Chapter 60 — Stalked Like Prey

× A Year Later ×

“Hey. How you been?”

“Hi. It's me. Joss.”

“Fancy a cup of coffee this weekend? Just a quick catch-up.”

“Old time's sake?”

“I know it's you and you’re reading my messages. Let's meet up. I just wanna talk.”

“Whenever possible.”

“Free to meet up this week? Or the next? Call me back.”

“Jess? It's Jenson.”

“I’m not gonna stop 'til you reply.”

“Just wanna catch up. Please.”

“Stop hiding from me, Jessiah. Let's talk.”

×

11 unanswered messages.

22 ignored calls.

Then she blocked him. Again. He wasn't even the least bit drunk the last time he rang her new number ten times in a row. Jenson scrolled through his messages as he sat behind the wheel, seat belt still buckled, cap and face mask on, engine still humming and running. Like his restless thoughts all day.

All night. All damn week. Lately, he couldn't even get five hours of sleep. His overworked, overanxious brain just wouldn't let him. It was getting progressively worse every day. The pesky migraines were back, too. Then he found out this morning that he lost his passport at some point during the trip.

"Way to top off the week, Roiz..." He squeezed his eyes shut when a piercing pain shot through his skull. He tilted his head back, mumbling expletives while massaging his throbbing head with his fist.

Traveling within state borders remained limited, but with their clan's contacts, the trip wasn't such a hassle. It helped that he already got vaccinated a month ago. Perhaps Jessiah and her parents, too, since vaccine rollout was doing well all over the country.

After frantically popping another pill, Jenson waited in agony and took deep breaths until the blinding aches eventually subsided. It was her fault. Mostly.

Just thinking of her face was enough to rob him of hours of precious sleep. Heck. He wouldn't even be here in this city if he hadn't met her uncle, Pete Kinley, also a Hollywood producer.

With Darren's help, Jenson managed to schedule a meeting with the uncle. Then Pete said she's now living in Raleigh with her parents. Not Minnesota.

Thanks to the guy, Jenson finally got her new phone number. Only after a few lies, that is. He'd made up a story about an uncashed paycheck just to get Jessi's new number.

The lying felt necessary. He just had to. Using the number, his hacker contact searched for her new residence and located her soon enough. It didn't take a day. Jessiah had been pretty careful with her digital and online trails, but like everyone else, she couldn't keep her new day-to-day life top secret.

As his dwindling patience endured the waiting game, Jenson looked out the window to check the supermarket entrance again.

Still no sign of her. The hacker said she worked as the shift manager here, right after moving to Raleigh. Why didn't Jessi mention her parents had plans to move out of Minnesota? Or was it all her plan?

Her social media had been deactivated last year, too. It shocked him, to say the least, since her posts online were basically her professional portfolios. Meaning: she wasn't modeling anymore or working as a freelance or full-time makeup artist.

What made her quit both? And now she's suddenly working in retail? Why?

Jenson couldn't stop scowling. Maybe she thought whatever happened to her was none of his business. Or she just didn't trust him anymore. Or she thought he no longer cared about her after she left Hollywood.

All could be true, and the mere thought just upset him further. Did she hate him now? He gripped the steering wheel, focusing his attention on the glass doors.

The place didn't look busy. He wouldn't have a hard time spotting her among a crowd, even with a mask on and even with her new hairstyle. He was all caught up. Just yesterday, the hacker sent two recent videos of her.

He already knew what to expect. While his shoe tapped repeatedly on the floor mat under the wheel, Jenson glimpsed his quiet phone. Not a single message.

She definitely read his texts before blocking him. She didn't even bother to reply once. Most nights, it felt as if she suddenly moved out of her hometown and changed her number to deliberately hide from him. Why else would she avoid him to this extent?

His deep-seated guilt had come to a conclusion during the long and lonely drive, but he needed at least one definitive explanation from her. Or any kind of tangible proof that she was actually living a completely different life now.

Now his frazzled brain couldn't help but make up reasons for her elusive behavior. Did she really feel threatened by their past? Did she seriously think he was someone who would ruin or endanger her life?

"She's moved on, man. She just wants a simpler, quiet life now..." Kel's faint voice echoed in his thoughts as he kept staring at the supermarket entrance till his vision blurred.

Jessi living with a new guy and raising her own family? Not that impossible. But he just had to see it with his own eyes. He needed to hear straight from her mouth how it all happened.

Maybe the hacker got it all wrong. Maybe those birth certificates were erroneous or inaccurately filed. Maybe those records weren't even real.

"Pray on it," Jenson muttered to himself while he sat in the dark, all alone in the SUV, practically stalking someone he hadn't seen in years. He just had to see her again.

× 9:19 PM ×

It was definitely her. She just walked out of the store. Alone. Dark pants. Gym shoes. Gray hoodie with a cap and face mask covering half of her small face.

Her hair looked blonde. Short and pale blonde. Maybe platinum? She looked so different now. Almost as if moving to a new place pushed her to take on a new look and a brand new personality.

With her phone stuck on her ear, she flung some furtive glances around her before rushing towards the silver sedan parked three slots away from where he was, just waiting and hiding.

The dim parking lot remained quiet, save for some intermittent traffic noises coming from the roadside and her giggly voice overshadowing her dull footsteps.

She put the paper bag full of groceries in the backseat, then started her car while talking on the phone in an unusually sweet and consoling tone.

It definitely sounded like cooing. Baby talk, he realized soon enough.

"Aww. I know, loves. I'm sorry..." Jessi sighed audibly. "Mama's gonna be home in five minutes. Okay? Tell Pops and Mimi I'm on my way."

Mama?

Shit. So she really was a mom now.

His jaw and teeth clenched at the thought. Who was the new guy? Who got her pregnant with two kids? The father's name had been left blank on the birth certificates the hacker had sent.

Growing more confounded by the minute, Jenson rolled his window all the way down to get a better look at her left hand.

She wore a ring now, on the finger where an engagement or a wedding ring would be.

Was her new guy at home? Waiting for her with the kids? Who were "Pops" and "Mimi"? The babysitter? Or was she talking about her parents?

"Yeah. I bought lotsa broccoli, watermelon, biscuits, and bananas. Your favorites," Jessi went on, still busy on the phone and laughing about something, totally oblivious as he carefully stepped out of his vehicle. "Where's your sister? Oh, Eri's watching TV with Mimi? Okay, baby. Okay. I'm sorry you had to wait. Sit tight. Mama's going home now."