BOUND BY HIS PROMISE CLAUSE

THE MAN BEHIND THE PHOTOGRAPH

CHAPTER 6:

Maya’s POV

"Some photographs capture memories. Others capture secrets. The one lying on my bed had captured the darkest moment of my life."

I stared at the glossy photograph for what felt like the hundredth time.

The picture was painfully clear.

There I was..standing dangerously close to the edge of the cliff.

My face streaked with tears while my shoulders slumped with the weight of a life I had already decided to leave behind.

I looked broken, hopeless alone.

The strange part wasn't the photograph itself.

It was the fact that someone had been there.

Someone had watched me.

How long had Lucian Vale been watching me?

Or perhaps the more terrifying question was...

How much did he know about me?

I tightened my grip on the photograph until the edges dug painfully into my palm.

Yesterday, two men dressed in expensive black suits had appeared outside my grandmother's house without warning.

They hadn't threatened me, just handed me an envelope...

"Mr. Vale believes this belongs to you."

Then they left without any explanation.....No message.

Only this photograph.

I sighed dramatically before collapsing backwards onto my bed.

"What kind of billionaire communicates with pictures?"

I groaned at the ceiling.

"Does he break out in hives whenever he uses actual words?"

The ceiling, being completely unhelpful, remained silent.

Wonderful!

Now, I was having conversations with concrete.

Maybe I really had lost my mind.

My phone buzzed beside my pillow.

I nearly jumped off the bed.

The photograph flew straight onto my face.

"Ouch!"

I pulled it away and looked at my screen.

Unknown Number.

Every muscle in my body froze.

My heart pounded so loudly I was certain whoever was calling could hear it.

Was it him?

After a deep breath, I answered cautiously.

"H...hello?"

Just silence... no words

Not even breathing.

Then... The call ended.

My eyes twitched

"... Seriously?"

I stared at the phone for another few seconds before throwing my hands into the air.

"So now mysterious billionaires enjoy prank calls too?"

Before I could complain further, my phone rang again.

This time, Jennifer's name flashed across the screen.

Relief washed over me.

I answered immediately.

"Bestieeee!"

"Finally!" she shouted. "Do you know how many times I've called you today?"

"I—"

"I was two minutes away from filing a missing person's report."

I laughed so hard

"Relex, bby... you are so dramatic." I said

"I'm your best friend. Drama comes with the job description." She replied.

"I was sleeping."

"Liar, continue with the excuses." She said

I could feel her smiling

"I was thinking."

"Worse."

Gosh! I said, smiling

Only Jennifer could make me laugh less than twenty-four hours after I had almost thrown my life away.

"Talk to me," she said, her voice softening.

"What happened after we left the hospital?"

I glanced at the photograph.

"A lot."

"I'm listening."

"Come over is best face to face."

*****

Trying unsuccessfully to sleep.

Grandma pretended not to notice that something inside me had changed.

Then...

The knock on the door. There she was Jennifer....She came in less than 5 minutes. I fell straight to her arms, and she held me so tightly.

Bruhhh! I'm obsessed with her.....What would I have done without her. Tears are almost dropping from my eyes.

"I thought it was Grandma," I said quietly. Then, I narrated everything that happened to her.

"No." She replied

"What did they look like?"

I hesitated... really, is that the first thing she wants to know, and here I'm thinking she's here for me.

Well, I still gotta answer...

"They looked..."

"...like they could buy my entire neighbourhood."

Jennifer, sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"Wait."

"What?" I asked

"Were they handsome?"

I stared at her strangely.

"Jennifer."!

"What?"

"I just told you strange men came to my house."

"I know." She smiled

"And your first concern is whether they were handsome?"

"It's called gathering evidence."

"For what exactly?" I said with my eyes locked in on her

"My future husband." She replied

I buried my face in my pillow.

"You seriously need help."

"So that's a yes?"

"...Unfortunately, I noticed a bit."

She squealed with so much excitement.

"I knew it!"

"You knew what?"

"If the boss is ridiculously handsome, the bodyguards usually aren't allowed to be ugly."

I laughed so hard my stomach hurt.

"This is not a scientific fact."

"It absolutely is." She cutting me off.

"No, it isn't."

"It is in Billionaire Romance Universe." She really does not give up just like me

"You're impossible." I replied, smiling

"I prefer unforgettable."

I shook my head, smiling.

For the first time since yesterday... I almost felt normal.

Jennifer suddenly cleared her throat.

"So..."

"What did they actually want?"

I looked down at the photograph, resting in my lap.

"They gave me this."

"A photograph?"

"Yes."

"Of what?"

"...Me." I said, handling her the photograph to see for herself.

She went mute immediately

"Jennifer?"

