I was quietly combing my hair in the comfort room when Katrin and Nikki walked in. As if on cue, I rolled my eyes as I tied my hair up.
"Stop fucking with us, Ginny. Why did you do that?" Katrin blurted as she leaned sideways against the sink.
I glanced at the four cubicles behind me, no one else was here but us, and then I turned to her.
"Do what?"
"Nikki told me that she saw you doing something on Dwight's phone."
I slid my comb into my bag and smiled at her. "I just helped him. He doesn't really like you, Kat." I took a step and stood right in front of her with my arms crossed. "And you don't really like him too, right?" She wasn't able to respond so I faked a shocked expression. "Oh no, you like him?"
I tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear but she shoved my hand away. A smirk made its way onto my lips as I sighed deeply.
"Too bad, Kat. That murderer saw the bitch in you."
Her jaw dropped at my remark so I began walking away, but a hand grabbed me in my arm so I turned and found Nikki who was acting surprised.
"So it's true? The kid died?" she asked.
I gently pulled my arm away. "Yes, Nikki, but you're not really surprised, aren't you?" My smile grew wider because unlike earlier, her shock was genuine now.
"Because you know," I added. "You know that there's a young patient in that house."
She took a step back and looked away. "I don't."
I pouted and watched her try her best to make a straight face. Nikki is more rational than Katrin and it made her suck at lying.
"I'm not the only one curious enough to wander up the hill, am I?" I implied.
She wasn't able to answer so I reached for the small side pocket of my bag and showed her a silver necklace.
"This is yours, isn't it?"
She gasped and silently stared at the necklace dangling in my fingers, forgetting to respond. I tossed it on her face so she jolted and wasn't able to catch it. The necklace made a faint noise as it fell on the tiled floor.
"I didn't kill, nor offered anyone, Nikki. My conscience is clear." I gazed at them. "How about the two of you?"
Katrin shoved Nikki to the side and strode in front of me.
"What do you want to do then? Were you going to cry for what happened? We just did what we had to do so we could live!"
"Then, congrats. You're alive. But so am I, and I will live in whatever way I want."
I'm taller so it was easier to give her a condescending look.
"If you just lived to pester us, it would've been better if that weirdo had killed you. You're pathetic!" she exclaimed.
I looked at her from head to toe. "You will regret saying that."
She fell silent and it was my cue to leave.
We had one last class but just like this morning, no one bothered to talk. Von wasn't here though.
They're not even talking to each other. This must be torture for them. We have a thesis coming up and we were grouped according to our choice last prelims so that's how it's gonna be until the finals. I decided to stay with them because I wanted to see how long they can last around someone they expected to be dead.
I went straight to the parking lot where my driver, Ed, was waiting. When we got home, Dianna stood on the doorway.
"Von is here," she declared.
I nodded at her, making my way to the living room. I found Von nestling on the couch as he read a mag. He furrowed his brows and stared at me.
"When did you look so nice?"
I glanced at my clothes. I'm wearing a simple gray shirt and denim skirt.
Funny.
"What do you want?" I snapped.
He tossed the mag at the coffee table before resting his elbows on his knees.
"I want to apologize for what I've done. That night... it felt right. That was the only way that we can live."
My lips formed into a thin line. "And when you said we, that doesn't include me, does it? Do you hear how selfish you sound?"
"If you're in our position, won't you do the same?"
"I will never give anyone of you away. Even if I die—"
"But we are not like you!"
I blinked as he clenched his knuckles and sighed heavily.
"You're ready to die," he continued. "Because you are alone, but we are not! We have parents and siblings! We have families that we don't want to leave!"
My heart shattered as a painful quiver travelled through my body, but I didn't wince one bit.
"Is that why it was easier for you to give me away? Because you think my life is worthless to yours?" I asked.
He stood and walked up to me. "I'm sorry, Ginny. We only did what we had to do." Then he stormed out with his hands slid inside his pockets. I glued my eyes on him until he was out of my sight.
My eyes quickly darted at the door that goes to the dining room.
"Dianna!" I called.
