost. But above all, I feel... numb. Numb to the world around me, to the events that led me here, to the pain that still echoes in the depths of my soul.

"I... I don't know," I manage to croak out, my voice barely above a whisper. "Where am I? What happened?"

The doctor offers a sympathetic smile, though it does little to ease the knot of anxiety tightening in my chest. "You're in the hospital, Miss. You were brought in last night."

Last night? The memories come flooding back in a torrent, each one more painful than the last. The confrontation with Scott and Katrina. The torrential rain. The overwhelming despair that threatened to consume me whole. And then... darkness.

"I... I don't remember," I admit, my voice trembling with uncertainty. "What... what happened to me?"

The doctor's expression softens as if they understand the turmoil raging within me. "You were found unconscious on the side of the road," they explain gently. "A passerby brought you here. You're lucky to be alive."

Lucky. The word hangs in the air, taunting me with its bitter irony. Lucky to be alive, but at what cost? My heart feels heavy with the weight of unanswered questions, with the ache of betrayal still fresh in my mind.

"Is there... is there anyone I can call?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper. "Family... friends..."

The doctor nods, reaching for a nearby clipboard. "We'll need to run some tests first, just to be sure you're okay," they say, their tone reassuring. "But once we have the results, we can contact your emergency contacts."

Emergency contacts. The words send a shiver down my spine, a stark reminder of just how alone I am in this world. Scott, Katrina-once my pillars of strength, now nothing more than ghosts haunting the corners of my mind.

As the doctor leaves the room to give me some privacy, I'm left alone with my thoughts, the weight of my newfound reality pressing down on me like a suffocating blanket. What now?

Where do I go from here? And most importantly, how do I begin to pick up the shattered pieces of my life and move forward?

As the doctor's footsteps faded down the sterile hospital corridor, leaving me enveloped in a suffocating silence, I lay there, trying to piece together the fragmented memories of the night before. The cold, unyielding surface beneath me offered no comfort as the words echoed in my head: "You were found unconscious on the side of the road."

Before I could fully absorb the reality of my situation, the doctor re-entered the room, a sheaf of papers in hand. Their expression was a carefully balanced mask of professionalism and sympathy-a look I imagined they had perfected over years of delivering unexpected news.

"Miss," the doctor began, their voice steady yet unmistakably cautious, "there's something else we need to discuss."

The tone caught my attention immediately, pulling me out of my reverie. Anxiety gnawed at my insides as I braced myself for more bad news. Had they found something in the tests? Was I hurt more badly than I realized?

The doctor paused, seemingly searching for the right words. "During our examination and the subsequent tests we performed, we discovered that you are pregnant... and it's twins."

The room spun wildly around me as the words landed like blows. Pregnant? Twins? The reality seemed impossible, surreal. How could I, in the midst of the deepest despair I had ever known, find myself bound even more irrevocably to Scott-the man who had shattered my trust and my heart?

"I... I don't understand," I stammered, my voice a mere whisper, drowned out by the roaring in my ears. "Are you sure?"

The doctor nodded solemnly, offering me a sympathetic look that did little to steady my reeling thoughts. "Yes, we are quite certain. It's still very early, but the signs are unmistakable."

**********

The walls of my apartment felt colder than usual when I stepped in. Silent. Still. Just like me.

I stood at the threshold, taking it all in-the pictures, the throw pillows I once fussed over, the books stacked neatly by the shelf, untouched for weeks. This place used to feel like a home. Now, it was just four walls and memories I wanted to burn.

I dropped the hospital bag on the floor and walked into my room. My fingers trailed over the smooth surface of my vanity, then over my stomach.

Still flat.

No kicks. No signs. Just the dull ache and the silent weight of everything changing inside me. Two lives. Growing. Unaware of the mess they were coming into. I slid onto the edge of my bed, the same bed I used to curl into after late-night calls with Scott, dreaming about a future that clearly never existed.

He used to rub my belly playfully back when we talked about kids. "One day," he said. "One day I'll spoil the hell out of our baby." I remembered that moment, that warm glow in his eyes. The way his hand settled possessively on my stomach, like he already claimed our unborn child.

What a joke.

I clutched a pillow, teeth grinding. That daydream was dead now. So was every ounce of love I ever had for him. Damn him. Damn her. Damn everything I gave up for people who never deserved me. I moved on instinct, pulling out my suitcase and throwing it open. One after the other, clothes went in. The essentials. No hesitations. No second-guessing. My hands were swift, my eyes glassy but determined.

This chapter of my life was closing.

No... it was erased.

I scribbled a note for my mother and left it on the kitchen counter:

Don't worry about me. I'm safe. I need space-real space-to breathe, to heal, to find myself again. I'll reach out when I'm ready. Please don't try to find me.

– Tatiana.

I closed the suitcase, stood upright, and exhaled. One last time.

**********Later at the airport...*********

The terminal buzzed with activity-families laughing, couples cuddling, flight announcements cutting through the air like sharp knives. And here I was, standing alone, holding a one-way ticket to anywhere but here.

I sat near my gate, my phone in hand. The lock screen still had our photo.

He had his arm around me. We were smiling. So happy. So fake. My fingers hovered for a second. Then-delete. I went further. Deleted the chat history. The voicemails. The old texts I once reread like scripture. Every trace of him-gone.

Still, it wasn't enough.

It didn't feel clean. Because deep down, I knew him. He'd find a way. Through texts, emails, blocked numbers-he'd find me. Not this time. I won't let you. My hand tightened around the phone until my fingers ached. Then, just like that, I walked toward the trash can. Took a deep breath. Looked at the phone one last time.

And slammed it into the bin. Hard. The screen cracked on impact. I didn't care.

Next, the ring.

It felt heavier now. As if it knew what I knew. I slid it off slowly, staring at the silver band that once held promises. Then, without another thought, I stood, walked to the nearest trash can, and dropped it in. Clink. Gone. And it felt good. Just like that, everything that ever tied me to him... was gone.

I turned away without looking back, my shoulders straightening as I headed for the boarding gate. I whispered to myself as I stepped into line, voice calm, spine unshakable.

Time to start new."