Fight, Flight, or Freeze: The Healer's Story
Chapter 44: Trapped In A Nightmare

Chapter 44: Trapped In A Nightmare

Have you ever felt like you were trapped in a nightmare... like no matter how hard you tried to wake up, you just couldn’t?

"Miss. Wang, Miss. Wang. Are you still there?" came the deep masculine voice on the other end of my phone.

"Yes, sorry about that, Detective," I answered, trying to shake the fog out of my brain.

"Not a problem. It is completely understandable. I just wanted to assure you that the driver of the semi-truck is going away for a long time for operating under the influence," continued the man.

I was sure that he understood exactly what he had done to me with his words.... "Miss. Wang, I am sorry to inform you that earlier today, a passenger vehicle was struck, killing all four passengers instantly. You have been named next of kin, so I am calling to offer my condolences."

Right... because that was what would bring my entire family back: his pity and the fact that the driver was going to jail because he was drunk.

Did he not understand that I wanted him off the phone so I could hide in a dark corner and cry?

I took in a shuddering breath as I forced my stomach down.

I didn’t have the time or the ability to break down. I was it when it came to my family. Now, everything would rest on my shoulders from here on out.

I guess I should thank God that I was only trapped in the body of a 12-year-old.

"Will you be coming back to City D to arrange the funeral? Or did you want us to handle that?" he continued. It was almost like he was reading off of a list of things to ask or something.

"You are going to be responsible for the funeral arrangements of Patriarch Song? One of the most important men in City D?" I scoffed, not bothering to hold myself back. I would be as polite as I could, but he was pressing every last one of my buttons.

"What—" he said, and I could practically see him stiffening at his desk at work.

"Ah, I assume they didn’t tell you that much when you called," I continued. I nodded my head like I was sympathetic... but we both know if he had pulled this shit with any of the other top families in City D, they would have had his job before he even finished knocking on their door. "I’ll be there tomorrow."

----

The director offered to take me back home and be there while I made arrangements, but I didn’t want him there. This wasn’t the first time I had lost my family. Last life it was when I was 18 when my family home burned down with all of us in it. I was the only survivor then, too.

Nodding his head that he understood, he gave me three months off work, but he and I both knew I wasn’t going to take them. I would go to City D, lay my entire family to rest, and then be back at the hospital by the end of the week.

I stood at the entrance of the airport with my bookbag slung over my shoulder, waiting for my ride to pick me up and bring me to the Song family residence.

"Miss. Wang," said the driver of the luxury car as he stepped in front of me. "Let me take that from you."

I had met him a few times. He was the one who normally drove Grandma and Grandpa around. Maybe my parents would still be alive if it was him driving instead of my dad. I cocked my head to the side and looked at him. I didn’t even know his name... but I wished he was dead instead.

Does that make me a bad person? Or just human?

"I have it," I said as I climbed into the back seat. I just went from being second in line to the dynasty to the one in charge.... And I was not prepared.

The driver bowed his head as he shut the door. Getting into the driver’s seat, he handed me a stack of papers. "This is a copy of both wills, as well as the day-to-day proceedings of Song Enterprise. The shares have dropped significantly, and CEO Shen has been doing his best to keep things afloat. There is going to be a press conference in.... three hours... to announce you as the new head. That should assure the shareholders that things will continue on as normal."

The man continued to drone on and on, not even noticing that I had yet to open the folder in my lap. My hands too cold to move.

After about 40 minutes, he pulled up to the front of the house where the butler was waiting for me.

It was also the first time the driver stopped talking since he had first picked me up. "Thank you," I said, my head held high. "I will give you an hour to collect your things and leave. You’re fired."

With those parting words, I got out of the car with my backpack and walked to the butler.

"Miss," he said, bowing his head.

"Butler Peng Fei," I answered as I walked into the house. I will fully admit that I expected Mom and Grandma to pop their heads out of the kitchen and tell me that this was the only way they could think of to make me come back home.

But the house was silent.

No Grandpa demanding to know how my day was and what I learned....

No Grandma asking if I had made any friends....

No Daddy reminding me that boys at that age had coodies and I was to stay away from them if I didn’t want to be infected...

No Mommy reminding me that I am the most important person in her life....

No one.

"Miss," said Peng Fei softly from just over my shoulder. I impatiently swiped at the tears streaking down my cheeks.

"Yes?" I answered, not turning around. It honestly felt like if I did anything other than breathe, I would break into a million pieces. The tears started to flow even faster, and I let out a little pained squeak with my next breath.

Maybe breathing was a bit too much, too. Too bad I needed it to live.

"I have arranged everything. You don’t need to worry about a thing," he continued softly. He didn’t move, didn’t say a single extra word, but his presence was enough to bring me back from the edge.

"No press?" I asked, sniffing loudly and using my sleeve to get rid of the tears.

"If a grown-ass man, who has been CEO for the past five years, can’t handle the situation, then he doesn’t need his multi-million dollar paycheck," snorted Peng Fei.

What can I say? The man had a point.

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