During my childhood, I thought nothing could harm me; that I was protected by loving arms, shielding me from evil. Not even worrying about the dangers that were about to come, even if I knew they would. To put it bluntly, I didn't know this world was dangerous until I matured and understood why soldiers fought the wars. Like my father said, nothing is easy and fairy tales are just a bunch of stories told by people who prefer fantasy over reality.
“What do you mean, you two are friends?” Harvey's face twisted into a frown, a mixture of confusion and irritation. The maids were busy placing plates full of different fruits on the table, minding their own business.
…Or trying to.
The sound of juice being poured into a glass was almost starting to interest me more than the conversation at hand. I'd rather talk about how to make cheesecake than that man.
“I thought you two hated each other. Why the sudden change of heart?”
Turning to the grumbling child, I sighed. “Harvey, I never said I hated Mr. Montgomery. Yes, I sorta disliked him, but I couldn't hold a grudge on him forever.”
“So, you do like him.”
“No, Harvey. It's not like that. Mr. Montgomery is just a friend, like how Dad treats his other business partners.” I answered, before biting into my ham. The scent of freshly-cooked eggs wafted around the room when the maid set a plate full of it onto the table, along with the sweet floral smell that the orchids in the vase produced. Sunlight painted the table, the dishes shining along with the silver utensils.
After the near-accident and disturbing call I’d received last night, I thought I would never get out of my sour mood. Only when I came downstairs and saw food that made my mouth water did my foul mood leave. Well, until Harvey watched today's news and saw what happened between Chad and me yesterday.
“But what happens if you fall in love with him?” Harvey questioned in an alarmed tone of voice, sitting at the edge of his seat due to worry.
Shaking my head, I raised an eyebrow in amusement. “I won't. What makes you think I will?” Falling in love with Chad seemed impossible, like trying to prevent an earthquake from happening. We may not have discussed fraternization, but I had a feeling he wouldn’t cross the line or even think of doing so. Besides, he does have a girlfriend.
The idea caused a weird flip in my stomach, one I couldn't understand.
“I know a thing about love, Sis.”
“Harvey, you're young and have little knowledge about love.”
“Of course I know a thing about love! You'll meet the one destined for you, get married and have crying babies.”
At his answer, I couldn't help but giggle softly at how easily he narrated it. “Now, that's just plain silly, Harv. It's not just about all that, you'll know when you're older. Right now, I just want you to focus on school, okay?”
Grabbing his fork, Harvey stabbed his pancakes that were drowning in maple syrup. “Fine. It's just that I don't want something bad to happen while that Chad guy is around. He might treat you like Wright did.”
I felt my blood go cold and my eyes widened, red splashing before my eyes as I imagined his face in front of me. Gray eyes and innocent smile. The things he did, forever haunting me.
“Do you love me?” Warm eyes focused on mine, he’d nodded twice.
“I do.” The two words that left his lips made me smile, before I engulfed him in a tight hug. Loving him for all its worth, knowing he felt the same way.
He didn't.
My knuckles turned white, my grip was so strong on my utensils, which alarmed Harvey. “Rachel! Rachel!”
Like a magician saying the magic word, I snapped out of the ugly images that invaded my mind. Images that had happened a long time ago, which I should have forgotten.
The shock on Harvey's face simmered down, and he stood up from his seat before heading towards me. “I'm sorry if I made you angry, Sis. I won't mention the idiot's name again.”
Stretching my arm out, I pulled Harvey in for a hug, a feeling of sorrow slowly creeping into my heart. I fought it hard.
“It's all right, Harv, it's not your fault.”
Nodding, Harvey pulled away and gestured for me to smile, which I did. “Please don't be sad anymore,” he pleaded, eyes swimming in worry.
Agreeing, I patted his head, knowing it would calm him down. “Yes, Harv. By the way, did you call Sean like I told you to last time?”
