Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 41: Cards

Chapter 41: Cards

“Good morning, Alice!” Lennox exclaimed, hugging me all tight from the back as he buries his nose in my hair. Then, he began to sway me in an embrace before I lose the chance to escape his grasps. I slide down with the glass of water in my hand.

“Morning,” I said, not sparing him a glance. Humming in joy, he stands beside me and put bend down to put his face on my shoulder.

Peeking close to my face like a child, I shrugged him off gently and pretended to open the fridge.

“Oh? Are you going to cook for me now?” He asked, putting his hand on the door’s fridge as I lean and look inside it. Not wanting to leave me be at peace, I sigh and glance at him.

“Yes, it’s at least I can do to make your mouth shut in within at least a few minutes, so can you just sit still and wait?” I said, bluntly straight at his face. Then, he leans back and chuckles, putting his hands in the air in surrender. He started moving and walking away from me to the stool in front of the bar next to the kitchen nook.

“Aye, aye, ma’am!” Lennox said, still chuckling.

Glancing back in the fridge, from getting the ingredients to cooking and until I finished. God knows how much and thousand times in each passing second I cussed Lennox’s name.

And as much as I swear his damn name, that’s also as much as my train of thoughts runs fast in a circle in my head. Yet all the scenarios of the entire suspicious thing that I have witnessed so far flashes simultaneously like a film playing and moving at its own pace in mind.

What’s that room?

Why are the pictures there?

How did Lennox get the pictures from Mae?

If I’m right that he got it from hacking Mae’s accounts and all to make her avoid contacting me again, then—

How much does he know about Mae?!

In all of the people that are closed—around me. Which of them, aside from Mae, does this psycho also knows?

Why me? What’s so great that he has taken this obsession this far?

F*ck!

Hitting an unresponsive wall after another, I remember Dove’s poem and Vince’s face.

If I didn’t delete Dove’s poems from the beginning—will I still am able to know all the answers to these questions?!

Finishing the omelets, bacon, and pancakes I got from his fridge, I turn around towards the bar where Lennox is at. Sitting on the stool there with dreamy eyes, leaning on his elbows, and face on his hand, he smiles warmly when I put down all the plates on the bar’s table.

“Am I dreaming?” He said, sighing, looking at me.

Ignoring his cringey remarks, I started brewing coffee, then.

After this, I’ll pretend to go to work as usual, and when he finally let me go of his sight—I’ll sneak out and come back before lunchtime since that’s when he’s most—

“Oh, for today, we’ll attend the groundbreaking for Clyde’s project,” Lennox said, almost making me stop in making the coffee.

But, seeing this would happen, knowing the flow of his plans, I glanced back at him and said.

“I think I can’t come. I really have it hard to stand,” I said, switching my plan A to plan B. If this act will convince and hold him up, I can just go straight to where the clue leads after leaving for the office.

“Huh? Why? Are you alright? What’s wrong?” He asked, worried, abruptly leaving the stool and walks toward me.

“Is it still hurting?” He asked, holding my shoulders gently and looking up and down at me.

“Yeah—“Then, he lifted and carried me in his arms, turning around he walks and carefully put me down on the sofa in his living area.

“Why didn’t you say sooner? I’m sorry I should have been more gentle to you last night.” He said, kissing me on my head.

“Sit and wait here. I’ll do the rest.” And quickly goes back to the kitchen.

Seeing him act this way, the situation and act must have got him. Considering it’s my first time, the pain and numbness on my legs that seems to make me feel limp isn’t an excuse. But since he’s a clueless man about how a woman should be feeling right now, it is easier to maneuver things to my plan.

After brewing the coffee and getting all the plates from the bar to the coffee table in front of the sofa, he glances at me with worries in his eyes.

“Here, uhm, wait, I’m not sure if coffee would help, but I think tea is better, so I got you one,” Lennox said, putting a cup of tea in front of me.

“Thanks,” I said, faking an aching act, holding my abdomen as I take a sip of the tea.

Good, if everything goes as I plan it to be. I can sneak behind his back without him knowing I went to where Mae wanted me to go through that table setting she left.

“Say, why don’t you move in here?” But with what Lennox suddenly said, I got caught up and choked with hot water burning my tongue and throat all together—the pain gets real.

“Alice!” He said, caressing my back up and down, wiping the spilled hot tea on my dress with a tissue in his hands.

