Chapter 40

L I N D Y

“Do you think it’s really Jolene?” I ask him.

Harry shrugs his shoulder, “I don’t know. Fuck, I wish I knew but I don’t know Lindy. I have been having that problem for days now after I got it and I can’t seem to think of anyone who could do it.”

“What do you mean?”

He breathes, “I got the same gift as well days ago with the same box color and ribbon.” His eyes looking lost. “The handwriting is most definitely hers and I know because I saw it a lot in her paintings.”

I sigh heavily as I tried to tell myself that there was no longer any reason to be jealous about Jolene. There was no point in getting jealous because Harry had chosen me now and we are having our own babies soon. Moreover, she is only just a part of his past that he wants to forget and get rid of.

But there’s still this voice in my head that tells me that I am still freaking jealous.

Then there is this fear creeping somewhere in my mind which makes me worried that Harry might suddenly do the same thing to me that he did to Jolene. I know he reassured me that he is different now and that he would take full responsibility for this but then I can’t help not to think about what happened to him and Jolene.

Lindy, she was married and they were only doing sex.

He didn’t love her.

He didn’t love her.

He didn’t love her.

He told you he didn’t love her and you should hold onto that.

But why am I still feeling this way? Why do I still feel queasy and uncertain about the things that could potentially happen to us in the future?

Why do I think that he would return to the man he was when he was younger?

“Don’t look at me like that please.” I hear his voice and pulls me out of my own troubled thoughts. “I know my past action is certainly to be judged because of how horribly selfish I was back then but I am not the same person when I was younger.”

I exhale heavily as I feel this stinging pain inside my heart, “You just can’t stop me from feeling this way with all the worries and—”

“Lindy.” He cuts me off. “There’s no need for you to be worried about me and my intentions to you because you are the only constant thing that I want in my life right now until the rest of my days.”

I lowered my head and thumbed my tear away as soon as it was creeping over my cheeks, “I’m sorry…” I pulled my head up and smiled at him. “I know I should trust you after what I heard and I do.”

“I need you to trust me, please. I do need it after everything that happened to me, I need that trust from you. You’re the only strength I am holding onto right now Lindy, because thinking of you and our future kids makes me sane. You make me feel like I am a complete man.” His eyes filled with tears as he smiles his dimpled smile.

My tears builds fast behind my eyelids making my vision blurry as I stare and smile at him. My heart feels this sudden contentment that I have always had and known since we met, since we were together, since I loved him and since he loved me.

He sniffs, “For the first time in my life, fame, money, sex and women no longer mattered to me because you make me feel whole.”

I smile as my tears wets my cheeks again while I was our of words with this overwhelming feeling inside my heart.

“I love you so much Lindy. Now that you know that part of my past that I have been meaning to forget and hide from you, it’s all up to you now.” He sighs with his sad eyes, “It’s all up to you if you would still want to trust me and love me.”

“I am not a God and I am nowhere near perfect.” I tell him. “I accepted you when I met you and I will not stop myself from accepting you this time just because of that part of your life.”

I smile as I keep rubbing my palm over my baby bump, “I am even thankful for how honest you are with me. I admire you for letting me know despite how dark and tragic it was. Your trust to me matters more to me than the thing that you did.”

His tears streams over his face as I watch him wipe it, “Thank you so much baby.”

“I love you.” I tell him.

The next morning after we talked about Jolene, our relationship and our bond felt stronger and then there’s this deep connection between us that’s just difficult to explain. The trust was now immeasurable and I felt like having Harry was a safe haven for my heart, my soul and my mind.

But, despite all that I still haven’t slept well after Harry’s confession and I don’t think I could even get a wink of sleep after what I just found out about that horrific death.

I can still imagine how he blamed himself for having nothing done to Jolene and their child. I pity Harry for what he had felt for all these years. He had kept that secret and heavy burden deep inside him without telling anyone for so long.

I couldn’t stop thinking about Jolene and the gift that I received from her. I wonder who it could be from if she has passed on then there’s no way that it would coming from her. It would not make any sense.

Not unless someone is using her name to send those gifts to Harry and I.

But who could it be?

And what’s his or her intention?

What does that person want from us?

In the back of my head, I can’t stop thinking about the word revenge because there is no way that the person who sent the gift doesn’t want anything good from us. That person, whoever it is, seemed like he or she could be planning about something heinous knowing that I am carrying Harry’s child.

That’s right. That’s absolutely freaking right.

It makes sense now, no wonder I received a baby’s clothing and Harry received it the same thing too. It could possibly mean something for the three of us involved, Jolene, Harry and then there’s me.

A baby.

The thought of it sends an entire tremble down my body because whoever sent that present is somewhere out there and could possibly be watching me from afar.

Every no and then, I have been vigilant with everything that has been going around me and I think I am getting more suspicious of people who approaches me. I can’t stop thinking that the person who sent the gift could have some bad intentions towards me and my baby.

There’s always this constant worry and fear in the back of my head wherever I go.

After class, I decided to head to the library one afternoon to look for a certain book which was needed for my lesson the following day. I spent almost thirty minutes in there trying to look for the book and doing some research which was going to be submitted in three days.

I tried to focus on my studies and ignore the bugging thoughts about Jolene.

