Chapter 2

• The phone rang.
• Julie held her breath. Each second felt longer than it should.
• Her fingers tightened around the phone as she sat on the edge of the bed, still wrapped in the thin sheet. Her eyes were swollen from crying, and her body still felt weak.
• “Please pick up… Please…” she whispered.
• The call connected.
• “Hello?” The voice on the other end was calm.
• Julie froze, for a moment, she could not speak.
• All the emotions she had been holding back rushed up at once.
• “Julie?” the voice said again, now more alert. “Is that you?”
• Julie couldn’t hold it in anymore and started crying.
• “Hey… hey… what’s wrong?” he asked quickly. His tone changed at once. He went from calm to worried.
• “Why are you crying? Talk to me.”
• Julie tried to speak, but her voice failed her.
• “I… I…”
• Nothing made sense in her head. Everything felt too big and too much.
• “Julie. Listen to me,” he said, more firmly now. “Take a breath. I’m here. Just tell me where you are.”
• She closed her eyes and tried to steady herself.
• “Where am I?” She wondered, her eyes moved around the room again.
• She saw a small card on the table.
• “P&J Hotel,”
• Her lips trembled. “I’m… at P&J Hotel…” she whispered.
• There was a short silence.
• Then his voice came again, sharper this time.
• “Stay there. Don’t go anywhere. I’m coming.”
• The call ended.
• Julie lowered the phone slowly.
• For the first time since she woke up, her chest felt a little lighter.
• He was coming. Patrick was coming.
• She pulled the sheet tighter around herself and sat back on the bed.
• Her eyes drifted to the door.
• It was quiet now, too quiet as if nothing had happened. But she knew better, everything had changed.
• She lay down slowly, staring at the ceiling again.
• Her head still hurt, and her body still ached. But her heart hurt the most. She kept thinking of her father’s face, his silence, and his cold eyes.
• She swallowed hard. “Why?” she wondered. “Why was she always the one left behind?” she continued to wonder.
• Her eyes grew heavy, she was tired, and before she knew it, she fell asleep.
• ……
• She was woken up by a loud knock at the door.
• Julie opened her eyes slowly.
• For a second, she did not know where she was.
• Then everything came back.
• Her body tensed.
• Someone knocked again.
• “Julie,” he called.
• Her heart skipped, she knew that voice.
• She pushed herself up quickly, holding the sheet close to her chest.
• “Julie, it’s me Patrick. Open the door,” he said again.
• She rushed toward the door without thinking.
• She paused just as her hand reached for the handle.
• She looked down at herself, she was still naked.
• Her face flushed.
• She quickly grabbed a loose shirt from the floor and pulled it over herself before opening the door.
• …..
• The moment the door opened, Patrick stood there with a serious look. But when he saw her face, his expression changed. He looked truly worried.
• “Julie…” he called calmly.
• She did not wait for him to enter, she stepped forward and held onto him tightly as if he was the only thing keeping her from falling apart.
• He froze for a second.
• Then slowly, he placed a hand on her back.
• “It’s okay,” he said softly.
• That only made her cry again.
• “I don’t understand… I don’t know what happened…” she said between broken breaths.
• “I know,” he replied quietly. “We’ll figure it out.”
• He gently pulled back and looked at her properly.
• His eyes moved over her face.
• Her eyes were red and her hands were shaking.
• Something dark flashed in his eyes but it disappeared just as quickly.
• “Did anyone hurt You?” He Asked.
• Julie hesitated.
• Her mind went back to the Room, to Sam, to Helena, to Everything that has happened.
• “I… I don’t know,” She Said honestly.
• Patrick’s jaw tightened.
• “Come inside,” She said softly, stepping aside.
• He entered the room and closed the door behind him.
• For a moment, he stood still, looking around.
• Everything was a mess, the unmade bed, clothes on the floor.
• He did not ask questions right away.
• Instead, he took a small bag he was holding and placed it on the table.
• “I brought you clothes,” he said.
• Julie blinked. “You did?”
• He nodded. “Go and change. Then you can tell me everything.”
• She looked at the bag, then at him. Something about his presence made her feel safe, like she could breathe again.
• “Okay,” she said softly.
• She took the bag and went into the bathroom.
• The moment the door closed behind her, she leaned against it.
• Her chest rose and fell slowly. She looked at herself in the mirror.
• Her eyes were red, her face was pale, she looked… different like someone who had lost something important.
• She quickly took a shower.
• The warm water helped a little. But not enough. There was nothing that could wash away what she felt.
• After drying herself, she opened the bag.
• There was a simple, soft dress. It fitted her perfectly.
• She paused for a second, “how did he know her size?” she wondered.
• A strange feeling passed through her chest, she pushed the thought away and continued dressing.
• When she stepped out of the bathroom, Patrick was sitting on the chair near the window.
• He looked up immediately.
• Their eyes met, for a second, neither of them spoke.
• Then he gestured to the seat across from him.
• “Sit.”
• Julie walked slowly and sat down, her hands rested on her lap.
• She stared at them not knowing where to begin.
• Patrick waited calmly, he did not rush her.
• That made it even harder.
• “I… went out with Sophie last night,” she started. Her voice was quiet. “I remember the party, the drinks… then nothing,” she said.
• She swallowed as she continued. “I woke up here. With… Sam.”
• Patrick’s expression changed slightly, but he stayed silent.
• “Then Helena came in with reporters… and my father…” Her voice shook. “They didn’t listen. She started hitting me… no one stopped her… not even him…”
• Her eyes filled with tears again. “I didn’t mean to push her… I just… I just wanted her to stop…”
• She covered her face with her hands. “I didn’t do anything wrong…”
• Patrick’s hands tightened into fists.
• He looked away for a moment, as if trying to control something inside him.
• Then he spoke, his voice was calm. “Did they say anything else?”
• Julie shook her head. “No… they just… blamed me…”
• Patrick stood up, he walked toward the window. His back facing her.
• Julie watched him carefully, something about him felt… different.
• He was more distant and controlled than she remembered.
• “I’ll handle it,” he said finally.
• Julie blinked. “What do you mean?”
• His expression was firm. “I mean you don’t have to worry about it.”
• Her heart tightened. “You can’t fix this,” she said softly.
• His eyes met hers. “You don’t know that,” he said. There was something in his tone that made her pause.
• Julie looked down again, for a moment, she wanted to believe him. But her life had taught her something else. Nothing has ever worked in her favor.
• She took a deep breath and said softly. “I just want to go home.”
• Patrick nodded. “Then let’s go.”
• He picked up his keys, then looked at her again.
• “Can you walk?” he asked softly.
• She nodded slowly. “Yes.”
• He moved toward the door and opened it.
• Julie followed behind him. Her steps were slow and unsteady.
• …….
• The air outside felt colder than before, or maybe it was just her. She wrapped her arms around herself without realizing it.
• Patrick noticed it, and slowed his pace so she wouldn’t have to struggle to keep up. He didn’t say anything, and somehow that silence felt safer than words.
• Julie didn’t trust her voice anymore, every time she opened her mouth, it felt like everything would fall apart again.