Chapter 6 Chapter 6
“We have a warrant; we’re bringing him in for questioning.” I read it again and let out a sigh. I could feel his eyes on me. “Rough day?” I heard him ask, but I didn't answer him.
I felt the light touch on my arm. I turned and looked at him. “I asked you if you had a rough day,” he asked, his voice low, almost worried. The blonde beside him was looking between us. She was wearing a tight-fitting red dress, with blonde hair open, red lipstick, and jewelry that looked expensive. I could see the way her eyes scanned me; I was wearing normal clothes. To people like them, Jeans and a T-shirt said "poor."
“I’m really not in the mood to deal with you.” I said,
“Do you know who he is? How dare you speak to him like that?” the blonde asked, almost yelling.
“Clarissa,” he said in that cold tone, and she went quiet. When the doors opened, I stepped out and went into the apartment. When I saw Christine, she smiled, and that smile made my problems vanish. For a few hours I was safe; I was being guarded by Zaiel Rhyland’s security, unbeknownst to him, and that was enough for tonight.
Zaiel
I was sitting on my balcony, drink in hand, when Clarissa came out, wearing lingerie. She came over and sat in my lap.
“Shall we have some fun?” she asked as she leaned in closer.
“Not in the mood, Clarissa. You should leave.”
She jumped off my lap and looked at me. “Really, Zaiel? Does this have anything to do with that worker in the elevator? Also, how could you let her speak to you like that?” She asked.
“Clarissa, Know your place. She isn't of any interest to me. I tolerate her because she is an asshole, and she has no interest in me. Now you should leave.” I said, downing my drink and standing up. Her attitude and dismissal of me and what I represent intrigued me, and anything intriguing to me was not taken well.
“Fine,” she said, walking back towards the guest room. When she returned, she was fully dressed.
“See you for lunch tomorrow,” she said before walking out of the apartment.
After she left, I took a much-needed shower and had my dinner. My mind has been consumed for the past week with the epitome that was the short firecracker that was across the hall. It became so bad that I had Carlo alert me when Bryce was leaving. Two days in, I knew the time she arrived and left, and like an obsessed idiot, I always made sure I was in the elevator every day, just so I could see how she would ignore me or what snarky remarks she would make.
I walked to the door and opened it. When I turned to the right, she was standing there with what looked like cookies. She handed it to Carlo, who took it. Cookies? Who the hell even bakes or eats cookies in this modern time besides kids? I leaned against the doorframe and looked at her. When she turned around and saw me, she looked annoyed, not surprised to see me standing there with just sweatpants. I was a man that was featured on magazine covers, and she barely glanced at me as if one look at me wasn't worth her time.
“What, are you the cookie police?” she asked as she walked past and went back to the apartment. “Carlo, did Joe drop off a package?”
“Yes, sir,,he said it is in the library.” I nodded and closed the door. Once in the library, I grabbed the manila envelope and poured myself a drink. I made myself comfortable on the balcony and opened it.
Confidential Dossier: Tessa Ray Jansen
Personal & Background Details
Name: Tessa Ray Jansen (Used stage name "Sapphire" at Starlight Lounge).
Age: 25 years old.
Residence: 42 Hawthorne Lane, Irvington, NY 10533 (small, privately owned home).
Origin: Fredericksburg, Texas. The subject relocated to New York/Irvington approximately two years ago.
Vehicle/Travel: Utilizes public transportation (NYC Metro, MTA). No registered vehicle.
Phone: Pre-paid/Burner, with a high usage of public Wi-Fi access points.
Legal & Family History
Subject Arrest Record: CLEAN. No arrest history or current outstanding warrants detected in New York, Texas, or federal databases.
Witness Protection: Negative. No formal enrollment was detected.(or deeply hidden)
Father (Arthur Jansen): Incarcerated for murder in a Texas state facility. No contact has been documented with the subject since his incarceration.
Mother: Unknown/Estranged. No recent or traceable contact.
Siblings: None on record, only child
Employment & Financial Profile
Financial Status: Cash-Heavy/Low Digital Footprint. The subject has an extremely low credit score and maintains almost no paper trail. All funds accumulated via cash deposits/withdrawals.
Current Employment :(Athena Tower): Caretaker for Anthony Bryce's mother, Christine. Began approximately seven days ago. The contract is high-value at $25,000 monthly salary.
Past Employment :(Concurrent, Cash-Based):
Exotic Dancer / Waitress at Starlight Lounge (ceased due to police raid).
Barista / Waitress at The Daily Grind Café.
Freelance Dog Walker (Sporadic).
Conclusion
Tessa Ray Jansen is a survivor who moved to New York following her father's criminal conviction to distance herself from the associated shame. Her entire employment history points to a lifestyle geared toward accumulating cash savings quickly while maintaining an exceptionally low profile. The sudden jump to the highly secure, high-value Athena Tower contract indicates an urgent need for security and financial stability. Her defiance (observed in the elevator) is likely rooted in self-sufficiency and a deep disdain for the wealthy class that judges her. She poses no legal risk and wishes to forget her past.
I closed the file. No wonder she’s as snarky as they come. Who had the father murdered, and why has she cut contact? That was a good question.
That night I was dragged to that club by Seth and the other two idiots. When they paid for a dance, I knew some money-hungry woman would walk through the door. I didn't expect her, but she refused to take the money and only took three hundred. When Patrick called her and she declined the five hundred grand, I knew something was up; I didn't expect to run into her that very day. What took me by surprise was her reaction to me. She didn't see a billionaire; she saw a man. She wasn’t fazed by my remarks; instead, she met me head-on, and that intrigued me.
This past week, I haven't made any sarcastic remarks toward her, and her attitude was calm. She returned the attitude with the attitude she was given. I noticed earlier she looked rough, and when she said she wasn't in the mood, I figured something had her worried. I didn't cater to her reaction toward Clarissa.
For some reason Clarissa speaking to her in that way and in that tone bugged the hell out of me. All week I've been trying to figure out what her purpose was, and it was just to live. In one week, she has managed to do what no one else has managed to do: get under my skin, and i found her indifference appealing.