The flashing red and blue lights outside the restaurant cast sharp streaks across the polished windows.
"Simon Lodge, stand up with your hands where we can see them."
Rachael stood frozen, her breath catching in her throat as chaos unfolded. The moment Simon stepped away from their candlelit table, men in dark suits surged forward.
Gasps rippled through the restaurant. Simon's eyes darted to Rachael, a flicker of something unreadable passing over his face before he slowly raised his hands. Two agents grabbed his arms, forcing them behind his back as the cold snap of handcuffs filled the space between them.
Rachael's fingers curled into fists against the tablecloth.
"What's going on?"
Her gaze was fixed on Simon, her eyes filled with a mix of fear, concern, and confusion. She looked like she was frozen in place, unable to move or process what was happening.
Simon let out a slow exhalation, turning to her with an unsettling calmness.
"I'll be in touch, Rachael."
Then they pulled him away.
Rachael's face burned with shame as she watched the agents lead Simon away in handcuffs. Her eyes darted around the restaurant, taking in the stunned faces of the other diners.
She looked like she wanted to melt onto the floor, her embarrassment and humiliation written all over her face.
Pushing back her chair quickly, she grabbed her purse and rushed outside. The cool night air did little to calm the storm raging inside her. Her hands trembled as she pulled out her phone to dial David. It rang twice before he picked it up.
"Rachael?" His voice was tense.
"Where are you?" Her voice quivered.
"Turn around."
Rachael's heart skipped a beat as she sensed a presence behind her.
Slowly, she pivoted. David stood a few feet away, leaning against his car, his arms crossed over his chest.
"David?" Her voice wavered.
"What are you doing here?" "What are you doing in Greendale?"
David didn't answer right away.
"You followed me here," she whispered, her voice trembling with a mix of emotions.
David exhaled, running a hand through his hair.
"That's not what matters right now. I need to get you out of here. Get in the car."
"David, I
"Now," he interrupted,
"We can talk later. Right now, we need to leave."
Before she could protest, he grabbed her arm and guided her toward his car. Rachael barely had the strength to resist. Her legs felt unsteady beneath her as he opened the passenger door and ushered her inside. The door shut with a heavy thud. David slid into the driver's seat and peeled out of the parking lot.
Silence hung thick between them as they sped through the empty streets. Only the occasional hiccup of Rachael's restrained sobs filled the car.
"David," she finally whispered.
"What's going on?" "You saw what happened, didn't you?"
David tightened his grip on the steering wheel,
"Simon isn't who you think he is,". "You saw how he humiliated you in that restaurant. Do you know what this will do to your reputation? To your business? People will talk, Rachael."
"Simon Lodge is a fraud, Rachael. A conman. A drug lord. He's been on the FBI's radar for years. And not just him, his father too. They were your father's business partners."
"The point is, you were in the middle of something dangerous, Rachael. You still are."
Her breath came fast, shallow. She tried to process what he was saying, but it felt like the walls were closing in around her. "But why didn't you tell me all this before?"
David exhaled, his voice quieter this time.
"I didn't know until a few minutes ago."
Rachael let out a shaky breath, her mind spinning. Then, a thought struck her.
"So you were stalking me?"
"I was watching out for you. If I wasn't here, who would be bringing you home tonight? Who would make sure you're safe?"
"Thank you," she muttered, the words tinged with emotion. She felt a lump form in her throat as she realized the depth of David's concern for her.
David dropped Rachael off in front of the house, the tires screeching slightly as he pulled away before she could say another word. The sharp roar of the engine fading into the night left her feeling abandoned, more lost than she had ever been. She rushed inside, her pulse hammering in her ears.
"Mom!" she called out, her voice cracking with tears.
Her mother, who had been seated in the dimly lit living room, jumped up at the urgency in her daughter's tone. The book she had been holding slipped from her lap.
"Rachael? What is it? Where is Simon?"
Rachael took a deep breath before blurting out the shocking news.
"He was taken by the FBI, Mom. Simon is into fraud, drugs, his father too."
Harriet's eyes widened in horror.