Glaring, I looked at him.

“Are you suggesting we live in together?” I asked, surprised.

Did he think that after I gave my virginity to him—I’ll go expect him to marry me?! What the f*ck? Isn’t he having too much fluttery here?!

“Yes,” He said straight with a serious face.

What? Wait, is this because he thought that I’m helpless without him all. After all, this little ache—But before I snap and lose the opportunity, my logic kicked in. Wait a damn minute, Alice. Hold your horses.

I thought, holding my rationality before going to burst. As I realize that what I have always been waiting for is already happening.

This is it.

Now that he’s carrying this way showing this side. Maybe this is my opening to manipulate everything now. Even more, living in with him will help me to search every nook and cranny he has here.

Living in with him will help me in gathering more information but, if he really has something to hide here, why is he inviting me in despite the great risk of his secret getting leaked?

Then the image of the red room appeared in mind—Tsk. This is tricky.

If I take this as a blind victory, then I’ll be just good as dead if he still has something in his sleeves.

I thought thinking I’m being presented with two cards with yes or no on them with hidden consequences. If I choose to say no, entering his suite will cost me more effort.

If I say no, I’m going to end up as a hooker. Thinking about what effort it took me to get this far, I can’t risk saying no anymore.

But if I say and choose ‘yes’—ugh, the heck! Either way leads me to be a hooker. But not unless I keep acting like this and make him believe I’m dependent on him.

Yes, if I say yes now, he’ll think I can’t be doing anything unless I’m with him.

If I can do that, I can manipulate him behind his back and make him think he’s in control, and getting in and out of that red room will be much easier for me.

I need more time to unlock the reason behind that room.

Decided, eager to take a step forward regardless of the risk of getting caught, I looked at him and nod.

“Is it alright, though?” I asked, acting hesitant.

Ugh, since when did I become such a great actress? Sarcastic, I mock myself but knowing Mae and auntie’s lives on the line. I have to be the best actress here.

Please, plan b, work!

“Of course! Alice, you can have any room you want here. Oh! Do you want your belongings in here now? Packing your things is not a big problem since they’re just below. I can definitely help you with that.” Trilled, he said, beaming an excited smile across his face.

But, to succeed on plan b, I have to delay packing for now.

“Well, I want to help, but with my current state, I think I can’t. So, maybe next time?” I said, sounding uncertain.

“Oh, sure sure, don’t worry! Ah! Since you can’t move around much for now, do you want to relax in here for quite a bit? Don’t worry about your attendance. I got it. I’ll just get your workloads done.” He said, pulling out his phone from his pocket, sending a text to George.

George. Tsk, another person in check to study.

Sensing I’ll be having a hard time with this psycho’s hound, I need first to tame the owner—the psycho.

“Thank you, Lennox…ugh, but I think I’ll be more comfortable to rest in my unit for now,” I said, subtly letting out a groan, pressing my hand on my lower abdomen.

Worried, he hurriedly says, “Yes, yes, sure. But, please eat more—damn it, why didn’t you tell me sooner if it hurts that bad.” He said, restless, hands on my back.

“Alice, I’m really sorry—if I should have been more careful…”

“It’s alright. I enjoyed it.” Cutting him off before he said another cringey line, I swear I would totally gag.

Then a red flush appeared on his face. Eyes fluttered, he looks at me, smiling in joy.

But how dare he?

How can he keep calm and sound so pretentious with this face while I was having a mental break down when he sent me those pictures under being anonymous.

Even going far to make it sound like it's not his doing?!

Tsk, talk about being manipulative.

Soon, I’ll make you taste your own medicine.

And I'll enjoy the view your seeing from up there. I'll drag you down and crush you while you think I'm all clueless to these things.

I thought, looking intently at his eyes full of adoration and nonsensical desire to have me.

I still have Dove and Mae’s cracked clue in mind. I still have what it takes to get out of his grip slowly.

You want me? Sure, I’ll give the whole package with add-ons of revenge.

Just you wait a little more, and I’ll wrap you around my fingers.

Then, let’s see if who the master manipulative among us is.

"Alice, I'm so happy! I'll get to see you every day--every time I want." She said, beaming an excited smile hugging me gently. Sighing in relief, thinking I've finally given my whole self to him.

That's right, enjoy this while it lasts.

I'll make sure to see the end of this with you, Lennox.

Mae, auntie, wait for me.