RAELYNN
"What's going on here?", the familiar deep voice came from behind me.
I turned around and faced him.
"Ms. Baker.", he greeted with a curt nod.
"Mr. Marino.", I greeted back, equally curt.
His secretary greeted me and I greeted her politely.
"Is there any issue?", Mr. Marino asked calmly, his gaze flickering to the two guys standing a few feet behind me.
"Noth-", before I could reply, the annoying kid cut me off.
"This lady barged into the men's washroom.", he said casually.
Pursing my lips, I turned to him, gazing at him flatly.
"I did not 'barge' in, kid, I was just mistaken.", I replied.
"You walked into the men's washroom?", Mr. Marino asked calmly.
"As I said, Mr. Marino, it was just by mistake.", I replied, looking at him calmly, masking my embarrassment.
"The sign was very clear though.", the kid said nonchalantly, pretending to think out loud.
"It was too high above the door, so I must have mistaken it.", I replied flatly.
"But you knew it was a washroom and not a random door. So if you have to know it was a washroom, you must have seen the sign. Then, how come you entered the wrong one?", he questioned with an annoying smirk.
"Are you suggesting I did it on purpose?", I asked in a hard tone, irritated at his indirect allegations.
"I'm just stating the evident facts.", he replied casually, shrugging.
"Is that so? Then, instead of calling the security, why were you trying to prolong the conversation in the washroom? Did you, perhaps, have an ulterior motive too?", I questioned, raising a brow, my gaze challenging his smirk.
His smirk faltered and I could see the subtle frown flickering in his gaze.
"What are you trying to say, woman? What motive could I have?", he asked, his voice laced with irritation.
"I don't know. An alone woman in the men's washroom, ambushed by two tall guys who were deliberately stalling her and snatched her phone from her hand abruptly. What could the motive be?", I commented calmly, pretending to think.
"Are you implying that we were going to get inappropriate with you?", he asked, now his anger clearly visible in his eyes and tone.
Looking him straight in the eyes, my lips curved ever so slightly into a very faint yet visible victory smirk.
"I'm just stating the evident facts.", I repeated his previous statement, my gaze taunting him.
I smirked internally.
What does this kid think? That I would start panicking and step into his prank or trap or whatever his intention was?
Scoff.
Poor kid. He doesn't realize I lived longer than him.
Though I'm not sure what his age is, it is clear he's a high school student.
"Look, woman, I-", he was saying, but was cut off.
"Ashton.", the deep and neutral tone of Mr. Marino cut him off.
Surprisingly, the kid stopped in an instant.
I looked at Mr. Marino and his gaze was fixated on the twins, who in turn looked elsewhere but at him.
"Ms. Anderson, inform Theo that the twins are here and lead them to his cabin. Make sure they walk to the cabin calmly.", Mr. Marino instructed his secretary.
"Yes, sir.", she replied and looked at the twins, who walked past me and followed her quietly, their expressions offended and annoyed.
As the three of them walked away, turning about to another corridor, Mr. Marino looked at me stoically.
"I'll lead you to the conference room, Ms. Baker.", he said curtly.
I nodded.
As we were walking side by side, there was a very brief silence, until Mr. Marino chose to break it.
"You have a knack for bickering, Ms. Baker.", he commented calmly, looking straight ahead at the path.
"And I presume it's genetic in your family to argue, Mr. Marino.", I retorted, equally calm.
"How did you know they're family?", he asked, glancing at me sideways for a quick moment.
"How else would two expensively dressed high-schoolers talk so casually in front of the head of this company?", I replied.
"You're surprisingly sharp at catching on to things.", he commented.
"And you're as surprisingly interrogative.", I said in a subtly dry tone.
"For someone who's so sharp, you definitely seem a little clumsy.", he said in a neutral voice, but I sensed a very slight mischief in his tone.
Or am I just imagining the mischief part?
"What makes you think I'm clumsy?", I asked, pursing my lips in irritation, ignoring the subtle change in his tone.
"Losing balance while punching, spilling coffee, getting into an accident, walking into men's washroom ...... ", he trailed off, giving me a sideward glance, his gray-eyes looking down at me.
I get it that I'm shorter than him, even though I fall under the tall category among women, but the way he looked down at me triggered my anger and the things he mentioned made embarrassment wash over me like a huge wave.
"You're childishly petty.", I commented, concealing the overwhelming embarrassment.
"You're changing the topic.", he said.
"I'm not.", I defended myself.
"You are starting to bicker again.", he retorted.
"And you are arguing. Again.", I replied.
