Chapter 29 Next Agenda
Ariel
I was still awake by 2 am trying to figure out why Anastasia had decided to send me a party invitation on a whim after everything that just went down at the fundraiser when the message came in on the burner phone. My stomach dropped immediately at the message.
"Meet me at St Valerio tomorrow. 9 am."
Oh my God. Why? Were they planning to do something to my mom?!
I stood up from the bed, too anxious to remain seated and typed back a message to the number. "I got the invitation already... So sorry that it's late."
I didn't get a response.
One hour, two hours, 5:00 am.
I stood up from the couch in the living room and headed back to my room to throw on some proper clothes.
Fuck 9:00 am. I was headed there now.
The ride to the hospital, if it can be called that, took me about three hours. Yes, the place was that far and deserted; I had to shake off the creeps all over again as I walked into the lobby. The same nurse we met the other time was at the receptionist desk and gave me that same bright smile I didn't like.
"Hi, Miss Bennett."
"Hi... Tasha." I read off the name tag on her chest I wasn't sure I'd seen there before. "I'm here to see my mom."
"Oh okay. Let me inform Dr Frank that you're around."
I stood to the side as she put in a call to the doctor, and a few questionable long minutes later, he appeared from a corner in the hallway to the left, his strides quick as he attempted to put on his coat. "Miss Bennett," he said with a bright smile. "I wasn't expecting you here so early."
I furrowed my eyebrows. He was expecting me? And is that blood on the sleeve of his shirt?! "Uh… yes... I just thought I'd drop in to see how she's doing. Is she okay?" Those guys probably told him I was meeting them here today. That just made me more anxious.
"Yes, she's fine. She's responding to treatment well and might just get discharged sooner than later if things keep going well."
That didn't go over my head or maybe I was just reading meaning into everything. "Can I see her?"
"Of course. Follow me."
He started in the direction of the hallway to the right and kept going till we got to the corner at the end of the hallway, where my mom's room was.
He stepped to the side as he slid open the door to let me in and my jaw dropped almost immediately. "Oh my God!"
My mom's head whipped around at the sound of my voice. "Ariel baby."
I glanced back at Dr Frank, who had a smile on his face that didn't seem so unsettling this time. "W-why didn't you tell me?"
He shrugged. "I wanted it to be a surprise."
A surprise? This is a gag. The first time in a very long time I've met my mom awake during a visit. I didn't waste any more time talking. I surged forward with my arms stretched out and pulled her into a hug, my eyes already welling up with tears. She hugged me back just as hard.
"My baby."
I just... It felt so good to feel her again. Her arms around me, her soothing voice, the warmth in her body. She had always felt so cold during my previous visits.
Yup, I am crying now. Snot and all.
After our emotional reunion, I really didn't have anything to say to my mum; I just wanted to stare and watch over her all day but that was not the case for her. She had questions for me.
How was I doing? How was my music and everything? Chloe... Richard...
My blood froze at the mention of his name. Right, how was I meant to tell her about him or what he had actually been doing to me? She had no idea, or else she wouldn't have such a bright smile as she mentioned his name.
"About that... Richard is uh..." I stopped when the door opened at that moment, thankful for the interruption until I saw who it was.
Fuck. I jumped up from beside my mum's bed as Vincent Russo walked into the room. He had a blank stare that immediately made that uneasy feeling settle in my stomach again.
I headed straight for him, my voice low. "Please... Let's talk outside."
"Why? I'd love to meet your mom?" I felt my heart sink as he moved me to the side to approach my mom.
"Hi, Mrs Bennett. I'm Vincent."
"Vincent, hi, so nice of you to visit." She stretched out her hand for his, which he took surprisingly, then squeezed. Oh my God, he's going to kill her.
"No, it's no problem," he said instead.
"So... You are… who are you to my daughter?" She glanced between the two of us as she asked, her eyes twinkling after a second. I went back to her bedside already knowing what she might say next. "Are you guys by chance dati—"
"No!" Oh my God, no. I felt my face redden as I glanced at him. He was staring intently at me, just like my mom. Like he was waiting for an answer too but mockingly. "We're just... colleagues."
"Oh. Like an artist too?"
I hesitated. "Uh... yes?" I cleared my throat immediately after. "Let me go call Chloe, and oh, can I see you outside?" I directed the last part to him. "Please..."
He glanced back at my mom and gave her a smile I wasn't so sure was genuine before taking his hand off hers. I didn't even realise she had still been holding him. Shit.
I led him far away from her room once we got out. "Did you see my message? I got the invitation to the party already."
"Yes, I did."
Okay... That means I was clear, right? No more threatening me or my mom ever again, right? Well, that's what I thought until he said... "Let's go."
"Wait! What..." He stopped walking away. "Where are we going?"
"You’ll see. We need to discuss your next agenda."
"Next agenda?" There's more to all this?!