Chapter 21 - WHO ARE YOU?

𝑁𝑖𝑛𝑜

"𝑀𝑟 𝐺𝑟𝑢𝑚𝑝𝑦?" Joana and Yass ogled at me and I already saw the questions in their eyes. I knew what was going on in their heads. "Who's this Mr grumpy?"

Yass queried. Eyeing me down with her eyes. I felt uncomfortable at the look she gave me. "Is he the same guy you asked that ridiculous question at the restaurant?"

I slowly nodded.

"Who is he to you?" Joana gently sat up, Yass helped her and supported her back with the pillows. "What about Marcus?"

I bit my lower lip, looking from her to Yass who stared at me with all attentiveness. I tried to fumble out the words that my house is already sold out and the guy they saw that day was the owner of my house. Who made life unbearable for me in my house.

"Well...yeah," I replied and traced my eyes on the IV pole. Transmitting drip into Joana's body through the tubes on her arm. "He bought my house over..."

"He what?" Yass screamed.

"I mean Mr Warren never notified me he was gonna sell my house and when I got back home one day. I saw him, the guy Daniel just mentioned in my house."

"You've been living with a stranger in your house?" I saw something glint in their eyes. Like disappointment or shock, especially Yass- the look she gave me wasn't approving.

I nodded again. They kept mute for a minute before Joana asserted. "Does that mean you are not indebted to him anymore?"

I never thought of it until now, it never crossed my mind to ask him if he sold the house to retrieve back the money my parents owned him. I was clouded by the rage he sold off my house but he did say Toro and I should sort things out ourselves.

"Or are you still gonna pay off your parent's debt?" Joana dragged out a cough and asked in a strained tone.

"I never really thought of that," I shook my head. "He only said the guy and I should sort out our differences."

"And it takes me to my next question," Yass went on and planted herself on a stool. Beside Yass's bed. "Who is he and what's his name? Why would you let a stranger into your house?"

"I was helpless, Yass, I was." I sighed. I slacked my shoulders, feeling the energy to explain myself drain. "You two know the amount my parents borrowed wasn't a small amount, what could I have done? My company isn't doing okay..."

"The house is the only thing that binds me together with my parents. I feel like they are still in there guiding me. I can't let a stranger take that from me."

Yass stood to her feet and strode toward me. She enclosed my shoulders with her arm and placed her head against mine. "You've been through a lot yet you never let it break you."

"So let me get one thing straight," she abruptly pulls her head up from mine. "Are you still indebted to Mr Warren or has the guy paid for it by buying your house over?"

"Or not?" Joana finished off the sentence. She reached out for the bottle of water beside her but Daniel helped her pour a small quantity of the water into a cup on the nightstand beside the head of her bed. "Thank you."

She smiled and took the cup from him. She gulped down the whole thing in one go and placed the cup back on the nightstand. "I don't remember what happened last night."

"The only thing I saw was my husband trying to kill you."

"And Mr Grumpy saved her," Daniel inserted. Joana ruffled his hair and smiled.

"Did you give him that name, why?" Yass arched a brow at me in Inquisition.

"Long story," I shrugged and laughed it off. I let my mind pull back to yesterday's night. Recalling the fork driven through Joana's husband's hand almost made me cough. I hit my chest as the memory remained fresh in my head. And the fact is that little Daniel witnessed everything. The look in his eyes and also the look in his father's eyes. I was pale to my knees for that was the first time I witnessed a thing like that in my life.

Yes, he saved me but I witnessed a dangerous man that night. Who's that man at my house? Where is he from? And the funny part is he claimed not to have done anything.

"What have you done?" I stared at him, the energy drained from my body.

"I saved you from him," his voice always remained cold and defined all time. He twisted the keys in the key holder and started the car. His eyes retained that lethal look. I was terrified to the core.

"Yeah thanks for that," my words rather came out with sarcasm. "You almost killed him!"

"The next time, he will think twice before hurting a lady." He veered the car out of Joan's house into the roads. I gawked at him in bewilderment. I mean I'm glad he saved me from him but that doesn't mean he should snatch the life out of him.

He focused his eyes on the wet roads because it was already drizzling. He raced down the alleys, I had to hold onto my seat belt to avoid dangling from side to side. The funny part is this is my car, I turned my head to the back and saw Daniel hugging his knees to his chest. His hands snaked around his knees. I can't tell if he's shaken by what happened in there or the fact he was riding the roads like a maniac.

I shifted my eyes to Joana lying lifeless beside him. I felt goosebumps all over my body at the sight of my friend's pale body.

"So what now?" I returned my back to him. His jaw clenched and unclenched and he has this distant look in his eyes, his eyes were directed on the roads yet they had this look I can't seem to comprehend. I mean I'm the victim, I should be the one getting annoyed not him. Didn't he say I shouldn't involve him in my matters but then why is he here dressed in black?

I didn't take time to examine his outfit, I mean who will dress in a leather jacket and pants in the middle of the night. Why is he dressed like a thug? In black? I wanted to ask him but I bite the words back. I might get silence as a response.

But my instincts pushed me. "Why are you dressed like this?" As I predicted, I was snubbed.

"Call the police right now."

"Why?" I gave him a confused stare.

"To report domestic violence.

As if my sense triggered back. I already forgotten about Joana's husband. I wonder what he is going through in there. I mean he kinda deserved what befell him. But at the same time, I felt pity for him. I picked up my phone lying on my lap, Daniel handed it to me a while ago. I dialled 911 and waited for anyone to pick me up. After a short while, a voice answered at the other end of the line. I laid down my complaint to whoever was there.

They transferred me to another line, I think was the police cause I heard a deep, authoritative male voice. I laid my complaint to him.

I ended the call and narrowed my eyes over my shoulders to him. He was still focused on the roads and it seemed like he wasn't affected or shaken by what he did. I felt fear sink in me as all negative thoughts of who he might be started taking turns in my head.

"Who are you?" I wished I never asked that. He whirled his head to me and stared at me for a moment before returning them to the roads.

"Nino, Nino? Are you okay?" Yass's voice knocked me back to my senses. "Where was your mind?"

I shook my head and sigh. "I asked what happened to you and Marcus? Did you two fight?"

"Not exactly," I shook my head again. When was the last time I thought of Marcus? The only man that had occupied my mind lately was that man at my house. He seemed like a mystery I can't unravel. A puzzle I can't solve.

"Then what happened?" Yass pressed on. "The attitude you put off that day shows something is amiss."

I licked my upper lip and heaved a breath. "I think he's cheating on me."

"You think or he is?" Yass asked and the look on her face shows she wasn't surprised.

"I can't tell."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

𝑇𝑜𝑟𝑜

I'm trying to get the dream I had last night which was still fresh in my memory out of my head. I was glued to the floor when I opened the trash bin in the kitchen to throw off the mess I did after making myself something to eat. I saw the white linen soaked with blood in the trash bin. I lowered myself and picked it up linen, my mind was attacked by that nightmare I had.

How did get in there? That dude was wearing that so how did it end up in my trash can. I quickly dropped it back, dismissing the negative thoughts trying to ride in. I carried my dish to my room and flopped myself on my chair. I placed the food on my desk, losing the appetite to eat.

I picked up my Wacom Intuos pro drawing tablet and the pen. I switched on my laptop connecting the drawing tablet to it as I clicked on my blender. Resuming the game character I was working on. I designed the avatar of my character. I checked the whole body structure of my avatar and working on this reminded me of my company.

I had to give up everything cause of my stepbrother, I dare not to wander my mind on why I went into hiding in the first place. A horrible incident I never want to remember.