"It's not always necessary to be the one to end the conversation, Ms. Baker.", he said.
"Right back at you, Mr. Marino.", I retorted, smiling in a pretentiously courteous way.
We were at the entrance of the conference room and I walked in, giving no chance for this gray-eyed man to comment.
Oof!
The whole family seems to enjoy pestering others.
Out of the people I met in their family, Theodore Marino is the only one who is humble and respectful.
I wonder why he hasn't taken back the reins of this project.
Not that it matters to me, but at least dealing with him is far more easy and professional.
The meeting started soon, diverting my mind from all the other thoughts, and we were completely engrossed in it, forgetting the earlier argument.
We argued, negotiated, compromised, bargained and the meeting still went on for two hours.
It was now a few minutes past nine in the night.
The meeting continued for another half an hour.
Both the parties failed to reach a conclusion due to uncertainties in a few issues.
"I suggest both the teams visit the construction site and then discuss the remaining factors. It would give both the parties a practical opportunity to demonstrate their points and reach a common ground. That's my proposition. What's your opinion on this, Ms. Baker?", Mr. Marino proposed, looking at me stoically.
"It is a good solution. I do agree it would be best to visit the site. Upon considering the suitable date and time, we will schedule a site visit, Mr. Marino.", I replied.
After further exchange of words, the meeting was finally wrapped up.
Standing up, I looked at Mr. Marino, ready to shake hands with him.
As we extended our arms and clasped our palms together for a hand-shake, he looked at me stoically.
"Drive safe, Ms. Baker.", he greeted in a neutral tone, but I know what he's indicating.
Jerk!
Embarrassment creeped up my cheeks remembering the incident a week ago, but I masked it with a courteous smile.
"Thank you for your overly kind concern, Mr. Marino.", I smiled courteously.
His eyes were challenging mine and mine his, none of us ready to back off.
I really do wonder at times if I had always been this petty, but again this man is the only person who provokes me like no other.
The commotion of associates around us reminded me we are not alone and curtly let go of his hand and he immediately withdrew his.
He looked away when his secretary approached him to inform about something.
Soon, my team and I took our leave and left the office.
Making sure everyone has a safe ride home, I drove back to my house.
Following the daily routine of facing an eerily quiet and cold house, freshening up before going to bed and checking all the rooms and windows to make sure they're properly locked, I sat in my study room with my desktop switched on.
I was bouncing my right leg ridiculously fast, tapping my index finger on the table, eyes closed, lips pursed, heart racing and stomach churning with a strange feeling - fear?
Anxiety was evident in my whole posture and my doings.
"Just open the most recent email sent by your friend, Sarah, and read it. Whether to contact or not is your next step."
Dr. Nicholas had said that in today's therapy.
And here I am getting sickeningly anxious just to open the email sent by Sarah.
Fine!
Let's just open it.
I prep talked myself and looked at the email with the subject in bold letters - Sarah Parker.
I placed my hand on the mouse and the cursor over the name, but I couldn't bring myself to click it.
I was randomly moving the digital mouse left and right, the fear, which had been strange up until now, clear.
My breathing was turning heavy and I took my hand off the mouse.
Da*n it!
It's just an email. It's just an email. It's just an email.
I started chanting to calm myself.
And before I got cold feet and turned the system off, I quickly held the mouse and clicked open the email.
Hey, teddy.
The first words that caught my eyes halted my entire being, hitching my breath at the base of my throat.
A rush of emotions washed over me at my childhood endearment.
A strange sensation bubbled around my nose and cheek, stinging my eyes with tears, but they didn't fall, rather I didn't let the tears fall.
Teddy
I could almost hear her calling me that.
Memories rushed forward. Memories of the time when my life had been a complete bliss. Memories of the time I had everything, a cool father, a loving mother and a best friend who was like a sister to me, and above all the time when I had a 'home'.
My chest constricted so tight that I had to rub my palm over it to breathe properly.
Clutching my palms in a tight fist, my eyes moved forth.
---------------------------------
Hey, teddy.
I'm not sure if you recognize me, so I'm just introducing myself again.
This is Sarah Parker, the one who you used to call a 'rich brat'.
This is my 9,867th mail to you and just like the last 9,866 times, I hope you'll read this.
How are you, Raelynn? How are you doing? Is everything going well? Are you happy?
I'm sorry for asking so many questions, but I can't help but worry about you.
10 damn years!
I've been waiting since the past 10 years to see you again, to talk to you, to see if you're okay, but all I am able to do is read about you and your company in the tabloids.
