Chapter 47 — Return of the Blue-Eyed Ranger

My eyes and mouth widened in unison. "Officer Cullman!"

"Mrs. King." He nodded his head and smiled slightly. His gaze directed to the police officer as he opened the door of the room. "Thank you, officer. I will take it from here."

Officer Fox nodded ignoring the death glares Hunter sent his way and swiftly sauntered out.

Walking to us the ranger stood at the other side of the table and extended his hand to Hunter. "Mr. King, it's a pleasure meeting you finally. I am officer Samuel J Cullman from California State Park Police Department."

Giving a curt nod Hunter shook his hand.

"I apologize for the bother, but I have some queries regarding the wildfire that I didn't get the chance to ask back in Cali." His eyes drove to me.

"I'm sorry, officer, we left without a word." I offered him an apologetic smile.

"No problem, Mrs. King."

"Ember." I cut him off.

His eyes steered from me to Hunter and back to me, a brow slightly raising.

"Make it quick, officer," Hunter interjected.

"Of course. Please sit down."

Sitting down I stuck my purse between us to avoid the dangerous touch as the officer extended a file on the table.

"The fire you escaped from, a natural disaster as it seemed from first glance, was actually caused by man."

A gasp left my mouth. "What!"

"Yes, Ember." Turning over pages in the file he pointed at some pictures. "As you can see, the evidence proves so."

I gasped once again as my hand shot up to my mouth as memories from the forest resurfaced. "Th-Those goons- Th-They were actually there to set the fire in the forest!"

Officer Cullman straightened up, ears perking and eyes squinting. "Have you seen someone? Who were they? And how many?"

"I don't know who they were, but there were approximately six to eight people."

"Did you see their faces?"

"No. They had their faces covered."

"What were they doing? Did you hear anything they said? Please try to remember."

"Th-They—” I glanced at him.

"Yes?"

"They killed one of your men. There was a dead body in a uniform like yours."

Casting his eyes down he sighed. "Officer Henley. We recovered his ashes."

"I'm sorry."

He directed his eyes back up, eyes squinting. "How come they didn't notice you?"

"T-They did. They fired at us, but we ran away." I glimpsed at Hunter for affirmation, but he just sat there observing.

Officer Cullman regarded us with his cop-eyes. "Anything else you remember?"

I shook my head.

Hunter and the officer got up, and I followed.

He again stretched out his hand. "Thank you for your valuable information Mr. King," he turned to me, hand extended, "Ember."

I politely shook his hand.

"If needed, we'll call you again."

"Better not." Hunter's icy eyes steered from our joint hands to straight at the ranger's.

I rolled my eyes over his arrogant attitude.

Exiting the police station I took out my ringing phone and frowned at the caller ID, declining it immediately. I'm sorry, Karen. I don't want to talk to any of the King family.

"Don't ever disrespect me in front of my employees," Hunter stated while passing by me to his car.

"Excuse me! You should be thankful I didn't tell the officer about you shooting at the goons." I advanced after him.

He stopped abruptly turning around coming face to face with me. "Why didn't you?"

I stared. My mouth was unable to generate an answer.

He was right.

Why didn't I?

The pupils in his eyes dilated and the green around them darkened like a storm at sea—a storm of untold emotions. Hurt? Expectations? And...love? Why? Why did his eyes display feelings that his gestures denied? Why was he holding back?

His eyes drifted to my lips as mine drifted to his; those plump rosy lips I had been craving.

Wait...

I tore my gaze off stepping two or three away from him and started looking around. "W-Whatever. Y-You still owe me a suitable project for Delgado Industries."

"I owe you nothing. You already got everything you wanted." His tone reclaimed its cold nonchalance.

My teeth gritted as I gazed back at him. "What the hell are you talking about?"

He let out a heated breath. "Just stop with your games."

The middle of my eyebrows crinkled.

"Mr. King Jr., Sir, we’ve got a situation at the factory."

I glanced sideways to see Chris standing beside Hunter's car, fidgeting a phone in his hand.

Giving me one last glance Hunter walked off and drove away, but not before reigniting the wounds in my heart. Letting out a drop of tear I turned around and stopped. The small yet shaped figure of Karen stood some feet away, hands on hips and eyes squinted.

"Explain your behavior, lady. I've been calling you for a week now and you've been declining them?"

I frowned. Did she not know?

"You have been away from home too. Why? Over a small fight?"

"Small fight? He is divorcing me! How else do you want me to behave Karen?" I cut her off.

Her eyes grew. "What!"

I stood there with a frown. Did she really not know a thing her son and grandson did?

She let out a huff. "I have to talk with that idiot. Who the heck divorces his wife over a small fight?"

