Page 16

I remember Lizzy telling me about the Eagle Wings tattoo that can only be crafted by two artists. Apparently, they’re Tera’s father and herself. They must be so talented that no other artists can copy what they do. It’s because of them that Eagle Wings can maintain their tattoo exclusivity. Nobody can have a Eagle Wings identity unless it’s made by them.
Tera and her father must be considered very important for Eagle Wings. It’s no wonder that she seems close to Liam and that Liam trusts her.
I can’t help but give her another hug. “Thank you for coming here. I hope we can be good friends.”
She smiles sweetly, returning my hug. Then she writes again on another note.
Of course 🙂
Anyway, I have to go help my father again now. Before I go, there’s something else I want to give you.
I frown, wondering what it is. Tera reaches for something from the other pocket of her pants. My eyes widen as she hands me a phone. It’s not mine, but it looks brand new.
I read a note from her.
This is from Ethan. He’ll call you.
I’m sorry that your phone was taken. Eagle Wings members are not supposed to have personal phones other than the ones given by their leaders, and not everyone in here can have them.
I take the phone from her. “Thank you.”
I’m glad that I can finally talk to Ethan.
I never expected that I would be shoved into this kind of dangerous environment when I first accepted this job.
Hopefully, Ethan can give me an explanation.
My heart leaps with delight as I think that I can talk to Kate and Tyler again. I remember Tyler’s number, so even though I don’t have my phone with me anymore, I can still call them by using this phone from Ethan.
Tera writes to me again.
I’ll see you again.
I nod as she gives me another reassuring smile. She excuses herself, and I watch as she steps out of the room and closes the door.
I plop myself on the bed, going through my new phone with excitement. I know that everything I do with this phone — all my calls and all my messages — may be tracked by Eagle Wings, but I don’t care.
I proceed with setting up the phone first, including putting my fingerprint and passcode for security. I know that they can do anything, but this is just for precaution in case the horrible guys out there suddenly want to take it again. The thought of them harassing me still makes me think twice before going out of this room. My heart sinks as I realize all over again that I am no more than a prisoner here.
Just as I’m about to dial Tyler’s number, the phone rings. I stare blankly at the unknown number showing on the screen, wondering if it’s Ethan.
I swallow, answering the call. “Hello?”
“Emily,” a man’s voice echoes in my ear.
It’s Ethan.
I have so many questions in my head that I don’t even know what I should say to him. Before I can make up my mind, Ethan is already speaking again.
“I may not have enough time because I’m in a hurry, but I have to talk to you about Liam.” There are sounds of people speaking in the background, distinctly, so I’m guessing that he’s in a public space but currently excusing himself to make this call. “How is he?” he asks, and I can hear concern in his voice. “How is my brother?”
I want to say that Liam is being a pain in the a*s, but then, I decide to choose the words wisely. I’m talking to the first heir, the King of Eagle Wings.
“To be honest,” I begin. “He’s a difficult person. Did you even tell him that I was going to be his caregiver? Because it didn’t seem like he agreed to it.”
Ethan sighs and then curses. “I had no other choices. He’s pulling away from me, and I just want to know that he’s okay. He needs someone to take care of him, no matter how hard it is for him to admit that.”
I remember very clearly that Liam hated to feel that he was incapable. That was why he told me to get lost.
“I know that you paid me in full amount, but I don’t think that I can–”
“Listen to me,” he cuts me off. “I don’t care about the money. You don’t even have to return it should anything happen before the contract ends.”
Ethan sounds pissed, and it makes me think twice before crossing him again.
“My brother has been in agony since he lost his eyesight,” Ethan says, “and the environment around him — that f*****g house — is not good enough for him to heal. There are only a few people I can trust there, and they don’t have the capacity to give him the help that I want.”
I listen intently, sensing that what he’s about to say is going to be important.
“Liam is constantly angry with everything, but mostly with what happened to him. I don’t think that he’ll ever accept the fact that he’s blind,” Ethan says heartbreakingly, I can almost feel the pain myself. “He’s angry that he can’t be normal. He thinks that he’s incapable, which is far from the truth. I always knew that he had a protective nature since he was a kid, so I taught him martial arts. It helped him a lot. He learned so hard. I taught him, and I taught him, until he became even better than I was.”
Ethan sounds like he’s speaking through gritted teeth, like it hurts him to the core that his brother is suffering.
“Right now, he can fight better than me, and I can’t be more proud of that. But it’s not enough.”
I swallow, waiting for him to say more.
“He doesn’t let go of the grudge inside him, and he always thinks less of himself. Waiting for him to fall apart is like a ticking time bomb. I don’t want to lose my brother,” he emphasizes every word of the last sentence.
I hear the sound of a gunshot from the other side of the line, and my heart almost stops. Shouts are ringing, and someone tells Ethan to leave the place.
“Shit,” Ethan curses in a low voice.
It sounds like chaos over there. People are screaming. Someone is crying. More gunshot sounds are heard.
“I have to go,” Ethan says. “Please stay with Liam. Help him see that he’s not the person he thinks he is. You have a family who went through a similar experience, and you f*****g know how I feel. Just bring his light back. Bring my brother back.” Another curse, and just like, that the call abruptly ends.
My heart is racing, and I realize that I’ve been panting. I don’t know what is happening with Ethan right now, but I hope that he makes it out alive. He’s the only one who can help me out of this place.
While I’m trying to compose myself, I ball my fist tightly. I can’t back down now. I have a family that I have to return to, so I’m going to nail this job whatever happens. Because Ethan Carter doesn’t want me to give up on his brother.
* ****
Thankfully, the call with Kate and Tyler went smoothly. I just wanted to let them know that I was doing okay and to make sure that they were doing all right without me. In their mind, I was studying at Florida Tech University, and luckily, I could answer their questions about my living apartment, my studies, and my roommate without having to make it suspicious.
I transferred a portion of the money that I got from Ethan to them. I lied to them, telling them that it was excess money from the loan added to my salary from my previous part-time job. What they didn’t know yet was that I was going to transfer more money.
Today, it’s my third day inside this Eagle Wings mansion. As soon as I finish changing my clothes in the bathroom after taking my morning shower, I see Liam sitting on the recliner sofa beside the bookshelf.
Judging from the sight of him lying there with his eyes closed and earphones plugged in his ears, it seems that he fell asleep again while he was listening to music.
I sigh. I want to ask him about breakfast, but he looks so peaceful sleeping there that I don’t dare wake him up.
Yesterday, Tera brought me meals three times a day. But today, I’m not sure if it’s going to be the same.
I take my new phone from the nightstand to check if Ethan has replied to the text I sent him last night.
I need your help. I don’t feel safe in this mansion because I’m not a member of Eagle Wings. They think I’m an intruder because I don’t have any Eagle Wings tattoo. Can you clear that up?
My shoulders sag in disappointment because there’s no reply yet. He hasn’t even read it.