Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace

Chapter 13

That night. I didn’t go home. I curled up on a hospital bench to sleep through the night.

The next day when I woke up, I was burning up with a fever.

My phone was silent the whole night; Dexter didn’t call even once.

“Ryder…” I called him from the bench. “About that study abroad thing. I’ve made up my mind.”

“Phoebe, do you have a cold?” Ryder’s voice came through, laced with concern.

“Yeah, got caught in the rain yesterday. Feeling a bit under the weather today.”

“Where are you? I’ll drop off some cold medicine,” Ryder was worried.

“If I hand in the application form today, how soon can I leave the country?” I asked with a sense of urgency in my voice.

At that time, I had a premonition that I might not survive if I didn’t leave.

I wanted to live, to get as far away from Dexter as possible.

As long as I left, it would all be over.

“If you apply now, you can get an acceptance letter in two months. I’ll ask the professor to expedite it. Once you get the notice, I’ll buy your plane ticket,” Ryder said, his voice laced with concern. “Is the cold serious? Should I come get you?”

“No need, Ryder… I’m at the hospital. Thank you.”

be able to leave Sea City forever,

I left

unsure where to go. My parents had died in a car accident, the house was sold, and the death compensation was gone to

where home was anymore.

leaning against the wall and

I found a jacket covering me. Although worn. it was clearly

looked around; the

I noticed two plastic–wrapped muffins

kind soul must have mistaken me for a

Homeless?

about right.

live in my house, eat my food, and use my

was no

placed it with the muffins on

returned, they would

then turned around at a rustling noise to see a tall, lean

giving it much thought, I walked straight out of the alley and hailed a cab.

I returned to the Fitzgerald mansion, Dexter was

come home all night,” Hailey

dead,

watching Dexter’s impatient

name is Ryder, your senior,” the housekeeper informed

a moment, then