Designer heels hit the floor simultaneously with melodies clicks. The lady dressed in a very short but sleeved gown with her bag on her right hand strolled into the office as if she owned the place.
Claire overheard that Ashton had claimed a very famous company and she itched to she what it looked like.
"Ashton's Fiancée," she said to the receptionist. A man in his mid-twenties sat up from his seat immediately.
"Please hold on, let me inform-"
"I said, I am your boss's Fiancée. I don't need you phoning him. I did that a while ago!"
"I still need to phone his secretary at least," the man said.
"I'm giving him a surprise, please let me in."
"If you insist ma'am. Go on, he's on the 3rd floor." She took her bag from where she had kept it and started going towards the elevator.
---
"And Thea," Thea paused when she was already at the door and turned to him. "It's tomorrow, you should be there Thea, I want you to be there."
"But-"
"As my secretary, you should be at my call. I don't want things to go out of proportion."
"Sure," Thea said before walking out of the door.
Her steps matched the ones with designer heels. The long hall way enough for them to clash at some point.
"It's over there," someone said to Claire. She nodded and walked ahead towards the office. Her phone rang immediately and she rummage through her bag in search of it but never stopping.
"Hey there!" Thea's attention was driven away as she turned to speak to the Financial secretary that called her attention.
Claire walked passed her with her phone on her ear and her attention away from the scanty hallway as she spoke to someone.
"Okay good," the man said and nodded before walking away allowing Thea to continue her strides to her table.
"Baby," Ashton froze immediately at the sound of her voice. He raised his head to stare at the woman that just invaded his office.
"You forgot to pick me at the airport but don't worry, I found my way here."
"Don't you knock!"
"Oh I'm sorry, I thought you'll be happy I came. Aren't you happy?" She rolled her eyes when he didn't reply. "Fine then," she chimed. "Don't answer me. I'm hungry, can we go out for lunch?"
"I have a celebration to prepare for and I have to make sure everything is set. You go ahead, I'm okay."
She mustered a smile before agreeing. "Fine, I'll meet you at home."
---
Freya watched as Zachary's phone rang for the fourth time that night. She watched as he was keen on rejecting the call.
"Who is it?" She asked.
"My boy from work."
"Isn't it important, you should pick it up." Zachary shook his head, dismissing the idea immediately. When the phone rang again. She gave him a look that said better to pick it up.
He sighed then said, "just a minute." She nodded. When he took the call, she averted her attention totally allowing him to do his business. Her attention was dragged to the dark alley. As if someone was watching them.
"Freya did you hear me?"
"Eh, what?"
"I said let me drop you off at home, I have to be somewhere." He said.
"No, no it's fine. Just go."
"It's 8pm Freya, it's not safe. I don't want anything to happen to you." Zachy said to her but she shook her head adamantly.
"I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself. Besides, my car is just in front."
"Fine, call me when you get home else I'll come looking for you." She chuckled softly.
"Alright," she said and he leaned and kissed her lips very softly for a while.
"Good night," he told her.
"Night," he entered his car and drove away not bothering to look back.
Freya frowned when a figure moved in the dark.
"Who's there?" She blurted out. She looked around herself only to find people a bit far from her. Something glitter in the night and she walked towards it stealthily. "Who's there?" She asked again as her strides went faster in the direction of the dark.
The teenagers who laughed by a corner with bottle of drinks on their table made her turned her head distracted. That was when the figure ceased her. The only thing she saw or rather remember was the glittery silver bracelet that stuck to the hands of her attacker.
Freya gripped Ashton's hand loosely but the action alone made Ashton stopped and turn to her curiously.
"She moved her finger yesterday and now her hand. She's making progress quicker than I thought she would." Ashton swallowed nervously.
"She's saying something," Ashton noticed.
"That's new, what is she saying?" Frederick asked. Ashton leaned closer, planting his ear very close to her lips so as to understand what she was saying. The thing he heard her struggling to say was,
"Bracelet,"
---
11pm...
She paced around the room anxiously. For the nth time, she checked her phone.
No calls, no texts...
It was bothering. She tried calling him but he wasn't picking. At 11:30, she decided to just go to bed. Maybe something came up and he couldn't make it.
But he would call,
Something seemed wrong, she thought, but she just didn't know what. She placed her head against her pillow comfortably. At 12:30 am, she found herself succumbing to the irresistible pull of sleep.
But just as she succumbed, her phone rang briefly signaling that a message had come in, and it was a message from Ashton saying that he couldn't make it to her place that night.