Blanca Like Snow

Chapter 8 - Coverup

        It's about three hours later than the door to my room opens and Louise comes in. I half expect Nora to also show up, but it's just her. I'm equally happy to see her and I can't help my tears when the woman wraps her arms around me, as tightly as she can but without harming me any further.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she mumbles in my hair and I just let the sobs escape me.

The fear I felt in the car is still with me, having my heart constantly racing, flashbacks attacking me when I close my eyes. That certainty I felt that I was going to die grows stronger when Louise tells me she was scared, that for a moment she thought I was gone. It could've happened, if I hadn't escaped the car, if I had been left unconscious when the vehicle stopped, then I would be nothing but incinerated remains. And even if I escaped, I could've died right there if Clarisse hadn't driven past—and run me over—and taken me to the hospital. It was fortunate how it happened.

I was so close to die and that thought chills me to the bone.

"Thank God you're alive," Louise adds when she pulls back, holding my face in her hands and wiping away my tears.

"Thank you for coming." She just smiles at me, as if I didn't even have to thank her for that. "This is Clarisse. She found me on the motorway and brought me here. She saved me."

Louise then turns to face the lady that had stepped back to leave more room for the two of us. Louise walks up to her and holds her hands when they are face-to-face.

"Thank you so much for what you did for Blanca. And for staying with her all these days," Louise thanks her and I can notice how her husband's mannerism have stuck with her because in gratitude, Louise bows her head to Clarisse.

"I can't leave a kid in need alone. She was all alone and I felt responsible. It was the least I could do," Clarisse explains, making me smile. I can understand a bit why she runs an orphanage.

"I'm still deeply thankful for what you did. And for what you'll do in the future." Clarisse only smiles in that heart-warming way. "May I ask you to leave Blanca and I alone? There are some private things we need to discuss. I'll discuss some with you later, but she needs to know first."

Clarisse immediately agrees, using the chance to take some fresh air and make calls. So Louise and I are left alone and when she grabs my hand to hold it, I know what she needs to talk about. It's hard for me already, I tense at the very thought.

"Do you really think it was Laura?" I ask, not daring to look at her.

"Her motive is the strongest and the activists keep denying it. As you know, it contradicts everything they stand for." I nod, knowing that. "But there's no concrete evidence against Laura and there's a witness that claims it was an attack. The media have started speculating that it might be other companies trying to sabotage BEEB Group, which is extremely likely, too." I take a deep sigh, closing my eyes because the headache is, one again, getting stronger. "It was premeditated, that's for certain. Someone wanted to harm you and that person might try it again."

"What do we do then? How can I go home? I can't stay in the hospital forever."

"No, you can't, and you can't go home. I've talked to lawyers of my trust and a detective. We've agreed that the best is to keep you hidden until we find out who's behind this attack."

"Did you involve the police? But they'll tell Laura!" I protest, but raising my voice makes my head hurt. This is worse than a hangover.

"No. I've told him my suspicions and in order to keep you hidden the fewer people know, the better. So no one will be informed we've found you, not even your family in Chile. I'm really sorry about that, Blanca."