As I rubbed a cold can against my neck, I was still thinking about how relaxed his facial features were as he was cooking food and how tasty they actually were. It seemed as if he used to prepare food lovingly for someone. Or maybe it was just my dramatic imagination. I can't help but be curious about him. This old habit of mine has always been my weakness.
As I was walking in the corridor, Ortega walked in my way. A sense of nervousness suddenly crashed over me. I stopped in my tracks. The way his dark eyes bored into me, triggered a memory.
A bitter memory! A voice threatening me...'It won't take me long to kill you'...
I couldn't help but take a step back by reflex. I barely had time to process his grip on my neck. Knocked against the wall with a great force, one hand pinned my arm to the side. I felt a twinge in my arm. My wound.
"Did you really think you'll escape it?"he whispered.
He looked scary, wide dark eyes staring into me as if smelling my secrets from the most hidden corners of my mind. I was breathless. I could feel myself trying to pull away and push him off but in vain, I was already choking. My fear began to show itself. The pain of his nails buried in my neck spreading, tears sprung to my eyes from fear and pain, drawing down my cheeks. A small whimper was all that exited my throat. His grip tightened.
"You burned him deliberately. You dared to punch him"
I squeezed my eyes shut, sharp pain spreading through my temple. The world around me began to grow hazy and cold. I couldn't hear anything except my own jagged breathing. Time stood still as he applied more pressure. He was so close to snapping my neck. He released my throat. I coughed and sputtered, gasping for air. My legs shaked. Falling down to my knees, I breathed heavily to make up for the loss of oxygen in my body cells leaning against the wall for support. He violently hauled me to my feet by the collar.
"Another mistake and you won't live to do another"
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
I brought my hand up to my arm. The pain was coming there. I could feel myself getting more tired with each step I took towards the kitchen. I was so done here, having to worry constantly for my life. I never lag behind for lack of near death experiences. I was dizzy.
I wanted someone by my side, my dear one. So I could hug him, all my worries and pain diffusing and escaping through the air. I felt alone and abandoned. Nobody has my back and no one will know my story. You still have a brain, don't you? Even if you lose your courage, start to reflect a little on how to get yourself out of here.
Noah was in the kitchen pouring water in a glass. I was slightly relieved to see him. I saw the darkness enhancing my clouded vision and I let myself fall.
"Hey what-" Noah said.
His hands caught my waist to the side as he attempted to make me stand on my feet.
"Water" I finally managed to speak.
He handed me the glass of water which I gulped down in one go.
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah"
I stood, his arms supporting half of my weight.
"Thanks"
"Were you crying?"
"I... I" I stuttered.
"What the-?" He noticed my neck, pulling his hand to my neck.
"Noah, can you get me to the corridor? I don't think I can walk by myself" I interrupted him.
I needed to get some information out of him.
"Yeah...sure"
As we walked through the corridors, my breath hitched as I recalled that dreadful moment, realizing that the possibility of me dying was even higher.
"Care to tell me what the fuck happened to you?"
He looked at me, a frown on his face. Now what was with him? Everyone decided to show me their mood swings related attitude today.
"I don't wanna talk about this"
"Cupcake. Why won't you tell me?"
"Noah please-"
"Fine" he hissed angrily.
At least, someone asked me, even though it was a fake concern. One could even feel he was a nice gentleman if one didn't know he was a cold assassin!
I should opt for option one but that doesn't mean I can't start with it. I will keep low but I will still gather some information. My first prey, of course, was Noah.
"What are you doing here?"
"I needed to discuss some important work related stuff with Ive. And to check on Marco"
It was not expected. Wasn't that too much info?
"Who is Marco?"
"I bet you know him"
I pretended to reflect a bit.
"Alright, I'll tell you. The man whom you shot twice and broke rib"
The one who was following me. Well, he was trying to abduct me, to shoot me. That was my self defense.
"Oh!"
"Yup, Ortega has been treating his wounds. Seems like you are stronger than him" he winked at the end of the sentence.
So Ortega is really a doctor.
"How is he?"
"Stable"
"Why are you telling me these?"
"I'm just answering your questions"
I was confused. I slowed down my steps more.
"Because you won't be alive to get any info out of here"
He said nonchalantly.
"What do you mean?"
We reached the first room.
"The second room"
"Are you sure?" he asked, a tint of fear visible in his voice.
"Yeah that room" I confirmed.
Whose room was that?
"Ive was about to pull out his knife" Noah looked at me, stopping in his tracks.
That was expected but why didn't he kill me? He thought stabbing me was an easy death. Was he planning to torture me in the worst way?
