ENGAGED TO MY EX'S BROTHER

Chapter 5: Meeting the stranger

EMILY

I wake up to the buzzing of my phone. Struggling to keep my eyes open, I stretch my hand to pick it from the table and I smile when I see the name 'daddy' displayed on the screen.

I pick it up and my smile broadens when I hear his sweet voice.

“Good morning Emmy. Are you still sleeping?” he asks from the other side.

“Good morning dad. I've just woken up.” I reply.

“Well, I just wanted to wish you an adventurous day over there. Enjoy yourself!”

“Thank you daddy. Have a great day too and say hi to mummy.”

He assures me that my regards will reach mum then he hangs up.

Ahw! My day couldn't start well without daddy's morning call. He's so amazing. He's the best daddy in the whole world and I can't ask for any better father.

Yawning, I stretch and sit up straight. It's almost nine o'clock and were it not for dad's call, I'd still be snoring, all thanks to the bottle of wine I drank last night.

When I got into my room last night, I sat on the couch and sipped my wine slowly as I browsed through the internet. I just needed to keep myself busy till I fall asleep. That really worked wonders because I ended up drinking all the wine and ended up sleeping late in the night.

But still...

I miss dancing.

I climb out of the bed and walk to the wardrobe. I retrieve some beach wear and a dress then head to the bathroom after getting rid of my night gown. I take a quick shower then dress up, then head to the restaurant. All I need is to have brunch then head to the beach and have fun till I drop! I don't know how I'll achieve that now that I'm unaccompanied but I'm sure I'll find a way.

I walk out of the house and this time I decide to take the escalator to the restaurant. All I need is to go down as I admire the classy hotel which dad booked for me.

I'm already seated at the restaurant, waiting for the waiter to serve me. I've chosen the heaviest breakfast on the menu since I'm not planning to have lunch.

After I'm done with breakfast, I exit the restaurant and flag down a cab. I ask the driver to take me to the beach and after agreeing on the p*****t, he ignites his car and drives off.

***

I'm having fun here already. I've already gotten rid of my dress and shoes and I'm in my beach wear. I've been in the water for the better part of the day and I'm all tired and hungry though I've resolved not to eat lunch.

I'm strolling along the beach all alone, taking selfies and asking random couple to snap me. To be sincere, the memories of those who hurt me are fading off my mind and I'm only left with great memories shared with family.

I'm so much engrossed into my thoughts such that I don't see a lump of sand in front of me. I stumble it, hitting my foot and keeping me off balance, but before I find myself on the white sand, an arm grabs me and I whimper in gratitude. Not that I'd have gotten hurt but it'd be an unplanned fall altogether!

“Watch where you're going lady!”

Isn't that the same voice I heard in the restaurant last night?

All this while, I'm leaning on the saviour's chest but I disentangle myself from his arms, looking up to confirm that I'm not hallucinating.

“You again?” I ask in shock. “Why are you everywhere I go? Are you stalking me?” I ask in confusion. “Do you know me? Who sent you?”

“Relax!” he says with a smirk. “I was here all alone, minding my own business when you showed up and you almost fell on me! I'm the one who should be asking you this question, miss Emily Eric, are you stalking me?”

Wow! Wow!

I step back in shock then look around. His heavy weight lifter of a bouncer is nowhere in sight. He's all alone.

“Who told you my name? Who are you?” I ask in confusion, yet again.

“Huh! Now you want to know my name?” he c***s his brows sarcastically. “I am who I am!”

He grins as he gets out of my way and I walk past him, a million thoughts cruising through my mind.

But wait, if he already knows my name, I'm sure he asked for my information and personal data from the receptionist at the hotel and that means only one thing... He's damn powerful and only powerful people run the world and they get things done their own way!

Who is he? Who is he? Who is he? I can't stop asking myself such questions but I only end up getting no answers. My head is already hurting due to thinking and I've strolled far and wide along the beach till I can't walk any further.

