CLAIMED // 18+

Chapter Twenty-One - Elaine

I head out after a change of clothes to meet Paulina, who's waiting for me at a coffee shop near her workplace. Sebastian tells Leon to drop me off at the spot, so he drives me there.

"How have you been, girl!?" Paulina cheerfully yells, while carefully hugging me. She's been weirdly too careful around me ever since I got pregnant, especially nowadays. "Hi, Paulina. It's good to see you too, sis."

"Your babies have gotten super big," she tells me, eyes widened "I would've suffered from a severe case of back pain if I were you."

I smile, caressing my belly as I warily take the seat across from Paulina "A back pain's nothing if it's for these angels."

Paulina leans back into her chair "I'm never having kids, no offense. I can't even take care of myself."

"I respect your decision." I chuckle, leaning back into the sturdy chair. In a moment, the waiter returns with my mocha latte. The warm taste of the sweet coffee soothes my tongue, as me and Paulina continue to talk about stuff and keep each other updated about our weeks so far.

As we keep hanging out, Paulina pauses as her phone begins to ring. She checks the screen and sighs "damn it, it's my boss. She's such a pain in the ass, you have no idea. I have to get this, though. Wait a bit? I won't be too long."

I give her an 'ok' sign with my hand. Paulina accepts the call and gets up from her seat, excusing herself as she suddenly changes her hostile tone to a smooth and formal one.

As I watch Paulina talk on her phone from a distance, I suddenly someone poke on my shoulder. I turn my head around to see who it is, and to say my heart dropped as soon as my eyes laid on the person would be a heavy understatement. 

"Hello, Elaine."

Oh, god. This seriously can't be happening. My throat feels tight, and I can't speak nor move. So instead, I just instinctively hold my belly with both my arms and stare at Paulina's way, hoping and internally begging so she turns around and sees me. And most of all, the person beside me.

He walks in front of me and takes Paulina's seat "oh, you can't seriously pretend like you don't remember me, right?"

I don't say anything. I just hold my tongue and keep looking at Paulina. Keep looking at anywhere, but him.

He notices my eyes, and then laughs "Oh, haven't met your good friend in a while. Paulina, was it? I should go and give her a 'hi', but sadly... I don't feel like it. We have a lot to talk about, though, you and me-- baby girl?"

"Shut up," I mutter under my breath, looking down. Anywhere but him.

"Oh, no. Not when I came so far just to see your face." he puts his elbows on the table and leans closer "I haven't got much time. So, let me say it first-- you got married, huh?"

I clench my fists. His eyes trail down, and stops when he sees my baby bump under my arms.

"And, you're expecting. Wow..." he scoffs, rubbing the area between his eyebrows. He points at my body and adds "is that why you guys got married?"

"I said, shut up... or else--" I give into it, and look at his face. His disgusting, rotten face. I can no longer contain my anger.

"What? Or else-- what, El?" Cal laughs, his sick face finding utter pleasure in making me feel more vulnerable than I've ever felt "will your dear husband come and... kill me?"

I remain quiet. In the end of the day, I'm so helpless that what Cal just said is the only defense mechanism I have in me. What will I be able to do on my own against him, anyway? Call the police, so they can simultaneously find out that I'm married to the one and only Sebastian Miguel-- Don of the Miguel family? 

"You know, he just might..." I mutter, staring coldly into his disgusting face "once he finds out about you, you're as good as dead... Cal."

Cal scoffs "I'd like to see him try, baby. But, bold of you to assume that I'll just let your fucking husband waltz in and kill me without playing a little... game."

"A game?"

"You disappoint me, El. You really forgot about me, didn't you?" Cal makes a sarcastically sulky face "your 19-year-old self would get it right away."

Flashing a smirk, Cal gets up and simply walks away as Paulina returns to the table. I sit there, frozen and my expression gives it all away.

"Is everything okay?" Paulina asks, placing her hand on my shoulder.

I just stare at Paulina, my eyes shaking with both fear and agony. Six months passed since that phone call happened, and it was stupid of me think that was it. Stupid of me to pretend like I did truly forget everything about Cal. Cal never stops at nothing, the way he stopped at nothing to make me feel utterly horrible and worthless when I misunderstood obsession with love.

Paulina continues to question me in a concerned tone "El, what happened?! Are you okay? I'm sorry, Lindsey just couldn't stop talking. I shouldn't have picked up her call--"

I grab Paulina's hand, my voice trembling as I say "I'm so scared, Paulina. I'm so fucking scared, and angry and... I just don't know what to do anymore."

As tears roll down my face in uncontrollable streams, Paulina pulls me against her chest and wraps her arms around me tightly "it's okay, honey. Everything's fine..."

***

"I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch, I swear, El."

"I wouldn't be sitting here and wasting my time crying right now if I knew his location," I tell Paulina. After my breakdown, Paulina quickly took me to her apartment. I sniffle into a tissue, Paulina hands me another.

"You can't even tell the cops, can you?"

"No, never!" I unintentionally yell, but then lower my eyes down to my lap again "sorry, it's just... This has been haunting me for the past six months, and I felt like I didn't deserve to be happy about marrying Sebastian, expecting our first babies, starting our own family..."

"You deserve every one of those and a lot more, Elaine!" Paulina shakes my shoulders "don't let this make you believe otherwise. We're going to find Cal, and put an end to this, okay? Don't worry."

I sniff "but, how? Cal never had any friends, family, or anyone I can get a lead from."

"I think you should talk to Sebastian."

I pause. I've kept this a secret from Sebastian for the past 6 months, and for obvious reasons. If he found out sooner, he would've gone to just about any lengths to find and destroy Cal.

I would've talked to him about it, that would've made things much easier but...

"I'd like to see him try, baby. But, bold of you to assume that I'll just let your fucking husband waltz in and kill me without playing a little... game."

A little game. It's Cal we're dealing with. A world class cunning asshole. He's ruined my life once pretty badly, and I barely made it out. It was pure luck that helped me make it and move on. I'm sure he's got something planned. Something evil, something ruthless and could potentially put Sebastian into great danger.

And the last thing I want is for my husband to be put in danger because of me.

"I can't do that, Paulina." I respond to my best friend "this is my problem and I'm going to handle it myself."

I can't tell Sebastian about this. This is my fight, and I'll take care of it. Telling Sebastian is something Cal's expecting most, so perhaps I'll just surprise him. Surprise him, that his 'baby girl' isn't as 'helpless' as she's always seemed.

[To be continued...]