Chapter 58 They've Been Watching
Darcy's POV
"Their family business is experiencing severe financial problems because of the tax evasion and other fraudulent charges," he drops the bomb.
My jaw drops as I stare at him with my eyes almost popping out of their sockets.
Did I hear correctly? What is he talking about?
Does that mean they are back because they want to use Hazel to....
I shake my head. No, it's impossible. They can't possibly be that cruel. Hazel is still a child and importantly, she's innocent in all of this.
I eye him suspiciously. How is it possible that he knows about that? Because I'm sure that's still a secret that they are carefully guarding.
From the way they behaved, they are sure that they do not have any weakness.
"How do you know that?" I ask him.
"Before you came downstairs, I overheard them arguing and the blonde one," his voice trails off. "I mean Fiona, blurted it out mistakenly." He adds.
My eyes dart to Hazel. Calmly, I carry her and face Julius.
"Adrian isn't home. It's our collective duty to safeguard the property before he returns," I say and he gives me a curt nod.
"What do you suggest we do ma?" He asks.
Three days later and my brain has been replaying the events of that day.
As for Julius's last question, I don't have an answer yet but I know I will definitely figure something out.
My phone stops ringing and I palm my face, before brushing back my hair with my hand. I lean against the bed rest and rub my eyes.
Those people will not give up, unless they achieve their goals or better still, if they are put in their place.
I stand up and put on my flip-flop. Lazily, I walk into the bathroom and splash water on my face.
They've been watching and I know they've not stopped.
The pictures!
My eyes snap open as an idea hit me. The cameras have been tampered with.
Quickly, I grab the sink to steady myself before I can fall. My heart race crazily.
I rush out of the bathroom as I search for my laptop. Where is it? I spin my eyes scanning the room.
Why didn't I think of this all the time? So, it wouldn't have really mattered if Adrian got bodyguards because at the end of the day, they can monitor our movements without lifting a finger.
The closet.
I walk in and it is on the sofa. Just like Adrian taught me, I connect my laptop to the central system in the house.
There's a live recording from all the corners and rooms in the penthouse, including Hazel's bedroom.
I suddenly feel lightheaded as the room tilts.
Adrian recently acquired this property, so when did it happen? Unless, the people who installed the cameras were sabotaged.
The closet is a blind spot as there's no camera in here. I breathe in and out as I walk into the room. The best thing is to pretend.
Hazel is sleeping. My hands itch to take and hide her but that will be playing directly into their trap.
Calmly, I check if the door and windows are still secure. After confirming that, I take my phone and sit on the chair.
The thought of leaving Hazel alone again sends shivers down my spine. Goosebumps covers my skin.
I bite my inner cheek tighter until I taste blood.
There are two missed call from Adrian. It's not safe taking calls in this house again.
Thankfully, I'm not quick to tell Adrian anything. Who knows if they will go after him?
A text is better. So I tap hurriedly on the keyboards on my screen.
"Hey my love, how are you and how far have you gone with solving the problem over there? Can I use your card? It's urgent. I want to pay for some dresses."
I hope I'm doing the right thing, lying to him. Hopefully, it doesn't cause more harm than good.
My phone dings immediately. "Good morning babe. Hope you slept well? We are still working on it, thank you. As for the card, do you really have to ask me? What's mine is also yours."
I cover my mouth with my hand as I can feel my stomach churning. The guilt of lying, hiding everything from him. I really do not want to resort to deceit.
I blink back my tears. I really want tell him but after hearing how bad the situation is over there, I can't put him in a more difficult situation.
"Thanks babe. Take care."
I click on send immediately and go offline.
It's time for the next action. I carry a sleeping Hazel into the bathroom and set her down on a fluffy mat on the floor while I quickly freshen up.
After bathing, I change Hazel out of her diaper and wear her a new one.
The CCTV cameras within the compound are also bugged. I scroll through my contact as I search for Julius's number.
He's the head of security and Adrian insisted that I have his number. Now, it comes in handy.
I dial his number and he picks up immediately.
"Hello ma'am," he greets.
"Answer with yes or no," I command.
"Yes, ma"
I make sure to keep the tone of my voice down.
"Do the CCTV cameras in the house operate with electricity?" I ask.
"Yes,"
I continue. "Is it possible to change all the cameras before the end of today?"
He hesitates for a minute and stutters, "I don't,"
I cut him off before he can continue. "Yes or No?"
I hear him gulp loudly, "yes."
"Do you know of any company that we can contract with the job?"
"Yes,"
I raise my eyebrow and check out my nails, "do you mean the regular company that Adrian always goes for?"
"Yes, ma"
I suck in sharp breath and shake my head. "We are not going for them again. I'll find another by myself," I pause.
"Yes, ma"
Beads of sweat trickle down my face. Why am I sweating so much when the air conditioner is still on?
"Shut down the electricity in the premises," I order.
I can tell he wants to object, but he keeps quiet.
"Yes, ma"
Satisfied, I end the call.
If we cut the power, the system will reboot.
A few minutes maybe more where they lose the live feed.
At least it will buy us time before we change the cameras. It's better to take the risk than doing nothing at all.
I sigh loudly and rub the nape of my neck. My temperature has risen but I can't tell why or how it happened.
I keep my phone to carry Hazel off the floor, placing her back on the bed. My mind is a bit relaxed because I know they won't monitor our lives for a while.
Reopening my laptop, I start checking out some companies. A few of them catch my eyes but one stands out.
Their cameras have a feature that the owner receives a warning notification if someone tampers with the cameras.
My eyelids become droopy and stomach churn. The nausea hits faster and violently.
I spring up and before I can dash back into the bathroom, the light goes off, same with the electrical appliances.
I kneel before the water closet and throw up everything in my gut.
What the hell is wrong with me?
My stomach twists again… and for a second, I wonder if it’s fear or something worse.