Chapter 54: Chapter Fifty-four

Every day, I couldn’t help but go back to this memory. It wasn’t the first time I saw somebody die… In fact, I didn’t know what kind of emotion came through me as I saw the body. All I can say was that it was indeed gruesome and I pray that I would never experience it again.

December is finally here with its strong icy winds and gray skies that continued to loom above us. Dad was finally stable and would occasionally walk around the garden with Mom accompanying him—she was adamant that he should wear thicker clothes than just the Dior sweater—but whenever she wasn’t around, Harvey would walk with him. There are even times he is accompanied by Percy. It was the Juniper tree that was now bare of leaves, a marble chair that was always shaded from the sun, is where he would always stand there in silence.

“Is your father doing well?” Chad inquired, hand stirring the metal stirrer and set it aside. He was in the middle of blowing the steam off his cup of coffee when I answered. My own hands encasing the warm sides of my mug.

“He’s all right… stubborn as ever. Mom would constantly nag him whenever he tries to do any work. However, it isn’t as bad as the first time.” I heaved a sigh and slumped further into the couch. “I won’t be surprised if he tries to do it again though… he clearly misses his job.” And here I am, currently hating it and fearing that I would soon take over the business.

It was another normal day at work, Chad visiting me as always— whenever he isn’t busy, of course. Today was just like another day in the office and it was a matter of time before my beloved assistant, Patty, came back from her leave. I miss her so much…

“He should try and follow the way to healthy living if he wants to go back.” Chad commented, eyeing his coffee. “I’d focus on getting well first.”

Silently agreeing, my gaze shifted from him to the white box that was sitting quietly at his side, he was it carrying when he came in. He never told me what’s inside… Pointing at the harmless box that was making my curiosity bubble, I asked. “Uh, Chad? What’s inside that?”

Blue eyes following the direction my finger was pointing, his lips shaped an ‘o’ in acknowledgment. “Oh, that box!” A huge grin spread across his face and he took the box, laid it in front of him. “Why don’t you see it for yourself?”

Slightly fearing that the contents—whatever it is—might jump out on me, I cautiously took my time in undoing the pretty white bow. Once it was undone, I bit my lips in trepidation as I lifted the lid. Chad, I swear, if this is some sort of a joke I’m gonna—

“Tada!”

I didn’t realize that I quickly shut my eyes when I lifted the lid until Chad took my hand. Opening my eyes, I glanced down and elicited a gasp in surprise. Lo and behold, a cherry cheesecake sat perfectly inside, the red drupes shaped in a heart. “Aw!” I gushed at the cake, not expecting this at all from Chad. The man was beaming proudly, knowing he did a great job. “What’s the occasion?”

He furrowed his eyebrows faintly as he set the cake onto the table. “Do we need an occasion to eat cake?” I couldn’t help but laugh and shake my head as he pulled out a plastic knife that came with the box.

“Thank you, love.”

He winked at that. “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you.”

After I called my assistant to bring forth the plates and utensils we stored, both of us were now happily waiting for the woman to arrive so we could eat. As soon as the cheery assistant arrived, we didn’t waste another second and dug in. I was in the middle of wiping the cherry sauce off my fork when I felt the weight of his stare. Feeling his nervousness radiating, I cocked my head to the side.

“What’s wrong?”

“So… you haven’t encountered Arianne Howard again?” Chad asked softly like he was walking on thin ice. And he was right to slow down by that question alone. After the encounter with the crazy woman, Percy didn’t waste any time informing Mom about it. Still, due to my request, he only told her about how Arianne went crazy after losing her job. Filtering about how the woman took a scandalous picture of us, planned to spread it worldwide and threatened me. Mom, being cautious once more, added three bodyguards at my disposal.

Things just couldn’t get lovelier.

“Nope. I haven’t,” I replied in a murmur. Leaving it for fate to decide, Chad went silent and ate once more as he waited for me to strike up a conversation. But my head was too busy to think about doing that. No, my mind wouldn’t stop thinking about the message Dad received. The words playing over and over just like the broken record that Harvey found, thinking it would still play until we threw it away.

Patience wearing thin, Chad placed his empty plate down with a sharp sound that brought me back to reality. He then smiled apologetically, “Sorry if I disturbed you but seeing you like that… it worries me.”

Waving off his apologies, I reassuringly smiled and then lowered my head in thought. “The investigator hasn’t reported to me yet.” This easily captured Chad’s attention, the way he suddenly answered in earnest interest was proof of it.

“How come?” he questioned, “I thought he had already tracked down the one who sent it? So it wasn’t Arianne who did it?”

“I thought so too.”

No, I didn’t. Even if she did what she did back then, I don’t see her doing the same thing after we forgave her and let her start again someplace else. No, it doesn’t work that way. She even went through the trouble to tell me— could it be connected to this threat? Does she know who sent it? Is it the one who she kept referring to as ‘she’?

