Chapter 4 – Wrong Person To Trust
1007 Words
Olivia adjusted the strap of her bag on her shoulder while carefully holding the bouquet Daniel had given her.
The flowers rested against her chest as she listened to her mother's voice through the phone.
She was still dressed in her scrubs and was making her way home after a long day at the hospital.
"Daniel is such a sweetheart," Margaret Wesley said warmly. "I always knew he would treat you right."
Olivia laughed softly as she continued walking down the sidewalk.
"Honestly, who would've thought he'd remember Girlfriend's Day?" her mother continued. "Most people don't even talk about it."
"I was surprised too, Mom," Olivia admitted with a smile. "Daniel can be incredibly thoughtful, even when it comes to the smallest things."
Her smile widened. "And Sophia was amazing. She helped make everything perfect."
Margaret's heart swelled with happiness. "I'm just glad you're surrounded by people who genuinely love and care about you. That makes me happy."
Olivia's expression softened. "I'm planning to come visit you soon, Mom."
"You are?" Margaret asked.
Olivia nodded despite knowing her mother couldn't see her. "Yes. I want to spend some time with you while you're recovering."
She smiled. "I'm thinking of staying for a month."
"A month?" Margaret sounded surprised. "That's impossible, dear. You can't stop working because of me."
Olivia laughed. "I'm not stopping work, Mom. I'll use my annual leave." Then she added gently, "And besides, if I don't take care of my mother, who will?"
Margaret's voice softened immediately. "You're such a blessing to me, you know that?"
Olivia's smile deepened. "No, Mom. You're the blessing."
She continued walking, her attention split between the conversation and the road ahead.
Then something caught her eye. A masked man was walking directly toward her.
Olivia frowned slightly.
At first, she thought nothing of it.
She shifted to the left side of the sidewalk. The man shifted left too.
A strange feeling settled in her stomach.
She moved to the right. The man did the same.
Olivia's steps slowed. A chill ran down her spine.
The realization hit her instantly. He wasn't simply walking in the same direction, he was coming for her.
Her heart skipped a beat as she came to a stop. "Mom..." she said quietly.
"Yes, dear?" Margaret replied.
Olivia slowly took a step backward. "I'll have to call you back."
There was a pause.
"Olivia?" Her mother's voice immediately became concerned. "Is everything alright?"
Olivia's eyes remained fixed on the approaching figure. "I just need to take care of something."
"Are you sure you're okay? You can talk to me." Margaret urged.
Olivia took another step backward, but the man continued forward.
"I'll tell you later when I call back." Without waiting for another response, she ended the call.
The moment the line disconnected, she quickly kept the phone inside her bag.
She kept backing away, but the masked man kept coming.
"Excuse me?" she called out nervously. "Do you need something?"
There was no response, not even a single word from him.
Fear tightened around her chest. Without wasting another second, Olivia turned and ran.
Her footsteps echoed against the pavement as she sprinted down the street.
Every few seconds, she glanced over her shoulder.
The masked man was gone. Or at least she couldn't see him anymore. Still, she kept running.
Then she spotted someone standing near the sidewalk ahead. It was a man, and he appeared to be waiting for a cab.
Relief flooded through her.
Still clutching the bouquet in one hand, she rushed toward him and grabbed onto his arm with the other.
The man immediately looked down at her.
"Please," Olivia said breathlessly. "I'm being followed. I need your help."
Richard just studied her. Fear was written all over her face.
Then his gaze dropped briefly to the bouquet in her hand. The same bouquet he had watched her receive from another man.
His expression darkened almost instantly before his eyes returned to hers. "I thought you were happy earlier today."
His voice was dangerously calm. "So why do you suddenly look so scared?"
Olivia froze as confusion flashed across her face. "What was he talking about? How did he know she had been happy earlier?" She thought.
Something about him immediately felt wrong, and every instinct inside her screamed danger.
Without another word, she turned to run.
But before she could take more than a step, a hand clamped around her wrist.
Olivia gasped. "Let go of me!" She yanked desperately against his grip. But his hold was firm.
"Where do you think you're going?" Richard growled.
Panic surged through her. She continued struggling, trying desperately to free herself.
Richard watched her fight against him. A bitter smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. The contrast wasn't lost on him.
A year ago, she had held him close without hesitation. Now, she looked at him as though he were a monster.
The thought only darkened his expression and his grip tightened.
"You're hurting me!" Olivia winced. "Let go!"
Instead, Richard grabbed her chin with his free hand and forced her to look at him.
Their eyes met. He saw the fear, panic, and confusion in her eyes, yet none of it softened him.
"You left me once." His voice was low and dangerous. "And I'm not going to let that happen again."
Before Olivia could react, Richard suddenly lifted her off the ground and threw her over his shoulder.
The bouquet slipped from her grasp immediately. Flowers scattered across the pavement as it hit the ground.
She screamed. "Put me down!" She pounded her fists against his back as he walked away. "Put me down right now or I'll call the police!"
Richard didn't even flinch. "Go ahead."
That only made her struggle harder. She kicked and fought against him with everything she had.
Then another voice suddenly spoke nearby. "Boss."
Olivia's entire body stiffened.
"The car is ready." The voice said.
Her eyes widened in horror as she realized, there was more than one of them.
- Writer
