Chapter 74 Is She Doomed?
I quickly picked up my phone from the ground and hurriedly dialed M’s contact.
He picked at the first ring.
“Hello,” his voice came at the other end of the call.
“I just got a text from Jude. He said he’s at the police station. What did you do to him?” I said, my heart beating frantically.
“What could I possibly do to him? I just warned him not to stay in my way,” M replied.
“He threatened to mention my name to the police! You know if he says anything there, we are both going down right?” I continued, now pacing the room.
“He wouldn’t dare.”
“How… how are you so sure?” I muttered, my voice breaking.
“Put your mind at rest. I have something to attend to.”
“I didn’t get what…”
M didn’t allow me to land before dropping the call. I took my phone off my ear slowly and dropped to the floor.
“Oh my God! What am I supposed to do now?” I whispered.
Just then, I heard the sound of Alex’s car pulling into the compound.
“He’s back,” I mumbled under my breath and stood up sluggishly.
JOAN COLE’S POV
The doorbell rang at exactly 6:00pm.
I wiped my hands on the dish towel and glanced at Lena, who was dramatically fluffing the throw pillows on the couch as if we were hosting royalty.
“Coming!” I called out.
“Do you think she will be comfortable here?” she asked.
“What’s wrong with it?” I muttered as I rolled my eyes.
“I mean… it’s nothing compared to their big mansion,” Lena retorted, raising an eyebrow.
That was true.
My stomach made a small nervous flip, but somehow… I found my way to the door.
Jane had texted me earlier that morning.
“I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise of coming to your place the day I said I would, but I’m definitely coming over tonight.”
Lena and I had spent hours in the kitchen, cooking a variety of food and hoping she would love them.
Theo had even helped set the table, grumbling the whole time about how that was supposed to be a girl thing, but secretly excited about the extra attention.
I opened the door with a smile already sitting on my lips.
But I froze at the sight that met me.
Jane stood there, holding a bakery box, her face beaming with excitement, but right beside her was Dave.
Tall, calm, and unfairly handsome in his navy shirt and jeans with his hands casually tucked in his pockets.
He gave me that small, lopsided smile that would make any girl’s heart flutter.
I wasn’t expecting him.
“Surprise,” Jane sang, lifting the box like a trophy.
“I brought red velvet cupcakes and I dragged my brother along because I had to. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was gonna bring him with me,” she added, smiling.
Dave lifted one of his shoulders in a half-shrug.
“She threatened to stay out late. I had no choice,” he muttered.
I blinked, my mouth half-open.
“I… hi. Wow, come in… come in,” I stuttered.
They stepped inside and Jane hugged me as if she hadn’t seen me in years, while Dave hung back a second, his eyes meeting mine over her shoulder.
The look on his face seemed to indicate that he was checking if coming to my place unexpectedly was okay with me.
“It’s fine,” I mouthed silently.
Then he nodded.
Lena walked out of the kitchen, smiling with the apron still tied around her waist.
“Mr. Wilton! You came with your sister,” she said.
“Good to see you, Lena,” Dave laughed.
Lena and Jane exchanged pleasantries and Theo also joined us in the living room.
And just like that, our small apartment was filled with voices and movements.
Jane dropped onto the couch beside Theo and started interrogating him about how he feels, about school, and about his latest video game obsession.
Lena rested on the armrest, butting in on their conversations with exaggerated commentary.
Dave on the other hand, sat quietly beside me on the loveseat, close enough that our thighs brushed.
“Thank you for coming,” I said under my breath.
“You don’t need to thank me,” he glanced sideways at me.
Soon, dinner was served.
It was loud and messy, but it was still perfect in its own way. We crowded the dining table and laughed like there was no tomorrow. Jane told stories about how Dave once tried to build a treehouse so elaborate that it collapsed on him and he ended up with a black eye for two weeks when he was a kid.
Dave groaned playfully but he didn’t deny it.
We all laughed again.
And every time the wine in someone’s glass was low, Lena would stand up to top it up dramatically.
When we were done eating, the plates were cleared and we moved to games.
Theo destroyed us all, laughing loudly every time he dropped a draw four.
At some point, I realized Jane was completely at ease and that surprised me because people of her caliber are often spoiled brats and tend to be rude.
She was teasing Lena about her terrible skills and giving Theo high fives after every win.
She even helped Lena clear the dessert plates, as if she had lived with us forever.
Dave was busy watching us all with this quiet, contented look like he was exactly where he wanted to be.
“I will wash the plates,” I said and stood immediately.
Then I walked into the kitchen, the noise of the living room softening behind me. The sink was already almost full of dishes.
I turned on the faucet, letting the warm water rush over my skin as I tried to breathe through the sudden wave of feeling in my chest.
Just as I was about to start washing, I heard footsteps.
I didn’t need to turn back to know it was him.
He moved slowly to my side, his sleeves already rolled up.
“Let me help,” he said.
“You don’t have to…”
“I want to,” he interrupted before I could land.
He reached for a plate, rinsed it under the stream, and set it carefully inside the soapy water.
A few minutes into washing, our elbows brushed.
“You okay?” he asked softly.
I tilted my head and looked at him.
“Yeah. Just… surprised you came. I’m happy about it though.”
“I was actually sulking at home. Seeing you fixed that,” he smiled.
My cheeks flushed.
I hurriedly looked away and handed him another plate.
Our fingers touched under the water, slow and deliberate this time.
He didn’t pull away, nor did I.
Then he turned to look at me, water dripping from his hands.
“Joan…” he muttered softly.
I turned to him too and our eyes met.
“I want to fit in here, if you will let me.”
My throat tightened.
I didn’t know how to answer that… at least not yet.
My mouth parted, and just as if she were my guardian angel, Jane appeared behind us.
“Oh… am I interrupting something?”
“No… no,” I quickly replied.
“I just wanted to see if I could help,” she added.
“Thank goodness,” I mumbled under my breath.
We continued the dishes and finished them in companionable silence, the clink of plates and running water the only sounds between us.
Lena’s voice suddenly cut through the kitchen.
“Theo must have said something ridiculous,” Jane laughed.
For the first time, our house felt full.
CASSANDRA’S POV
I walked out of the supermarket with two full paper bags. In the bag, there was organic kale I knew I would never eat, almond milk for aesthetics, and a bottle of Pinot Grigio I’d definitely finish tonight amongst other things.
I was about to open my car when my phone vibrated in my purse.
I shifted the bags to one hand and reached for my key with the other hand.
I unlocked the door with a chirp, slid behind the wheel, and dropped the bags onto the passenger’s seat.
I pulled out my phone from my purse, expecting a call from Mrs. Hart.
But it was a missed call from an unknown number.
My phone’s screen glistened again.
A call from the same unknown number.
I stared at it, leaving it to ring for a while.
After the fourth ring, I picked up and pressed the phone to my ear.
“Hello?” A man’s voice came, calm, professional, and clipped.
“Miss Cassandra?”
“Yes,” I replied slowly.
“This is officer Daniel Hayes from Division One metropolitan police.”
My lips parted but no words came.
My heart started beating loudly.
A police officer?
Am I doomed?