novelraw Chapter 144: Clutching Desperately For Love
Chapter 144: Clutching Desperately For Love
Chapter 144: Clutching Desperately For Love
Long after she had gone, the weight of Brooke’s accusations still hung heavy in the air, a suffocating blanket of doubt and confusion. Once again, Lyse stared at the photograph, the image of herself leaving the hotel room a stark, undeniable reality. The date, written clearly at the bottom of the picture, confirmed Brooke’s claims: it was the day that she was supposed to marry Brandon.
A cold dread settled in her stomach. Could it be true? Could she have betrayed Brandon in such a way? And with his father. The thought was abhorrent to her, completely at odds with the person she believed herself to be and she wanted to puke her guts out. Yet, the evidence was staring her in the face. Pictures did not lie.
Driven by a desperate need for answers, Lyse turned to the one source she had not yet considered: the internet. With trembling hands, she opened her laptop and began to search. She typed in her name, "Lyse Spade," and braced herself for whatever she might find.
The search results were overwhelming. Articles, blog posts, social media profiles – a digital record of a life she did not remember at all and could not conceive of herself living it.
She found it immediately; An article announcing her marriage. The headline was bold and stark: "Lyse Spade announces controversial marriage to Levi Van Doren and the launching of her fashion brand." The accompanying photograph showed her, radiant and smiling, standing at a press conference.
Lyse’s breath caught in her throat. The image was undeniable. It was her alright, and even though there was no Levi Van Doren with her, she could no longer deny it. The date of the wedding was clearly stated: a couple of months before her accident.
A wave of shock washed over her. She was really married? To Levi Van Doren? The name was vaguely familiar, but she could not recall ever meeting him, she could not remember Brandon ever mentioning him and he was allegedly his real father. How then could she have married him? Why?
With shaking hands, she dug for more information on the next and found paparazzi shots of her and a blue eyed, handsome older gentleman who held her protectively as the walked through the crowd.
Lyse’s eyes narrowed as she stared at the man in the picture, she recognized him. But from where?
Realization hit her like a thunderbolt, he was the same one who had saved her from the thugs. He had also been in the hospital when she woke up from the coma, was that her husband?
The information was overwhelming, there was an article about a scandal where it was speculated that Levi had cheated on her with the super model Anya not long after their marriage. And apparently, even after that deception Lyse stayed married to him.
That did not sound at all like herself as she could not abide infidelity, why would he disrespect her so openly and yet she remained with him. Things were becoming even more confusing for her."
Lyse clicked on another link, an article detailing the events leading up to her accident. It mentioned her upcoming wedding to Brandon, apparently the wedding had not held for mysterious reasons that had still not been revealed. the start of her new company, and the sudden, unexpected announcement of her marriage to Levi. The article hinted at a messy breakup with Brandon, a whirlwind romance with Levi, and a subsequent estrangement from her family.
Lyse scrolled further, her eyes scanning the text, trying to absorb the information. To her astonishment, she found articles about Jeff Chadwick, her father, and the scandal that had led to his imprisonment. The details were shocking: environmental negligence, substandard products with countless lives affected.
She berated herself for her obliviousness. Why hadn’t she thought to search for this information sooner? Why had she blindly accepted Brooke and Lottie’s distorted version of events knowing that they had never had her interests at heart? The answers were right here, readily available, yet she had been too confused, too disoriented to seek them out.
She felt a surge of anger towards Brooke, for manipulating her, for exploiting her amnesia. But she also felt a deep sense of self-reproach. She had allowed herself to be manipulated, to be led astray. She had trusted the wrong people once again, clutching desperately for love that she had been deprived of and now she was paying the price.
Lyse closed her laptop, her mind reeling. The information she had uncovered was overwhelming, contradictory, and deeply unsettling. She did not know who to trust, what to believe. She felt lost, adrift in a sea of fragmented memories and conflicting narratives.
She quickly typed out another message to James, he was the only one that she could trust to give her the answers she needed. She wondered where he had gone and why he was so unavailable, she had already send him emails before and he never replied any, his social media accounts were also devoid of any activity.
As she sent another email, she closed her eyes, a silent prayer escaping her lips. She prayed for answers, for understanding, for the strength to face the truth, whatever it may be. She knew that the path ahead would be difficult, fraught with challenges and uncertainties. But she was determined to find her way back to herself, to reclaim her life, to uncover the truth that had been hidden from her for so long. She just hoped that James’s reply would be the first step on that long and arduous journey.
***
The sterile, grey walls of the prison seemed to close in on Lottie, amplifying the dread that had been gnawing at her since she received the call. The walk to the warden’s office felt like a march to her own execution. Each step echoed in the oppressive silence, she wondered if he had some good news for her, had Levi pulled the strings to ensure Jeff’s release from jail?
She was ushered into the stark, functional office, the warden’s face grim and apologetic. He stood up from behind the massive desk and shook her hand before asking her to take a seat. He sat down and stared at her for one tense second.
"I am sorry to inform you, Mrs Chadwick." The warden said, his tone grave. "But Jeff Chadwick died a few hours ago."
Lottie sat unmoving in the chair, disbelief written all over her face.
"Unfortunately, he had been attacked by some of the other inmates, a brutal assault which was probably fueled by years of resentment and anger." the warden’s voice was a detached monotone as he recounted the events.
Lottie barely registered the words, her mind reeling, her heart shattering into a thousand pieces.
The world seemed to tilt on its axis. The air grew thick and heavy, making it difficult for her to breathe.
A high-pitched ringing filled her ears, drowning out the warden’s voice. She felt a wave of dizziness, a sense of unreality, as if she were watching this scene unfold from a distance, a detached observer in her own personal tragedy.
She could not say a word, could not cry, she could not even think. She was numb, completely numb. The news of Jeff’s death had struck her like a physical blow, leaving her breathless and broken.
The warden offered his condolences, his words hollow and meaningless. He asked about funeral arrangements, about next of kin. Lottie, still in a state of shock, could only manage a few disjointed sentences. She opted for cremation, a swift and impersonal end to a life that had meant so much to her.
The memorial service was a small, somber affair. There was no one there, not even Jeff’s old business buddies who had been friendly with him,l. Everyone had cut off all ties with them after his public disgrace and imprisonment. Lottie stood at the front with Brooke by her side, her face pale and drawn, her eyes red and swollen. She had barely slept since receiving the news, haunted by nightmares of Jeff’s brutal death.
The service was short and uneventful, a brief eulogy followed by a moment of silence. As they turned to leave, Lottie noticed Lyse entering the room. A fresh wave of grief and anger washed over her.
Seeing Lyse, so vibrant and alive, felt like a cruel reminder of what she had lost. Jeff was gone, and it was all because of this girl, because she was sure that Levi had had Jeff killed.
If it hadn’t been for Lyse’s, Levi would have never made Jeff his enemy. Jeff would not have been investigated then sent to jail, and he might still be alive. The thought festered in her mind, fueling her grief and transforming it into a burning resentment.
As Lyse approached, her expression filled with sympathy, Lottie’s carefully constructed composure shattered.
"What are you doing here?" She growled, her voice like a whiplash of venom.