The CEO's love web: A sister's deception

Chapter 2-The assailant

/Zane’s POV/

“What’d you think is the best gift you could get your sister-in-law?” I asked my assistant, who had just followed me out of the conference room after concluding an important meeting.

His short, lean legs struggled to keep up with my long strides out of the office as I walked closer to the elevator that'll lead me to the underground parking lot.

“What’s she like or is this your first time meeting her?” Noah asked, clinging to the pile of files he was supposed to be working on if he wasn’t tailing right behind me.

“I’ve not seen her before and Allison can’t tell me what she’s like either because it’s been so long since they met.” I found a smile playing its way to my lips, which I gently masked with a finger tugging on its rim.

“I can never get used to this,” Noah muttered in exasperation after seeing the dreamy look on my face.

Allison and I have been seeing each other for five years, the best five years of my life and so I decided to take our relationship a little bit further, I wanted her to be my wife and she made me the luckiest man alive by saying yes.

Since she only had one family member left since her parents died in a car crash and her sister Addison died when they were young, her last family member was Madison, the last of her sisters whom she hadn’t heard from in 13 years.

At first, I didn’t understand how they were able to go so long without contacting each other until she told me they didn’t separate on good times. According to Allison, she had done something wrong and Madison was pissed by it and she doesn’t seem eager to share the details so I didn’t pressure her to.

Her sister must have quite the temper to go 13 years beefing her last family member because of something of the past. If she’s like that, she might be rather difficult. Will she approve of me for her sister? I wondered as the dreamy look on my face slowly morphed into worry.

“I think she might go for some luxury brands stuff, like a designer purse or scarf if she’s materialistic; that’s classic but if you want to come off as thoughtful and insightful rather than classic, you could get her an expensive wine or gourmet treats like baked cookies,” Noah suggested after noticing the worried look on my face so I turned to face him after finally reaching the elevator.

“I always knew you were smart,” I flashed him a smile before walking into the elevator. “So, use that smart brain of yours to figure out how to keep the rest of my schedule free for the end of the day-

“But…you have so many things on your schedule.” Noah’s protest was cut short as the elevator closed up, taking me down to the parking lot at once. I threw in my overcoat and my briefcase on the passenger’s seat while I slid into the driver’s seat after losing my tie a little.

It’s been a long day at work; seeing Allison would be enough to refill my energy for the day but I’m not sure how that’ll turn out since I’ll be meeting her sister today. I should probably prepare my mind. I thought while leaning into the seat of my newly purchased car.

Allowing the subtle yet unmistakably sweet chemical scent of freshly moulded plastics, the vinyl wafts through the air, mingling with the rich leathering fragrance of the interior.

I guess it was worth getting a new car, though I got it before to show off to my sister-in-law-to-be. Noah scolded me badly; in his terms, ‘it might just lead to a bad first impression,’ but for a person like Madison, a brand new car and a designer purse might just be her style.

I arrived at one of the famous stores in town and with their recommendation, I opted to buy a fine designer leather purse, which I had wrapped up before I got a text from Allison.

“She’s here.” Oh sh*t, being late to the first meeting with your sister-in-law might not be ‘a good first impression,’ I thought, slipping back into my car after exiting the store and racing my way to Allison’s apartment, which thankfully wasn’t so far from the store.

I suddenly felt like I wasn’t getting enough air at the thought of endless possible events that could happen upon meeting Allison’s second sister, who rushed at me like a tornado of cold wind that unfortunately still left me sweating terribly like the car air-con was broken.

My stomach turned and twisted into knots that had me groaning as my hands tightened on the wheels.

My palms grew sweaty as I wondered how she'd receive me. Maybe she’ll be worse than what Allison told me, or she might be better or she could be just like Allison. That would be rare though; I haven’t heard of twins or triplets having the same character before, even if they do look alike.

I’m sure it’s impossible that they even look exactly the same. Though Allison told me they look quite identical, I’m sure Allison’s more unique; she’ll definitely stand out.

My thoughts were forcibly interrupted after the elevator to Allison’s floor opened up when I saw...that bastard in the dark mask and baseball cap covering half his face, but the rest of his clothing made him look like he works as a delivery man or something.

My eyes grew as wide as saucers and the gifts in my hands landed on the floor after seeing him sink his several cm-long kitchen knife into Allison at the door and my body moved in reflex.

I was sure I’d be able to grab him before reaching the other side of the hallway where the other elevator was but I didn’t and just as I passed by Allison’s door to see her exact replica kneeling over her, our eyes met for a brief second, just enough for me to notice she was trying to stop Allison’s bleeding.

My mind has become a jumbled mess as I’m torn between going back to help Allison to the hospital and catching the bastard who was daring enough to lay his filthy hands on my fiancee.

I almost had him; I hissed as the elevator door closed before my hands could reach him. Glancing up to see the floor he was headed, I rushed over to the nearest elevator, getting in after a quick contemplation, instinctively trusting her sister, who was with her, to help out until I got my hands on that godforsaken fucker.

I repeatedly pressed down the button leading to the lobby after getting into the lobby while impatiently seething in the elevator, wishing I could just drop down before that bastard.

Crown Garden prides themselves on their security, privacy, and elegance; it’s why the high society preferred it, but they really suck!.

I knew it; I should have bought Allison a house of her own. Even if that motherfucker had disguised himself as a delivery man, they could have ensured that s**t like this doesn’t happen. f**k! I groaned internally before the elevator dinged open.

“Get that guy!” I screamed from across the elevator as the man glided over the place and managed to slip out before the security guards could figure out what was going on.

These incompetent idiots! I thought to myself as I rushed after the guy, hoping to grab him while the security guards stared obliviously at me for a second and only started running with me after the guy got out of the lobby into the streets.

I guess he knew I was getting close as well, as he constantly turned back to look at me on his tail. I reached for him and grabbed him by the hood of his hoodie as he bumped into two passersby, shoving them aside but getting slowed down in the process.

I had him but as I drew him back, his head exploded in my face, leaving me totally stained with the splatters from his blood; even the guards behind me halted in shock.

Screams erupted from the streets and people instantly panicked and ran, bumping into me as they tried to get away from the scene as fast as they could while I stood there in a daze, wondering what the f**k had just happened. He was shot! I concluded after my eyes flicked over his body, which I let fall right after his head exploded.

I raised my head up to the building across the street as if to find who had shot him but I was distracted by the whirring sound of the ambulance as it drove past me.

"Allison,” I muttered her name like it was the most painful thing I could utter.

I turned back briskly, rushing to find her passing by people fleeing from the chaos. By the time I got back to the building, they were already wheeling out her unconscious body, and right next to her was her sister, though she now had a cap over her head as if terrified of the attention.

How she managed to get a cap on through the chaos; I have no clue, and though I missed the ambulance, I moved back to my car, got in, and followed closely behind them.

I shouldn’t have chased that guy; I should have just stayed next to Allison. What if I lose her? What if I never get to see her again? f**k! We had only just gotten engaged. I already drafted our wedding plans.

Oh god, I’m going insane. I bit down on my lower lip as fear gripped me; my heart was screaming to the agony of what I’d witnessed and my mind was wailing for my inability to protect her or catch the culprit who had injured her.

I’m sure she’ll be okay. I tried to assure myself, holding whatever little strand of hope I could grasp as long as the stab wasn’t on any vital organs. I'm sure she’s going to be okay.

But that was until I got to the hospital and learned the bastard had stabbed Allison three times, but I only saw it once. What if she really dies? I broke into cold sweats as my entire world crumbled to the mere thought since I couldn’t bring myself to imagine what my life would be like without her.

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