Page 38

Chapter 37

Aria

" S he's put on weight too! The doctors are happy with how she's progressing. She hasn't had a seizure in a week either."

I grin, my eyes dancing as I balance my chin on my fists, my elbows leaning on my desk. I've been on a video call with Ivy's mom for the past hour, discussing how she has been, her progress, how much more energetic she seems.

"That's amazing news. I'm proud of her, and you! You're a strong family, and she's lucky to have you all. How is Denmark? Have you been able to go out and about?" I ask, my eyes going from the well-kept mom to Ivy in the bed next to her. "I hear they have good food."

"William is flying over this weekend, so maybe I'll get to explore. I'm not able to take her out just yet." She turns to Ivy, smiling. "But that's okay. We have plenty of time, don't we, sweetie?"

She runs her fingers through Ivy's blonde, curly hair while she attempts a nod, her giggling music to my ears. They both seem so cheery, even though I know deep down, Ivy is still fighting a horrific battle. Her mom is doing an amazing job of holding it together.

It goes to show you can appear as the happiest of people but be battling something so life-changing.

"I'm just waiting on my forms to be finalized, and then I can get a transfer over for the last four weeks. I need to transfer some of my own details over to the midwives there too," I say, sipping on my decaf coffee.

Her eyes widen, tilting her head. "Your own details?"

This is where I break the whole doctor-patient barrier. Ivy's mom and I speak a lot–emails, phone calls, and a few times, I’ve gone out for coffee with her. I feel comfortable telling her my news, but maybe I'll skip the part that I was impregnated by a psychopathic killer who drugged me and just keep to the basics. After all, she doesn't follow the news. Unless she does, and she’s just being respectful by not bringing any of it up to me.

"It’s still very early," I reply, watching her eyes go even wider. "I'm due in the summer."

"Wow, congratulations! Can we give Aria a clap, Ivy?" She mimics her hands moving together, and Ivy tries to follow, her shaking body making it hard, but she's determined, cheering as she manages to get them to hit together once.

"I need to go now. I have a meeting at two. I'll email you about my arrival and keep in touch in the meantime, okay? I'll see you both soon."

She waves, holding up Ivy's hand to aid her in doing the same before I smile and end the call.

"Aria, there's someone on line four for you," my assistant Natalie tells me. "He didn't give me a name."

"Thank you," I reply softly, lifting the phone and pressing the button to put whoever he is through. "Good afternoon, you're through to Aria Miller at the genetics department. How can I help you?" The line is silent, and I mute and unmute, attempting to hear something. "Hello?"

The line goes dead, and I frown at the phone before calling my assistant. "Was there a number attached to the call you just transferred to me?"

"No," she responds politely. "I'll ask for one if they call again."

"Did they say who they were calling for, which patient?" I ask, looking through my files for upcoming appointments I may have missed.

"He just asked for Aria. I'm sorry, I'll ask for them next time."

It's not unusual, so I write it down on my sticky note and attach it to my board beside my desk. It's very colourful, with fluorescent pinks, blues, and yellows, each marked from low to high-risk patient cases.

At the very bottom, I have a space saved for me: all the signs of mental illness Tobias has shown and any that can potentially be passed down to our children. I've ordered many books, researched, and even have a doctor lined up to evaluate them when they’re old enough.

I've left many voicemails with Tobias' mom, but she hasn't once responded to my pleas for help, for an insight as to what Tobias was like growing up and if there's anything I should look out for.

I could speak to Tobias, try to do my own digging, but with him being locked up and awaiting transfer to the States, I don't see it as possible. He leaves tomorrow, and I’ve stayed off social media, hidden myself away in my office or at home for the past week. I've done everything possible to hide from the annoying press trying to get an article on the girlfriend of the psychopath, Tobias Mitchell.

It was a stretch even getting my boss to allow me back into work after cancelling my disciplinary meeting and offering me all kinds of support.

Ewan has been checking in with me, but he’s more so constantly asking Gabriella how I am, maybe to try not to overstep since I left his house. I want him to message and call me, to reach out, but I understand the barrier and why we need the space.

I search for the file of my next patient, a nine-year-old girl with Rhett's Syndrome. She has recently transferred to Scotland from Wales and desperately needs treatment as she enters the plateau stage of her illness.

As rewarding as my job may be, it's hard to see so many battling something I don't. I want to do everything I possibly can to help.

Maybe that's why I'm so drawn to Tobias.

Walking home is quiet for once, no reporters swarming me for information or groups of people doing their shopping. It's late by the time I finish up at work, and I’m desperate to go to sleep.

I have my headphones on, listening to the soft tones of Muse playing Madness while I keep myself wrapped up in the falling snow. Each footstep is on beat, and I feel all my worries seep away for the duration of the song.

My peace is interrupted as my phone starts to ring, cutting off the music through my headphones. I frown, seeing an unknown number calling me. "Hello?" I answer. "Who is it?"

“I’ve missed your voice."

Tobias’ voice echoing in my ear has me stopping in my tracks. “Tobias?”

"I don't have a lot of time, Aria. I need to see you. I'll send you the address, okay?"

