Darling, Thanks For Stabbing Me

Chapter 4

“Grandma... Where’s my fav sweatshirt?” Erik (the young guy) asked yelling from upstairs.

“I don’t know honey. Why don’t you check your closet carefully?” Maria replied from kitchen.

She went to lock the door before going off to the cafe and I resumed eating my breakfast.

“Shouldn’t you ask before taking someone’s stuff?” Erik placed his hands on the table to catch my attention.

“I don’t remember taking someone’s stuff?” I shrugged and gulped down my cereals.

“Oh yeah? What about this then?” He pulled my hood’s strings.

“I was yelling and you didn’t seem to answer that it was you wearing my clothes.” He raised his voice at me and that alerted me. Reminding me of the time I had encountered such a scene.

Instantly, I swatted his hand away and jumped away from the table as if encountering an electric shock. He looked at me with scared expression, “Woah sexy girl, easy. Why are you behaving like a wild kitten?” he chuckled as I realized that he doesn’t mean harm.

I shook my head and emptied my plate in the sink before rushing out.

When we were in the mid of work, Linda nudged me, “So, you have an interview this Friday. I received a call just as you walked in. The profile seems interesting and the pay is really cool.”

“What about experience and documents? Do they need any?” I asked impatiently.

“Well... not the experience but documents are required Sunny. You can’t expect a job without any documents.” She looked baffled.

I sighed and worrying about the same when I heard hushed voices of Marcus and Maria.

Uncle looked tensed and I knew it has to do with the same reason so I really needed a job to support myself and them.

“Hey Good afternoon Sunny! Can I have a lasagna, my choice?” Grayson asked.

“Sure. Today you are late?” I muttered to myself.

“Oh” I heard someone gasp.

“I had an early meeting today and the cafe had just opened so...” he answered receiving my attention.

‘So, I said that out loud?’

He looked bemused as I nodded faintly and gestured him to take a seat.

***

“Hey listen! If you have lost your documents or something like that, we can get the duplicates from the university you know? There isn’t anything to worry about.” Linda beamed at me but that didn’t lighten my mood.

“I wish that was so easy.” I sighed and started walking towards my home.

“Wait! Let’s go somewhere.” She didn’t wait for my answer and dragged me in her car.

I was in no mood to argue today.

We were in the harbour walk as she laughed and hauled me towards harbourwalk. She caged my wrist in her hands and started walking there. The cool breeze and the river’s smell hit me hard. It warmed my heart and I didn’t want that. It was irritating me and looking at the smile on Linda’s face made me wonder how I am going to escape from this.

When we reached the end, she suddenly walked to the counter and asked those people something. She returned back and made me follow her. I saw her sitting in a tandem kayak and asked me to come. I feared and stepped back. She gestured to someone and they told me that it would be hard for her to handle it alone and seeing that there were many pairs of eyes on me, I hesitantly took my place in the front.

Wearing a helmet and gears, I shivered. I didn’t know swimming and I tried so hard to make Linda understand this but he thought it might be one of my excuses. They pushed us as we paddled through the sea. It was hardwork and I realized how easily I got tired. I still managed to take the control and when we were a good way, suddenly a wave hit us and our kayak stumbled with it.

The force was such that it turned upside down and we were pushed inside the sea. My heart squeezed as I felt the end was near. I was hopeless and the same emotions came rushing like the first time when death was nearing me. I thought that I wouldn’t fear anything now when I had experienced the worst thing but I didn’t know that it was the last thing that scared me. I tried to stable myself, I wasn’t able to breathe. I started kicking my legs and hands frantically and tears brimmed in my eyes blurring my already blurred vision. I could feel my lungs filling with water as it cut inside my throat and then I thought it was the end. My eyes felt heavy and before falling to conscience I saw someone haul my hand.

I heard faint noises that started growing loud and desperate. I felt someone’s lips on me and heaviness on my chest that seemed to be pressed in intervals. I coughed hard and threw up water. My insides burnt and I felt hoarse in my oesophagus.

Someone pulled me into embrace as I opened my eyes to see who it was. Linda smiled guilty and cried apologizing repeatedly. I brushed her off trying to pass a meek smile.