Why, Rae? Why do I have to listen to the news to know about you?
I am your friend. In fact more than that. We are sisters.
Why won't you answer me? Why won't you meet me even when I've visited your office? Why did you ask your staff to send me away?
What have I done to deserve such indifference from you?
Do you have any idea how madly we've searched for you, how painfully long I've waited for you?
I visited your parents everyday and even after they were gone, no matter which state I was in, I visited their grave every few days, hoping I'd see you someday, hoping we'd run into each other and for seven painfully long years, I was greeted with nothing more than the silence of that cemetery.
And when I finally got to know you're back, no one would tell me where you were living.
I've found your email with a lot of effort and have been writing to you since the past three years and yet I get no reply from you. Why?
Have you read at least one mail I've sent you in the past years?
Do you even know I married two years ago?
I've sent you hundreds of emails, begging you to attend my wedding.
I waited until the very end of the day, scanning through the crowd, hoping out of hope that maybe, just maybe, you would come.
And yet, it's been two years since my marriage and I have not seen you once.
Funniest part is, I'm getting divorced.
I'm sorry for bringing my problems into this. I won't pester you with them.
I just want to meet you once, Raelynn.
Please answer my mail and please let me meet you at least once, even if it's just for a short time. I promise I will not force you to meet again if you don't want to.
Please answer.
With love,
Sarah.
------------------------------------
Tears cascaded down my cheeks as my eyes reached the last word.
My palms were trembling, my heart beating loud, a heavy lump at the base of my throat and my lips quivering.
She's been waiting for me.
Waiting for me.
The words felt foreign.
My brain was getting fuzzy with numerous emotions clouding over me.
I was biting my lower lip harshly to refrain from sobbing out.
The moment I cry out, I would break down completely and I'm too scared to break.
I do not have the luxury to cry. I do not have the freedom to break.
And I do not have the courage to let go of the emotions.
I have no one to hold my hand.
I am alone.
And for those who are alone, emotions are a forbidden luxury.
Rubbing my cheeks to calm my flowing tears, I decided to meet Sarah.
Though I tried to cover it up with the reason for therapy, I knew that somewhere deep in my heart, I want to meet her too.
.
"You think people will accept a dirty wh**e like you?"
.
The vulgar words of a familiar voice echoed in my head, pushing aside the rushing memories.
Gritting my teeth, I banged my palm on the table in anger.
"I'm going to meet Sarah just once."
I spoke out loud to myself to block the words ringing in my ears.
Clicking on the reply option in the email, I sent a message before I could change my mind.
-------------------
Good evening.
Meet me in XXXX cafe on XXX street four days from now.
- Raelynn Baker.
-------------------
That was all I sent as a reply and switched my desktop off.
Rushing to the washroom, I splashed my face with cold water to curb my flowing emotions.
Taking a heavy breath, I swallowed a sleeping pill to drown into a slumber without any thoughts.
I know that the silence would only stray my mind towards the disturbing memories of those three years of hell in that bro**el and I have no strength or interest in going through a panic episode or worse, a sleep paralysis incident.
As expected, I was quick to fall asleep.
The next two days passed by in a blur with my mind preoccupied and slightly terrified of my meeting with Sarah.
Coming to Sarah, she has been sending me tons of mails since the night I replied to her, but I didn't open any mail of hers.
Today, a day before my meeting with Sarah, I have a site visit in collaboration with Marino Corp about the construction of the factory.
The site was a good few hours away from the city, closer to a hill.
Huge acres of land closer to the city would be unnecessarily costly and a waste of investment and hence we've bought the land far away from the city, near the remote towns and hills.
As we reached the site, we exchanged pleasantries with the associates of Marino constructions and Mr. Marino himself.
I was too preoccupied with thoughts of my own life that I didn't have the consciousness to compete with this gray-eyed man.
As the discussion with the engineers and architects was going on intensely, a sudden sound of a gunshot jolted me up.
Before I could comprehend anything, Mr. Marino, who was standing beside me, pushed me away with a force that shoved me to the hard ground.
As I looked up, I found a guard of Mr. Marino who had been standing a few feet behind us hit in the shoulder with a bullet.
"Get down", I heard the deep authoritative voice of Mr. Marino echo.
What the hell!
*******************************************************************************
Phew! That was a very long chapter!
How was the chapter?
Ash got outsmarted. 😂
And yet again Vince and Rae bickered. 🤦♀️
What do you think of the letter from Rae's friend, Sarah? 🥺
Bullets are going to fly left and right in the next chapter! 😰
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Yours lovingly,
Author.