Jonah got into his car, he leaned back onto the drivers seat with his eyes closed, taking in everything by inhalation but when he exhaled, nothing changed. He adjusted himself and sat up properly.
He inserted his key into the ignition. He could not wait till he got home. Sticking his hand in his pocket, he whipped out his phone he decides to call the blackmailer's number.
Of course, it went straight to voicemail. You can't just call him whenever you feel like it. Frustrated he tries again. It goes to voicemail again. Jonah decides to take the option of the voicemail.
"Look, I do not know who you really are or what silly game you are playing that seems to be giving you so much amusement. I just want you to know you will not get away with it. I will personally see to it that you come a painful end." Jonah says, his voice firm and steady, gripping his phone tigher.
A beep sound is heard, signalling the voicemail has been sent.
Jonah groans in frustration and takes out his anger on the steering wheel as he continues hitting it. He took a few minutes to calm down before starting the ignition and driving off.
Jonah held onto the steering wheel as though it was the blackmailer, not even the sound of his favorite song, “me gustas tu” calmed his nerves.
His mind was filled with so much anger and frustration and his heart beating fast. Whoever the blackmailer was, he had crossed a line by involving his parents, and Jonah was determined to put an end to it.
Just as he pulled into his driveway, his phone buzzed with a new message. He glanced at the screen, seeing a private number, his heart sunk as he knew it was definitely from the person he dreaded most at that point.
Unknown Number:
"I see you tried to call me. Well Jonah, this is not my first gig, I do not take calls for security purposes. Cute voicemail by the way. But threats like this, will not get you anywhere. Maybe it's because i have been too lenient. You have until Friday. No more games. Pay up, or your parents get the full package. And trust me, you do not want that."
Jonah’s stomach churned as he read the message. He slammed his fist against the dashboard, letting out a groan. He did not want to keep playing this game. He needed to figure out who was behind this and fast.
*****
Meanwhile, Elliot was sitting in his parents’ living room, feeling anxious. His father, Charles Sinclair, paced back and forth, his face stern and unyielding.
"Elliot, you have been distant lately," Charles said, his voice sharp. " You have been distant with everyone including Clara. Do you realize how this looks? The wedding is in a matter of weeks, and you are barely spending any time with your fiancée. What are people going to think? It is not good for the press. I mean the last time you guys were photographed as a couple was two weeks ago. Now rumors are already flying."
Elliot sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Dad, I have been busy with work. The merger is coming up, and I have been under a lot of pressure. I spoke to Clara about it and she understands."
"Understands what?!" Charles snapped, stopping in his tracks.
"Elliot, this is not just about Clara understanding. This is about our family’s reputation. An image that took years to perfect. The Sinclairs are under a microscope, worse right now, and you need to be seen as the perfect fiancé. You need to be seen with Clara, at events, in public. Do you understand?”
Elliot licked his lip, blowing air from his mouth right after. "I get it, Dad.l will spend more time with Clara. But you have to understand, I am also doing my best here."
Charles’s expression hardened slightly, but his tone remained the same. "Then your best is simply, not enough. Being busy does not mean you abandon your wife to be. Yes, the company is tasking but then….Even soldiers who are busy in battle still have time for them. Elliot, you have to realize that this is bigger than just you. This is about our family, our legacy. You need to step up."
Elliot nodded, though his mind was elsewhere. He could not shake the feeling that someone might come in and make a mess of the entire situation, even worse, it could be him. Also the whole feeling of being followed. And now his parents were only adding to the pressure he was feeling.
***
Later that evening, Elliot met Clara at a quiet café downtown. As per his father's instructions.
She was already seated at a beautifully picked table at the corner, her expression calm but concerned. Elliot slid into the seat opposite her, offering a tired smile.
"Hey," he said, his voice soft. "Thanks for…meeting me."
Clara nodded with a cute smile, her eyes searching his face. "Of course. You sounded stressed on the phone. What is going on?"
Elliot sighed, leaning back in his chair. "It has been a lot, Clara. My parents are on my case about not spending enough time with you. And then, that whole stalker situation. Everything is just a mess."
Clara’s brow furrowed. "Why the intense pressure from your parents?”
Elliot hesitated, unsure of how much to share. "I do not know, I am sure it is because of the merger. Dad usually gets tense when things are tough. Or when something big is about to happen in the company, then he takes out his anger on the entire household.'
Clara’s eyes widened in alarm. "Elliot, that is serious. Do you have any idea why?"
Elliot answered, "like I said it is only when things are not going on as they should.”
"Also about the stalker situation too. I am under a lot of pressure. I can't sleep without feeling constantly watched."
"Yeaaa, the stalker situation, any other update?” Clara asked
Elliot shook his head. "No, but I have a suspicion. Remember when Lila saw Jonah and I at that restaurant few days back? She was with some dude. I did not think much of it at the time, but now I feel she is involved, might even be the mastermind of the whole thing, just to scare us or something.”
Clara’s expression darkened. "Lila? That does not surprise me. She has been acting strange since the day she saw you. She was convinced you were gay when she came to speak to me, but I brushed her off. She might be looking for concrete proof so no one would think she is crazy.”
If she is the one behind this…."
Clara reached across the table, placing a reassuring hand on Elliot’s, cutting him off. "We will figure this out, Elliot. But we need to be careful. If Lila is involved, she is not going to stop until she gets what she wants."
Elliot nodded, "What do we do?"
Clara leaned back, her expression thoughtful. "First, we need to confront Lila. Not directly, we have to be smart about it. If she is working with someone, we need to find out who it is. And we need to protect Jonah. If this gets out, it is not just your reputation on the line, it is his too."
Elliot sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I just, I hate putting you in this position, Clara. You have done so much for us already."
Clara smiled softly. "Elliot, I care about you. And I care about Jonah. We are in this together, okay? We will get through this."
Elliot felt a flicker of hope at Clara’s words. Despite everything, he knew he could count on her. "Thank you, Clara. I don’t know what I would do without you."
Clara’s smiled. "You would probably be a mess. Now, let’s figure out how to deal with Lila."
******
As they left the café, Elliot’s phone buzzed with a message from Jonah. His heart skipped a beat as he read it.
"We need to talk.”
Elliot’s stomach turned. Hopefully this was not serious, he knew they were running out of time. He quickly typed a response.
“I am on my way. We will figure this out together."
As he got into his car, Elliot could not shake the feeling that they were on the brink of something terrible.
But as he drove through the city, the reality of the situation pressed down on him. He felt as though he was one step away from falling off a cliff
He just hoped he could find a way to survive the fall.