Chapter 9 A Chance

• I couldn't determine whether it was fear or anger, but a lump formed in my throat, suffocating me, and my vision blurred with stars. I wanted to scream and shout, but I didn't dare. I didn't know what they would do if they discovered my condition.
• My home, my children, and everything I had for ten years...
• I bit down on the blanket, desperately holding back the gut-wrenching sobs. Memories of the past ten years raced through my mind, making it difficult for me to breathe. Soon, darkness closed in.
• When I regained consciousness, my mind was unusually clear. I couldn't just lie here and allow them to control me. I needed to uncover the truth. Why did they treat me like this? I could turn a blind eye to the cheating, but poisoning me? That was a clear attempt on my life.
• This was a dead end, and I had to take drastic measures to save myself.
• My eyes fixed on the upper left corner of the room. I thought that if Kevin already sensed that something was wrong with me, he wouldn't overlook the surveillance in this room. I had to make that 'eye' shut for good.
• But carrying out this plan right under their noses, without being discovered, was almost impossible.
• Unexpectedly, fate smiled upon me, and the opportunity arrived sooner than expected.
• In the evening, I faintly heard Tania's voice in the corridor, followed by Kevin making a phone call. It seemed he had returned early, or perhaps he hadn't even left.
• His voice was loud, and I could hear clearly. The residential area was experiencing a power outage.
• I felt a surge of excitement. This was my chance! Just as I was getting up, I heard the doorknob click, and I quickly lay back down, holding my breath.
• The room was dim, and I squinted, watching as Kevin glanced inside. Then, he stepped back out.
• The door wasn't securely closed, and I could clearly hear Tania's impatient complaints. "Why did the power go out? Dinner isn't ready yet! What did the property management say? When will they come?"
• "They're checking what's wrong. If dinner's not ready, we'll just have a meal outside!" Kevin replied indifferently.
• "Oh? Is that okay?" Tania's tone was clearly excited. "But her medicine isn't prepared yet!"
• "We'll deal with it when we come back! It looks like she won't wake up anytime soon!"
• "I'll change the child's clothes then!" Tania's footsteps hurried away.
• Before long, I heard the sound of a car starting downstairs.
• My heart sank to its lowest point, and hot tears streamed down my face. Yet, I couldn't afford to wallow in sorrow. I had to act quickly. My heart was pounding like it was about to burst, and my body was weak. To make matters worse, my legs were trembling uncontrollably.
• I struggled to drag a chair over and stepped onto it to inspect. Sure enough, the camera was still there. I reached out and took it down, then examined it. I had to figure out how to make it look perfectly fine but actually render it useless.
• In my haste, I quickly went to the bathroom and filled the sink with water. Then, I tossed the camera in without a second thought.
• Finally, I hurried back to my bedside table, searching for my phone. It had been so long since I used it that I had no idea where I had put it. I had to call Hailey to ask for her help. I had to know what they made me drink.
• Hailey Upton was from the same town as me. She was also my classmate and, most importantly, my only trusted confidante in Ivywood.
• Alas, I couldn't find my phone after searching every drawer, crevice, and shelf. My heart was too weak, pounding like it was about to explode. I collapsed on the bed, panting, with tears streaming down my face. I wiped them away, frustrated with myself. How had I come to this?
• I took a moment to catch my breath. After taking a deep breath, I gritted my teeth and got up. I walked to the door cautiously, peering outside. The whole place was eerily quiet. A profound stillness blanketed the entire building as darkness slowly crept in.
• I moved like a ghost, swiftly leaving the room.
• I headed straight for Kevin's study barefoot. I had to find my phone so I could establish contact with the outside world. Once the power came back on and the surveillance was restored, I didn't know if there would be another opportunity like this.
• It had been a long while since I had last visited the study. Nonetheless, I was convinced my phone was in Kevin's possession.
• I went straight to his desk, where his computer sat. I reached out to touch it, and it was still warm, indicating he had been using it recently.
• I bent down to try to open the drawers and find my phone. Unfortunately, I realized that they were all locked. He never used to lock his drawers. Now, they were all locked. It was all I could do to stop myself from stamping my foot in frustration, as I couldn't afford to waste my energy so recklessly.