Chapter 40 CHAPTER 40: Trapped In Silence
Hazel
Lying there, the serene whispers of nature filled the silence - roosters crowing, birds cawing. This was a stark contrast to my room at William's mansion, where the distant honk of a car signaling the beginning of a new day was my alarm clock. Here, the world was tranquil, disturbed only by the natural calls of the wild.
I covered my head with the duvet as I breathed in and out, not thinking about anything and just enjoying the peace and quiet as the AC in the room hummed away. After about five minutes, eyes still closed, I stretched out my hands to find my phone. I remembered I took it into the room last night as Adam grabbed my bag but could not remember where I dropped it.
I opened my eyes and my gaze wandered up to the headboard as I reached over, feeling around. Finally, tucked away in the corner, I found my phone. Unlocking it, I hoped to see missed calls or messages from Williams, but to my disappointment, there were none. Letting out a sigh, I turned on my mobile data and tried accessing few news sites to check for updates on the press conference, only to realize I couldn't connect at all. There was no internet connection in the room. Frustrated, I glanced around, spotting an intercom at the far end of the room near the reading table. I tossed my phone aside and climbed out of bed. I walked on tiptoes to the table, sat down and tapped on the intercom, but it was dead. I sighed as I walked back to bed, grabbed my phone, slipped my feet into pink fluffy slippers, and headed for the door.
I opened the door to my bedroom to complete silence. Frustrated from last night, I hadn't bothered to check where Adam was staying. Curious, I peeked into the room across from mine only to find it deserted, seemingly untouched for ages. Quietly, I closed the door and headed towards the living room in search of a phone signal, but found none. A wave of panic washed over me as it appeared I was alone in the house. I recalled the security guard at the front door the previous evening. Deciding to seek him out, I walked over to the entrance, but the door wouldn’t open. It seemed to be locked from the outside. Anxiety spiked within me, fearing Adam might have left unknowingly, forgetting I was with him. Rushing to a window, I scanned outside. No sign of Adam’s sedan. My heart sank.
I looked at my phone again, willing it to work, then I remembered a trick and put my phone in airplane mode for one minute before turning it on again, but still no network. I pressed the off button and restarted the phone with hopes that when it came up the network would be restored. I waited for two minutes, which felt like an eternity, before turning it on again, but still - no network.
Fear gripped me. I was in the middle of nowhere with no network signal nor Adam in sight. I looked around the house frantically to find something; a phone, a key, anything. As I searched and searched, I noticed a telephone that was blinking. I ran to it and decided to try my luck with it. I dialed Adam’s number hoping against hope that it was programmed to call mobile networks. As I dialed the number, it went through. It rang and rang but there was no response. As I was about to give up hope, I heard a click.
“Oh, thank God!” I sighed in relief.
“Where are you Adam”, I spoke into the mouthpiece.
The sound that came from the phone line was static and hard to understand what the other person was saying.
“Adam, can you hear me” I said?
“Yes Haze. Sorry the signal is poor over there” he replied.
“Where are you” I asked.
“I stepped out. Will be back soon” he replied.
“Why didn't you wake me’? I asked, but before I could get a reply, the static sound overwhelmed his voice and the phone line went dead.
“Dang!!!” I groaned in frustration. What the hell do I do with myself now and why will Adam lock me in”? I muttered to myself as anger bubbled up in my chest. It seemed the time off I needed was stressing me out more than being with Williams. I was locked out of the outside world completely and that did not sit right with me.
After the frustrating call, I sat down on the soft plush couch and willed myself to breathe and not panic. I took three deep breathes and decided to think. My stomach grumbled, and I realized I had not had any food since the press conference. That thought led to another - Williams must be worried sick by now, looking everywhere for me. Only Adam knew my whereabouts, and that realization stirred up my anxiety once more. My thoughts drifted to last night. I thought I knew Adam, and it turned out I was so wrong. A strangled groan of frustration slipped out as I wrestled with my emotions.
“Breathe! I mumbled to myself. Letting out a sigh of relief, I then rose from my sitting position and stepped into the kitchen to find food as my stomach grumbled the more. As I entered the very modern kitchen, I went straight to the refrigerator. I opened it and noticed the fridge was stocked up with all manner of food. I guessed he stocked it up knowing I would be there.
I was not in the mood to make any food, so I opted for cereal. I got milk from the fridge, made a plate of cereal, took it to the parlor, on the TV, but there was no signal either. Frustration gnawed at me and I felt a sick feeling in my stomach. I had an eerie feeling about the whole setting and the panic set in again. The bowl of cereal forgotten, I looked at my phone again for any signal but nothing had changed. I went back to my room restless and close to tears. Bile rose in my throat as I ran to the bathroom sink to puke. After I was done puking out air, since I didn't have anything in my stomach to throw up.
I rinsed my mouth and eyed the unopened toothbrush on top of the cabinet. I took it, applied paste and brushed my mouth slowly while looking at myself in the mirror. I looked pale, and my hair stuck out at different angles. I knew everything was not right as the sickening sensation in the pit of my stomach refused to go away. After brushing my teeth, I took a quick shower. Just as I was leaving the bathroom, I heard a noise from downstairs. Quickly wrapping the towel around my chest, I hurried out of the room to investigate.
“Who is there”? I asked but no sound came. I rushed to the entrance door, put my ears on the door and listened. It felt like two people were discussing outside, so I banged the door again and again.
“If you are out there, I need to get out of here, please” I shouted, waiting for a reply. I was about to give up when I heard my name.
“Mrs. Hazel, I’m sorry, but I can’t open the door, Mr. Adam instructed that the door be locked until he was back.
“What? Why will he give such instructions when he knows I’m inside”, I responded, baffled.
“That was his order ma’am” was the reply from the person I assumed was the security guard who was by the door last night.
“But if you need anything, I’m glad to help” he offered.
“I need a phone that has a signal”
“Except that, ma'am, there is no signal in this part of town. My mouth opened wide as tears rolled down my cheeks.
“No, Adam will not hold me in like a captive in his home, something isn't right. I argued.
“I'm right outside in case you need anything, ma’am” came the reply from the other side of the door.
My stomach dropped, and I realized I was trapped there till when Adam was back.
I slid down to the floor holding my stomach as the tears refused to stop flowing.
Adam
When Hazel reached out for my help the day of the press conference, I knew that was a sign that we were meant to be together. True, my plan was a gamble, a calculated manipulation that might fester into resentment down the line. But the ache of losing her was a terrifying prospect I couldn't contemplate. What I never planned on was keeping her locked up all day.
My father's unexpected summons had thrown a wrench into my carefully orchestrated scheme as the meeting that I expected to last for an hour bled into the whole day, leaving me frantic with worry, knowing Hazel was alone and with no communication with the outside world. I would have gone back to be with her, but she threatened to leave last night and that scared me. I needed to use the three-day retreat she needed to my own advantage by trying to convince her about my plans for us, but as it stood, I was ruining the whole plan by locking her up.
As the meeting finally concluded, I practically sprinted to my car, fueled by a frantic need to get to her. I stopped on the way to buy her lilies and some nice meals she loved. Maybe that would calm her down a bit. I was being selfish, but love was supposed to be selfish and with time I hoped she would understand my real intentions.
Dusk had draped the city in a cloak of shadows by the time I pulled through the familiar gates. As the gate swung open, I grabbed the gifts and hurried inside. I opened the door and closed it behind me. I scanned the living room for any sign of her, but she was nowhere to be found.
“Haze”? I bellowed, panic rising in my throat.
"Hazel?" I bellowed again, the name a desperate plea lost in the suffocating emptiness of the house. There was no answer. Where was she? What had I done?