Chapter 4 Chapter 4

“He lives across from me, hence the security details. I will ask you to please not mention it to anyone. I really don't want to have to get an NDA.”  he said

“Hey, no one will ever know. I don't gossip. I’m here to take care of your mother and nothing else.”

When I left Athena Tower, I felt a sense of pride and relief. With this job I won't be home in the evenings; I will be locked away in Athena Tower, where Alex can't reach me. I prayed that Detective Ryan could find him. I lived in fear every day. I may not show it, but I am always cautious.

When I got back home, I grabbed a quick lunch and did a bit of laundry and some cleaning that I had been putting off. I was putting away some clothes when I heard the knock on my front door. The sound startled me and sounded so loud in the quiet of the house. I made my way over and peeked through the windows; it was Detective Ryan. I let out a breath and opened the door. He came and stood looking at me; his face was filled with tension, and he wouldn't look me in the eye, and his posture was heavier than usual.

“Did you know that Alex was a twin?” he asked.

“What? No… Elaine had one son, Alex,” I said.

“No. When Elaine married your father, Alex was the one living with you; he was the one that…” He stopped.

“Please do say it.” I whispered, sinking onto the couch. He sat beside me.

“Tessa We couldn't find your stalker because we were looking for the wrong person. The one that went to jail wasn't Mark; it was Alex.” he said.

“No… there’s two of them. Which one of them…” I stopped. No, this can’t be happening. This can’t be real. My entire world was shattering all over again.

“Tessa, Alex, the one that hurt you was in jail for aggravated assault; he was released two weeks ago. His twin, Mark, is married with kids. That leaves the issue of who is sending the flowers,” he said, sounding and looking tired.

“No… I refuse to believe it. He… he always… gave me… yellow roses… everytime he…” I couldn't even bring myself to say the words.

The train ride back into Manhattan was a nightmare for me. I scanned the crowd constantly; I was jumpy and paranoid. When I stepped out onto the platform, someone bumped into me, and I froze for a few seconds, then hurried off, keeping my head low. I made it to the Athena Tower in record time, making sure to check my surroundings, hoping I wasn't followed. I hurriedly punched in the gate code; once I was inside, I made my way to the elevator.

The second I punched in the code, someone appeared beside me, making me jump. Zaiel Rhyland. “Jesus Christ,” I muttered. When the elevator door opened, I stepped in, ignoring the towering man beside me that was dominating the space. Even though he wasn't moving, the small space made his tailored suit and imposing height feel overwhelming.  The air was thick with the expensive, subtle scent of his cologne, something clean and smoky, and it was an invading scent.

“So you no longer work in the club; you make house calls?” he asked, his voice low and cold and with a hint of something that sounded like amusement. I turned and looked him dead in the eyes. “Why would you like me to visit you?” I asked with sarcasm. It was quick, but I saw it nonetheless, a tick in his jaw. His eyes held that same cold, emotionless look. He stepped forward, but I didn't budge.

“I have no interest in women that sell themselves,” he said with contempt in that dead cold voice, and I laughed.

“Well, good for you. I pray you find a woman untouched, like yourself." He was about to answer when the doors of the elevator opened. I stepped out and was faced with a wall of Black, his security details. I walked past them and saw Anthony dressed in a suit waiting.

“Hey, you’re here,” he said casually as if we’ve been friends forever.

“Yeah, I am.”

“Okay, here’s your metro card, the keys to the apartment, and a visitor badge for the building. Oh, just a minute,” he said, looking past me.

"Mr. Rhyland, this is Ms. Jansen. She will be here every evening for the foreseeable future. She is my mother’s caretaker.” he said, looking at the man standing four feet away. He just nodded and walked into his apartment. He was an asshole; he felt entitled because he was a billionaire CEO.

After Anthony left, I went in and locked the door. I took Christine out to the balcony and fed her, her dinner. I asked her what she wanted; I gave her options. She was easy to get along with. I didn't decide what to do for her. She was a living, breathing person, and she had a choice. By ten she was tired and wanted to go to bed.

Thankfully Anthony had a wheelchair for her. After I made sure she was okay. I went back out to the living room and sat down with a book.

Christine was easy to care for, and with the amount Anthony was paying me, I didn't need to work anywhere else. I would be able to save enough and run when and if the time ever came. I knew I was safe here. No one could get to me without running into Rhyland’s bodyguards. I could try to sleep, but my mind wouldn't shut off.

The one thing that was bothering me was, who was the stalker? Alex or his twin Mark?. I know it was Alex; he was the one that Raped me. It had to be, or was it Mark?. It gave me a headache thinking about it. I opened the copy of Wuthering Heights I found in Anthony’s library and settled in for a quiet reading session. Christine woke up once during the night for the washroom and a drink of water, and the rest of the night was quiet.

When she woke up at seven, I gave her a bath and prepared pancakes for her. I let her choose pancake, oatmeal, or porridge. She made vomiting noises when I said "porridge," which made us laugh. After breakfast I took her out to the balcony and did some exercises with her. When Anthony came in at 8, he found us on the balcony.

“My, my, you two seem happy,” he said, looking at us.

“We are,” I said, smiling. I stood up and took her back inside.

“So, she has already had breakfast and exercised, and we had our gossip.”

“Thank you, Tessa. Why don't you head out and make sure you get some sleep?”

“I will. "Bye Christine, see you tonight," I said, waving at her as I grabbed my handbag, and she smiled.