"What?!" she exclaimed, her voice trembling with shock.
"That's impossible!"
"Alright, I heard you. Go upstairs now. I'll call Adam to fix things up."
Rachael's head snapped up.
"What does Uncle Adam have to do with this?" Her voice was laced with disbelief, confusion knotting in her stomach.
"You'll know later, but I know you're not in a good mood right now." "Just go upstairs, take a warm bath, and I'll come to your room soon." Her mother reached out, gently rubbing Rachael's hand.
Rachael pulled away, her face contorted in frustration. How could her mother be so calm?
She had once encouraged her to be with Simon and now acted like this was just another inconvenience to be handled.
Without another word, she turned and stumbled up the stairs. Her fingers trembled as she reached for her phone. She dialed David's number. It rang but no answer.
She tried again. And again, but the calls went straight to voicemail. Rachael's frustration boiled over, and she slammed her fist onto the bed, tears streaming down her face.
The next day, social media were abuzz with videos and news of Simon's arrest. Rachael's name was splashed across every platform, her reputation in tatters.
"Rachael George is seen with an alleged fraudster and drug baron, just like her dad!" The headlines screamed.
The headlines were brutal.
Rachael had never felt so exposed. She had built a name for herself, and now, in the blink of an eye, it was all crumbling. She deactivated her social media pages, but it was too late. The damage has been done
She locked herself in her room. Refusing to eat, refusing to speak. She curled up in bed, her mind spinning with memories of Simon, the moments he had charmed her and the promises he had made.
How could I have been so stupid?
The whispers outside her door grew more desperate.
"Rachael, please open the door," Harriet pleaded, her voice soft but urgent.
Adam knocked right after.
"Come on, Rach. You can't stay there forever. Let us help you."
But Rachael didn't move. Her heart was shattered. If she had known, she would never have listened to Simon the first time she met him by the river. Now, she is all over social media,
Three days passed. Three days of silence.
Then, finally, on the fourth day, Rachael stepped out of her room. Her face was pale, her body weak from hunger and exhaustion. Her once-bright eyes were dull, dark circles shadowing them. She took slow steps towards the staircase, her legs trembling beneath her.
She barely made it halfway down when dizziness took over.
The room spun. Her vision blurred.
And then a sharp cry pierced the silence as Rachael's body lurched forward. Her foot slipped, and before she could catch herself, she tumbled down the stairs. The world became a blur of motion walls, furniture, and the hard wooden steps flashing past her.
The last thing she heard was Harriet's scream.
"RACHAEL!"
A sickening thud echoed through the house as she hit the ground, her body sprawled motionless at the bottom of the staircase.
Adam and Harriet rushed to her side.
"Call an ambulance!" Adam shouted, cradling Rachael's limp body.
Harriet's hands shook as she dialed, her breaths coming in short gasps.
"She's not waking up!"
Adam gently tapped Rachael's face.
"Rach, can you hear me?" His voice cracked with fear.
Minutes later, the blaring sirens cut through the air. The paramedics worked swiftly, checking her pulse, lifting her onto the stretcher. Harriet rode with her in the ambulance, gripping Rachael's cold fingers as she whispered,
"Please wake up. Please."
At the hospital, they wheeled her into the emergency room. Harriet and Adam stood frozen outside the room, watching through the small window as the medical team worked to stabilize her.
Hours passed. The waiting room was suffocating with silence and worry. Harriet sat with her head in her hands while Adam paced the floor restlessly.
Then a nurse stepped out. "She's stable," she announced.
Relief flooded Harriet's face. Adam let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"Can we see her?" Harriet asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
The nurse nodded.
"She just woke up". "But"…she hesitated.
"She seemed a bit disoriented. And… well, she seems shocked."
Harriet and Adam exchanged worried glances before hurrying into the room.
Rachael lay on the hospital bed, her face pale against the white sheets. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. A single tear rolled down her cheek as she blinked a few times, adjusting to her surroundings.
Then her gaze locked on the figure standing at the foot of her bed.
Her breath hitched.
Her lips parted in shock.
The sight of who she saw stunned her.
"You came," she whispered.