SHE'S MY WIFE

Prologue

Two Years ago

The first thing Emilia felt was pain. Her right hand had a throbbing pain from her shoulder to her palm. A little disoriented, she wondered if she'd slept on it. But the sound of sirens blaring jolted her fully awake and she remembered everything. Forgetting about her pain, she shot up. To her left Lisandra was lying on the ground with a gun in her hand. Emilia looked around trying to find Zander.

The last thing she remembered was someone shooting her and knocking Lisandra out. Since her eyes were blurry from tears, she couldn't make out who that person was. How they'd gotten out of that house, she didn't know. All she wanted to know was where her son was. The place was on fire. The thought that Zander could still be inside had her rushing forward but just as she took a step toward the door, the house exploded. Throwing her back a few paces.

"No.... Zander?" she called out. He could be lying somewhere unconscious "Zander?" to her left Lisandra groaned, waking up. Without thinking, Emilia shot up and pounced on her, "Where is he? Where is my son you wretched woman?"

"Let go of me. I don't know where he is"

"Give me back my son. I want him back. You said the plan was to save him and kill me. Where is he?" she asked winding her hands around the other woman's neck and strangling her "Where is he?" with every word Emilia uttered, she squeezed harder. If anything happened to her baby, Lisandra was going to pay.

"You.... I... I can't.... "

"Where is Zander?"

"I... Didn't...."

All of a sudden someone pulled her back. Emilia wouldn't have let go if she hadn't been stopped. In that moment all she could think of was where her son was. He couldn't still be in that burning house. Craning her neck, she realized that the fire department had already arrived and the person holding her back was an EMT.

"I can't find my son. Could you please help me look for him?"

"We have to treat your wound first ma'am...."

"I'm okay. Please find my baby. He was in the house but when I woke up I couldn't find him. He might be lying somewhere around, hurt or unconscious"

"Ma'am...."

"Please I'm begging you. He's just eight years old. Please...."

"Okay. But promise me you will sit here and not go anywhere. You've lost a lot blood"

"I promise. Please find him" she begged. It occurred to her that she hadn't shed a tear. Normally she would be crying her eyes out but she couldn't bring herself to cry. Not before she saw him safe and sound.

Standing beside the ambulance, Emilia held a cloth to her wound, while waiting for news from the EMT who had gone in search of Zander. He came back alone shaking his head. Dropping the cloth she was holding, she jumped at him

"Where is he?"

"I couldn't find him...."

"What do you mean you couldn't find him? He was in the house too. Whoever took us out had to have taken him out too. Right?"

"Ma'am you need to calm....."

"We found a body" someone shouted from somewhere inside "A child but I can't say how old since they are burnt beyond..." the guy trailed off when Emilia screamed. The Emt held her back when she tried to run forward. She fought the guy, really fought until something pricked the skin of her hand. Then she was going under......

Later when she came to, she was in the hospital. Darren was sitting beside her bed and it took a moment for her to remember why she was there. "Zander, where is he?" she asked pulling out the IV on her hand.