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Knocking on the door, I ignore the 'Please do not disturb' sign dangling around the handle. I don't care what she is doing right now, she owes me an explanation. Big time.
It takes a while until I finally hear the key being turned. The door gets opened just a little and Isabella stares at me with wide eyes.
"Hey baby, right now is not a good ti-"
"I don't care. Can you explain this to me?" I open the article on my phone and shove it under her nose. Her face turns white. She doesn't say anything.
"So when exactly were you planning to tell me that you almost got murdered and have been missing for a month now?"
"How did you find this?"
"Seriously? That is all you have to say?" I snort.
"Your Instagranny popped up on my page so I decided to google you. And this is the first thing I found. So?"
"Okay." But instead of inviting me in, Isabella steps out of her room and pulls the door shut without closing it completely.
"The article is real. I didn't tell you because I didn't want to think about it. I know I should have, I'm sorry. You deserve the truth."
I want to believe her so badly but I'm way too angry right now.
"On the topic of truth, I saw you yesterday at the restaurant. You were ogling with some guy and then you guys went upstairs. What was that about? Your new toy? Did you guys fuck?"
"What? No!" Isabella looks at me shocked but I'm not sure if that is because of my accusation or because I caught her in the act.
"We did not fuck, we-" "He's in there, isn't he? That's why you won't let me in." I want to push the door open and storm the room but Isabella's grip around the handle is stronger.
"Judy, please stop. You need to leave. This has nothing to do with you, I promise."
I step back. My voice gets louder and I don't care who might hear me.
"Just how stupid do you think I am? You went upstairs with a guy last night and now you look tired and won't let me in? I thought you were being real when you said you loved me but it was obviously just a shtick. You're so f*cking fake, you whore!"
Isabella is stunned, she has lost control over her face completely and devastation is filling her eyes. But I couldn't care less.
Her voice is quiet and shaky. "No, please. Let us talk later. I'll explain everything."
I'm about to tell her to go f*ck herself and go to hell when I suddenly hear a strange noise coming out of Isabella's room. It's a man and his voice is muffled, as if something is blocking his mouth.
He sounds desperate.
Isabella seems to have heard it as well but before she can react, I grab her shoulders, push her out of the way and stumble into the room.
At first I don't see anything except for a shattered night lamp on the floor. But then I hear the pleading again and it sounds as if it is coming out of the walk-in closet.
"Judy, wait!"
Before Isabella can stop me, I grab the sliding door and push it to the side. What I see then makes me want to scream but Isabella quickly puts her hand in front of my mouth and grabs my wrists with the other.
I'm scared. I try to kick her but Isabella is having none of it.
She leans closer and whispers into my ear with a dangerously low voice. "Don't. Scream. Or I'll have to tie you up as well and this time it won't be very sexy. Understand?"
I don't react so she hisses.
"Understand?"
I nod.
She slowly lets go of me and then clears her voice. "Judy, this is Jasper. Jasper, this is Judy."
I stare into the eyes of the middle-aged man, sitting on the floor of the closet. His arms and legs are tied together and his mouth is filled with what I assume is a white sock. Dried blood covers a cut on his forehead but his face doesn't show any fear right now, instead he seems relieved.
I on the other hand am completely terrified. Am I dating a psychopath?
"Okay, you're probably wondering right now why there is a tied up man sitting in my closet."
I don't know how to respond.
"Well, this is my dear ex boyfriend as he likes to say but honestly we were never really dating. But the news article you just showed me…"
She wanders over to the closet door and smiles down at him.
"Jasper is the one who tried to kill me. He strangled me with my Versuce scarf but luckily he did a shitty job and that is why I'm still here."
"Wait what?" I back off a bit, Jasper is still staring at me. Smiling.
"Yes, he is a murderer."
"But why did you attack him? F*ck, Isa. He has a wound! Did you try to kill him too?"
Isabella laughs but it's dry and emotionless.
"The fact you think I would kill someone kind of hurts, I'm not going to lie."
"Well I'm sorry, madame, but right now I feel like I hardly know you! I just found out about how you almost died and disappeared from a hospital and now I have to look at a man you're holding hostage in your closet! What am I supposed to think here? I'm calling the cops."
I pull out my phone but Isabella quickly grabs it.
"No! Please Judy, you have to believe me. I only wanted to scare him and hide him in my room so I could attend the conference. This is extremely important, it's literally life or death!"
I look at her confused and shake my head in disappointment.
It hurts. It really does. I thought I knew this woman and could be with her but she doesn't even trust me enough to tell the whole story.
"Please, if you call the cops I'm f*cked."
"You should have thought about that before you did…" I point at Jasper. "...this."
Jasper chuckles, obviously enjoying the show.
"Okay, I promise I will explain everything to you, every single detail, as soon as I'm back from Austin."
My head shoots around. "Austin? As in Texas?"
Isabella sighs, scratching her arm. "I'll have to leave tomorrow to fix some things but I'll be back in a few days and then I'll explain everything. I'll answer any question you have. But right now I have to get to the conference or I'll be late."
I just stare at her in disbelief.
"So...could you maybe look over Jasper for me until I'm back? Make sure he doesn't escape or dehydrate?"
She can't be for real right now.
"You're asking me to look over your ex boyfriend who tried to murder you while you attend some conference? What if he attacks me? Do you really not care?"
"No, of course I care! He had a motive to kill me. It was a bad one but it was a motive nonetheless. He has no reason to attack you, okay? Plus I gave him some pills to calm down, he's sort of high and unable to do anything really."
I look back at Jasper. That would explain his apathetic state. He winks at me.
"I'll be back in about two hours. Just...watch TV or something." Isabella starts walking towards the door.
"Wait, you can't do this!" She flashes me an apologetic smile. "I have to. See you in a bit."
And with that she is gone.