"You escaped death today" he added.
"And you stood still, watching everything behind the scene"
"The tip of the knives have poison to paralyze a person. Don't do anything to trigger him"
I scoffed.
"I can't go against Ive"
He pressed his lips. He wasn't sure if I was really affected by his actions.
"That was expected"
"Why are you being like this? Cupcake"
"Don't cupcake me Noah"
So, I was attempting to turn Noah against Michaelson. I remembered how he had told me that Noah wasn't my friend. Maybe, it can work. It won't hurt to try! I just get this negative vibe coming from him for this particular underlying. I have to inspect that room. I guess I can walk by myself now. My breathing returned to normal and the pain was bearable. I smiled at him. He looked confused. I pulled him in for a hug, taking him by surprise. I rested my hands on his back, I could feel his muscles stiffened a bit. His perfume smelt good. Much different from Michaelson. He hugged my back sooner.
"Thank you"
Pulling away, I could see a mischievous glint shining in his eyes.
"My pleasure cupcake"
He returned my smile not before attempting to grab my ass and walked away but I slapped his hand away.
I'll just pretend nothing happened. I didn't hug him just now. What all I have to do, just to get into his good books! I have to take a bath at the earliest. Too many people touched me already.
I sighed.
I don't even know if they were vaccinated. I can't afford to get Covid-19. I even got my booster dose. I am a good citizen! The day has been great so far! I rolled my eyes.
I stood there, looking around the vast room. To the right, there was a lounge with some chairs and a small coffee table. Straight in front, I saw a bed adorned with a light purple shade, chiffon curtains hanging around them. The curtains were pulled to the side and tied to the post where the bed lay inside it. The bed had many light and dark purple pillowcases to dress the pillows and a big purple duvet with a butterfly design. To the left was a tall floor to ceiling bookshelf which covered the right walls with all kinds of books. Drawing books, literature books. Further to the left, there were two doors. Maybe they led to the washroom and the closet.
Inside the closet, there was another door. This house had an elevator. Where does it go?
Too many questions flooded in my mind.
I entered the closet. I had expected when I turned the lights on, to see such pretty sights. One quarter of the wall was covered with square shelves for shoes. Another for bags and another smaller for accessories. At the corner was an island table with plenty of drawers. There was a big rectangular mirror situated near the table with no single dots on it. Jackets, dresses and all sorts of clothings hung on the rectangular shelves in another wall. This closet was filled with clothes, belts, shoes and accessories.
Michaelson was definitely not a small fish in a pond but more like the big whale in the ocean while I was a seaweed. The room was much bigger than Michaelson's. Maybe someone, having more power or something than the owner? Who could bully Michaelson to get the largest room?
The most likely information I got was that a female lived in this room. It was filled with all sizes of girls' clothes and shoes. Maybe the person had reached puberty recently. Why all sizes of clothing? Weird! How many people were living in this room? Noah had confirmed Michaelson never invited strippers or whatever. I only took toiletries, inner wears, footwears, comb and hair bands that I liked. I looked at them fondly.
For the time being I needed only these. How I missed you guys? I finally realize your importance. I shouldn't have taken you for granted.
🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤
Once the water was hot, I washed and shaved my body, drying myself as I came out. I put on the pajamas. So comfortable. I opened the bathroom door and threw the dirty clothes and the towel in the wash basket. I took a painkiller. I looked at my delicate red wound. I dressed it with a clean bandage. I applied cream on my fingers not wanting the skin to be scarred. My arm ached. It took a while for the pain to subside. My mind shifted to his burned skin.
Was he in pain? His skin had become red. What if he wasn't wearing that shirt or the coffee was boiling hot? I shrugged the thought. Why am I so damn clumsy? Meanwhile, Alpha came inside.
"I didn't burn him on purpose. I'm guilty about whatever happened to your father...or maybe boss"
Her blue eyes softened if she trusted me. She wouldn't report to him even if she understood. I wasn't scared of this big cat now. Big white cute cat.
"Can I touch you?"
I hesitated before touching her fur tenderly. She responded to my touch by closing her eyes as I was caressing her and yawned.
"Such a good girl" I smiled.
A dry lump formed in my throat as I imagined him with the knife, glaring at me, ready to pierce through and tear my skin. I would be screaming in pain and horror each time the blade cut through an inch. He wouldn't stop. My heart sank further. I would suffer while being paralyzed where I couldn't even fight back. That would be awful. Horrible indeed.
"I wanted to help him while he had prepared for my murder"