“I haven't called him yet, but don't worry. I will call as soon as I finish breakfast. After all, there's no class today,” he answered, going back to his seat and taking a bite of his pancakes. “I was kind-of sidetracked due to studying. We have a huge test this coming Thursday.”
My eyes wandered onto Henry, who entered the dining room and stopped at my side.
“Miss Maxwell, there's a telephone call for you.”
My eyebrows shot up as I stood up from my seat. “Oh.”
I wonder who it could be...
Entering the living room, Henry stood straight as he held the white telephone in his hands. “Thank you, Henry.” I mumbled to him, and took the phone, pressing it to my ear. “Hello, this is Rachel Maxwell speaking.”
“Hello, Rachel.”
“Montgomery.”
A low chuckle rumbled on the other end of the line, obviously amused. “Good morning, Miss Maxwell. Did your little brother watch the news today?” When I remained silent, he snorted. “I'll take that as a yes. And I'm guessing you're trying to explain to him once again.”
“How did you know the house number?” I inquired, ignoring the question, not happy that he knew how to reach my house phone.
“I have my ways.”
Rolling my eyes at such an answer, I sat down and listened further.
"Are you free this lunch time? We both have to talk about taking our partnership further, since we are done signing the documents."
“Yes…” I automatically answered, until my eyes widened in realization. Lunch with Francine. “I mean, no!” I screamed in alarm, probably surprising Chad Montgomery.
“No?”
I began begging for the floor to swallow me as I blushed in embarrassment. “I-I have to be somewhere. We can talk about it tomorrow, or you can just email me your ideas.” The other end of the line was silent for a minute and I began to wonder whether Chad was still there. “Montgomery?”
“Two this afternoon. I'll pick you up in front of The Fountain of Eternal Life. No questions. Don't be late.”
The call ended, leaving me shocked as I stared at the phone. What was that all about? Didn't he hear me the second I told him I have plans? Groaning, I rubbed my temples as a headache was forming. I don't understand that man.
Sighing, I placed the phone back on its hook, before stomping my way back to the dining room, my mood going south all the way, not stopping. No breaks.
After eating breakfast, I went back to my room and took a relaxing bath. Clad in a new set of pajamas, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and called Francine.
“Hello, Rach,” she answered cheerfully after the third ring, the background busy with people chattering. “Hey, Fran, I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything…”
“Nah, I'm on my way to work. How are you?”
“I'm fine. So, are you up for lunch later?” I asked, staring at my blue pajamas with pink bears on them.
The sound of Francine breathing heavily as she ran rang in my ear. “Yeah. I'm up for it, in that way we can discuss Parkinson's arrival party.” She breathed. A small cry of satisfaction left her lips. “I made it... Rachel, where shall we have lunch?”
“I chose your favorite place. I'll pick you up later, okay? See you in a bit, Francine.”
“You too, Rach. Bye!” She hung up.
Placing my phone down on the soft mattress of my bed, I went out and down the stairs, heading towards the living room.
“Really? That's cool!”
Stopping in my tracks, I hid behind the wall, before taking a peek to see Harvey on the telephone, smiling wide as he talked animatedly. “Yeah, Sean! Do you want to come over? We could play it together.”
I couldn't help but smile as well, at how simple their conversation was. Carefree.
Lips in a thin line, I lowered my gaze, feet leading me to the dining room. Leaning against the glass wall overlooking the lush garden, I sighed deeply. If Harvey finds out that someone tried to kill me last night... Last night's events caused a chill to run up my spine, fear crawling on my skin. It was so close. Just a little bit more and I would cease to exist in this world.
“Is there something wrong, Miss Maxwell?”
Startled, I sharply turned, only to see Henry. “Oh, it's you, Henry.”
“Do you want tea, Miss Maxwell? Or some fresh fruit?”
I shook my head, waving my hand around. “No, I'm fine Henry, thank you.”
The old man merely nodded before walking away. Once he was gone, I rubbed my temples. Hard.
