Chapter 234 Dear Diary...

I’m never gonna get used to Dante being so caring toward me. It was just so alien. Maybe he really was a dose of sunshine and no sarcasm this time.

"Are you going easy on me, Sunshine?" I asked, amused.

"What?"

"You hate my guts," I said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

He scoffed. "Who says I do?"

"Hello? You threatened me after a day of marrying your brother..."

"Luca did too, but you aren’t throwing it around him all the time."

I rolled my eyes. "Maybe because you kept acting like you had a stick up your ass.

He scoffed again, and I smiled. But it faded away quickly when I thought back to my situation. Then an idea hit me.

"Um, so after rehab, I was thinking of stepping out for a bit. I’ve been in this hospital for months, and I think getting some fresh air would be nice for a change. What do you say? A nice drive to the park or a café?"

I needed to find out if my suspicions were true.

"The hospital has a garden; we can go there. Heard it’s great for rehab too. As for coffee, I could order one for you."

"I was thinking of someplace that isn’t a hospital. I’m sure Dr. Keller wouldn’t disagree. I’m making great progress after all. A little sunshine and some sun-kissed skin would do me good, too."

Dante took the food out of the bag. "There’s an area where you can do some sun-kissing or whatever that shit means."

"W-What about some quick shopping? I’d really like to wear something other than pajamas all day."

Dante’s reply was annoyingly straightforward. "There’s a great shopping app. Pick whatever you like, and they’ll have it delivered right to you."

Unbelievable. It was like he had a counter to every single one of my requests, as if he had prepared for it.

I wouldn’t be surprised.

I was dealing with Dante, and he was one person who was so insanely alike to Zade.

I got that an enemy was roaming around, especially one so dangerous, capable of inflicting a lotta damage, but this was just...!

I took a deep breath. The last thing I wanted to do was overreact.

"Okay!" I chirped, and Dante had to look in my direction suspiciously.

I should be the one suspicious, you ass.

"Okay?"

"What? Were you expecting me to fight you over it?"

"I prepared for that too."

Ugh!

I swung my pillow at him, but he caught it swiftly.

"You’ve got good aim. Have you ever thought of swinging a bat?"

My nostrils flared, and he smirked like I had made his day.

"If you’d excuse me now. I need to shower and then get ready for rehab."

"Sure. Make sure you finish that." He pointed out as he walked out the door.

I eyed the food on the table, and my stomach growled. I should probably gobble on that first. He was right about one thing. I do need my energy for rehab.

~☆~

Rehab today was surprisingly not as painful as I had imagined. After last night with Zade, I thought there would be some setback, but nothing like that.

I could easily finish with the parallel bar and do more rounds.

My physical therapist was impressed and had to tell me to take a break. I had to listen no matter how much I wanted to keep going.

I still needed to make sure that I didn’t stress myself too much or else all this progress would be for nothing.

I sat close to the window, enjoying the view as I sipped from my water bottle. After that much exercise, my throat was parched.

I eyed my braced leg, and that heavy feeling came back again. I was gonna walk again... properly. But I still don’t know about dancing, in my current situation, that seems like a long shot. A really long one.

I peeled my eyes away when I felt like crying. I didn’t want to, but there was always that gnawing feeling when I took a moment to recall what I had lost.

My mind would wander to the things that had led up to this point, and I didn’t just feel heartbroken; I felt angry... so fucking angry I felt like punching a hole through the wall.

"Mr. Salvero?"

I stiffened. "Yeah?"

"It’s time for your appointment."

I forced a smile, nodding.

I made my way to Dr. Keller’s office, and he was welcoming as always. We talked a lot, and I knew he was mostly doing his job, but sometimes I enjoyed the talk we had.

"I remember something recently, and it warms my heart as well as it hurts it."

"What?" he asked.

"Coco and Boba. My fur babies," I said with a sad smile. "They were never my sisters. They were mine, and it hurts because..." I scoffed, wiping a lone tear.