“The investigator hasn’t said anything yet, right?” Chad sighed deeply, sounding very stressed. “We can’t wait forever but at the same time, we also can’t afford giving away that we are onto whoever sent it. We might scare the person off.”

I don’t think the person is easily scared off, Chad. Just by what he or she is committing, the person knows what they’re doing. It pisses me off.

And, in that moment, I decided to see Arianne Howard for the last time. It sounded crazy and strange in my head, but I had to. Whatever she has to say must be vital to our investigation if she risked her current state just to see me. The only problem is how to see her in private. Chad obviously wouldn’t allow it, the bodyguards are already programmed to shoo away the woman once on sight and my parents are too busy right now to deal with this. If I choose Francine, she’d grow nervous and that would backfire if one of the three—Chad, the bodyguards, and my parents—would ask her.

There is still one person for the job though...

Making a plan in my head, I was narrowing my eyes at the space before me until Chad deemed it was enough by snapping his fingers in front of my face.

“That’s enough thinking, Sherlock.” He joked, rising from the couch. Stretching his legs and arms, Chad yawned and patted my hair. “I’d just leave it to the investigator if I were you… I wouldn’t want to get my hands dirty.”

“Oh, would you look at the time!” I pointed at the clock, seeing that it had struck eleven. “I’m sorry if I kept you all to myself. I’m so selfish!” This made him frown slightly until he beamed that would swoon his fangirls— I’m sure he has.

“Don’t worry, baby. I get that you like so much that—”

Standing on my tippy toes, I silenced him with a hard kiss before pushing him out of my office. Chad was shocked by this action, not knowing what to do as I pushed him out. We were in front of the elevator before I gave him one last kiss on the cheek and bid him farewell. The confused but slightly smothered man waved goodbye as the elevator doors slid shut.

It wasn’t until after a few minutes, standing there, that I dashed into my office—almost scaring my assistant —and dived for my phone. As I scrolled down through my contacts, I paused at the number of the one who sent Dad the threat. I saved the number in case it would text him again but even though I tried calling it, it says that the number isn’t available now.

Perhaps the person destroyed the phone so we couldn’t track it.

Ignoring it, I scrolled down further until I reached his name. Hovering my finger above it, I prayed that he’d say yes and pressed on the call button.

I hope Francine wouldn’t mind…

***

“I was planning to talk to Francine about it because I thought you’d say no!” I chuckled at Patton, patting his shoulder as we walked down the short flight of stairs. The calm and collected man merely shrugged, running his hand through his black hair and stopped in front of my car. “So you’re really up for it?”

“Told you and Francine about this before.” Patton mumbled, “There’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you both.”

I cracked a teasing smile, poking his sides that did nothing towards the stoic man. “I’d hold on to that but I believe you’d walk through fire just for Francine… even if it kills you.”

“In a heartbeat.”

“I want to say that’s cool but at the same time… it’s crazy.”

He glanced at me, as if staring right into my soul. “I’m sure you’d do the same for your lover.”

A comfortable silence enveloped us as we climbed into my car. When Chad left the office long enough for me to say that he was gone and speeding back to his own building, I called Patton to meet me at the house. I also changed into a new set of wardrobe, the simple white tee that had a small black lace ribbon sewn at the front and skinny black jeans. The business suit I wore earlier now draped over the armchair.

It surprised me that a few of my clothes during my teenage years still fit like a glove. The others, well, not so much…

Stepping on the pedal with my sneakers, I waved Henry goodbye and the rest of the bodyguards at the gate. They all knew that I was safe with Patton since the guy was basically a monster during his military training. Right now, the only word I left with Henry was that I was going to pay Francine a visit. Sometimes I couldn’t help but wonder where I’m going when I die.

“This woman,” Patton drawled as he pointed at the only picture I have of Arianne. “Is she knocked up on the head? Why do you insist seeing her when they tell you not to? You also mentioned that your business partner, Mr. Montgomery, warned you about this woman. Yet, you still want to meet up with her?”

“I’m just going to hear whatever she has to say to me, okay?” I sighed as I turned left, gripping the steering wheel nervously. “She might have something to say about the recent message Dad received.”

Patton became quiet, analyzing everything in his head until he broke the quietness. “I understand. I’ll provide you protection but that doesn’t mean I’ll just let you do what you want, Rachel.” He briefly narrowed his eyes at me, “I know you have something up your sleeves.”

A chuckle was all I gave at that statement and heaved a sigh. “Doesn’t this make you feel young? I recall doing something like this once. Back in high school, do you remember?”

“What I remember was that we got chased down by your bodyguards.” Patton leaned back, resting. “At least all we wanted was to buy some dress at the mall. It was Francine who convinced you to do so, such a bad influence.”

