Chapter 20: Henry Co
1768 Words
Chapter 20: Henry Co
3rd person's POV
In a cold, locked, secluded room, there's a little girl sitting in the corner. Pinning her back against the two walls, using them as her only comfort, she cries and cries in the seemingly never-ending darkness. With only the moon's light streaming in through the cracked wall as her source of light. Helpless, she keeps her eyes wide open in fear she'd go blind in the eerie and soundless room.
"M-mama, it's so dark—please let me go." She pleaded between her sobs, but as she continued to cry and beg, praying somebody would find her and rescue her, but no one came until—
"No one is going to come…you, you will die here." A voice from another girl suddenly came.
The poor girl, who felt assured because of the voice, dreadfully started reaching her arms out around her, trying to search in the dark. Despite the cold shudder that trickles down her spine, she desperately wants to find the person who just spoke.
Standing in the corner, she walked towards the direction where the voice came from. As the dark continued to blind her vision, she clung to the idea of someone finally coming for her.
"They have already abandoned you…this is the end for you." From behind, the girl heard the voice. Turning around to see the other girl trapped in the same room with her, she stopped when suddenly their eyes met. Stunned, she stood there looking at the girl standing in front of her.
Chuckling seeing the poor girl's shocked face, she grinned wider. Stepping forward in the little light of the moon towards the girl, as her small figure got bigger, she said—
"This is your fault. Now, die Alice."
"Ahh!!" Panting, Alice woke up just as when the moon's light illuminated the girl's face. Cold sweats breaking free, she stood up from her bed. Hands instinctively grabbing the stun gun beneath her pillow, she gasps for air.
"What did I just grief of—ack?" She groaned when a sharp pain suddenly came into her head.
"What the heck?" She continues to groan as her head continues aching. Trying hard to remember what she had just dreamed of, she lay back on the bed shutting her eyes off, but the more she tried to remember it, the more the strange dream faded away.
Surrendering, she opened her eyes in frustration.
"Dang, that's weird." She said, staring blankly.
And just as when she's about to fall asleep, her phone rings. Startled, she looked at her phone.
"Tsk." She hissed, seeing it was her usual alarm to wake her up for work.
Should I come? Or should I just bail from the deal?
She thought, burying her face in sheets. Groaning, thinking it's just a waste of time dealing with Lennox, but if Lennox exposed her to the condominium tower's security, she might end up with unpleasant consequences. That could eventually make her situation more complicated than it is.
Thinking of the worst-case scenario, her one and only fear for now—being kicked out of her unit, which could leave her with no choice but to go back to her father's house. She bit the blanket's cussing and killing Lennox in her head.
Damn it, ugh.
Whining, she dragged herself from her bed to the bathroom, deciding half-heartedly to get ready. Without any motivation in mind to hurry, she keeps her phone charged while getting prepared in between her routine. Preparing for Mae's incoming calls and texts, she keeps her eyes on it even if it's still charging.
Looking uneasy, she doesn't have anything in mind but Mae.
"Ugh, I can't tell this to aunty—wait…what if?" She stopped, frozen at her feet, realizing the possibilities of Mae's mom's condition right now.
What if she's being held hostage right now? What if that person already has his hands wrapped around aunty? What if he's using aunty as—?
Suddenly, she's interrupted by continuous doorbells. Hearing the doorbells, she dashes right away to the screen in the corner to check who's out there.
Seeing Lennox outside, flashing his smiling face at the doorbell's camera, her expectation let her down hard from expecting it was Mae.
This annoying prick, what's he doing here? Don't tell me. Is he here to pick me up? Ugh. What are we? Highschools? Playing girlfriend and boyfriend? Tsk, this is nuts and cringey.
Alice thought to herself, looking irritably at Lennox's face. Standing there for minutes, she watched Lennox's consistent bells with the intention of making him wait.
"What do I need to do to get rid of this deal?" She uttered to herself, eyes glued to the monitor. Then, Lennox's face flashed back to her mind when she first saw him.
A smirk formed on her lips as an idea popped in.
Wow, if only I could bring back time and punch the f*ck out of him—I would trade anything for that chance.
She thought, thinking of how ridiculous she had almost fallen for him with her first impression of him.
If really not for his creepy side, probably up until now, I'd go ignorantly simping over him. Ugh, this is just sick.