My head still in a daze as I saw the next person beside her, Erik looked like he was about to wail.

“Are you really insane? If you didn’t know swimming you could have declined straight away.” He looked so angry and controlling his emotions that I wanted to laugh.

“So you figured it out finally!” I said sarcastically to which he rolled his eyes.

It was late and we needed a hair dryer to prevent getting cold. Linda said her house was close so we agreed to go there.

When we reached her house I was shocked, she was a billionaire and still so humble. Her house was guarded and it was no less than a mansion.

“Is it yours?” Erik asked.

“Yeah! Basically it’s my dad’s but yeah it belongs to me as well.” She shrugged and walked out of the parking lot.

There were five more cars and I wondered why she was working in a cafe when she was so rich.

“Guys, just remember we need to walk inside without making any noise. I don’t want to grab my father’s attention please.” she looked irritated.

“I think we better not go inside.” I mumbled to Erik who looked like coming back from his daze.

“Common now” Linda rushed us inside and we tiptoed to her room. If I was my old self, I would have gaped at the interior of her house; it was amazing!

“Thank god!” she breathed a sigh of relief.

“Will it be a problem if your father sees us here?” Erik asked nervously.

“No it’s not like that. It’s just that I don’t get along with my father well; not that he isn’t a good man or something but he wants me to join his business and I ain’t interested in that. So, he is disappointed in me.” Linda breathed.

“What’s your age and why don’t you fascinate joining the business?” I asked her.

“I will soon turn 26 and well I love baking and have other plans. I want to open my own bakery shop or cafe and maybe travel around the world to learn new cuisines.” She had a dreamy look.

“Ah-haan! Very well.” She shrugged and started blowing my hair dry.

“What is it with you? What do you want to achieve?” She asked me.

I stared at my image and remembered how I wished to be a singer and artist as well. I had a flair for painting and loved coloring things but not anymore.

“I dunno. I haven’t given it a thought.” I replied.

When we were about to leave, we stopped at a shop and grabbed a hot chocolate cup each walking our way back. When we were three blocks away, I felt my heart racing. I felt uneasy without any reason and so I glanced around nervously.

There at a few feet ahead, I saw bodyguard like dressed people and they looked like they were investigating about someone with a paper in their hands.

My eyes widened when I spotted the figure behind them leaning against the black car and glued to the phone in his hand.

Even though he was at a distant and even though there was shadow on his face, I couldn’t doubt my instincts about who he was.

The perfect well built and lean body, more than 6 feet and the curls of his hair; he was the man I used to love. Yes! he was Aiden Johnson.

My heart raced and a lump formed in my throat. My eyes simmered because of the emotions that were ready to escape. It was the first time I felt the betrayal so clear. I felt my shattered heart devastated and fear gripped me.

‘What is he doing here?’

I turned around hurriedly and grabbed the nearest hand.

“We need to go right now!” I urgently whispered to them and started running.

“Hey wait!” Linda shouted and I didn’t turn back to see why.

When we were at a safe distance, I broke down not able to hold back. I slipped beside the wall and cried sitting on the roadside hugging my knees.

I felt someone embrace me and I was thankful no one asked me anything. After a while, when I remembered Marcus and Maria; I stopped crying and asked Linda to call them.

“Where’s Erik?” I asked her.

“I don’t know. He went back somewhere when you didn’t stop crying. He looked furious.” She said a bit worried.

“Hello Uncle Marcus. Erik and I are with Linda and we are coming back soon but we might be a little late.” I tried to sound normal.

“Oh okay. We thought what has kept you waiting. Never-mind, enjoy you my child and be back soon.” Marcus replied before hanging up.

“Listen Sunny! I know you may not consider me as your best friend but for me you are! I saw how panicked you were back then was it due to those men? Is there something that I should know? You know I can help you out easily. Please trust me. I want to help you.” Linda looked really concerned and I was already an emotional mess.

I felt I was chocking and needed a release so I was on verge to tell her everything when Erik returned fuming that I wasn’t aware of.