Chapter 56 Warnings and Weak Moments
I scanned through the message, my chest rising and falling.
“I repeat, you are making the biggest mistake of your life and you are on your way to destruction.”
“This isn’t what I thought it was,” I mumbled under my breath.
I thought it was a mistake when I got the message the previous day… Maybe someone typed the wrong number in anger and it landed on my phone instead.
But now, it looked like the sender knew what they were doing and I didn’t even know if they were warning me or threatening me.
I breathed out slowly and placed my phone on Marcus’s desk.
“I got this yesterday too,” I said, trying to be manly.
“What’s that?” Marcus’s brows furrowed as he picked up the phone.
He glanced through the message and looked up at me.
“You didn’t tell me about this,” he said.
“I didn’t think it was anything serious… I thought the sender made a mistake when I got it yesterday,” I explained, tapping my feet gently on the ground.
“But now… the message feels targeted. It looks like they know who they are sending the message to,” I added.
“Did you try calling the number?” he asked, dropping the phone and leaning back in his chair.
“I did immediately when I got the message yesterday… it didn’t go through,” I replied.
“Give me the number,” he muttered as he unlocked his phone.
I called the digits out while he inputted it on his phone.
Then he dialed it and placed his phone on speaker.
At first, there was silence on the line, then a voice came.
“The number you are trying to call is not reachable.”
Marcus ended the call and dialed it again, but he got the same automated response.
“That was what I got yesterday too,” I said, my voice barely audible as I lowered my head slowly to my hands.
He stared at his phone for a few seconds before dropping it on the desk.
“You know this might be a prank, right?” he shrugged.
“Prank? Who would want to prank me with a thing like this?” I replied, my jaw tightening.
“Some people send random threatening messages. It could be someone trying to mess with you,” he stated.
I looked at him in disbelief, then I ran my fingers through my hair.
“Some people are actually sick, you know?” he added.
“This doesn’t feel random,” I said.
“Why?”
At first, I wanted to be honest.
I wanted to tell him everything was already falling apart for me and I didn’t even know where I stood in my own life.
My life was being controlled and I didn’t know what felt real or fake anymore.
“I don't know… I just have a bad feeling,” I finally replied.
Marcus stared at me for a while and sighed.
“Don’t overthink it for now. If it happens again, then we will take it seriously,” he said.
I knew he was just trying to comfort me, but my mind wasn’t settled one bit.
I nodded slowly, picked up my phone again, and stared at the message one more time.
JOAN COLE’S POV
Days later, Theo was finally discharged.
I stood at the billing counter, my fingers wrapped tightly around the discharge papers as I signed the last set of paperwork.
My signature looked shaky, but I didn’t even try to fix it.
All that mattered was that my brother was finally following me back home, and that I would be able to think straight after a long time.
It felt like a heavy weight had been lifted off my chest.
I let out a small breath after giving the file back to the nurse.
When I got back to the ward, Lena was already packing everything that belonged to Theo… his clothes, the fruit baskets, the unopened gifts, and the flowers that were already wilting slowly.
Theo was sitting up on the bed, looking much better than he had days ago.
Though he still looked weak, he still smiled and that was more than enough for me.
“You are finally leaving this confinement,” I smiled as I walked up to him.
“Yes, finally. This hospital food is a no for me, and I missed going to the Game Center,” he chuckled softly.
I laughed under my breath, staring at him as if we had not seen each other for years.
Lena finally zipped up the bag and slung it over her shoulder.
“We'd better go before they change their mind,” she teased.
Dave, who had been standing quietly and making a call by the window, walked in.
“I will help with the bags,” he said to Lena.
Before anybody could say anything, he had already collected the heavier one from Lena.
Then we carefully walked Theo out of the ward.
When we got to the parking lot, Lena turned to me with the look she always made whenever she was plotting something silly.
“I will drive Theo home in your car,” she said casually.
“You can ride in Mr. Wilton’s car, since he’s following us home anyway,” she added.
I was caught off guard so I couldn’t help but blink.
I knew exactly what she was trying to do, but I was just too tired to argue.
“Okay,” I simply said.
Theo got into the front passenger seat and Lena followed right after him.
Then they drove off first.
I got into Dave’s car quietly and we drove after them.
None of us said anything as we got on the road and the only thing that filled the silence between us was the soft hum of the engine.
Halfway through the ride, Dave stopped in front of a grocery shop.
“I will be back in a minute,” he said.
“Alright,” I replied and waited patiently for him.
Soon after, he came out with bags filled with snacks, fruits, and juice.
“Theo would need this,” he said, placing the bags in the back seat.
By the time we got home, night had already settled in.
Dave parked his car in front of my place and turned off his car’s engine.
I turned slightly to face him, my hand unconsciously tightening around my bag.
“Dave…” I started.
He looked at me immediately, his expression soft.
“I sincerely do not know how to thank you for everything,” I continued, my voice low.
“From paying the hospital bills, to the support and being there emotionally too,” I added.
He didn’t say anything, he just looked at me, a small smile tugging at his lips.
“You didn’t have to do any of that. But you did and I’m very grateful.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Joan… I did it because I wanted to,” he replied, his voice calm and certain.
“I can’t watch you sad and since Theo is your kid brother, he’s mine too,” he added.
My heart skipped.
“Thank you,” I whispered.
“You should get inside. You need to rest,” he nodded gently.
I nodded slowly.
Then as I was about to open the car door, I heard his soft voice behind me.
“Wait.”
I paused, my brows slightly pulling together.
Before I could ask him why he stopped me, he moved closer to me, then he moved up slowly from his seat, his body caging me in on my own seat without actually touching me.
My heart began to pound.
It was slow at first, then it became faster.
It felt as if my heart was about to fall out of my chest.
Then he looked at me and our eyes met.
He smiled and leaned closer, as if he was about to kiss me.
“Oh, my God! Is this really happening?” I thought to myself.
Then… I closed my eyes, waiting for the worst to happen.