It was a hot day and Melissa could feel a trickle of sweat on her back. She was dying to get home and douse herself in cold water. She crossed the street and walked briskly on the foot walk. Her long auburn hair was tired up with the help of a head scarf. She had had a long day at work and was upbeat about securing a new client for her advertising agency. If she continued the way she was going she would be a manager in no time. A little smile crossed her face. I am doing good she thought to herself, nobody can stop me now.
She had cinched the deal over a cup of coffee. The cafe had been close to her apartment. After showing the client her previous work she had engaged in a long discussion with her about her requirements and what she was looking for. The client which was a large cosmetic giant in the making loved her ideas, honesty and earnestness. She called her boss Harry to give him the good news.
"Harry!"
"Please Melissa tell me you did it."
"I did it!" she giggled.
"Yes! Umm I mean good job" he said composing himself, "go on home from there. We can discuss the rest tomorrow."
"Alright! Thanks"
"Bye"
Melissa hung up and started walking back to her apartment. As soon as she reached the stairs she took them two at a time to her first floor apartment.
She entered and tossed her handbag on the recliner. She went to her bedroom, put some music on her phone and discarded her black dress along with her inners and ran into the shower. She stood there for sometime letting cold water hit her.
She replayed the entire meeting with Eleanor, the PR person responsible for Looking Good! the cosmetic company that she had acquired. Melissa was satisfied with how that had gone. As she scrubbed her hands she frowned at the scar on her wrist. Not too long ago her life had gone downhill but she had turned her life right back.
I will not think of that, she thought. I am past that and its a place I do not want to go back to. She turned the shower off and wrapped her towel around her. As soon as she stepped out she realized something was amiss. Her discarded clothes were nowhere to be seen. She glanced at her bed and there they were folded neatly.
"What the-'
"Can't stand messiness. Besides your home looks impeccable and that was bothering me."
Melissa turned wide eyed to see a handsome man standing with his arms folded across his chest, leaning in her bedroom doorway.
"You- I- I you- what-"
"Tch tch rendered you speechless have I? Don't worry I have that effect on women."
"WHO ARE YOU?" screamed Melissa.
He was by her side in a second a hand across her mouth.
"If you make noise or so much as try to scream I will make things very difficult for you, is that understood?"
Melissa nodded and took a deep breath.
"Now i am going to let go. Are you going to scream?"
Melissa shook her head.
"Good girl" he said removing his hand.
Melissa was shaking like a leaf.
"Are you going to rape me?" she asked in a small voice.
The stranger threw his head back and laughed. He laughed so hard that his eyes watered and tears ran down his cheeks.
"What's so funny?" asked Melissa a little miffed. She had stopped shaking and had convinced herself that this man was in the wrong house.
"Look at me Melissa" he said gesturing to himself, "do I look like I need to rape girls?"
"Conceited much? Wait a minute! how do you know my name?"
"We have a lot to talk about, get dressed I am waiting in your living room and do not bother calling for help your cell phone is with me."
"I will do no such thing! Who are you and what do you want?" asked Melissa in fake bravado, she had overcome a lot of things but she really wasn't the bravest girl around.
"Well if you prefer to talk in a towel its fine by me!"
"Get out!"
"Are you getting dressed?"
"Yes now out!"
Melissa quickly put on a pair of jeans and a t shirt and walked out to her living room where the stranger sat as cool as a cucumber. He was typing something on his cell phone.
"Who the hell are you?"
"Aren't you tired of that question already?"
"Yes and I am running out of patience so tell me who the hell you are and get going!"
He looked at her amused. He could see the fear in her eyes but he had to admire her attempt at being brave.
"Sit down Melissa"
"This is my house and you can't tell me what to do!"
He let out a long sigh, "Women! You'll just never want to make anything easier for us do you? Well ok let's have it your way."
"And?"
"I am here to claim the 2 million dollars you owe me"
Melissa stared at him and blinked rapidly.
"Er what?"
He pushed some papers across the table and Melissa stepped forward to see them.
I hereby agree to pay the debt of Mr. Ralph Summers. The amount of which is 2 million dollars should he fail to return the said amount in the given time. It was signed by her and two witnesses, the paper was official looking as well it had some kind of a government stamp on it.
"How did my signature get there?" she asked. It was more to herself than him.
She turned the paper and there was a copy of her passport and a picture of her. Her signature ran across her picture.
"What the hell?" she whispered.
"Oh God, Oh no. Oh no no no no! That bastard!"
"What's wrong?"
"Mr.-" she stopped as she realised she didn't know his name still.
"Ivan" he quipped.
"Right. Mr. Ivan you have been duped. Who are these witnesses?"
"They are people from my company."
"When was this signed?"
"As you can see the date, it was done 6 months ago"
Melissa suppressed a sob and "I knew it. That bastard hadn't changed I knew it!" she screamed the last part out.
"Look are you trying to back out?"
"What? There is nothing to back out of"
"Those aren't your signatures?" he asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yes they are"
"then i am a little confused."
"Ask your men if they were there when I signed these"
"Why?"
"Do it"
He took his cell phone out and made a call.
"Steve, you know the Summers debt? Did Ms. Summers sign it in front of you?"
"What? You know the rules." he was silent as he heard what Steve had to stay.
"I will deal with you when I get there." and he hung up.
Melissa gulped something about his tone told her that he would carry out his threat.
"It seems that Ralph brought the papers to them already signed and that he told them you couldn't make it at the same time as them and which is why they signed later."
His composure was shaken. Melissa could see he was seething.
"Yes well you went through all this trouble to intimidate me for no reason. i have nothing to do with this."
"Ah you see i can't do that. i want my money"
Melissa looked at him incredulously and said "I don't owe you anything. he faked my signatures and stole copies of my documents. He had come to me asking me to let him stay for one night at my house!"
"He?"
"My father!" spat out Melissa.
A/N: Hey!! So this is a new idea. Let me know how you find it? Vote and comment if you liked it! Its going to be a 20 chapter book I think, I am not too sure :/ every vote and every comment gets a dedication in the chapters that will follow as well as my other stories... so if you liked it click on that little star, if you have an opinion express it! Love, Hafsa.