Her phone rang continuously, waking her from slumber.
"Have you read the news today, Anna?"
"No, what's there to read about, any gossips?"
"Gossip would have been good if it was on someone else, but you? I don't think that's fair" Angel said with a concerned tone.
"Let me check?" Anna said, sounding puzzled.
It was all over the internet. Sudden fame, something she could not achieve as the heiress of the Woods Family.
But it wasn't about something she loved to recollect; it was about…her past! And a lie- a huge conspiracy.
"Anastasia Woods is mentally unstable?"
She stared at her phone in disbelief.
Calls came in from every corner of the world, even her parents doubted her.
"Why didn't you tell me Anna, we could have found a solution." Annabel sounded worried.
"You think I have mental issues just because someone we don't know posted it online, huh?"
"But…
"Mum, I would love to find a solution to this uprising problem, and judging by the situation, you really can't be of any help."
Without waiting for a response, she hung up.
But she was still confused. Why would anyone lie like that? Was it for fame or for her defamation? She knew she had to find out or this little post could ruin her entire life.
"I also tried checking Anna, but I could not find the source of the post, it's almost like it doesn't exist." Luvleen said.
Helpless, Anna had to thank her and hang up.
How was she going to find the person who made such unforgiving story about her?
She threw her phone in anger and an audio note started playing.
"Not just the world Anna, even you will lose yourself, and you will also lose Jake, he doesn't trust you Anna, and he definitely won't be able to bear your mischief.
Afterall, there is more to what a mental patient can do, right?"
She was startled. She hurriedly walked over to the phone and picked it, trying to find the audio note.
But it was a vain search- she could not find anything. It was like the audio note never played from her phone.
After a short while, she got a call from Hazel.
"I saw the rumors online Ann, how are you feeling, I really hope you are not agitated by any of this."
"No." Anna responded.
"Good. Take a bath and then meet me at the club house near that Restaurant, I need to talk to you, because we need to find a solution to this."
"Thank Hazel."
The call ended.
With a lot in mind, she only had the energy to dress casually- all in black, she didn't want to draw attention, considering the fact that the society sees her as a threat.
As she reached for her earrings on the dressing table, her phone fell, and another audio played again.
"Try running Anna, but no matter how hard you run, you can never run from your shadow, you can never run from reality. You may not realize it now, Anna, but you are losing yourself and you are losing everyone."
She hurriedly reached for her phone, but it was as normal as it was before, no trace of any audio played.
She sighed as she stared at her phone.
Club Safari.
The loud music made it almost impossible to hear a single thing.
She walked up to Hazel with a smile that was clothed by her mask.
"It's me." She whispered as she sat opposite Hazel.
Looking at her dressing, Hazel shot a dead look at her.
"Why are you dressed like an illegal hacker?"
"Because I am seen as a threat in the society." She explained.
"Whatever." Hazel shoved.
"So, do you have any help you can render?"
"Yes, I won't call you here if I did not have one, but first you need to take a little bit of wine, don't worry it's non-alcoholic in case you don't like alcohol." Hazel said thoughtfully.
Anna smiled. "You are really thoughtful Hazel, thanks."
"Yeah."
She walked silently towards the outhouse, her shoes crunching faintly against the gravel.
The evening was still- too still.
She pushed the creaky door open, stepped inside and latched it shut behind her.
As she turned to sit, something fluttered from the back of the door. A small paper, neatly folded slip of paper. Her chest tightened.
She picked it up with trembling fingers.
The note read:
"You forgot too easily. But don't worry- your past remembers you."
She- Anna froze.
Her breath hitched as her eyes darted around the cramped space. There was no signature. No indication of who had left it.
Just those words…Unnervingly precise. They dug into her like claws.
She read again.
What past?
Her vision blurred slightly, the room seemed smaller now, the shadows deeper. It felt as if someone had just been there- waiting. Watching.
And for the first time. Anna questioned her reality.