So much for not crying.

"Because?"

I gulped. "The more I remember, the more I see how stupid I was."

He narrowed his eyes. "In what way?"

"I was so angry and for what? All that hatred amounted to nothing. All that sorrow was just pointless. And hating Zade? I can never talk that back. Defending a sister that never truly loved or cared for me."

Dr. Keller nodded. "You have no reason to be angry at yourself."

"I really should be... if I had known better."

"We humans use that phrase a lot," he replied. "We like to crucify ourselves for things that were never within our control."

I wiped more of the tears that ran down my cheeks, and he shifted the box of tissues my way.

"Thanks," I mumbled.

"You shouldn’t be so hard on yourself, Mrs. Salvero. On the bright side, you aren’t just remembering the things that hurt you but the best things too."

I smiled before laughing out loud. I really didn’t mean to, but I just did, especially when I reminisced about the times Zade and I shared.

I saved his life, and from then on, the obsession began.

"Yes, you’re right. The good things are probably what makes remembering worth it. I loved how after every meet-up with Zade I’d lay on my bed and write in my...!"

I froze.

"Is something wrong?"

Wait a minute. I had a diary. I thought I stopped doing that because Annabeth had one too. But I didn’t stop having a diary, did I? A cold chill swept through me as a realization struck.

"Mrs. Salvero?"

I blinked my eyes back to Dr. Keller, with a worried expression plastered across his face.

I pushed myself to my feet, grabbing my crutches. "I have to go."

I rushed out even as he called my name. As I roamed the corridor, my heartbeat smashed insanely in my chest. I was shaking, and many times my crutches almost slipped out of my grip.

I had to pause and pull out my phone, swiping in search of Zade’s number.

"Anastasia..."

I jumped, my phone slipping off my grip and sliding toward a wheelchair.

Caleb picked it up, and his eyes met mine.

He smiled. "Surprised to see me? I haven’t come around because..." His gaze dipped to my leg. "I couldn’t bear seeing you like this. I preferred to keep the picture of you healthy in my mind but then I thought it would be rude if I didn’t show my face."

He stretched out his hand, and I cautiously took my phone from him.

He chuckled. "Something wrong?"

My throat grew tight as shards poked there. "I-I just had a really intense session, that’s all."

I dialed Zade’s number.

"Really? Do you wanna talk about it?"

Why isn’t Zade’s number going through?

I tried it again, but it was the same thing.

"Anastasia."

I darted my eyes back to Caleb.

"It’s really rude to turn your back when speaking with someone."

I clenched my phone tightly, but then I pulled my phone down.

He narrowed his eyes as though he discerned something was wrong. "Is there something you wish to share, Anastasia? You’re looking at me like I have done you wrong."

"Why?" I murmured.

He grew confused.

"Why did you tell me Zade had my sister’s diary when he never did?"

Suddenly, the confusion in his eyes vanished completely; it sent a chill down my spine. It was almost as if he had conjured it for my benefit, and now there was no need to keep up the act.

He exhaled sharply, just watching me with an unreadable expression.

"The only diary Zade ever had in his possession was mine. My diary. The one you gave me, claiming it belonged to my sister? It was a fake."

"..."

"Y-You l-lied. You told me you saw my sister getting into Zade’s car, and she looked scared. You said she went missing after that, before she turned up dead. That was a lie too, wasn’t it?"

"What makes you so sure?"

"Because I killed her!"

"Bravo, Anastasia, you solved the mystery behind your sister’s death. But... where does that leave me?"

"I-It’s you..." I said with wide eyes. "You’re the Benefactor."

He suddenly pushed himself to his feet, and my breath caught in my throat when he loomed over me. "Think again, Anastasia. You’re supposed to be a smart girl, aren’t you?"

"But she never was smart."

A familiar voice cut through the air. I turned toward it, and the moment my eyes landed on him, the color drained from my face.

"J-Jacob?"