Chapter thirty nine

Chapter thirty nine
The next day, Lisa woke up to a barrage of missed calls from Marcus, her heart sinking with each notification. A cold dread crept up her spine as she stared at the screen, wondering what she had gotten herself into. The memory of the trashed house and the money he had sent her lingered like a bad omen. Just as she was trying to process her thoughts, her phone rang again, Marcus's name flashing on the screen. Lisa hesitated, her thumb hovering over the answer button, before finally picking up.

"So you know how to pick up a call," Marcus's sarcastic voice came through the line, making Lisa's grip on the phone tighten.

She forced a calm tone, trying to mask her unease. "Marcus, what do you want?"

"Ah, don't play dumb, Lisa. You know exactly what I want," he replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You never acknowledged my money, neither did you return it, and you haven't given me credit for the...hospitality I showed you at the house."

Lisa's anger flared, but she bit back a retort, remembering Jake's plan. "I think we should talk about it, Marcus," she said, trying to sound reasonable. "In person."

There was a pause, and for a moment, Lisa wondered if she had misjudged him. "Alright," Marcus said finally, his voice low and smooth. "I'll send you the address. Don't keep me waiting."

Lisa's heart skipped a beat as she hung up the phone, a mix of anxiety and determination swirling inside her. She quickly texted Jake, letting him know about the meeting. His response came back almost immediately: "Be careful. I'll be nearby."

With a deep breath, Lisa began to prepare herself for the meeting, hoping she can pull off the plan without things escalating. 

She quickly got herself dressed and prepared to leave the house. She stood by the door, her hand on the handle, ready to slip out and head to the meeting with Marcus. She was dressed in a simple outfit, her hair pulled back in a neat ponytail, and a determined look on her face. 

Just as she was about to turn the handle, Rachel stepped out of her room, her eyes widening in surprise as she took in Lisa's appearance.

"Where are you going?" Rachel asked, her voice firm, her eyes narrowing as she took in Lisa's determined expression.

Lisa hesitated, unsure of how to explain the situation to Rachel. She didn't want to get her friend more involved in her mess, not after everything Rachel had already endured for her. "Rach, I...I have to go out," she said, trying to brush it off.

But Rachel wasn't having it. She walked closer to Lisa, her eyes flashing with concern. "Lisa, what's going on? You can't just leave without telling me. Is it Marcus? Did he do something?" Rachel's voice was laced with worry, and Lisa could see the fear in her eyes.

Lisa sighed, feeling a pang of guilt for not telling Rachel earlier. "Marcus sent me an address, he wants to meet," she explained, trying to keep her voice calm. "I didn't want to tell you, Rach. You've already had to deal with so much because of me, I didn't want to get you more involved."

Rachel's expression changed, her eyes flashing with anger and determination. "That's nonsense, Lisa," she said, her voice firm. "Who's going to take care of you if not me? We're in this together, always."

Lisa felt a surge of gratitude towards Rachel, but she was also worried. "Rach, it's okay, I can handle it. Jake's going to be there too," she said, trying to reassure her friend.

But Rachel was adamant. "I'm coming with you," she said, her voice firm. "Wait for me, I'm getting ready."

Lisa tried to protest, but Rachel was already heading back to her room, determination etched on her face. Lisa sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. She was grateful for Rachel's support, but she was also worried about what could happen as Rachel temper and dislike for Marcus could escalate things.

Rachel eventually emerged from her room, dressed and ready to go. "Let's do this," she said, her voice firm, her eyes flashing with determination.



The air was heavy with anticipation as Lisa, Rachel, and Jake stood outside the sleek, modern building at 1520 Park Avenue, the address Marcus had sent to Lisa's phone just hours before. Lisa's hands were clenched into fists, her nails digging into her palms as she tried to calm her racing heart. Rachel's expression was a mask of determination, her eyes fixed at the entrance as if daring Marcus to try something. Jake's eyes met Lisa's, his gaze calm and reassuring.

"You okay?" he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Lisa nodded, though she wasn't sure if she was okay. She took a deep breath, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that had been growing inside her since they'd left the house. "Yeah, I'm fine."

Jake's eyes lingered on hers for a moment before he turned to Rachel. "Rach, maybe you should wait downstairs," he said, his voice firm but gentle.

Rachel's expression turned mutinous, her eyes flashing with anger. "No way," she said, her voice firm. "I'm not leaving Lisa's side."

Jake sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Rach, this isn't a game. Marcus is unpredictable, and I don't want you getting hurt."

Rachel's gaze met Jake's, her eyes flashing with anger. "I'm not leaving her, Jake," she said, her voice firm.

Jake's expression turned resigned, his shoulders sagging slightly. "Fine, but stay close to me, okay?"

Lisa's eyes met Rachel's, and she smiled, trying to reassure her friend. Rachel's expression softened, her eyes filling with concern. "Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lisa nodded, trying to sound braver than she felt. "Yeah, I need to get this done."

Jake's eyes met Lisa's, his gaze calm and reassuring. "Let's do this," he said, his voice firm.

The three of them walked towards the door, Lisa's heart pounding in her chest as they approached the entrance. Jake knocked on the door, his expression calm, but Lisa could see the tension in his shoulders.