How long will Mom and Dad keep this a secret from him? This was bad. Dad's rivals were not even looking for blood, just a step ahead. But these people, whoever they were, they were dangerous. Plastering a smile on my face, I headed towards the living room just as Harvey hung up.
“So? How did it go?”
The smile on Harvey's face was huge. “Can I invite Sean over? Please?”
Without hesitation, I agreed and grinned. Harvey cheered, arms raised in the air in victory. “Yes! I'll tell Henry to ready the car for Percy to pick him up.” He ran off while yelling happily, probably startling half the staff in the kitchen. Oh, Harvey...
Going back to my room, I lay flat on my stomach, smoothing out the wrinkles on my pillow. Staring at the ceiling, I listened to my surroundings. The mansion was quiet. Mom was at work, planning for the gala, which was two days from now. Dad? Probably still pressuring the private investigators to find the person responsible for the box containing a rat and the near-car-accident yesterday.
The laptop kept beeping, emails popping up every time from work. With a soft grunt, I stood up from my bed and headed to my closet, getting ready for lunch with Francine. After getting dressed I stared at myself in the mirror, taking in my appearance as I straightened the skirt of my plain black Saint Laurent dress, making sure there was not a wrinkle in sight.
Wearing a watch and a necklace, I meticulously brushed my hair, before tying it into a ponytail. Making sure not one strand was left. I bit my lip as I bent down to scratch my stocking-clad legs. Grabbing my bag and phone, I slipped into my black heels before leaving the room.
Walking down the stairs, my phone began to ring. I stared at the Caller I.D. to see that it was only Arianne Howard.
“Hello, Arianne, what is it?” I questioned, cautiously stepping down the stairs so I wouldn't trip. Falling down the stairs and suffering a concussion is the last thing I want to happen.
“Good morning, Miss Maxwell, I am calling to inform you that Mr. Lim scheduled a meeting with you tomorrow afternoon.”
Her words alone made me drop my jaw in surprise. “W-what? He did what?”
Arianne cleared her throat. “Mr. Lim scheduled a meeting with you tomorrow afternoon,” she repeated in a much louder voice, mistaking my question for my not hearing her. “Mr. Lim also wants you to include Mr. Montgomery in the meeting.”
At the mention of his name, I couldn't help but wonder if it was Chad's doing why Mr. Lim wanted to talk to me. It's kind of strange for Chad to know...everything about my company. The near bankruptcy, my employees, and the failed merger with Lim Industry... I narrowed my eyes. How does he know?
“I see. Thank you, Miss Howard.” Hanging up, I brought my hand under my chin as I walked into the living room and took a seat. It's very odd...
The telephone suddenly rang, snapping my train of thought, before I reached out to answer it. “Hello?”
“Hello, pumpkin.”
“Hey, Dad,” I replied, lying back on my seat. “How's work?” Hearing a sigh from the other line, I couldn't help but do the same.
“Work is fine. I'm currently reviewing the reports the investigators gave me. It's a bit mind-boggling how these scoundrels escape, not even surveillance cameras can pinpoint where they are. The investigators have their hands full on our case, pumpkin. I'm sure they'll apprehend the bastards.”
“Dad, I'm going out for lunch today with Francine.”
A long pause. Biting my thumb, I waited for his response. Please say okay.
Dad cleared his throat before speaking. “Come back afterwards. Percy is going with you, along with the rest. I don't want you walking around alone, there are still criminals lurking around. I want you to be extra careful.”
“Yes, Dad, I will. Thanks!” I smiled softly, relieved that he had agreed.
“You're welcome, dear. Be careful—Yes? What is it, Christina?” Dad's voice became faint for a minute, talking to his secretary in the background. Waiting, I tapped my fingers against the arm of the couch until his voice came back. “I'll get back to it... Rachel? Are you still there?”
“Still here, Dad…”
“Just trust your bodyguards, they know what to do. All right?”