An hour or two passed and I was finally finished with everything I needed to do for my classes tomorrow. I began to return the books that I got from the shelves because I haven’t even noticed that I had spent too long in the library that it was already getting darker outside. I had to go home as soon as possible.

With the constant fear in the back of my head worrying about where Griffin could be and that unknown person who has left a present outside my house are still out there potentially watching me, I know I needed to head back home right away.

I gathered all of my things and headed out of the library as I see the skies getting a little darker in hues of black and gray. I finally took a step foot out of the building and tried to call for an Uber to drive me to my house. I fixed my oversized hoodie while I kept scrolling through my phone, waiting for a driver to drive me home.

“I have missed you.”

I flinched and jumped back as soon as I saw Griffin standing right behind me with his evil grin plastered on his face. My heart was racing inside my chest instantly and as I looked around, I realized that I was far from the crowd and I was alone here with him.

“Stay away from me.” I muttered as I take a few steps backwards.

“Oh darling I can’t seem to do that.” He says as he takes a few steps closer to me.

“Stay back!” I raised my voice.

In a flash, Griffin pulled out his shiny knife from the pocket of his jacket as he taunted me, “Scream and I will not hesitate to hurt you.” He grits his teeth.

I whimper as my eyes gazing over the students which were too far from me and there was literally no one here with me. Harry always told me to surround myself with friends but then my friends who I used to hang out with kind of stayed away from me after other students were calling them out for using me to be famous. I needed someone, anyone, to help me from this sick man.

“Stay away from me Griffin please.” I begged him as my tears were beginning to stream over my cheeks.

My eyes travelled to the security who was walking around way past Griffin and I wanted to call for help but I was stopped from the knife which he was still holding. Griffin’s eyes were different and he looked at me with his dark aura surrounding him. He looked as if he was ready to hurt me and he looked as if he was ready to stab me in any second if I do something wrong that would catch anyone’s attention.

“Please Griffin.” I begged.

“I see you are pregnant. Really growing huh.” He grits.

I wrapped my arms around my belly, “Please don’t hurt me. Please.”

“You are beautiful Lindy. You are beautiful and you don’t deserve to be harmed or killed.” His hand rubbed against my cheeks as he subtly moans under his breath which was really the most disgusting thing I have ever heard.

I squirm inwardly, “Griffin…”

“Oh Lindy… You don’t deserve to live a life filled with fear.” He says. “That stupid gift must have made you feel all scared, stupid—”

My ears tingled, “Gift?”

“Lindy?” I pulled my head up to that voice.

Griffin grits his teeth as he curses, “Shit.” Before he started running away so fast.

Bailey quickly rushed to my side as soon as she placed the box over the ground and comforted me as she glances at Griffin who has now disappeared through the dark bushes. She looks at me with worry, “Was that asshole Griffin?” Her voice sounded concern. “Jesus, we should call the security!”

I grabbed her hands, “I’m so happy you saved me. Thank you so much.”

“Of course! You used to be my roommate and I still feel bad that I was not there when he actually pointed a knife at you.” Her eyes scanning all over me while she rubs her palms against my arms. “Are you okay?”

I nod with a smile as she helps me wipe my tears. “I was so scared. I’m so glad you came and approached me.”

“Yeah because I noticed that something was going on and I saw you.” She takes my hand, “Come here, are you going somewhere?”

I begin to walk with Bailey as she picks up the box from the ground so we head to the parking lot. “I’m so glad that I approached you.” She says.

“I’m glad too. Thank you so much Bailey You always saved me from that freak.”

“I’m glad he didn’t attack me.” She exclaims. “Did he have a knife?”

I nod, “He had the same knife pointed at me.”

“Oh God, that’s really frightening. How come no one has ever caught that guy yet?”

“I know, right?” I answer as I still feel my hands, arms and my entire body shaking. I was still shaking in fear with what just happened and how I managed to survive being killed by Griffin again.

“Are you going somewhere?” She asks me.

“Y-Yeah, I’m going home.” I answer as I glance at the box which was on her arms.

“Home? No, no, no! We should go to the police! We should report this!” She exclaims and we finally approached a white Sedan. “Could you pull out my keys please?”

I obliged and handed it to her.

“Thank you.” She answers. “We should go to the police and report this.”

“But it’s no use, they still couldn’t find him anyways.” I sounded in despair. “Can you drive me home please?”

She tilts her head towards me, “Sure but you really want to go home?”

I nod. “Please. I’m safer inside my house.”

I got inside the car with Bailey and I have never been more frightened in my entire life after Griffin pointed his knife at me for the second time. I tried to suppress my shaky hands while I sit on the passenger seat as Bailey drives me home.

“Are you moving out of the dorms?” I ask.

“Oh! Yeah, I found an apartment closer to where I am having my internship.”

“That’s amazing.” I commented as I forced a smile.

“I know right? I am starting next week.” She smiles back.

As soon as Bailey dropped me off, I instantly called Harry while I was hysterically crying. I kept calling him until he answered, apologizing that he wasn’t able to answer right away because he was in a meeting with the management.

“Are you crying? Lindy what’s wrong? What happened?” His worried voice fills my ears. “Where are you? What happened to you?”

“It’s about Griffin. He approached me earlier and pointed his knife at me.” I was still shaking as my lips continues to tremble.

“What?!”

“He knew about the gift, Harry! He knew about it!”