Page 18

How could I be so careless?
EARLIER
I opened my eyes, groaning at the morning sun.
The sun?
I rushed off the bed and checked my phone for the time. I breathed out in relief when I saw that it was just 7:15 in the morning. I felt the bed move beside me and I turned my head to see Dee sleeping peacefully beside me. I took a moment to admire his face before leaving.
‘Wow,’ I whispered to myself. High cheekbones, sharp jawline and perfectly shaped eyebrows. Delicate strands of his black hair decorated his face. His Adam's apple moved as he breathed peacefully in his sleep.
And his lips. Oh his lips were so beautiful; plump, and a perfect shade of pink. Before I could stop myself, I traced my thumb over his lower lip and felt a smile tugging on my lips. He had tattoos, some of which were deep quotes that probably meant so much to him.
Someday, I’ll be whole again.
Apparently, I wasn’t built to break.
A bird with a broken wing.
A Medusa tattoo…
A medusa tattoo?
Why did he have a Medusa tattoo? I glanced at the Medusa tattoo behind my arm, then at the Medusa tattoo on his arm, then back at him. He couldn’t possibly have been…
Shaking my head, I moved my hand from his arm and wore my dress.
I couldn’t wear any panties since he tore them last night so I picked up his shirt and tied it around my waist. I looked at him one last time and left the room.
He was a mystery, making me feel things that I shouldn’t feel. He was not ordinary, but I wasn’t going to be the one to solve him. This was a one time thing and the moment I was out of this room, I was starting my mission.
It was finally time for me to do what I had wanted to do all this while, the only reason why I was still living, the only reason why I was still breathing. And nothing was stopping me this time, not from the moment I stepped out of this door.
Right?
* * *
I walked into the coffee shop in a changed outfit, staring ahead to find him, my private investigator –who was definitely not my best friend.
He had the pictures I’d been waiting for all my life. The pictures of the men who ruined me. The pictures of the men who were dumb enough to do all that to me and not make sure that I was dead.
Like what did they think?
I watched as Chan pushed the rim of his glasses from his nose to his eyes, scanning the room with a cup of coffee there on the table. I couldn’t deny that now that everything was ready, I was a little nervous. The pictures of them were just a couple of steps away from me, which meant that it really was happening.
I was so nervous, but would I show that to the world? No.
Sighing, I took quick steps toward him. He looked up from his coffee and placed a gentle smile on his face after realizing it was me. He stood and pointed his hand at me for a shake, I stared at his hand for some seconds before accepting.
No qualms, I trusted nobody.
He pointed at the seat in front of him with the smile still on his face. The smile was starting to creep me out, but I kept my face relaxed as I sat. He tried to call the barista, but I stopped him and jerked my head toward the envelope in his hand.
He looked at me genuinely confused for a while before he chuckled. “Oh sorry, I forgot you are a straight to business type of person. Here you go.”
With a mildly shaky hand and a relaxed face, I took the envelope from him. “Thank you, what else?”
“At least have coffee, will you?”