“Yes, Dad, I'll be very careful. See you later.”
“Bye, pumpkin.” With a click, Dad hung up.
I smiled softly and turned to see Henry standing a few feet away. “Henry, please ready the car.”
The man nodded, a small smile on his face, wrinkles appearing at the corner of his eyes. “Will do, Miss Maxwell,” he answered, before walking away.
While I was typing a quick message to Arianne, Henry came back and announced the car was ready. “Thank you, Henry.”
Stepping out of the house and into the awaiting car, Percy greeted me. “Good morning, Miss Maxwell. Where are we headed today?”
“Good morning, Percy. Let's pick up Francine at the diner.”
“Understood, Miss Maxwell.”
Once inside the car, I fished my phone out. Tapping Francine's contact, I proceeded to type her a text message before sending it.
To: Francine Hey Fran, heading towards the diner to pick you up. You ready?
I couldn't help but feel squished, being situated in-between two burly bodyguards; the space was inadequate. Phone vibrating, I looked down to see Francine’s reply.
Francine: Hi Rach, yeah. I'll be waiting out front.
Passing by buildings and people walking by on the streets, the familiar sign of the diner caught my eye as we drove down the road. Francine was already waiting, standing patiently with her brown trench coat covering her from the cold, her red hair tied into a ponytail and hands tucked in the pockets of her coat.
The car came to a complete stop in front of the diner before Percy got out to open the door. I stared at the time on my phone, smiling softly. Just in time. The bodyguard seated to my left climbed off to sit at the front as Francine got in.
“Hi, Francine.” I grinned at her, which she returned with enthusiasm. “Hello, Rach. My mom told me Sean is currently at your house.”
I nodded. “Yes, Harvey wanted to spend time with Sean, wasting no time. By the way, how are you?”
Francine shrugged. “I'm doing all right. Dad's fine, he's busying himself with those Sudoku puzzles that I bought for him.”
Percy went back to the driver's seat after closing the door, the car speeding off to the restaurant.
“He's fussing about not being able to go to work, is he?” I asked, knowing that Mr. Winstel didn’t like to stay home and do nothing all day. The man was so used to working that, even if it was his day off, he sometimes forgot and headed to work.
Francine shook her head. “Miraculously, he's not. I kinda knocked some sense into him when I told him how serious his situation is. By the way, here…” She handed a white envelope across to me.
I raised an eyebrow, giving the item a questioning look. “What is it?”
She refused to answer, pushing it towards me. “Just take it, Rachel.”
I took my time in opening it, wondering what it contained. Once I caught sight of money, I frowned slightly, before giving her a look. “Francine, we spoke about this.”
“I know we did, Rach.” Francine replied with a small sigh, pausing for a moment to stare into space before facing me. “Just accept it, Rachel. Mom will kill me if I don't give it to you. She gave me strict orders.”
Shaking my head, I gave back the envelope to her, not to be convinced. “Francine, I helped and your father is now well. That's all that matters to me.” I reassured her with a smile, placing a hand on her shoulder and squeezing it gently. “I'm happy. Instead of giving this money to me, save it for future use.”
Francine stared at me for a minute until her lips broke out into a smile, shaking her head slowly. “What would I do without a good friend like you, Rachel Maxwell?”
Laughter escaped my lips at her words until street dancers caught our line of vision, making both of us crane our necks to see, before the dancers disappeared behind us.
“Miss Maxwell, we're here.” Percy announced, the car slowing to a stop in front of the restaurant.
Opening the door, both of us got out and stared at the restaurant fondly. Old memories of just going to this memorable place brought out the joy in me. I could tell Francine felt the same – if the sparkle in her eyes was any indication.
“Miss Maxwell.”
One of the bodyguards gestured to the door and both of us followed. I let out a sigh of content as we went inside the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant, the smell of pizza and spices wafting from the kitchen. The soft, upbeat music played through the restaurant's speakers and only a few diners were occupying the tables. Pictures of different spices and quotes were on the artistically-painted wall.
