Rabbit Hole (Romantic-Suspense)

Chapter 39: Baited

Chapter 39: Baited

3rd Person's POV

What the hell?

Slipping the papers out of the folder, pictures along with the papers slipped out of it and fell on the floor. In an attempt to get grab it back fast before she could wake up Lennox—although impossible because of the walls that hide her from his bed, Alice crouched down to get it.

However, as her fingertips try to reach it, her mind already recognized what's in the pictures.

What the f*ck.

Fear struck her brain, the realization of her hunch of being right paralyzed her body to the spot, as the menacing aura which seems to ooze from every corner is holding her in a tightening grip.

Trembling hands, she reaches out to the scattered pictures. Wide eyes and shocked with the revelation, she hastily looks at the papers in her hands. Seeing what's inside them, the itching doubt and smell of suspicious finally come to light. Flipping and looking at each page, the more she gets convinced that her hunches were right since the beginning, the more she gets paralyzed in tremor and turmoil that seems to drill her body on the floor.

"That mother*cker." Alice cussed, as anger and fear mix between her gritting teeth.

Seeing the papers that had scanned pictures of the anonymous sender had sent her the night before she went searching for Mae, a lump formed in her throat.

I was right; Lennox is the one who drives Mae away.

Alice thought, regretting of pushing suspicion away to the back of her mind. Remembering the papers Lennox showed to Mae in the elevator, she instantly thought that these were papers threatened and drove Mae away from her.

Figuring the mystery she has been thinking for all these times, although it was late, she felt like she just made a small step closer to her goal. Standing, she roams her sight around the nonsensical wide white room with only a desk and chair displayed in it.

Considering the red light that's making everything red inside and the room being hidden, she knows something's up with Lennox.

Lennox is an architect. He won't just put any spaces and rooms without any purpose behind it. Alice thought, skeptical of the strange space but most skeptical about the folder she just looked into.

Why is this folder here?

Why is this room hidden behind the shelves?

What is Lennox hiding in here?

Alice thought, carefully putting the papers and pictures back inside the folder and putting it back from where she had exactly grabbed it.

Why is this room designed here like this?

I doubt this folder is all there is to here. Alice thought, feeling as if her mind goes in simultaneous questions.

But everything stopped when Alice bumped into a wall. A wall that ends with how Lennox manages to get the pictures Mae took behind her mind bothers her.

How? Does this mean Lennox didn't only spend those four years in stalking me but stalk the people that are closed to me too?

Alice asked herself within, thinking of how Lennox can get the pictures from Mae. Remembering Mae was also shocked when Lennox showed her the pictures, Alice realized that Mae could have caught the gist that she has been hacked by him and using her phone to contact Alice for help would just endanger her from Lennox's unknown capabilities.

Because of the mystery that Lennox managed to pull, Alice concludes that Mae couldn't take the pressure anymore, resulting in her to run away and hide from Lennox and Clyde.

And so, as the realization sinks deeper in her head, in zooming in and out phase of recollecting the missing pieces together from the past and previous events. Alice knew that Lennox has already calculated everything—more than she can imagine.

Then, thinking it is the case, her feet began cold.

Wait a damn minute. She thought, cold sweats breaking from her temples, stepping back from her spot. Looking around nervously, she began to think—

"What if he knows I'll sneak in here with the door open?..." She mumbled, pupils trembling, wide eyes open in doubt and fear of what he would do if he caught her inside the room.

Troubling to gulp in, as her pounding heart feels like choking her, Alice decided to run out of the room.

I have to retreat. She said to herself inwardly, gritting her teeth in reality that no matter how hard she wants to severe her connection to Lennox. It's no doubt that she's still helpless from his unspeakable grip.

He had built the grip and shackles over the years behind her back as she unconsciously enjoyed and took each time for granted from his ticking watch to appear.

Tsk. Why me?! Alice screamed inwardly. However she wanted to know and dig more into Lennox's rabbit hole for answers. She knew, the deeper she will get, the danger she'll get not just herself but also the people around her.

Then, her friend Mae and auntie flashes in her mind. Reminding her of the clue she solved from the table setting Mae had left.

Alright, I still have an advantage here. Knowing Lennox still hasn't caught up with the clue yet, comforts her little, but knowing it's not yet the time to sigh and feel relief. She turns around to get out of the room.

Successfully stepping out of the room as fast and quiet as she can, she then next tries to close the door but when she heard footsteps coming near, voice calling her—

"Alice?" Panic reached every muscle of her body. Closing the door, and before the shadow that's creeping near from the corner gets closer. She then rushed hurriedly inside the bathroom that's just beside the walk in closet.

Closing the bathroom's door fast but with no sound, she stood there, hand on the knob as the other catches her mouth. Alice tries to calm her breathing down by suppressing her nervous pants with her hand.

Alice, everything's fine. Act natural. Act. Act. Act.

Heart pounding, as fear became a tangible walking living thing, like a living force that crept over her with his voice calling her name.

Although Lennox's calling voice is sweet, her mind and ears hear differently, for her, his voice has become like of some hungry beast, immobilizing her for a mere second, holding her captive.

"Alice?" Heart startled, as his voice just resonated from behind the door she's holding. She releases a gasped through her hand.

"Alice? Are you there?" He asked, just outside the bathroom.

Before she answered, Alice inhaled.

Damn it, get it together. You can't just lose yourself now.

You just gave yourself to him!

You could have been caught if you were just a second late—but you're not!

Now, he's just out there—thinking you've just gotten out of the bed to take a s**t—now toughen up and gather your s**t together, Alice!

Alice thought, whispering and pushing herself back from breaking down to reality.

"Alice?" Lennox calls again, knocking on the bathroom's door.

Gulping her fear out, she exhaled deeply and quietly.

"Yes?" Alice responded, twisting the doorknob out.

Peeking out of the door, acting shy and of her butt naked body, she looks at Lennox, who's already in his robe.

"There you are," Lennox said, gladness and sparkles in his eyes. Seeing Alice shyly hides behind the door, and knowing she has nothing on. Lennox grabs her hand and gently pulls her out of the bathroom.

Smiling cheerfully, as he gets to witness her bare body again, he embraces and lifts her in the air.

"So, it wasn't a dream! We did it!" Lennox exclaimed, childishly thrilled.

Eyebrows twitching, Alice stares at him.

"Y-yeah." She uttered. "Well, you can put me down now—"but before she could retaliate and push him away. Lennox lifted her up and carried her on his shoulder like a sack.

"Hey?!" Alice shouted, hitting Lennox's back.

Humming, Lennox grins mischievously. "Let's do it again! I promise I'll do better since I'm all sober now!" He exclaimed.

Taken aback by what the over enthusiast psycho has just said, Alice, in pure embarrassment, keeps hitting his back.

"Put me down, Lennox!"

"No can do, as I can remember, you told me I could go greedy, right?" Lennox rebutted, smiling playfully with his eyes like an overexcited kid who'll get out for ice cream.

"Argh! Put me down!" Alice said, but none of her groans and refutes goes heard, as Lennox…

Little did Alice knows, he has always been aware of what's happening.

Glancing swiftly from the shelves to the way back to his bed, seeing it has not had the little gap he left intentionally, a deadly smile curves on his lips as dead eyes stare blankly.