ROXIE 4: Old Wounds
ROXIE 4: Old Wounds
Dominic was a senior and a dear friend I grew close to in college. Now, he’s a cosmetic surgeon based in another city.
I sobbed uncontrollably, overwhelmed by everything that had happened to me. My heart brimmed with hatred toward Gideon Blake, the Montclaires, and even my uncle, who had made a deal with that man, all of them.
“I don’t want to live anymore, Dom… I have no family, no money… even Isabella and Cassie ran for their lives,” I cried, tears streaming down my face. “What did I do wrong? Why did this happen to me? Simply because I loved someone too deeply?”
He placed his hand gently on my back.
“Don’t say that, Roxie… Listen to me; none of this is your fault. I saved you from that ship because you still have a purpose. You don’t deserve to hurt yourself. You’re not the one who should have to make this sacrifice…”
His words pierced through my grief, and I broke down completely, my body shaking with sobs.
The pain was unbearable, my soul utterly crushed, but somewhere deep inside, I recognized the truth in what he said.
Once I’d calmed down and gathered my thoughts, Dominic began to explain how he saved me. The mother of the birthday celebrant, Mrs. Russo, was his client–he was her cosmetic surgeon–so he happened to be at the party. He had spotted me walking lifelessly across the deck of the ship.
He had witnessed everything. But the lady he was with urged him not to get involved. Mrs: Russo knew Gideon Blake and warned that it would be too messy.
“I had to contain my emotions and simply observe where he took you,” he explained. “I was with Mrs. Russo when the explosion occurred; she helped me save you. I had to plead with her to report that you hadn’t survived… A helicopter arrived to evacuate them, and they brought both of us along.”
More tears rolled down my cheeks. Dominic had risked everything to save me, and here I was telling him I no longer wished to live.
Dominic took me in and let me stay at his clinic. Two days later, I began seeing a therapist. But even as weeks passed, the anger in my chest stayed. The pain was still there, constant and overwhelming.
Night after night, I cried over everything that had happened, my mind spinning with questions I couldn’t shake.
How could Gideon meet my feelings with nothing but cruelty?
Did he really hate me that much?
I never thought days would turn into weeks, and weeks into months, with my heart still burning with quiet anger. As I slowly started to accept my new reality, it took a year and a half before I could finally lay Roxanne Sanders to rest, not physically, but in my mind and heart.
If all those therapy sessions gave me anything, it was this–I finally learned to accept myself, this new version of me.
During that period of change, I worked as Dominic’s assistant at his cosmetic surgery clinic. It gave my days some structure, which I really needed. I was looking for something to keep me busy, something that gave me a sense of purpose … and, of course, a steady job didn’t hurt.
Life started to feel a bit more normal again, even though I was still just a nameless woman, ‘Rox, as Dominic introduced me. I was just the woman behind the surgical mask, nothing more to everyone else.
Then, one ordinary afternoon, Mrs. Russo came in for her usual skincare treatment. I thought it would be just another routine appointment, nothing more than a brief interaction before I got back to my day.
But I was wrong.
Dominic summoned me to his private consultation room. When I entered, Mrs. Russo was already there, deep in
conversation with him.
“Hello, Mrs. Russo,” I greeted politely before turning to Dominic. “You called for me?”
Mrs. Russo stood. Her gaze traveled over my features with such analytical precision that I felt like a specimen under
examination.
“She’s definitely like Selene’s,” Mrs. Russo remarked thoughtfully. “Same height, same body shape… even their eye color matches perfectly.”
My brows furrowed.
‘What’s happening here?‘ The question formed
“Is there a problem?” I managed to ask.
Successfully unlocked! oken.
“Listen, Roxie…” Dominic began, his tone gentle yet serious. “The thing is, Mrs. Russo needs our help.”
I turned toward the woman, who continued to study me with unwavering intensity.
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ROXIE 4: Old Wounds
“Uh, okay…” The words slipped out uncertainly as confusion took over. I had no idea what kind of help they were expecting from me.
“My niece died last month… after being abducted by a political rival,” Mrs. Russo began.
“I’m so sorry to hear that,” I responded sincerely. The raw pain of loss was something I understood all too intimately.
But she wasn’t done. “But the abduction wasn’t really what killed her. The kidnapper’s vehicle collided with a truck. They were speeding recklessly when they crashed. My niece… She died before even reaching the hospital.”
My entire body began to tremble as her words registered.
The description of the road accident ignited something primal within me; it was a gut–punch of emotion, like a fire rushing through my veins.
That’s how the nightmare of my own life had begun.
“My sister, her mother, needed that girl for our collaboration with the Knight Family.”
“The Knight family?” I repeated the recognition, hitting me. “The ones known for their architectural genius and massive real estate empire?”
She gave me a slight nod like she was impressed by what I knew.
“There are extensive lands and invaluable properties hanging on the line, assets my family’s been wanting for years. The Knights clarified that they’ll only give them to us if my niece marries their heir like they planned.”
The direction of this conversation was becoming unmistakably clear, and my heartbeat quickened in response.
“My family will give you whatever you want–financial security, a new identity with all the right credentials, protection, power.. . anything you need. But in return, you must become Selene, my niece, and take on the responsibility her death left behind.”
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