"At this point, I'll be grateful for your pieces."
*****
Jessica Franklin is at her wit ends, literally. With two sisters depending on her and a mountain of debts on her neck, she needs a way out before she breaks down...
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Playlist. Can You Feel The Heat Now by Tommee Profitt ft Fleurie. Enjoy reading!!
"Didn't I warn you not to tell your husband?" The message reads, and my heart sinks.
Oh God, I groan internally, pacing around in the bathroom, my heart pounding and cold sweat breaking all over my body. Taking in a deep breath, I make to reply.
"I didn't tell him anything. He figured it out on his own." I type back to him, holding my breath as I click on send.
"He did? So he must've known about us beforehand. You've really progressed in your relationship. But I do not care about that." He replies back and I bite my lower lip, awaiting the next text.
"When I give you an order, I expect you to follow it to the end. For this, you will be punished so you know I am not joking about this."
The message causes me to reel to a stop. What the hell does he mean? Don't you dare! I type back, but I'm almost hyperventilating, my hands shaking. The message doesn't deliver and I know he's out of reach once more. Resisting the urge to pull out my hair in frustration, I turn on the tap and let out a soundless scream, shaking uncontrollably.
I'm so terrified, I don't know what I'm going to do. I don't know what Zachary is planning on doing. Blinking back the tears that have begun to sting my eyes, I force myself to walk out of the bathroom and slip back into the bed, feeling its softness envelope me. Devon stirs slightly, his arms instinctively wrapping around me like a protective shield. His body heat is comforting, but even in his embrace, I can't shake off the icy grip of fear. I close my eyes, trying to shut out the world for just a while listening to his steady breathing and the rhythmic beating of his heart.
Morning comes, and, as usual, I go through the motions of preparing breakfast and a cup of coffee for Devon despite my inner turmoil. I'm almost losing my mind, but I can't tell anyone about it. The last thing I want is for Zachary to send me another threat. So I put on a fake smile, keeping up with my facade. Once breakfast ends and Emma leaves for school. Devon comes to meet me. I stiffen slightly but immediately shake it off, glancing at him. His gaze is somber behind his glasses, and I let out a shaky breath.
"I already hired some underground bodyguards for your sister." He announces, watching me closely. My mind takes a moment to catch up, but then his words sink in.
"Oh, really?" I ask ,my voice holding a hint of surprise and he nods. He reaches out to caress my face and instinctively, I lean into his touch.
"They'll operate discreetly, ensuring her safety without drawing attention. I figured it would be much better this way." He explains.
"Thank you." I mutter in relief, feeling absolutely grateful that he thought of that. He nods, kissing me on my forehead. Pulling away, he lets go of his hands and I watch them fall to the side. Glancing at him, I let out a sad smile. It's at the tip of my tongue to tell him about the conversation I had with Zachary but I hold back, hugging him instead as guilt eats away at my heart.
"Take care of yourself." He whispers o my hair and I grip him even tighter. Letting go of him after a while, I bid him goodbye and watch as he leaves, feeling a mixture of happiness and guilt. Once I'm alone, more my facade drops and I let out a groan, staring at my phone on the kitchen counter.
I'm trapped in a waking nightmare. . . . Spending all day awaiting punishment isn't fun, especially when you don't know what Zachary wants to do. I tried calling and texting him, but none of my messages went through. The last time I had been this anxious was when I supposedly killed him, and now he's the one haunting me.
Emma arrives home late today and when she does, she is covered in bruises and bandages on her body. Alarmed, I rush to her, asking her what happened.
"I got into an accident," she tells me, sounding dazed.
"What!?" I exclaim, shocked.
"Crazy, right? The car just came out of nowhere and tried to hit us. Luckily, another car came to stop the collision with ours, or else things would be a lot worse. Everyone is alright, though we sustained some minor injuries that were immediately treated by the paramedics. I can't say for the person who caused the accident, though. He disappeared immediately after the incident." She narrates to me, touching the bruises on her arms and inspecting the cuts on her face.
"You're alright, though? No serious injuries?" I ask and she nods.
"No serious injuries. Just dazed. Watched my entire life flash before my eyes."
Well, my entire life is flashing before my own eyes! Is this the punishment Zachary was talking about?! He's trying to kill Emma!
"Are... you alright? You look even more shocked than me." She tells me, staring at me with concern in her eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine.." I rush out, hugging her. "Glad to see you're okay. Get some rest, okay? I'll prepare some tea. Thank you for coming home safe." I whisper to her, tears of gratitude filling my eyes. Emma just gives me a quizzical look and watches me as I pace around, trying to calm myself down.
Devon comes home and immediately inquires about Emma. He must've heard from the bodyguards he hired for her. Emma, still oblivious, narrates the incident to him, going into detail. According to her, everything felt pre-planned, as if they were waiting for them to drive past the road. Although he has a blank look on his face, I can't miss the rage in his eyes. It causes me to tense up, my heart racing.
He soothes Emma and promises to make plans to ensure she's protected. She thanks him, still oblivious to the real threat. At the end of the interrogation, Devon is furious, and I am frozen.
"He's going too fast with this..." He mutters to himself, but I'm too paralyzed to reply. Before long, he notices my quietness and my widened eyes as I rock myself back and forth, clutching my phone tightly. Brows furrowing, he walks up to me.
"Is he contacting you?" He asks, and I stiffen, my heart skipping several beats. Although I hear the question loud and clear, I make no move to answer, too afraid. What if he hurts Devon?
Tilting my head to look at me, Devon stares into my eyes. "Jessica, I'm asking you a question. Is he contacting you?" He asks.
I shake my head, my lower lip trembling. "No, he's not." I croak, breathing heavily as new tears fill my eyes.
"Jessica," he repeats again, his voice sterner.
"He's not contacting me!" I sob out. "I-I don't know what he wants!"
Devon's eyes narrow, and he tries to take away my phone, but I quickly snatch it back, running away from him. I watch as his gaze clouds with disappointment and what I can only interpret as heartbreak.
"You don't trust me," he whispers, his voice thick with hurt, and he walks toward me. I step backward, avoiding his eyes.
"I do, It's just..." I trail off, not knowing what to say. The temperature in the room drops, and I feel goosebumps rise on my skin as Devon continues to stare at me.
"You don't trust me enough to protect you," he repeats, his voice as cold as ice. That hits me in the gut, and I feel like I have been stabbed with a hot, searing knife. I snap my head to look at him, shaking my head.
"Devon, please," I start to beg, walking toward him, but he steps away from me, giving me a once-over look. I freeze, feeling as tears stream down my face. With an exasperated sigh, he turns around and leaves the room.
It feels like my heart is cracking and dropping to the ground as I sob uncontrollably, tremors going through my entire body. I feel as though I can split apart from the pain coursing through me. Staring at my shaking hands through a blurry gaze, I sniff, unable to go to him to try to placate him.
Does Devon hate me now?
**** Poor girl, she's so lost. Thoughts on this chapter! Let me know 😘😘 See you in the next!
