The Hidden Witch

High Profile Case

(Skyler)

As I stood in the front of the conference room, my pulse quickened not just from the weight of the case we were about to discuss, but what happened earlier in Ethan's office and from the electricity that filled the air. The overhead lights cast a warm glow on the polished wooden table. My colleagues' faces were a mix of concentration and curiosity as I prepped for this important briefing. The air was thick with anticipation; this briefing was pivotal for our firm and the high profile case we were handling. Jackson Industries relied on us, and failure was not an option.

I took a deep breath, smoothing down my blazer and attempting to focus on the presentation slides illuminated behind me.

“Thank you all for being here today. As you know, we’re representing Jackson Industries in a complex litigation matter against GreenTech Corp. This case has the potential to set important precedents in our field, so it’s crucial that we align our strategies and efforts” I began.

I clicked the remote, and a slide appeared behind me, showcasing a timeline of events leading to the dispute. “To recap, this case revolves around allegations of intellectual property theft and breach of contract. Jackson Industries claims that GreenTech improperly used patented technology developed through a joint venture. Our goal is to not only defend our client’s position but to highlight the negligence on GreenTech’s part.”

I paced slightly, my voice steady and confident. “We have gathered substantial evidence, including email correspondence and expert testimony that will support our assertions. I want to emphasize the importance of preparing our witnesses for the upcoming depositions; their credibility will be vital. Lisa, I’d like you to focus on reviewing expert reports, while Mark, you'll handle the cross-examination prep.”

As I spoke, I could see the nods of agreement from my colleagues, a sign of their engagement and collaboration. I turned to the next slide, displaying critical points from the opposing party’s previous cases. “We need to anticipate their arguments and be ready to counter them effectively. They will likely lean on similar past rulings, but we can distinguish our case by emphasizing our client’s due diligence and the efforts made to protect their intellectual property.”

As I began outlining the timeline of events, a sudden wave of discomfort washed over me. My head throbbed violently, each pulse amplifying the words I was speaking until they felt like echoes bouncing hollowly in my skull.

I forced myself to continue. "To recap, this case…" But as I spoke, the room around me began to distort. Whispers fluttered at the edges of my hearing, muted, chaotic murmurs that made it hard to concentrate. Frustration mounted as I struggled to grapple with my thoughts. What were they saying? I tried to shake it off, projecting confidence through clenched teeth, but the pounding in my temples worsened. The slides flickered before my eyes, the text blurring into a haze. The whispers were getting faster, and it felt like there were more people whispering. I forced a smile, trying to ignore the rising panic that threatened to overwhelm me. I needed to pull it together; I had a job to do.

Then, out of nowhere, I felt a soft wind brush against my face. It was refreshing, like the first breeze of spring cutting through the heavy fog of my discomfort. I had a feeling - no a need to glance at Ethan, who sat just a few seats away. He met my gaze, his expression unwavering and calm. In that moment, whatever heaviness I felt seemed to dissipate, the headache receding like a tide. The whispers fell away, replaced by the steady rhythm of my own breath.

As I focused on Ethan, an unexpected clarity washed over me. It was like a grounding wire clicked into place, and the chaos in my head settled. I swayed a bit and I saw Ethan slightly moves. I tried to steady my body, so I could continue, but my body involuntarily swayed again. Next thing I know, I'm in Ethan's arms. I feel small shocks of electricity all over my body. I lean my head on his chest as he walks to who knows where. I realized I was in his office. He places me on his sofa and, after a brief talk, he goes to my office, but as soon as he leaves, the headache starts again and so do the whispers. I rub my temples hoping it would go away, but then I hear it.

"Rose"

"Jennifer"

"Marie Ann"

"Blair"

My eyes snap open when the door to the office opened and I looked to see it was Ethan. He looks at me before quickly closing the door.

"My headache is back and so are the whispers" I told him. Why am I telling him this? I have no idea, but everything in me is telling me to. He closes the blinds. He sits beside me.

“Can you hear what the whispers are saying?” he asks softly.

“Names" I said closing my eyes.

"What names?" he asked.

"My mother’s name, my grandmother’s name, my great grandmother’s name… my sister’s name, and…” I stopped trying to understand what else they were saying, but I couldn't understand.

"Argh" I screamed in frustration. I heard something explode when Ethan covered me with his body. What was that? Ethan pulls back and looks behind him before looking at me.

“I can’t make up anything else. It’s so much, but I was only able to make but those names”, I said, feeling exhausted.

“It’s okay. Take a deep breath”, Ethan said. There was a knock on the door and Ethan went to answer it. I couldn't help but wonder why I was hearing the names of the females in my family when they were all dead except for Blair. Could she be in trouble? No, if she was in any trouble she would have called me, right? Once Ethan and I had breakfast, we worked on the case, but I couldn't concentrate. I couldn't help but wonder if my sis ter was okay. I bought lunch for Ethan and me, but I wasn't hungry, yet Ethan forced me to eat a little more than half of my food when I told him that if I kept eating I was going to be sick. He finished eating the rest of my food.

I took out my phone and tried to call my sister, but her phone went straight to voicemail. Since she always told me not to leave her voicemails, I decided to text her.

Me: Hey, I'm at work, but I just wanted to see how you are and when you are coming home. I can make your favorite for dinner.

I sent the message and continued to work, but sometime during the time I was working and hoping my sister would reply to my message, I fell asleep. I don't know how long I had been sleeping for, until I heard Ethan calling my name and gently shaking me.

“s**t, I fell asleep. I’m so sorry” I said, jumping off the sofa.

“It’s okay” Elijah said, grabbing my hand and guiding me back to sit down.

“How are you feeling?” he asked. I was trying to see if I could hear the whispers since I didn't feel a headache. I was glad when I didn't

“Much better. My headache is gone,” I answered truthfully.

“And the whispers?” he asked.

“Gone too,” I said. He nods, then my phone rings. I grabbed the phone to see it was Nidia.

"Hello?" I said, answering the phone.

"Hey, I'm sorry for bothering you at work, but the school called saying that Kaleb wasn't feeling well, so I picked him up. When we got back to your place, Kaleb took a nap and woke up screaming, but he won't tell me what he dreamed about" Nidia said.

"Let me speak to him" I said.

"Mami?" Kaleb calls.

"Kaleb, what's wrong?" I asked.

"It's nothing, m**m" he said.

"Okay" I said, but I know there is more.

"I just had a bad dream" he said.

"Oh, yeah?" I asked.

"Yes, mami. I'm a big boy now" he says.

"Okay, I'll be there soon" I tell him.

"I love you mommy" he says.

"I love you too" I said before hanging up the phone. Kaleb is still human, so technically he can still get sick. I know Nidia and I know she had ran a check on him to make sure he was okay. I quickly gather my things as Ethan watches me.

“I didn’t know you had a boyfriend”, Ethan said, holding the door open for me.

“He’s not my boyfriend, but he is someone very special to me” I didn't want to say much about my personal life. All they needed to know is that I'm good at my job. We headed to our cars, but before I get in, I called out to Ethan.

"Mr. Locklear?" I called, making him look at me.

"Thank you for everything" I said, and he gave me a firm nod. I got in my car and drove home, not knowing that what happens next will change my life and my son's life forever.