"Knowing he was already nice to me from the beginning, he must've already known who I am." She said, assuming Lennox's ulterior motive.
"Hmm, but dad's the only one who knows and planned—ah, yes yes…why do I keep forgetting them?" Alice said, chuckling, remembering the faces that once supported her as the heiress, not until she denounced her rights.
Right, they're the only ones who can know my father's plans. And, as far as I know, this condominium's tower owner is one of them. The possibility of them having to do with this mess is greater than zero.
"Ugh really, those old geezers," Alice said, remembering each of their faces.
Thinking of those eager people from the board of directors, she concluded that they plan to use Lennox to voluntarily get her rights back that her father's more than willing to give if she just wishes it.
That must be why this obsessed psycho keeps on chasing me. Tsk.
"Hmm, well, using him as bait sure was tempting—yes, I'd agree with that, but too bad his true nature's been leaking out that it's not too hard for me to notice." She uttered, still looking at Lennox's face.
Suddenly, he stopped ringing the bell and looked at the camera as if he knew Alice was there watching her.
Winking, he raised his phone's screen and showed it to the camera. And the moment Alice saw who was calling him, she ran and opened the door without any doubt.
She snappishly snatched the phone from his hands. And after successfully getting the phone in her hand, she quickly attempted to close the door right away, but Lennox's reflexes' faster than hers stopped her from closing it.
Smiling, he looked at her, but Alice didn't waste any moment and answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Good morning, this is Detective Allan. May I speak with Mr. Astor?" With what she heard, she immediately glared at Lennox.
"A detective?!" She mouthed as a small yelp came out of her mouth.
Lennox, nodding enthusiastically as if he had done the right thing, just blew Alice's mind. She stood there, shocked as she couldn't help but think of how things would get more complicated.
She unbelievably stares dead at his bright smile.
Mouth parted—speechless, as she thinks of possible outcomes with a detective in the equation, Lennox grabs the phone from her dumbfounded state, grabbing the chance to take back his phone.
"Yes, detective?" Lennox greeted him, grinning at the view he had in front of him.
On the other hand, Alice, whose system had just stopped working, stood there as sudden coldness hit her core. Waiting for Lennox to finish talking with the detective, she didn't expect there would arise a problem.
A train of thoughts invading her mind, feeling on the verge of snapping out—she looks at Lennox, who now seems to be having fun watching the face she's making.
What the f*ck?!
She cursed inwardly, as she could already see where this situation would lead them.
Meanwhile…
"Who are you again?" A man asked, sitting comfortably on his office's couch with clear contempt in his eyes, looking directly at the man who came barging in without any prior appointment.
"What kind of tea is this?!" Instead of answering, the man complained about the bitterness of the tea he was served with.
Because of that, the office owner raises his hand in irritation, sending signs to his secretary standing behind him. Getting the gesture, the secretary grabbed the teacup from the unwelcomed guest's table.
"Oh? Please add more sugar—"
"I'm hoping you're not here for a tea party." The man said with a firm, authoritative voice that halted him from further speaking.
Feeling the decadent ambiance gets heavier on his shoulder the longer they exchange glances. He sighs and smiles, glancing at the authoritative man's desk. His eyes led him to the most interesting thing he saw.
Reading what was written on it, he looked back at the man and swiftly fixed his composure, clearing his throat, he said.
"I'm sorry for my rude behavior, Mr. Vice Chairman." Emphasizing the last part, which made the vice-chairman glare sharper, thinking the man had just read the desk nameplate. The vice-chairman sighs and silently regrets allowing the person in the office.
"Again, let me introduce myself…" The man said, smiling mischievously, but as the vice-chairman regretted this decision, he snapped his fingers.
Telling the guards standing by the door to drag the man out of the building, he stood up and headed back to his desk to finish the papers he had left unfinished.
"No, you may go. One more word and I'll make sure—"
"My name's Henry Co." With that, the vice-chairman glanced back abruptly, catching his attention.
Seeing the man who has just introduced himself as the person he claims to be, he nods at the guards who were about to grab the man up from his seat and sends them out of the office instead.
Without any fuss, the guards understood him and waited outside of the office.
"Why are you here?" The vice-chairman asks.
"To help you find a lost rabbit?" The man said, smiling, lifting his phone, showing a picture of—
"Mae…" The vice-chairman uttered, recognizing the person on his phone.
- Writer