"What—"

"I need to see you,” he repeats. “You’re pregnant, and I’m…" He trails off before speaking to someone about how they have two hours, that they need to be quick. "I'm sorry for doing all of this to you, but I couldn't help it. I love you, even if you think I'm incapable."

“Why are you out?” I ask, reaching my door and unlocking it. “You’re supposed to be locked up.”

He lets out a breathy laugh. “I have my ways. Come meet me. We don’t have a lot of time.”

As soon as he says the words, a message comes through that I have two missed calls from Ewan, then another, then one from Gabs.

"I can't let you leave, Tobias. You need the help they're giving you. I can drive you back, me and you , and you can talk to me about it all."

"After everything I've done, you still want to help me?"

I try to reply, but he's cut off by someone telling him to hurry up and Tobias telling them to fuck off.

"I killed two people, Aria, and it felt good."

All the blood drains from my face, unable to reply as he chuckles on the other end of the phone. “I had all the control. And they’re dead now. I did it for you, so I could get to you and our child.”

The line goes dead, and I fall back against the door.

I feel myself falling apart at the seams, battling with every throb of my heart and disagreement spiking from my mind. "Shit," I mutter to myself, dropping my things on the floor as soon as I get into my apartment.

I stay in this position for what feels like hours, but in reality, it has onlybeen minutes. My phone has been ringing. My parents, Ewan, Gabriella. I've gone over every scenario possible, ways to get him back to the station, but I’ve come up empty.

I have the address in front of me, a message from an unknown number with nothing else. I almost call the cops, but after the first two rings, I hang up. My mind is going so crazy right now that all I want to do is scream.

If he leaves, I won't see him again. If he leaves, he might hurt someone else. If he leaves, he might hurt himself. But...my main worry, one irritating me, is that Tobias will be gone from my life entirely, and that doesn't sit well with me.

I'm going to go get him, drive us to a hotel to talk and urge him to go back.

I'm not sure he's even there anymore. He sent me the address an hour ago, and it's going to take me about an hour to drive there. I hurry around my house while I throw warm clothes on, leaving Gabriella a note not to worry about me, that I'll call her soon, sticking it on the refrigerator.

I'm trying to ignore every voice in my head to turn around, to not walk to my car in the freezing cold, unlock it, and start the engine. I don't turn on the radio because I know it will be filled with Tobias. I'm curious, though–is Justin with him? How did he escape? Did he kill anyone else?

These are all questions I'll ask him directly...if he's still there.

The closer I get to the destination, the more my nerves get the better of me. I'm speeding, yet everything is going too slow, especially with the snow getting heavier. I'm trying to control my breathing but failing, worried sick that he's not there anymore, that I've missed him.

The satellite navigation in my car directs me left, onto a narrow, dark road that takes me deep into the woodlands. It’s twenty minutes of my full beam guiding me, freaking me when my tires slide in the snow, the mixture of rain now making it like a deep slush.

My foot eases off the accelerator as the three-floored, wooden cabin comes into view at the top of the never-ending, uphill road. I can hear my pulse, feel it beating away in my neck as I see a black, old-fashioned car parked out front.

I stop when I'm close enough, my chest tightening as I run through the cold, sliding a few times. I make my way up the wooden steps, bang my fist on the front door, noticing the soft glow of the fireplace through the glass.

"Tobias?" I call out, banging my fist even harder, panic rising. "Tobias! Are you in there?"

I yelp as my body is slammed against the glass panels of the door, a razor-sharp blade pressing against my neck as someone whispers in my ear. "You shouldn't be here."

Whoever it is, isn't Tobias or Justin.

The large man grabs my hair and twists me around, the holding facility’s staff badge in my face. I try to run, but the air is forced out of my lungs as his boot connects with my back, sending me catapulting down the steps and landing in a heap on the snow.

"No..." I try to beg the man to stop, covering my body to protect my baby as another heavy boot lands on my side. "Please," I cry, turning and crawling on my front, grabbing at the snow to help me move.

"Why did you need to come here? Now you know what I did. You can't tell people I helped them and cause me to lose my job...my family!" he roars, and once again, the air is knocked out of my lungs with each painful blow.

I struggle to catch my breath, wheezing as I cough, spluttering saliva onto the ice beneath me as I try to get away from the evil man.

"Please, I'm...I'm pregnant. I won't...I won't tell anyone. I don't even...even know what you did," I stutter as my body trembles, doing everything I can to make him stop. "I just came to meet..." I start to heave, unable to finish my words. He hums, and I get to my knees in an attempt to catch my breath, my clothes soaked through and frozen, my hair matted to my face. "I'll drive away and...I won't say anything... I...I swear."

"I can't take any chances."

He raises the blade in his hand, my eyes widening at his darkened ones. "No, please!" I shriek, lifting both my arms to protect myself, crouching down to brace for impact, readying for whatever pain I'm about to endure.

I hear crunching sounds followed by a horrifying gasp, and warm drops of red land on me, splattering the white snow around me. I look up, falling back in relief as I see Tobias behind the man, the blade wedged deep in his chest with Tobias' hand wrapped around his.

"Are you okay?" he asks, tossing the man's body aside like it's nothing, dragging deep breaths as he searches me for injuries. "Aria?"

I don't say a word. My head starts to spin, and I feel my body weaken as I fall forward, my face landing in the snow as everything goes black.