“We will stay on guard, Miss Maxwell.” Percy mumbled, before stationing himself near the table that the nice lady appointed to us.
“So, how are things going on between you and that fellow, Chad Montgomery?” Francine asked as we flipped through the menu.
I fought the urge to bite my hand, not wanting to stress myself. “What about him?” I chuckled, trying not to sound sheepish.
“I don't know, you two seem to be rampant in the news. Are you seeing him?”
I chuckled at her question, waving my hands. “No! No... We're just business partners, Fran. I thought I already explained it to you. There is nothing going on between me and Chad Montgomery.”
I'll pick you up in front of The Fountain of Eternal Life. No questions. Don't be late.
His words rang in my head. It was bothersome. Thy enigma name Chad Montgomery.
Francine held up her hands in resignation, but her eyes were lucid. Full of humor. “All right, you don't have to elaborate it.”
Seeing the waitress come back with paper and pen, both of us decided what to eat and ordered.
“Have you decided where to hold Patton's 'welcome back' party?” she inquired once we’d finished ordering, the waitress collecting the menu before disappearing into the kitchen.
“I have.” I grinned, fishing for my phone in my bag before taking a hold of it. Scanning the pictures I saved a few days ago, I held out my phone for her to see. “It'll be perfect if we celebrate it here.”
The way Francine's eyes lit up at the picture of the restaurant the three of us first hung out at was heartwarming. “Yes, it's perfect. Is the place still running?”
“Yes, I searched it up. At first, I wasn't sure if it was the one since they did some remodeling.”
Our dishes were served a few minutes later. The smell of pepperoni pizza and cheese pizza entered my nostrils, my mouth watering.
“Enjoy your meal, Ma'am!” The waitress smiled mirthfully and walked away to attend to other diners.
“Rachel, speaking of Parkinson... Patton called last night.” The words left her lips so fast that I had to double take, wondering if I heard her right.
“C-come again?”
Francine toyed with her fork, poking her slice of pizza. “Patton unexpectedly called last night. Maybe around one? Two? It doesn't matter. He called.”
To hear that Patton had called was something to hold on to; even his mom shared the same sentiment. He has been gone for two years, communication is the one thing lacking when he was whisked away by the military.
“And? What did he say?”
With a huge smile, Francine answered, “He's coming home this November or probably earlier than that. Isn't it exciting?” I nodded in agreement until something black moving at the side caught my eye. Zoning Francine's voice out, I focused on the man standing outside wearing a black hoodie. Even if his face was mostly covered, I could sense him watching. Chills ran up my spine and I held in a breath, wondering why. His eyes were only focused on me and Francine particularly, ignoring the rest of the people who were too caught up in their own little world to care.
As if sensing that I saw him, the man walked away without another spare glance. It was spine-chilling. Didn't Percy and the rest of the security see him? Turning to the men, Percy gazed at me with something akin to concern.
Turning to the glass window, I tried to calm my jittery nerves down. “Rachel? Rachel?”
Francine's worried tone snapped my gaze away from the glass window of the restaurant, and I faced her. “W-what? Oh, I'm sorry Fran. I thought I just saw someone…” I trailed off, giving the glass one more glance before centering my attention on Francine.
“Who? Is it Chad Montgomery?” she wondered aloud, slightly standing to see if the man was there, only to find strangers walking.
“No, it's not him,” I mumbled, sipping my glass of Cola.
My phone suddenly rang. It caused my heart to beat erratically and I had to force myself to take deep breaths. Examining the unknown number, I answered at the third ring.
“Hello?”
“If you know what's good for you, Miss Maxwell, I suggest that you should hide,” a deep muffled voice, which was disguised heavily, uttered menacingly.
“W-who is this?” I bumbled out.
The call ended abruptly.