That man looks young...barely thirty and he looks like a kind person. He's handsome and he looks rich. It seems he's here on a vacation or a business trip...it's obvious he's not from this part of the state.

I came here with only one mission in mind...to have fun and to gain new momentum of my life. I swore to push everybody who shows interest in me away and only show kindness to those who are harmless. I don't want any further distractions in my life...not now when I'm nursing a few days old heartbreak!

When I decide to turn and go back to where I left my stuff, darkness is creeping in and I'm scared now that the beach looks deserted! However, the beach lights are fully on but I'm still freaking out. I didn't know one can think about a stranger to an extend of losing focus and losing track of time!

“Hey beautiful...” a guy approaches me, grinning from ear to ear. He's only on a short and it seems he's just out of the water. “Need company? I'm here for you?”

I try to tell him politely that I just lost track of time and strolled far but he seems excited by that.

He walks to me and wraps his arms around my waist. “Maybe we can go back in there and have fun in water.”

“Get off me you p*****t!” I try to get off his grip to no avail. “I'll scream for help!” I threaten when my efforts prove futile.

“Scream all you want. Nobody will hear you!” and he pushes me towards the ocean, forcefully kissing my neck!

“Stop! Stop!” I shout furiously but he wouldn't bulge. I try kicking his groins but her ends up evading my back kicks. We're fast approaching the water and I'm desperately crying, anticipating the worst.

If anything happens to me, I'll live to blame the nameless stranger who distracted me till I came this far!

Oh my God!

As I contemplate on what to do, still pleading with him as the water has already touched my legs, I feel him quickly let go of me and he lands in the water with a mighty thud. He groans as he tries to swim out of the water but another kick connects with his face, keeping him off balance and sending him back further into the ocean.

I'm protectively wrapped into my saviour's arms and as I lie against his chest still sobbing, I can't help but thank my stars as well. Only God knows what would have happened to me if this stranger hadn't arrived in time to save me.

“Bastard!” I hear my saviour hissing and I smile when I hear the same deep voice which I heard hours ago before I stroll further to meet that intruder.

“Thank you!” I murmur as he wraps my shivering body with a shawl.

He doesn't say anything. Instead, he leads me away towards the place I had kept my stuff. Funny enough, I'm no longer scared of him. In fact, right now I can kill to have a conversation with him but he seems less interested.

When I slip into my dress and walk out of the changing room minutes later, he's still out there waiting for me.

I stare at him questionably. He's supposed to have left but he's still waiting for me?

“The cab driver is waiting. Let's go!” That's all he says, grabbing my arm softly and leading me towards a waiting cab. I don't ask any question, instead, I follow him without hesitating and hop into the back seat of the cab after him.

When the car starts moving, he turns to me and trains his eyes on mine.

“What were you thinking? What if I wasn't around to rescue you? What if that p*****t did something stupid? Who would you have blamed?” He asks a question after the other and I assume he's not ready for an answer.

*You...you're to blame*

However, I don't say that loudly.

“I'm sorry I got carried away. I didn't mean to stroll that far.” I say, looking down shyly.

“Thank heavens I was keeping an eye on you otherwise you'd be dead by now!”

“What?” I gasp, my eyes wide open. “Is that man that evil and dangerous?”

“I don't know but I've heard stories of ladies being killed brutally and their parts chopped out or worse still, they disappear mysteriously into the ocean!”

“Nooo!” I scream as we approach the hotel. “Thank you once more. You're my guardian angel! What's your name?” I thank him and finally gather the guts to ask.

He has already settled the cab driver and we're entering into the hotel.

“Let's meet for dinner then I'll tell you more about myself!”

He says as he gets into the elevator and locks himself in, leaving me out there, surprised.

When I finally regain composure, I board the elevator and head to my room.

I'll take a thorough shower then dress up and head to the restaurant for dinner. I can't wait to meet my saviour, my guardian angel...my nameless stranger!