Chapter 18: 18. A stalker.

Freya’s POV

“What are you doing here?” I jumped up in surprise at the sound of Oliver’s voice.

“I was just doing my monthly checkups on all the rooms in the house” I lied, hoping he would believe me, but I knew I was hoping for something close to impossible.

He eyed me warily “Okay, so leave” he gestured out the door, I scoffed walking out.

My phone rang with notification as I sat on my bed, weird it was from Oliver –I mean we were both in the same house and this was the first time he was texting me, I had no idea he even had my number.

I opened the message.

Oliver; “what do you think of dressing up and dinner?”

Me: "You mean a date? Of course, I would love to go with you.” I smiled at the text imagining him rolling his eyes.

Oliver; “It isn’t a date if she is paying for her food”

She? Why the hell was he referring to me in the third person?

Me; “She?”

Oliver; ”You didn’t honestly think it was you” I pictured him laughing so much his throat hurts.

Me; “asshole”

I threw my phone back on the back feeling furious and somewhat jealous. Was that the right thing to feel? – I didn’t like him, so I had no idea how it collocates.

I went into the kitchen preparing my dinner, he could as well starve for all I care.

The familiar footsteps echoing around this close to vacant mansion has me stilling in my act—he was shirtless, his abs on display. The joggers he wore rested lowly on his waist, his v-line deep—he was every girl’s fantasy, most especially mine.

“What are you making?” He opened the fridge casually, taking a bottle of water. I watched as he gulped down his Adam's apple bobbing up and down–it was so damn hot, the question he had asked earlier long forgotten.

“Can you quit staring at me? You and your stalker tendencies” he shook his head, walking out of the kitchen, taking along with him the air that once circulated this room.

*****

I had a day off today, they had given me one because they thought it dim fit after the emotional stress—the manager’s words, not mine.

My phone rang breaking my tides of thoughts—I had no idea who it was since it was an unknown number.

“Hello Winnie” a very well-recognized voice broke through me right into my soul.

My heart filled in a wave as the familiar taste of nostalgia came crashing down in a torrent.

I hadn’t heard that nickname for some time, I had loved the name but I now despise who calls me that.

“Ralph” my voice cracked, I was on the verge of breaking down as memory flooded my mind.

“Yes, I need us to meet up. Let’s get things right” I could hear his sharp intake of breath like he was waiting for me to oppose his idea—I wanted to, but that gnawing feeling from the happiness we created for ourselves at that time kept me tied up, I didn’t know what to do.

“I don’t think it is best if we do, we are really no longer the people we were. Things changed”

He sighed, the acceptance clear in his tone “She died Winnie” he croaked “I wish I helped her, I wanted so badly to” his mother who had just found out about a year back was diagnosed with lung cancer due to the drugs she took.

“I am so sorry for your loss” I really did sympathize with him but anything other than my comforting words I couldn’t offer.

“I just wanted us to settle things” he had done this so many times, saying those words over and over again but I doubted that. He just wanted someone he could use when he placed no value on top of me.

“Goodbye Ralph” I ended the call, feeling lighter like nothing was dragging me back from my past—I guess this was the closure I needed so badly.

My phone rang again just as I was about to drop it, it was from the hospital.

“Mrs. Anderson?” The name sounded like a question.

“Yeah”

“I was told to inform you, the condition of the little girl you brought in yesterday is now stable”

I heaved a sigh of relief—finally.

“I would be there, shortly” I walked to get dressed, in a hurry.

She lays on the bed, looking pale. Her head was wrapped around with a bandage. The drip connected to her hands went down slowly—I hated being In the hospital, the strong smell of antiseptic did nothing to lessen the disgust I had for this place.

“Freya?” She asked unsure. Her eyes dropped low tiredly.

“Yes love, how are you feeling?” I asked, drawing closer to her bed. I took her hands that the drips weren’t connected to and held them— she had suffered a head injury, it was a miracle she didn’t suffer any brain damage.

“Fine” she moaned in pain, I knew it was an effort for her to talk.

She started wailing “He is going to kill me when he finds me” Fear shone brightly in her eyes—whoever he was, he had made an impact on her.

“Who?” I asked calmly, she shook her head silently, refusing to divulge anything.

“Go to sleep, I won’t let anyone I ordered, watching her flutter her lashes trying to stay awake. It seemed that was what she had wanted to hear before her eyes closed in soundless slumber.

The unease fluttered in my stomach because I had just lied to her. I had contracted the orphanage before I had come here—her safety was no longer in my hands.

I gently closed her ward door walking slowly through the hallway of the hospital. My skin pricked with the awareness someone was watching me, and goosebumps took over my skin.

I think I had made myself a bodyguard but this time he didn’t want to protect me—his goal was a stranger to me.