The Billionaire & I

9.

The door to my apartment opened without me using the key and dread instantly filled me. I definitely locked it before leaving earlier.

"Did you leave it unlocked?" William asked.

"No," I murmured. We entered and at seeing the state of my apartment, my heart dropped. Nothing was how I left it hours ago. Half of my furniture was upturned, broken and scattered around.

My eyes went to the kitchen and I immediately ran to check the jar on top of the fridge. It was empty.

"Fuck," I turned the empty jar around then upside down. In a haste, I ran to my bedroom but halted seeing the mess it was. I checked the drawers but everything was gone too. All the spare change I'd saved up for a rainy day, all gone.

"No, no." I shook my head and fell to the floor, pushing knees up to my chest.

"Ophelia, look at me."

I unfocusedly gazed at William who was now bent to my level on the ground.

"Do you know who could have done this?" He asked calmly.

"J-jiggy is the only one who has access to the apartment since he's the landlord," my lips trembled, "I-I always lock my door, I swear, I do."

"We will get it all back, okay?" He leaned closer and his thumbs wiped away tears I didn't realise already stained my cheeks.

"I-I don't have anything. H-he duped me and I lost everything and now I have n-nothing again," I sobbed into my knees.

William was saying something as his arms wrapped around me but I couldn't hear him.

"Let's go." He suddenly stood up.

I raised my head and stared at him. "Where?"

"To my apartment. You can't stay here."

"Do you mind?" I asked.

"If I did, I wouldn't have offered. I'll wait for you in the living room." He said then walked out of the room. I breathed in and slowly wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.

Staring at my room, I just wanted to sit and continue crying till tomorrow or next but I also didn't want to stay here, not tonight. I started searching for clothes amongst the ones strewn on the floor and after picking up what I needed, placed them in an overnight bag.

I tried lifting a few other items and stuffing them back in the wardrobe but they fell back out and I closed my eyes. Everything was a mess.

Leaving it all, I went out to the living room where William was waiting.

"Ready?" He asked and I nodded.

The drive to his place was silent but my mind wasn't. I thought about all the money that was now gone and my apartment which was still in a mess. Was I really jinxed?

"We're here."

My head lifted from the window, turned to William then around, "oh."

We walked towards the elevator which took us up and into his penthouse. Once again, I was in his stylish apartment but my eyes couldn't wonder. He walked ahead. I followed and we ended up in a room on the first floor of the apartment.