~Celine~
Anytime Charles sent me a message to inform me about my father’s absence from his private office, I’d go ahead and pack a few clothes in my closet and keep them in a bag right there.
I didn’t mind if I only had to pack two clothes in two days. I was planning for the big day when I’d eventually sneak out of this house.
I lay on the bed and stared at the ceiling. Kendrick lay next to me on the bed, playing with my fingers.
I couldn’t help but wonder what was going through my father’s head as he watched us do absolutely nothing.
While still lying down, there was a knock on my door. I titled my head and looked at the door, waiting for whosoever was there to speak up.
“Celine, it’s me.” I heard Charles speak and I hastily sprang to my feet. I rushed to the door, opened it, and looked at his face as he walked in.
“Is he out again? I managed to pack half my luggage already.” I uttered and when I turned to look at him, waiting for an answer, he signaled to me using his hand.
“He’s watching right now, but can’t hear us. Act like there’s nothing wrong.” He responded with a fake smile, and immediately, I let out a smile too, and settled down on the bed.
“Why would you come in here when you know he’s watching? My father is a very suspicious man. He may figure it out.”
“Why I came down here is pretty urgent.” He responded, sitting on the bed and backing the camera too.
“Tell me. You’re beginning to scare me.” I uttered, with my heart beating very fast.
“I just received a call from someone who is supposed to be dead, Celine.” He uttered, and I furrowed my brows.
“What are you talking about?” I asked in confusion, hoping he was going to keep beating around the bush and just hit the nail on the head.
“Alpha Kilhan just called me.” He responded, and my eyes popped wide open.
“What?!” My breathing grew intense.
“Shh! Cameras. Act normal, Celine.” He whispered, and I nodded, gulping hard.
This time, I could hear my own loud breaths. “But how is that…”
“Did you see Darius kill him that day?” He asked, and I shook my head.
“But… but, I called out to him and he didn’t respond. Also, my father’s hand was bloody and he told them to get rid of the bed. I thought…”
“I guess he just said and did all that to make you believe Alpha Kilhan was killed. He wasn’t.”
Tears filled my eyes and I shut them as gratitude to the moon goddess filled my heart. “I really thought Kendrick lost his father for good,” I mumbled, shaking my head in disbelief.
I sniffed and hastily cleaned my eyes before turning to look at Charles again.
“But why did he call you?? Why didn’t he call me?” I asked, and he shrugged.
“I’m not sure. Maybe he didn’t want to take any chances, or maybe he just doesn’t have your phone number anymore.” He answered.
“Tell me what he said to you. Can I talk to you? I really need to talk to him, Charles.” I became restless as I spoke, almost forgetting about the cameras in my room.
“Celine, can you please relax? It’s so obvious I’m saying things to you right now. You keep shaking.” He uttered, letting out an obviously fake grin.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t act like this isn’t shocking, okay? Kilhan is alive! Kendrick still has a father. What else could I possibly ask for? Please tell me, does he want to talk to me?” I asked eagerly, and he nodded.
“I guess your father tried to put up all these acts just so you can forget about going back to him. And he did say something.”
“What?”
“He said Darius said you have moved on with another man and you don’t want to see him anymore. That was why your father went ahead to get him out of the cell and send him home. But he noticed something wasn’t adding up when you ended up yelling his name from the cell gate.”
“So he heard? Oh my…”
“Your father wouldn’t have let him answer.”
“I need to talk to him right now, Charles. Please call him back.” I pleaded, reaching for his hands and holding them in mine.
“I wouldn’t put you on the phone with him yet.” He replied, and my eyes widened.
“Why?” I asked in awe.
“The first reason is because of the cameras. Once you’re on the phone with him, you won’t know how to act. This, I am very sure of.
“Secondly, you need to calm down and think. What do you want to say to him?…”
“That I’m happy he’s not dead? And that I haven’t moved on? I mean, why does it even matter? I just want to hear his voice.” I answered in frustration.
“Because you have a son that you’re hiding from him. I know after you talk to him, you’d want to go back to him after you escape this hellhole. But, are you ready to tell him about Kendrick?? You need to think things through.
“I care about you and that is why I’m saying this.” He uttered, and I let out a sigh.
“I know, Charles, and I appreciate you but, I don’t think I want to keep Kendrick away from him anymore. One thing I realized after I believed that he was dead was that I should never have kept it from him. Life is too short and he deserves to know he has a son with me. So yes, I’d let him know and I’ll go back to him after I’m out of here.”
Charles breathed heavily and nodded. “Alright. I support you, but please be careful, okay? Darius would be more than angry to know you found out about his plan, and Alpha Kilhan may suffer for it.”
“Thank you, Charles. Can I talk to him now?” I asked, and he pulled out his phone from his pocket, and while he scrolled through it, there was another knock on my door.
“Celine, are you there?” I heard my father’s voice, and I scoffed and rolled my eyes.
“Are you there? Like you don’t have cameras watching me all the damn time.” I whispered and turned to look at Charles.
“Tell him to go away,” Charles whispered in my ear.
“Go away, father. I don’t want to talk to you. At least not for now. I hate you right now!” I yelled angrily, causing Charles to flinch.
“Celine, I know you’re mad at me for killing him, but I swear, I couldn’t help it. He kept saying things that provoked me. I just wanted him to shut up...”
“So you silenced him for life? That was the father of my child! You have no excuse! Leave me alone. You’re the last person I want to talk to right now. And if you’re scared I’m alone and I’ll do something crazy, don’t worry. Charles is here to make sure I’m still sane in this house!”
“Did you have to say I was here?” Charles whispered.
“What do you think? That would give him the impression that I’m not lying since he has already seen you here. Give me the phone before he gets back to his office, I’ll go into the bathroom to talk to him.” I responded in a whisper, and he nodded.
He hastily gave me the phone and I rushed into the bathroom to dial the phone number on the screen.
It began to ring, and I became so nervous that I started pacing in front of the bathtub. When I heard it connect, I made an abrupt stop.
“Celine?” I heard his voice, and it was as if it had broken every bone in my body, causing my legs and hands to feel very weak.
“Kilhan,” I called with so much emotion and tears in my eyes. “You’re alive,” I muttered, holding onto the bathtub edge as support.
“Yes, Celine. I’m alive and well.”
“I thought I lost you,” I mumbled in tears.
“I know. But haven’t we lost each other before that day?? We have lost each other since the day I rejected you, and I understand that you have moved on.”
“What? Moved on?? I never moved on Kilhan, even when I tried so hard to. I couldn’t.” I answered, shaking my head.
“So you have no man in your life?” He further asked.
“No, Kilhan. You are the only man I want in my life, and even though I know it’s too late…”
“It’s not too late. We can still make this work.”
I blinked severally as I heard his statement. “You… you want to make this work?” I asked with tears rolling down my eyes.
“Celine, no matter how hard I lie to myself, you have always been on my mind. Always. Even though I was hurt that you lied to me, I just couldn’t bring myself to hate you.”
“You still…”
“I still love you, Celine and I’m going to do whatever it takes to get you back. I made a terrible mistake and I realized this when I was in that cell. I love you.”
“I…” I broke into tears as I found it hard to compose words to say to him.
Hearing him say those three words broke me instead of mending me. ‘If only we had fought for this love back then, we wouldn’t be in this position.’
“I’m coming for you, Jessica.”
“No, I am coming for you.”