Chapter 28
— CLARISSA DEVOR —
I sat up from the bed and glanced around me. Images of the night flashed across my head, and I stood up groggily, my cheeks turning red.
It was no big deal... I kept telling myself.
I must have fallen asleep halfway or so because right now, I was dressed in a new pair of clothes, and my hair was wet. I distinctly wondered if Damien had taken me for a bath and dressed me up before placing me back on the bed.
“God, and I didn't even feel a thing...” I muttered, feeling more embarrassed.
The sheets were changed too... I realized.
Well, if he had gone through all the trouble, then surely he would have stuck around till I woke up at least, right? I thought, unable to help the disappointment that I felt.
Well, why should he? It obviously wasn't a big deal to him.
So I might as well not make a big deal out of it myself.
My head still throbbed a little, and I headed to the shower at the other side of the room and splashed cold water on my face.
Then I turned to look out of the window. The sun was long up, and I guessed it would be around nine in the morning or something close enough.
“You're awake, miss,” a voice said, coming from the door.
I spun around in shock... Again.
“Make some noise next time, would you?” I glared.
It was not nice at all to have someone sneaking up on you all the goddamn time.
I recognized the blue vest, white long sleeve, and black pants of the man that was standing in the doorway.
That was the same dress code of most of Damien's workers back at the mansion.
There was even a blue badge on his chest which further confirmed my suspicions.
Why wasn't I surprised that Damien and his people would all have that nasty habit of floating around like ghosts and sneaking up on people.
“My apologies,” he bowed, walking into the room.
“Damien instructed me to take you back to the mansion when you woke up,” he said.
“Damien?”
Jeez... Why the hell was my brain a little slow today?
Yes, it was Damien for crying out loud. That was what he had just said.
But wasn't I supposed to stay back at the hospital for a couple of weeks more or so?
“Miss Devor,” just then, the nurse walked in holding a tablet and some files under one hand.
“You'll be discharged today,” she announced, walking up to me and handing me some medications and drug prescriptions.
“Do well to avoid anything that would be stressful, especially anything that has to do with mental stress,” she said.
“It would be highly recommended to take at least a week's break from your work. And I would have to check your vitals one last time before you go.”
I let her talk and do her job.
So I could finally leave the hospital and go back to my CEO life. Couldn't say I missed the hard seat behind the desk, though.
But I still couldn't afford to be absent for a long time. I certainly didn't want them to think I was weak, or worse, I didn't want Lilly getting any ideas that she had a chance at taking my place.
In about half an hour's time, I arrived outside the hospital. The driver Damien sent escorted me to the blue sports GLK parked in the driveway and opened the door for me.
I slipped into the passenger's seat, and he closed the door, appearing behind the wheels at the next moment.
“Take me to my company,” I said to him once we were on the highway.
He looked at me through the front mirror with a conflicted look.
“Are you sure about that, Miss Devor? I have orders directly from my boss to take you straight to the mansion,” he said.
“Really?” I rolled my eyes. He couldn't tell me that.
“Well, I'm his wife if you have forgotten. I imagine how he would react if he found out that you are being so dang good at your work and placing restrictions on my freedom of movement,” I spat out, glaring hard at him.
“Of course, we could always find out...” I casually dropped, leaving a dangerous edge to my voice.
His hands stiffened on the wheels, and I smiled lightly.
“Company, now,” I said, harder this time.
“As you wish,” he said with a nod, steering the car into a bend.
I huffed and took out my phone.
Who did Damien think he was, ordering me around? I get discharged from the hospital, and the first thing I was going to do was to sit around in that mansion like I was on a freaking holiday?
If I acted all weak every time I broke down a little, then I might as well consider taking the whole Darcel group down with me.
I looked up briefly, and my eyes met the rearview mirror.
I stilled, spotting three black Ferrari cars trailing at a distance behind us.
For a moment, I wasn't able to speak, as a sense of déjà vu hit me hard.
“Um...” I glanced at the driver, my throat suddenly dry.
Surely he was seeing what I was seeing, right? He could see that I was being hunted again. Even I didn't think that Karl would be this desperate and repetitive.
And for goodness sake, why the hell? I wasn't all that worth the chase, was I?
“I-I think we are being followed,” I managed.
The driver's eyes darted to the side mirror, and he gave a light chuckle.
“Oh, that is your escort, Miss Devor,” he said in a casual voice.
“Are you impressed?”
Cough cough... I stopped, taking another look at the cars trailing behind us.
“Escorts?” I repeated.
He gave a firm nod.
“After the unfortunate accident, CEO Damien instructed the bodyguards to follow you around whenever you were in the public. He figured that you wouldn't like it, so he told them to follow you from a distance,” the driver explained, turning a corner.
I could already see the outline of the huge building that represented the Darcel group in full view.
I still took fretful glances behind me, finding it hard to believe.
What was Damien thinking?
That I'm his fucking property that he paraded around with bodyguards? Or that I was a freaking museum piece that he guarded like a treasure?
What was he thinking!
I was more than capable of taking care of myself, by myself!
“... Yeah, just like last time,” a voice in my head threw back.
I bit my lower lip.
Still, this was unacceptable!
I pulled out my phone and texted Damien hurriedly.
Me: there's a mini-fleet of cars trailing after me, and it looks like I'm about to be kidnapped. I'm gonna guess that you know nothing about it?
I tapped the send button then waited for a reply.
There was none, which could only mean that he was busy.
Still, I typed out what was on my mind.
Me: what were you thinking?
I huffed, feeling furious, and when I thought that he was not going to reply, a message pops up.
Damien: Forgive me, I'll take full responsibility if you were frightened, but I'm just trying to keep you safe.
Safe? I repeated with a laugh.
Me: Send them away, Damien. I'm furious.
There was a pause at the other end as three dots appeared.
Damien: Then be mad at me, darling.
The...!
I glared at the screen, wishing that I could drill a fist into his chest.
Such arrogance...
“We have arrived at the Darcel Group, Miss,” the driver's voice pulled me back to my surroundings.
I replaced the phone back into my pocket and looked up as the car drove through the metal gates of the company.
I got out of the car hurriedly and marched into the building.
However, I couldn't stop the two men in blue suits and a badge on their chests as they followed behind me.
Except that these ones had rifles strapped to their sides.
It was easy to pretend they weren't there; they even walked soundlessly, catching up on either side of me.
“Damien's fucking bodyguards...” I seethed under my breath.
I pretended that they didn't exist as I took the elevator up to my office.
“CEO Devor,” my personal assistant greeted me as I entered the hallway.
She drew back in surprise.
“We... weren't expecting you. How is your health, Miss?”
“Good enough,” I said dismissively.
“Send me a detailed report of everything that has been happening within my days of absence,” I instructed, walking ahead.
She fell into a trail behind me.
“Right away, Miss. There's a meeting with the board in half an hour, and rumors are going about covering your health. They say it was an attempted murder and not an accident,” she rattled off beside me.
“I'll be at the meeting,” I said instead.
“I'll let the manager know. ”
“Well?” I stopped at the door of the office and spun to face her.
Why was she still here?
I gave a frown.
“Why are you giving me that funny look?”
“Um...” she shuffled around herself and pulled out a mirror, pointing it at me and turning away, her cheeks flushing.
I narrowed my eyes and looked at my reflection.
Noticing something there, I turned to the side and spotted a red mark just above my collarbone.
...a hickey!
I flushed in embarrassment.
Damien... How could he.
“Get me a suit,” I gritted my teeth, pulling the mirror down.