Closing my eyes I rubbed my temple. "Come with me."

~~~

"What!"

I looked around at the people in the cafe we sat with apologetic eyes for the third time.

"Those two little sons of blasted goats! How dare they do such a heinous thing!" Karen bawled.

I slapped a hand over my mouth blocking the sound of my uncontrollable laughter. People did lose sanity in anger for Karen just ended up calling herself a goat.

Regaining my posture I put a hand over hers. "I'm really sorry, Karen. I thought you knew about everything."

"It's alright, darling. Don't you be sorry. It's time for someone else to be sorry." Her eyes were flaring.

I gulped. I really pitied those sons of goats awaiting her wrath.

"Although..." she trailed, "I hope you haven't forgotten your promise."

Letting out a sigh I tightened my hold over her hand. "No, I haven't." Though I doubt I can keep it.

~~~

After I parted with a certain goat, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Taking it out, I stared at the screen.

Mrs. Arthur…

After our return to the city, she called me a couple times, and the concern that coated her motherly voice somehow dwindled my doubt towards her. But still it was there. Accepting the call, I put my phone on my ear.

"Hello, Mrs. Arthur."

"Ember! Darling! How have you been? I miss you so much!"

"I'm good. How are you?"

"I'm excellent because I'll get to see you today."

"Huh?" What was she talking about?

"What? The celebration party. You're coming, right?"

Oh… How was I to tell her the traitor they were celebrating for was cutting ties with me because his purpose was attained? Even if I did reveal, they'd most likely dethrone him from the position, humiliating him, and for some stupid reason, I didn't want that.

"Ember!"

"Yeah? Yeah, I'm listening."

"Did Hunter not tell you?"

"Um… I'm actually sick." I coughed for corroboration. "Maybe that's why he didn't wanna bother me."

"Oh Gosh, you lied to me!"

My breath hitched in my throat. "Wh-What're you talking about?

"You said you were good when I asked you earlier."

"Ohh! Oh, I… I didn't wanna worry you."

"Aw, darling, I'm sorry! I was really happy about meeting you that I couldn't stop myself from calling. But don't worry! You take rest. I'll come see you tomorrow."

What! If she came, she'd find out we weren't living together anymore. It's not like we were living together before but…anyways. I couldn't let her know yet. If the news got out, my parents would find out about the divorce. No! I couldn't let this happen. Not yet. "Mrs. Arthur! Why don't you text me the time and address? I can surprise him!"

"Oh no, darling, you need rest.”

"Mrs. Arthur, I'm feeling much better now."

"Ah, okay then! I can't wait to see you."

As asked, Mrs. Arthur sent me the details right after she hung up, and I came back to the Delgado mansion, preparing for the evening. I had no idea what I'd say once faced him, but I was sure his greedy ass would be blithesome knowing his nasty secret was safe.

When the time came, I took a cab to the destination and walked in the grand ballroom. Every eye turned to me: the men gawked, and the women glared. Then he turned.

Yes, I came prepared. I wanted him to regret what he lost.

~~~

At night back in the Delgado mansion I laid in my bed, legs high up against the wall doing yoga and staring at the frame of Christian's wife. Those emerald-green eyes seemed so familiar, yet the memories were bleary. My eyes landed on something written in the corner. Plopping on my elbows I tilted my head and squinted my eyes.

V...V?

Wait. I jolted upright from my position. That painting, that young girl's painting in Hunter's room had those eyes and the letter V. They’re the same person…but why would Hunter have a painting of Christian's wife? I raked a hand through my hair as my eyes drifted around thinking of a reason but in vain.

No. I have to find out. Exiting my room I began walking to Christian's room on the other side of the floor when I heard a groaning sound, and I stopped.

What was that?

I looked around, but nothing happened. Shaking my head, I took a couple more steps when a thud sounded somewhere in the house and following it came the same groaning once again.

I froze, my heart rate escalating. My mind was clearly not playing tricks. Taking another glance around I zeroed in on the dark hallway downstairs that led to the staffroom. Gulping I took slow steps towards the stairs, an eerie silence consuming the atmosphere in the mansion.

A cold hand wrapped around my arm, and a squeak left my mouth. Balling my fists I turned around and threw my fist as something closed in around it.

"Planning on killing me, are you?"

My hand went over my chest and my eyes widened at Christian who stood there with a brow raised and a slight smirk on his lips. "Christian! You scared me."

"Why? Were you doing something you shouldn't be?" He tilted his head, shadows playing in one side of his face.

I frowned. "What?"

Out of nowhere he burst out into laughter. "Oh, come on, Ember! You should have seen your face."

I shook my head at his silliness. "Did you hear those sounds?"

"What sound?"

"Like someone's moaning in pain."

His face regained its seriousness. "Perhaps...a ghost."

I rolled my eyes. Maybe it was after all a hallucination of my mind.

He lifted a file before me. "Anyways, I was coming to you. Are you alright, Ember?" His brows furrowed. "You look tense."

"I have a question...Why would Hunter have a painting of your wife?"

I watched as the file dropped on the floor and papers flew around.