Chapter 53 The Unknown Call

Chapter 53 The Unknown Call
Elena

That afternoon I sat silent in the dining room, feeling so humiliated. The kind that kept repeating itself over and over in your head. 

Victoria’s words wouldn’t stop playing on repeat.

The baby will be mine… you’ll be paid off and sent back to the streets.

Those words stuck to my mind like a parasite, testing every, even to the last ounce of self-control I had left. 

I knew I wasn't supposed to be jealous. Not at the fact that Victoria was here in his absence, claiming to be engaged to him and flashing a ring in my face, I wasn't supposed to be jealous at the thought of him traveling to God knows where on a business trip without informing me but telling her, I sure as hell wasn't supposed to feel hurt when she mentioned that I was supposed to just take the money and disappear. Because it's what's actually in the contract that I signed by myself!

Shit! I was a hot mess. 

I sat by the edge of the couch, staring blankly at the floor with my fingers absentmindedly rubbing the curve of my small but growing belly.

How did I even get here?

I had agreed to this arrangement. I had signed the papers, knowing fully well what I was getting into, or at least, I thought I did. But now everything felt tainted. Like I had been a fool all along.

And… maybe I had been.

Because somewhere along the line, I’d stopped seeing Alexander as just “the client.” Somewhere, between his guarded stares, his unexpected softness, and the strange protectiveness he showed me, I had started to… care. Even though I hated to admit it. 

That single realization hit harder than I wanted to admit.

I pressed the heel of my hand to my forehead. 

“God, I’m such an idiot,” I whispered.

Was it the pregnancy messing with my emotions? The hormones? Or was it the fact that for once, I had let someone slip past the walls I had worked so hard and spent years building?

A sharp buzz from my nightstand broke my thoughts.

My phone lit up with a call. 

It was from Riley.

God, Riley!

I froze for a second before snatching it up. 

“Riley?!” I yelled, almost breathless. 

“Hey, stranger,” Riley's voice said in a cheerful and casual manner. 

My chest tightened with what felt like both relief and irritation. 

“Where the hell have you been?!” I snapped. “You vanish and won't call me, Riley! Not a call, not a text, nothing!” I yelled. 

“Okay, okay, easy,” she said with a laugh that sounded forced. “It wasn’t intentional, I swear. Things got… complicated. But I’m back now, so can we skip the scolding?” she pleaded, and I felt like her mother. 

I pinched the bridge of my nose. 

“You don’t just disappear on people, Riley. Especially not when…” I trailed. 

“When you’re pregnant by a billionaire who could buy a country?” she finished for me dryly.

I rolled my eyes, even though she couldn’t see it. 

“That’s not funny,” I muttered. 

“Yeah, yeah,” she sighed. “So, how is the arrogant billionaire? Still brooding around in expensive suits?” she asked. 

I hesitated. The image of Alexander’s cold expression from when he had found me after I had practically left his mansion in the snow flashed in my mind. 

“He’s… fine,” I said shortly. “Busy, as usual.”

“Uh-huh.” Her tone was skeptical. “You don’t sound fine,” she observed. 

I leaned back against my seat and stared up at the ceiling. 

“It’s complicated, Riley. You wouldn’t understand.” I told her. I wanted to tell her everything at once and hear what she had to say, but I couldn't. 

Riley was quiet for a moment. Then she spoke up again. 

“You’re right.” She said softly. "I probably wouldn’t. But whatever’s happening, just…try to take care of yourself, okay?” she said, and before I could reply, my phone beeped.

I removed the phone from my ear to see that a new message had popped up on the screen.

It was from an unknown number. 

Again. 

Unknown Number: If you want to know the truth about your father, call me.

My stomach dropped.

“Elena? You still there?” Riley’s voice called. I wasn't listening to her. 

My eyes were glued to the message, while my pulse had suddenly started pounding in my ears.

“Yeah, I—I need to call you back,” I said quickly.

“Elena, wait—” she was still saying, but I didn't wait. I hung up with my heart hammering in my chest while I stared at the text again. 

The truth about your father.

What did this person know? About my father. 

Without thinking twice, I immediately hit call.

The line rang twice before a voice answered.

“Miss Elena Knight,” a man said calmly, his voice was low and measured.

“Who is this?” I demanded. “How do you know my name?” I asked in a harsh voice.

“You don’t need to know who I am,” he said. “What matters is what I know about your father…and the people that killed him,” the voice said. 

My grip on the phone tightened. 

“If this is some sick joke—” I growled with unspoken threats. 

“It’s not,” he said. “You can take it as me trying to help you…and save you.”

“You?” I repeated.

“You’ll understand soon,” he said. “There are things you don’t know. About your father, and about people who you draw close. If you want answers, come to the location I’m about to text you,” he declared. 

“Wait,” I said quickly. “Why should I trust you?”

“Because,” he replied after a pause, “I was there when it all happened. I can provide names, including that of the man who helped destroy your father. Don’t you want to know why?” he asked. 

My heart skipped a beat.

Of course, I wanted to know why; more than anything else, I wanted to know who. 

Before I could say anything else, the call ended.

A text message flashed on my screen immediately after. 

The Glasshouse Café. 9 p.m. Come alone.

I sat frozen, staring at the message as dread crept up to my chest.

Destroy my father? It felt like this person was onto something, or someone. I just hoped that this wasn't a scam. But the evidence was too detailed. 

I dropped the phone onto the table and stood up, and began to pace the room. My thoughts were a mess as I tried to figure out shit while shit kept spiraling out of my control.

I didn't know what to think.
I shouldn’t go. It could be a trap. 

But what if it wasn’t? What if there really were answers waiting, I mean, answers that could explain everything my father went through before his death?

The air was too difficult to breath in and it felt so suffocating. 

I was still debating whether or not to go when I felt a strange and crawling sensation of being watched. 

Shit, could it be that bitch Victoria?

I turned around slowly, and my breath caught in my throat when I saw that it was Alexander who was standing at the doorway with a dark and unreadable expression on his face and staring at me. 

I couldn't tell what he was thinking, and that dark look he was giving me made me almost scared.