"Where am I?" I woke up, exhausted as I asked someone unfamiliar. I still have blurry vision that's why it's hard to recognize the place and the person beside me.

"I'm a nurse here. You're in the hospital right now." She Answered while scanning the records she was holding. I'm quite dizzy as I lean forward to sit.

"Careful miss, you might collapse again. The doctor said you must stay in your bed to rest." She managed to help me lay down again. "Your boyfriend will be here soon, he's out to buy medicine for you," she added as she flipped close the records she was holding and said she'll come back after an hour. Baffled by her words, I tried to ask her another question about who she meant by boyfriend but she exited the room already. While I tried to sleep again, somebody enter the room.

"Oh, you're awake. How's your feeling?" He asked. It was Nathan, of course. He walked hurriedly toward me.

"I'm okay," I replied while trying to get up from bed. Nathan instantly lends his hands to help me.
"What happened?" I asked looking at him desperately. He sits next to me, then responded, "You collapsed last night after the incident. The police will come here later to get your side, so don't worry about it."

"I don't know how to thank you for helping me. I don't know what would happen if, if..." I stammered and stop from talking when tears rolled from my eyes. I whimpered slowly. I know I'm a dirty woman but I also deserve to be respected in any way I can. He leaned forward to comfort me and held my hands.

"I will always be here for you," his reassuring words can be sometimes persuasive but as I remember the incident at his house, I hesitated. I wiped my tears

"You don't have to be there for me always, you don't have to do that anymore. I'm just please you found me last night and helped me, that's all. This would be the last time we'll see each other. I don't want to cause any more trouble. I'll just stay where I am for this is my life and this will be my life forever." I said in a lowering voice. I tried to deny myself that I was hurt that's why I kept my composure and show him that I'm not affected.

"Why are saying that to me? Yes, I indeed lied to you about the divorce, and I'm so sorry about it but I didn't lie about my feelings towards you. It's true, you felt it, I'm sure of it because I felt it too." As I heard him saying that to me, I can't feel anything. My brain isn't working for it was blinded by my insecurities. He leaned forward toward me, trying to prove his sincerity when two police officers arrive and entered the room.

"Excuse us, we're sorry for the interruption, can we have a word for miss Stephanie?

" Of course, officer." Replied Nathan as he moves away to sit in the chair beside my bed.

"Good morning miss, how are you feeling now?" Asked one of the officers to me. He's quite skinny with a mustache and tanned skin.

"I'm okay now," I replied.

"I'm officer Lee, I just want to ask for clarification. The man who assaulted you was in our custody already. He got an attorney and demanded us to release him because all was just a misunderstanding. He claimed that he is your customer and said that he paid you, but you're not satisfied with the payment that's why you demanded more. Because of it, you fought together and that's when Mr. Nathan here, suddenly came and punched him for no reason. What can you say about that," I laughed a little. They were puzzled about my response.

"I'm a prostitute," I announced with no shame but I'm ashamed. "If I said that's not true that he paid me, will you believe me then? And if I said, he truly wanted to rape me that night, will you also believe the words I said even after knowing that I'm a prostitute?" Tears flow from my eyes, I sighed.

"Please stop this interrogation officer, I already stated my story as a witness. That man was a liar and a rapist. You also knew he was drunk that night. You have to understand the situation, my girlfriend here is a victim of an assault and I will do everything to put that man behind bars." Nathan stands for me as if he was truly my boyfriend. I looked away as the officers bid goodbye and said we come to the station afterward to give an official statement.

"Don't worry, we'll get a lawyer and I know someone who can help us." He said as I stayed looking away from the window, feeling betrayed by my own words.

(To be continued)