The Cages You Build

Chapter eighteen~Feelings

It was her fifth night in Rauthbourne's design room and Mia was just about done in. She didn't know how much longer she'd be able to keep her eyes open.

She'd been staying up until three a.m for four days in a row, trying to complete as many dresses as possible. What she was doing was crazy, trying to make evening gowns all by herself within the space of a few weeks. It took a whole team of Rauthbourne designers months to do this. At this point, she doubted anything she produced would be sleek enough to hang in a thrift store.

At times like this, she told herself it was just the exhaustion talking but she was beginning to doubt the wisdom in staking her entire career on a gamble like this.

The corridors of the building were dark and eerily silent and only the lights in the design room were on. She'd closed the curtains as tight as she could. Anyone looking at the building shouldn't suspect a soul was inside.

Dennis had spoken to the guards on night duty and told them to let her in and the only reason they agreed without any fuss was because they'd run a background check on their database and seen that she was an employee. The ID card around her neck also helped. Nevertheless, the first night she'd arrived and been allowed to enter without any hassle, it had felt like a dream and she'd expected a rude awakening any moment. Maybe when she stepped into the building, the alarms would go off and she would be surrounded by flashing lights and armed policemen. Maybe she had been just a wee bit dramatic. Although something in the back of her mind told her everything wasn't as it seemed. She wasn't naive enough to think the security team wouldn't alert either Anthony or Mary about her clandestine visits. Dennis Savage didn't have the authority to authorize such a thing. It was either Dennis had told Mary or Anthony or the security did. It made sense if only Anthony was aware. He might be kind enough to allow it. Whoever it was, she was glad to still have a job.

Mia checked the time on the clock. One o'clock and she was already beyond exhausted. No way she was getting anything done now. If she stayed, she'd pass out on the floor and stay there till morning.

Packing up all the fabric and tools, she carefully arranged them in a large bag which she usually hid in a corner of the storage room. It was too heavy to carry home or she wouldn't risk leaving it there for someone to find. She'd used some of her savings to buy fabric and Dennis had been saving leftover material for her. She justified herself with the fact that the dresses she was making would eventually belong to Rauthbourne so she wasn't taking from them solely for her own benefit. Carrying her handbag, she gave the room one last survey to make sure everything was just as she'd found it. Perfect. Turning off the lights, she shut the door.

Outside, she gave a cursory wave to the guards on duty and walked out briskly. The night air was quick and cutting. The street was brightly lit and it didn't take long for her to notice the car parked on the other side of the street. A car with someone in its front seat. Her pulse sped up. Was someone watching her? If she kept walking, would the car start up and follow her?

She picked up her pace, hands shoved in her pockets and face downturned. This was it. Someone had seen her leaving the Rauthbourne building at an unauthorized hour. But thoughts of her safety quickly over-clouded every other thought. What kind of person would be parked on the street at past one in the morning, apparently waiting for her?

Her mind had painted a dozen awful scenarios when she heard one of the car's front windows being lowered.

"Mia, it's me!"

She stopped walking, shoulders lowering in sweet relief. She spun around to find David's face framed in the open window. Lips pursed, she strode over to the car and got in the passenger seat.