CHAPTER 13: DANGER NOTE
816 Words
Secrets. Lies. Danger. And a man she can't stop loving. He vanished for ten years and reappeared with a storm likely to consume her.
Ivy fidgeted, her pulse slamming hard against her chest. She slowly swirled around, eyes widened in alert, searching for the strange man that bumped into her. He was gone. So also was Gerald Tyler.
Quickly, she bolted out of the hall, briskly heading towards her car in the parking lot. Her fingers trembled as she frantically searched for her car key in her purse. Inside the car, she picked up her phone and dialed Gina. It rang, but no response.
She sat motionless for a second, trying to gather her thoughts. My house might not be safe at this point.
Instead of driving home, she changed her route to Gina’s apartment.
Gina curled up watching her favorite anime. She flinched when she heard a rattled knock on her door. Her heart skittered, and immediately she went to the door. But first, she peeped through her peephole.
She let out a sigh and opened the door. “Ivy, you startled me,” she lamented. “When did you start knocking like a thug?”
Ivy simply walked past her into the apartment, ignoring her question.
Gina closed the door and turned to look at Ivy. She noticed something was off with her. She could tell Ivy was tensed by the way her hands were slightly shaking.
“Ivy, is there a problem?”
Ivy looked her in the eyes and blabbed, “I-I… someone warning.”
Gina furrowed her brows; she couldn’t make sense of Ivy’s statement, which confirmed her suspicion that something was wrong.
Gina walked up to her, grasped her by the shoulders, and sat her on a couch.
Quickly, she went into her kitchen and returned with a chilled glass of water.
“Drink this. It will help calm your nerves,” she mumbled, handing Ivy the glass.
Ivy collected it and downed the water in one swallow. She relaxed her back on the couch and exhaled deeply.
Gina stood, watching her like a mother hen.
Ivy regained herself and then spoke coherently. “Someone slipped a warning note into my purse.” She rubbed her eyes. “While I was at the art gallery.”
Gina looked stunned. “Let me have a look at it.”
Ivy reached into her purse and brought out the note, passing it to Gina.
Gina read the note but awkwardly kept mute.
Ivy looked at her. “Aren’t you going to say something?”
Gina shook her head, glancing away.
Ivy stood up and planted herself right in front of Gina. “Spill. I know you have something to say.”
Gina let out a yawn. “I’m just tired, Ivy,” she mumbled. “I have nothing to say.”
Ivy shot her a hard stare. “Nice try. I’m still waiting.”
Gina sighed. “Okay, you won. I will talk.” Avoiding Ivy’s gaze. “I-I have been investigating Jason.”
Ivy laughed out so hard, it cracked open the anger in her.
“Did you just say you’ve been investigating Jason?” Her voice broke in between words. Disbelief wavered in her lips.
Gina stood indifferent. “Yes. And his rivals also. I had to, for your safety,” she muttered. “You have no idea what you got yourself into by signing that damn contract.”
“And you do, Miss Goody-Two-Shoes?” Ivy roared.
Gina ignored the sarcasm in her statement and continued. “Jason’s father pressured and forced him into hiding ten years ago—to protect a dark family secret that could destroy the Lockwood empire.”
“What secret?” Ivy whispered, scared of the answer.
Gina exhaled. “I’m not done with the investigation. I'm still piecing it together.” Her eyes darkened. “But for what it's worth, Jason is at the center of it all. And you…” She fixed her gaze on Ivy. “You’re closer to the storm than you think.”
“Let me be the judge of that,” she barked at Gina and stumbled out of her apartment.
The confrontation with Gina still echoed in Ivy's head as she walked inside her penthouse.
Her mind troubled over Gina's words while her heart pounded like a talking drum.
Is Jason the enemy? Or the victim?
She dropped her keys on the center table, inhaling shakily.
Maybe I didn't know Jason well enough, she thought to herself.
“Ivy,” a calm voice called from behind.
With the speed of lightning, she spun around.
Jason came out from a dark corner in her penthouse, his white shirt unbuttoned at the collar and his eyes expressionless.
“I didn't mean to scare you,” he explained in a low voice. “But we need to talk.”
- Writer