She showed up with a potato and a knife in her hands. "Yes, Ma'am?"
"When did Von come?"
"About an hour ago."
"What did he do here?"
She shrugged. "Hmm, he just waited here. Reading."
My phone rang so I nodded at her and walked upstairs.
"Yes, Richard?"
"Someone's following me."
I stopped on the staircase.
"Someone may have noticed that I was investigating about Von. But I've already sent the info that you needed. I handed it to your housekeeper."
My eyes darted at the end of the stairs and strode to my room. I looked around and went straight to the study table.
"What does the packaging look like?"
"A brown envelope. It has photographs and papers."
I gripped on my phone when I didn't find anything. Von didn't come here just to apologize. He knows.
"Send me the—"
I jerked when I heard a loud crash from the other line.
"Richard? Richard?!"
The call ended so I tossed my phone on the table out of frustration.
Von. Fucking Von.
I sat and turned my laptop on to have a video call with my aunt abroad.
"Hi, Aunt Cely."
She seems to be in her office based on her company's logo on the wall behind her and the formal attire that she was sporting.
"Hey, Ginny. Are you okay?"
"I need a new private investigator."
"Aren't you working with Richard already?"
I sighed and drummed my fingers on the table. "Something might have happened to him."
"What?"
"Aunt Cely, I'm running out of time. I need a new one now—"
"What's happening there, Ginny?"
"Just trust me, please?"
It took her a few seconds before she was able to respond. "A-alright. The new investigator will call you later."
"Thanks. Stay safe."
I ended the video call and changed into a nightweae. My phone rang so I picked it up, heading to the balcony.
"Hello?"
I inhaled the cold air and ran my fingers through my hair.
"Hello. This is Jim."
"Hi, Jim. Do you know Richard Montes?"
"Yes. He's a colleague."
"Go check up on him. If he's dead or wasn't able to work, I need you to do something that may not be part of your job but is extremely important."
I spent the whole night planning for everything. My laptop popped a message so I looked at it. Nikki chatted on the GC. This hasn't been active since our trip, maybe they really expected that I died and made a new one without me.
Niks
Skype tomorrow for the thesis
Katrin
Yeah
Dwight
Noted
I typed a reply,
Skype? Why not at Von's?
Von
What is this again, Ginny?
We usually do our projects in your house.
So why skype now?
Everyone has seen my message and it took Nikki a few minutes to reply.
Niks
Fine. Tomorrow at Von's. 9 am.
I closed the chat window and finished researching. I chewed on my lips, praying that Richard is safe.
You guys are going to pay for the worst things that you've done. When you all wanted me dead, you should've made sure that I really died.
I heard a loud thud from the hall outside so I got off my bed and clicked on the door's lock. My heart raced as I strode to the balcony's glass door to lock it as well, but I jumped when someone appeared on the other side.
We were only separated by the glass as I watched him step closer. He's wearing a black bomber jacket, a black shirt and black pair of jeans, but no, this isn't Hugo.
His black cap shadowed half of his face so I wasn't able to see his eyes.
In one swift move, I clicked on the door's lock but my breathing hitched when he pulled a gun at the same time. A loud bang pierced through my ears as the glass door shattered before me.
I aggressively opened my eyes and sat up with my heart pounding in pain. The sunrays coming through the balcony warmed me up as beads of sweat ran through my chest. Without wasting any more minutes, I turned to my laptop beside me to check on the photos that Jim had sent.
My mouth hung open as I stared at my screen. What the fuck, Von.
With my hand shaking, I quickly prepared an email and reached for my phone on the bedside table to call someone.
"Hello?"
"Hello, Mr. Enero? This is Ginny."
"Oh, Ginny. How did you get my personal number?"
"Uh, it doesn't really matter. I called because... You need to know something about Von."
"What about Von?"
I turned to my laptop and pressed the enter button.
"Check my email, Sir. It's important."
I ended the call and tossed my phone beside my laptop as I leaned against the bed's headboard. Mr. Enero is Von's father so he must see the monster behind the smart and good-looking man that he had raised.