The Missing Wife ✓

Chapter Twenty Six | What happened first time Mickey and Minnie?

He shifts and settles down beside me.

"We hated each other, you thought I was arrogant, rude and cocky. I thought you were a daddy's girl, selfish and a snob. We slept in separate rooms, did not talk, eat or even look at each other for the first five months. Then-you had an anxiety attack, I helped you and-well-we began to get to know each other. We soon fell in love, we re-married and I changed my vows. You were pregnant with Rose soon after, and then it happened."

"What happened?"

"You gave birth, you bled out and doctors were trying to fix you-I went home but found out that someone else was in your room." My eyebrows raise, "he injected something into your IV drip-caused you to lose your memories and..."

"And I ran away."

"You ran away, you were missing for three years...but I knew where you were, you hated your father and mother so I-your parents now, are not your parents. I have been paying them to pretend to be your parents,"

"This is so weird...I-so my parents are fakes?"

"Pretty much,"

"Did you set up that phone call? The four hundred roses?"

"No, I didn't-when I saw you waiting outside for me, i was shocked-i thought you came to tell me you remembered but it was for me to pay you." He slides a strand of my hair, takes my hands into his and touches my wedding ring. "This was the ring I bought you, when we re-married."

Tears slide down my eyes, I felt so overwhelmed-so betrayed? I don't know what to feel.

"Who injected me?"

"That's what I have been trying to figure out for three years." He rushes his fingers through his hair as he stands up, "I have no clue."

"Nicholas, I understand that you have been trying but I need to be alone-please...can you leave me alone?" I gulp down, he closes his eyes and nods his head.

"Of course, take all the time you need. You're old things and your old room before you forgot are on the fifth floor, if you want to try and remember..." he walks to his side of the bed, pulls open his draw and takes out a key. He throws it onto the bed before leaving the room.

It all made sense to me.

"However, there are rooms that are absolutely prohibited, such as the fifth floor and Mr Hernandez' office."

I glance at the key, and then back at the frame.

Standing up, I yank the key from the bed and walk out of the bedroom. I hear Nicholas reading Rose a bedtime story, I walk towards her room and lean against the doorframe. Watching them interact through the half-way open door, Rose releases a giggle as Nicholas gently shuts the book and places it on the floor.

He grazes Roses hair and waits, staring at the wall opposite him.

A shiver crawls up my spine as I step away from the door, walking towards the stairs.

I don't even know my own daughter.

Isn't that crazy?

I glance up the stairs, above me is the fifth floor-the prohibited floor.

The key to all my questions are standing right there, I was about to go back but-I have a daughter, a husband-I had a life and this is my answer. I take my first step, and then my second before regretting it and going back down.

Frustration runs through my veins.

I'm being silly now.

I run up the stairs before I could turn back, and once I arrive in front of a wooden, white painted door-I push the key inside the lock and hear it click. It creaks open, I step in and look for the light switch by pressing my hands against the wall until I feel it. I push the button down and the lights surround the room, it all came to life.

The room was completely furnished, and it was as if someone still slept here.

Clean, not a spec of dirt on the floors.

I walk around and reach my bedside draw before pulling it open.

Empty.

I go through the boxes and see clothes that must have been mine, but other than that-this room had nothing not a single trace of the old me. Just as I am about to leave, my footsteps on a certain floorboard which makes an odd sound.

I glance down and noticed it has been touched before, so obviously I inspect it.

I crouch and fiddle with the board, before it flicks open, and I see a box beneath it. I remove more floorboards and lifts the dark box out; I settle it onto the side and remove the lid.

Inside were photos, of me and Nicholas-me being pregnant...I skim through it all and a smile somehow finds its way to my face. I look down and notice a camera, I switch it on and for some reason it was still charged. I press on a certain button that takes me to the album and see a video. I start it.

"Guys! It is the first month of my pregnancy and Nicholas is already buying baby clothes!"

The camera turns to face Nicholas who pulls out baby outfits and settles it onto the bed. He glances up to look at me before reaching out to grab the camera.

He turns it to me, and I hear us both laughing as he chases me, tears flood my eyes.

"Show us your non-existent bump Soph."

"Shut up! It's there. Look."

The camera turns and Nicholas faces it to himself.

"She's just bloated from the takeaway we had."

"No, I'm not Nick!"

I drop the camera onto my lap and stare at my bed, I suddenly begin sobbing-crying alone. I lift the camera and scroll through all the videos of me and Nicholas. We were so in love it hurts. God, it hurts so much, the camera is about to die-so instead I switch it off and grab the charger along with the box before heading back downstairs.

It hurts.