Chapter 80
Paranoia
Orthon’s POV
The moment her smile faded, I knew something was wrong. I hated that I listened to her and agreed to this FaceTime. I should have gone over and taken that stupid box myself.
I suspected it was from Carter at first, but I didn’t imagine he would want to keep himself mysterious if he was trying to win her back.
“What is it. Vee? I can’t see…” I asked worried. Her fingers trembled as she slowly lifted a white baby wear, only that it was covered in blood.
I didn’t know how to feel about the gruesome sight. It was disturbing and chilling.
“Vee…” I called but she took out another item. A picture this time. “What is it?”
She slowly turned it and another set of chills ran down my spine. It was a picture of Veronica in the shower.
“Vee…”
“They… they said the house was safe. That he couldn’t get in… then how. could he possibly…” her lips quivered as she spoke and I hated that I wasn’t there to comfort her. She looked so terrified.
“Vee…”
Chapter 10
“There’s more,” she sniffled and it broke my heart to see the tears build up in her eyes. She didn’t deserve this.
All this torture, torment, she didn’t deserve any of them. And it broke me that I couldn’t do anything about it.
“Vee, what else is in there?” My voice was tense, barely concealing the rage bubbling beneath my skin.
Her fingers trembled as she reached back into the box, pulling out another item. My breath caught in my throat.
A lock of hair.
Not just any hair, her hair,
Her eyes widened in horror as she dropped it like it burned her. “No… no, this isn’t possible,” she whispered, stumbling back.
“Vee, listen to me,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Are you sure it’s yours?”
She gave a shaky nod. “I…I cut my hair last year. The same length. The same color. But how…how does he have
Before I could respond, she reached into the box again. My stomach twisted as she pulled out something even worse.
A small, broken doll.
Its limbs were twisted unnaturally, its glassy eyes missing, replaced by tiny black buttons stitched into place. But what made my blood run cold was the crude stitching across its lips, as if someone had sewn its mouth
shut.
A message.
Stay silent.
Veronica let out a choked gasp and dropped the doll onto the table. “Orthon,” her voice cracked, “I…I can’t do this. This is too much.”
I clenched my fists, my body taut with fury. “You’re not alone in this, Vee. I swear to you, I will find out who’s doing this.”
She shook her head violently, her breathing shallow. “You don’t understand! He was inside, Orthon. He took a picture of me. He has my hair. That means he’s been close… too close!”
I was already moving, my voice firm. “I need you to stay put. Do not open any doors. Do not go anywhere alone. I’m calling your father.”
“No!” she protested. “He’ll only lock me up even more. And what if he thinks I’m overreacting?”
Overreacting? The bloodied baby wear, the hair, the photo, this wasn’t paranoia. It was terrifying. If the plan was to scare her then he succeeded.
And I was going to find out who was behind it.
Veronica suddenly gasped, staring at the bottom of the box. I watched as her shaking fingers picked up one last item, a folded piece of paper.
She hesitated, then opened it.
Her face turned ghostly white.
“What does it say?” My voice was barely above a whisper.
Tears slipped down her cheeks as she read, her voice barely audible.
“I’m going to miss you.”
What the fuck?
Her eyes were horrified as she looked at me. “Do you… do you think he knows that we’re traveling? How is that even possible? My father just told. me at dinner and I just told you, there is no way he could have known…
“Vee, please calm down…” I tried to soothe her. I didn’t want her to have a panic attack, especially when there was no one there.
“Stop telling me to calm down!” She snapped. “Some maniac is out there stalking my life and sending my disturbing items and you’re saying I should stay calm? How the fuck am I supposed to stay calm?” She screamed at me.
Oh, God! I needed to get there.
I stood up immediately and grabbed my keys.
“Wait… wait… please don’t go. I’m sorry I yelled at you. I’m just scared and I don’t know what to do or…”
“Sssshhh! I’m coming over, okay?” I told her. “I’ll stay on the line with you. until I get there. You don’t have to worry about anything,” I assured her.
“You… you won’t hang up? You promise?” She asked tearfully.
“I promise, baby. Just hold for me, okay?”
She nodded with a sniffle.
“I’ll be there before you know it.”
I headed outside, walking towards my Royce when Arie came walking in
Chapter 10
with a strange man.
I stopped, my eyes hardening as they headed towards my building.
“Arie?” I called and she turned around. She broke into a bright smile.
“Orthon hey…” she waved and pulled her visitor along with her.
“And who is this supposed to be?” I asked, scanning him coldly.
“Oh, this is Brad. I met him at a restaurant and thought he was really sweet…” she shrugged.
“And?” My eyes narrowed.
“I told him about Keon and he wants to meet him,” she said. I knew she was lying. It was very obvious.
Arie didn’t even remember she was a mother half the time, not talk of introducing her son to someone else.
“Can I talk to you for a second?” I asked, shooting the man a glare. “In private.”
“I’ll just wait over there,” he chuckled nervously and walked to a reasonable distance.
I turned to Arie. “I am in a hurry so I am only going to say this once. Take that man out of my property. If you want to fuck him, do it at a hotel or his place, but you will not drag Keon into this and you will not fucking disrespect me like that!”
“Geez! Take a chill pill! His hair wants to see Keon, that’s all. We’re not…”
“I am not going to repeat myself, Arie,” I interrupted coldly and turned to
Chapter 53
walk back to my car.
“I’m not allowed to introduce my son to my friends anymore? What am I supposed to do now? Send him home?” She yelled after me.
“Unless you’re more comfortable with the security intervention,” I shrugged and got into the car. I placed the phone in front of me.
“I’m sorry about that, Vee,” I said but she wasn’t in the camera frame anymore. “Veronica?” I called, picking the phone.
“Veronica? Are you there?” I called again but there was nothing. Not even
an answer.
Shit!
