After She Fell

Chapter 3

Whenever Jones Zach looked at her, his eyes were always cold and foreboding, like a stormy night which she hadn’t been used to. This time, however, they were more intense, with strange emotions laid beneath them. Lottie thought she saw things differently.

His expression shifted, as if her scream offended him.

“Are you all right?” He reached out to touch her arm, but rapidly pulled it back as if burned. That moment felt so awkward to both of them. Lottie was as dumbstruck as Seans Jr, who partially watched his passengers through the rear mirror.

A flicker of remorse crossed his master's face because of the pain he had caused the young lady. He knew how possessive Jones could be regarding Lottie, but could not bring himself to confess it. Instead, he used violent methods.

The black car eventually pulled at a magnificent mansion which was situated in the middle of the Zach Estates. Zach Estates was only a subsidiary of the Optimus Conglomerate, owned by an infamous and most powerful family within and outside the Imperial City, the Zach Family.

Lottie could recall the first time she stood before the colossal building many years ago, and imagined how sweet living alone in that kind of place would be. Little did she know that it would later turn out to be her nightmare.

For a good three times or more, she had been dragged, locked up, and neglected by the merciless devil.

“Miss Lottie!” Seans Jr exclaimed, snapping her back to life. She turned instantly, expecting him to lead the way into the dark room. A place she wouldn’t see anyone until Jones’s anger dissipates.

“President Jones wants to see you.”

“What?” She looked behind to see that he had already walked out through the car door a long time ago. The fact that President Jones requested her presence after trying to flee from him felt so surreal.

But after reflecting on this, she concluded that he was up to something not good given by his manipulative manners. He hardly let go of any matter, his employees being the highest number of victims.

“Where is he?”

“President Jones is on the second floor, Miss Lottie.” He responded politely, taking his hands to the back. And he detests tardiness. So hurry.” With that, he entered the car and drove off, leaving her to face the cold-hearted monster.

Lottie breathed out and started walking.

After reaching the second floor, she stood in the middle of a long, stretching corridor, surrounded by rows of closed doors on each side. Not even one was left hanging to signify what room he stayed in.

She was right about him, reserving a more painful punishment for her. Now all she needed to do was knock on every door, and call out his name like a maniac.

“President Jones? In there?” She muttered at the first door, and moved unto the next until it remained just a door on the left.

The door stood slightly ajar, creating a small opening that emanated a ray of light from the other side. The gap was just a few inches from being locked, hence it was difficult to get the full view of the inside without pushing it open.

So then she twisted the metallic knob and slowly walked in, trying not to make obvious sounds. A large part of the room was enveloped by thick darkness, except for a corner that illuminated the rays of light she saw earlier.

A huge, dark figure leaned on a chair, typing on a bright screen, and adjacently facing the direction of the lights.

“President Jones?” Despite the intimacy they shared over the years, she still preferred adding a prefix to his name.

“President Jones?” She stepped closer, doubts clouded her mind. Was the new punishment all about calling out a shadowy figure in the suffocating darkness? She would definitely pass out in fright.

The man stopped typing, and pointed out, “Turn on the lights if you’re too scared, Lottie. The switch is right behind you.”

Lottie sighed in relief, recognizing the voice, and then went ahead to press the switch. The lights shone brightly, chasing away the darkness that once dominated it. She returned to her former position, awaiting his cruel pronouncement.

But seconds turned into minutes without the President uttering a word to her. Instead, his slender fingers continuously, yet skinfully, moved over the keypads, while being engrossed in completing his task.

The longer the silence, the higher the intensity of Lottie’s heartbeat. She felt that something had changed. That day was different.

“Lottie—” The screen of the system turned off as he suddenly faced her, his expression full of indifference. “What should I do to Kelvins? The man that you think adores you. Tell me, what should I do to him?