“Uh huh, and you’re in love with that ‘bad influence’.”

“What’s your relationship with Chad Montgomery?”

It would’ve been funnier of fate to have me drinking some kind of beverage and spitting it out in surprise. Eyes wide, I avoided his gaze and settled my sight on the road before me. “Oh, you know… he’s the typical businessman and we’re just business partners. I told you guys about this, right? We see each other a few times, especially if there is something about work that we need to address such as the stocks— ”

“You can’t fool me with words, Rachel. I know that face.”

Pouting deeply, I exhaled loudly and nodded. “Fine. I like him, okay? Just… just don’t tell Francine about this yet, all right?” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I frowned. “She’s not gonna like it if she knows I kept her in the dark. How much more if she knows that you were ahead of her.”

Patton agreed with that, fully knowing well how much of a beast Francine is when angered. “You shouldn’t have kept secrets then.”

“But you guys obviously didn’t like Chad!” I argued, stepping the brake gently when the stop light went red. “Both of you said he’s not to be trusted so how was I going to tell you that I’m in a relationship with him?”

I gasped at the slip up, cursing at how careless I was and glanced at Patton, only to see a frown on his face. “So, you are in a relationship with Mr. Montgomery? That’s even a bigger secret than ‘liking’ him—you love the man.”

“Please don’t tell Francine, yet.”

Probably tired, Patton faintly nodded his head and waved it off. “Don’t worry about it, Rach. I won’t.” Then, he changed the topic since talking about our love life was a bit touchy. “Where are we meeting this ex-assistant of yours?”

“I told her to meet me at the back of this restaurant where no one could see us.” I tapped on the GPS, the location close now. “You’ll just stay on guard while I talk to her. I have a feeling she’d run off if she sees you, Patton.” It was our deal to meet up alone, but I couldn’t risk getting tricked again.

Soon, we arrived in front of the Italian restaurant and parked the car at the curb. Eyeing the alley to the back of the restaurant, I swallowed visibly and released a sigh to calm myself. Don’t worry about it. I’m sure everything’s gonna be fine. Taking the keys, I climbed out of the car, Patton doing the same, and shut the car door.

“Is she there already?”

I grabbed my phone from my pocket and typed a message to Arianne Howard.

To: Howard Where are you now?

Howard: I’m here now, waiting for you.

“She’s at the back, Patton.” I pocketed my phone and walked towards the alley. “Stay here and whatever happens, don’t move from your spot unless I call for you.” The concerned look on his face was evident, glaring at the dark alley. “Don’t worry, Patton. I’ll be fine!”

“Well, I can’t be assured by only that but… all right.” Dejectedly, Patton watched me go. To say that I wasn’t nervous or scared is a hoax. My whole body was slowly turning rigid and the beat of my heart kept accelerating each passing second. Mustering up all my scattered courage, I turn to the left to see Arianne Howard, waiting for me. Catching sight of me, her eyes widened and a huge grin spread across her lips.

“Miss Maxwell! Thank goodness you wanted to see me,” she cheered. “I was beginning to wonder if you were coming at all!”

“Spill it now, Arianne.” I didn’t want to wait any longer, the sooner we were done, the better. “I don’t have plenty of time in my hands so be direct.”

Arianne was too ecstatic to even pay any heed to my words. Instead, she began to ramble.

“I’m so glad to meet up with you in private! Once I tell you this, maybe there’s a chance I’d be able to redeem myself! That bitch should rot in prison for ruining my reputation and my life even after all I did for her. I even had to trick you, the greatest boss I could’ve had, just so she’d stop threatening me. I can’t believe she even decided to do this when her so—”

Losing my patience, I raised both of my hands in surrender. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. I mean, look at her! She clearly had no sleep and her mind must be all hectic. She’s basically just rambling about this to get her guilt off her chest. What was I thinking she had the answers? “That’s enough, Howard.”

Her bright expression turned to confusion. “What? But I haven’t even told you the good part ye—”

“Enough, Howard!” I raised my voice, giving the final word. “If all you’re going to do is ramble about shit and wasting my time, I’m going home. Meeting up with you here was a mistake!”

“No! Please, Miss Maxwell! Hear me out!”

My legs took long strides and I was soon out of the dark smelly alley and out in the streets, Cleveland still bustling as winter is coming. Patton furrowed his eyebrows at the image behind me, not liking how Arianne was approaching us. “Let’s go, Patton.”

“Wait! I have to tell you this!” Arianne cried out, her footsteps growing closer. “The person who sent your father that message!” I stopped shortly, attention now back on her. “The one who ordered your brother to be kidnapped! Everything that’s making you and your family suffer! It’s all because of Mrs. M—”

Bang!