"Where was it taken?" She finally spoke

"The cliff."

Her playful mood vanished instantly.

"The same cliff"

"The one from yesterday?"

"... Yes." I responded.

Another silence followed. It was longer this time.

When she finally spoke, her voice was lower.

"Maya..."

"I'm here."

"You never saw anyone taking that picture?" She asked

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"I would've remembered." Truly, I didn't notice anything standing on the cliff.

Jennifer inhaled slowly.

"I don't think this is a threat."

I frowned.. cause why not

"What do you mean?"

"If Lucian wanted to threaten you, he would've sent a warning."

She paused for a while

"If he wanted to scare you, he would've sent armed guards."

Then another pause.

"But he sent a photograph."

I looked at it again.

Every emotion.

Every tear.

Every piece of my broken heart had somehow been captured perfectly.

Jennifer continued.. "I think he's telling you something."

"What?" I asked instantly

"I think he's saying....I saw you."

A strange feeling settled inside my chest. It wasn't comfort , nor was it fear but something in between.

"I don't understand him," I whispered.

"You won't..."

Jennifer replied.

"...unless you ask him yourself."

I sat upright, looking straight to her eyes.

"You can't be serious."

"I've never been more serious."

"You want me to go looking for the most powerful man in the city?"

"Exactly." She replied firmly.

"What if he's dangerous?"

"What if he isn't?" She kept interrupting my thoughts.

"What if it's a trap?"

"What if it's an opportunity?"

I groaned... she's always like this. Positive even when everything and everyone screams otherwise.

"You're supposed to be talking me out of this." I asked

"I was."

"And what happened!?"

"I changed my mind."

She sounded serious. Her facial expressions weren't even blinking.

I couldn't believe her.

She continued before I could argue....

"Maya, think about it. This man saved your life, took you to the hospital, sent his men to your house, and then gave you proof that he was there when nobody else was."

I swallowed, and it started to make sense to me somehow

"You're curious too, aren't you?" She asked

"...Maybe." I replied

"I knew it."

"I didn't say yes."

"You didn't have to." She kept on.

I sighed and asked her again

"What if he throws us out?"

"We leave." She said firmly

"What if his guards arrest us?"

"I'll cry." She continued

I laughed.... what kind of serious-unserious human being do I have as a bestie

"You think that'll work?" I asked her.

"It works on my landlord." She replied.

I burst into laughter.

"Jennifer!"

"What? Tears are a powerful weapon."

"They are not for everyone." I said

"They absolutely are."

I laughed until tears gathered in my eyes.

"You are unbelievable."

"And yet you love me."

She knows how much I did, and that scares me sometimes.

"I question that every day... how did I meet you? " I asked, smiling.

"Too late. Best-friend contract already signed."

Maybe she was right.

Maybe I couldn't keep hiding from questions. Maybe the only way to stop being afraid of Lucian Vale.....was to meet him.

Jennifer didn't give me time to change my mind.. she started searching my wardrobe.

"Get up... which will you wear?"

"What?"

She was already bringing out my best dresses.

"We're going together."

"Jennifer..."

"No excuses."

She cut me off before I could finish and then handed me a cloth to change.

"I'm already wearing shoes."

"But you don't even know where he lives." I asked

She threw her head back and laughed

"Oh, sweetheart..."

"I asked around this morning."

I blinked... what did I just hear.

"You what?"

"I may have done a tiny investigation when I didn't hear from you for almost 24 hours." She replied.

"You investigated the city's most powerful billionaire. How?"

"It sounds much crazier when you say it out loud.... like you forgot who your bestie is. "

"Girl ! It's too late now."

*****

Two hours later...

Neither of us was laughing anymore.

Jennifer parked the taxi across the street. Together, we stepped onto the sidewalk.

The towering black iron gates before us stretched higher than any building in my neighbourhood.

Beyond them stood a mansion so massive it looked less like a home and more like a kingdom hidden behind stone walls.

I suddenly couldn't feel my legs.

"Jen..."

"Hmm?"

"I think this is a terrible idea."

She swallowed... "I was literally about to say the same thing."

"We can still leave." I replied.

"Definitely."

Neither of us moved.

My hand trembled as I reached toward the intercom.

Before my fingers could touch it....The massive gates groaned open, slowly and silently.

As though someone had been watching us the entire time.

Jennifer grabbed my arm.

"...Did you touch anything?"

I slowly shook my head.

"No."

A well-dressed butler stepped through the opening and gave us a respectful bow.

His expression never changed.

"Good afternoon, Miss Cole."

The blood drained from my face. I had never met this man before. I had never told anyone I was coming.

The butler stepped aside.

His next words made my heart stop.

"Mr. Vale has been expecting you."