ROSALIE

I still had that one last hope. The hope that Nick would get my text and come running. He would be there for me like he always has been.

But when that horrible woman shows me my husband’s cell phone, that hope vanishes. And more than anything, I’m terrified to know how she got that phone. What did she do to Nick to get it?

“Oh, don’t worry,” she laughs. “Nick is fine. He left it on the front desk and I took it with me.” She cocks her head to the side. “Well, he’s fine for now. But he’s definitely going to jail for killing you. I’ll be long gone by then.”

As she closes in on me, I feel like I’m choking. She can’t get away with this, can she?

But maybe she can. After all, Nick only just escaped being charged with Christina Marsh’s murder two years ago. If I’m found murdered, there’s no way they won’t charge him. He’ll go to jail for this. Maybe forever.

I can’t die this way. I can’t. Nick and I are supposed to have a happy ending. Greta said so! I’m sick of feeling sorry for myself. If I live through this, I’m going to appreciate every moment I’ve got left.

That choking feeling intensifies, and I cough. As the sound leaves my mouth, the woman flinches. She looks concerned. It occurs to me she doesn’t know what’s wrong with me. She has no idea why I’m sick. For all she knows, I’m highly contagious.

So I start coughing more.

She freezes. I should probably be dead by now, but she’s not sure what to do. My coughing has thrown her for a

loop. If I’m going to do anything, now is the time. Because it’s clear Nick isn’t coming.

So I gather every ounce of my strength. And I lunge at

her.

For a moment, the world is a dizzying roller coaster. I

wasn’t sure if I would have the bulk to do it, but somehow, I managed to topple her over, and then the two of us fall to the ground. There’s a loud cracking sound as her skull hits the floor. I don’t know if she’s still got the knife or not, but I’m not going to check. I reach out and run my fingernails down the side of her face.

She screams. It’s been a while since I’ve cut them, I guess.

She’s got to have the upper hand on me, because I’ve been rotting away in this room for the last several years so I’m weak as a kitten. But the adrenaline rush of almost being stabbed to death has given me back some strength. I don’t even think about it. I’m scratching and clawing at her with every fiber of my being. If she wants to kill me, I won’t make it easy for her. And I’m going to get plenty of her DNA under my fingernails so they’ll know it wasn’t Nick who did this to me.

“Whoa! Jesus Christ, Rosie!”

I pause for a breath and look up. Nick is standing over us, gawking at me. I look down at the mystery woman under me, and there’s blood all over her face. I think she might be unconscious. I roll off her, gasping for air.

“Nick,” I manage. “She… she was…”

“I know.” His face is grim. “I saw her through the window in room 201. I saw the knife. I ran over here as fast as I could, but I thought I might be too late…” He looks down at the woman, out cold on the floor. “Little did I know, my wife is a ninja.”

I start to laugh, but instead I burst into tears.