Change Your Life

“You’re finally up” a male voice said as my eyes adjusted to the light in the room.

“W-who are you” I strained to say as I stood up gently off the bed.

Both the gentleman exchanged glances before speaking up.

“I’m officer Biggs and this is my partner Carl. We are here about John Guidette…” they announced as I glanced down at myself to see if there were any gunshot wounds.

“Our men shot John before he could even pull the trigger on you. You’re fine. Your body went into shock and that’s why you find yourself here” Biggs confirmed as his partner nodded.

“Thank you. But you said you wanted to talk about John?” I interrupted as I prepared to talk about a past I had been trying to run from for the past 5 years.

“Yes” Carl nodded as he took a seat near my bed and took out his phone. “We’ve been tracking him for the past two years. A young lady went into one of Holland’s police departments to report that he had forced himself on her. Little did she know that she would open up a can of worms that would lead to us find out about his prostitution and human trafficking ring”

I nodded as Carl explained the situation to me.

“Well uhm congratulations on that but I don’t understand how I’m involved in this” I asked in confusion.

This time it was Officer Briggs turn to explain it to me.

“Well from the information we have collected, it would seem you were the first girl he pushed into that industry” he explained as I looked away from him. “And its also come to our attention that the men he works with, are people you have also had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting”

“You mean the men h-he forced me to sleep with?” I whispered as my eyes moved to my hands.

“Yes” Briggs interrupted as his hand covered mine. “The reason why we are here is to ask if you can…if you can testify against him”

“I ca-can’t…”

“I know it your nervous” he interrupted “but we have a water tight case, our girls, girls he did this to as well, they are willing to testify. But with you, with your testimony, we could put him away for a long time” he explained as my heart began to beat fast. “I’ve already spoken to your fiancé, and he has backed us fully with this. So once the doctor gives you the all clear later today, we have your passport and bags waiting for you, ready for the flight” he explained as my mind raced.

“Ro-Robin knows? What did he say?” I asked in a panic as I realised that despite everything I had done, I still couldn’t keep my darkest secret away from the only man I had truly loved.

“What don’t I just tell you” I voiced bellowed from the door as all eyes turned to him.

I struggled to breathe as I saw an angry Robin looking back at me.

“We’ll leave you two alone” both Briggs and Carl announced as they stood up and left us alone.

Robin said nothing as he closed the door behind him and stood away from me.

“I get that you have a past. A past I was willing to forget” he began without waiting for me to speak “All you had to do was just tell me the truth about everything that happened but no, you still chose to look me in the eye and lie to me…”

“I was scared…”

“Oh really? So was it that fear that pushed you to run away rather than tell me about John?”

I bit my lip at his accusation because I knew he was right.

“You know I could forgive you for everything you did, just as long as you were honest up front but now…now I can’t be with you. I don’t know who you are. And I can’t be with someone who can look me in the eye and think it’s okay to lie about such things” he snapped as I felt the tears begin to prick my eyes.

“What happened with John was the single most horrifying thing to ever happen to me. How was I meant to confess that to you when even I couldn’t face up to the truth? Did you think by telling you what happened, it would just magically erase what happened? Those scars will never be removed from me.”

“I WANTED YOU TO TELL ME THE TRUTH SO WE COULD MOVE ON…TOGETHER” he yelled as the first tear dropped.

Robin didn’t said anything as I began to cry.

“You should go to the Netherlands” he said after a few minutes. “The trial will give you some closure and hopefully it will allow you to move on…be with someone you can finally trust because obviously that’s not me” he declared before standing up and walking towards the door.

But before he walked out, he turned to me one last time.

“I love Riley and wish you nothing but the best in your life. I’m just disappointed that it couldn’t be me” he said before walking out and leaving me alone.

It wasn’t until the doctor came in a few hours later that I realised I had been crying since Robin had left.

And as I prepared to pack my bags for a trial that would finally close a sad chapter in my life, I knew one thing for sure.

I was in love with Robin van Persie and with time I would win him back.