Happy Anniversary

Davis POV

“Don”

Vincent called from behind, and I turned to him. Not leaving the balcony, he made his way towards me. I had a cigarette between my fingers as I waited for the good news, I puffed out the smoke,

“News”

“We have tortured, but the man is refusing to say a word, Don. He claims he doesn't know a thing about what we are talking about”

“Then kill him” I spat. There was no time to waste on the motherfucker.

“What about the girl?” I asked.

We had only been able to trace her just yesterday after so many weeks of searching. I wanted her to be brought to me, I wanted to look into those fake innocent eyes of hers and fucking shoot her myself.

The bitch even lied about her name, she said Madison, Michelle, or was it Mary, something that had to do with the letter 'M' but fuck, we only found out yesterday that the bitch's name was Grace, Grace fucking Daniels.

I dragged the cigarette on my lips before asking,

“Where is she?” I puffed it out.

“She… she escaped Boss”

The words rang twice in my ears as I squinted my eyes at Vincent,

“She escaped?” I asked and saw him nod.

“Yes Don, when we got to her apartment, she seemed to have left days ago. I asked the neighbors around, they said they hardly see her at home. The last time they had seen her was two days ago when she step into her house late in the evening, but they never saw her come out”

I closed my eyes only to open them again, my bloodshot eyes stared at Vincent,

“You all can get the men but cannot get me a single twenty-one year old girl?” I yelled.

“We are still searching, Don”

“Vincent, you search well. She better be found, turn the entire New York upside down if you have to. Just find me that fucking bitch!”

“Yes Don” he bowed before giving me a picture, “We found this in her house”

I took the picture and looked at it, the damn girl and a younger girl with her. They had a wide grin on their faces.

“Leave,” I said as I waved at him. I stared at the picture again, looking at the girl who had caused this whole shit to happen. She was definitely working with someone, how did she know that I loved dark blue on ladies, the lacy bra too? How did she know I was going to that damn club that night?

“Fuck!” I cussed when I felt the damn burn on my skin. I threw the cigarettes into the ashtray before picking up my lighter,

“Grace Daniels, I'll get you soon, and I'll end you!” I lit the picture and watched it burn as I would burn her soul when she is finally caught.

FIVE YEARS LATER

Grace's POV

“Sir, I am done with the cleaning. I'd like to take my leave now” I popped my head into my boss's office after knocking.

It was late already, and I needed to leave because I had to pick Helen up from school. I wasn't supposed to spend this much time here. I don't know why Mr. Pearls wanted me to clean the entire building today.

“Why the hurry, Grace,” he asked with a tug on his lips.

He stood up from his chair and walked closer to me, he always reminds me of Mr. Marcus back in New York. He had the same pot-belly and a grin that I guess would have really charmed a lot of ladies when he was young.

I let out a soft smile before saying, “I have to go pick up my daughter from school, sir”

“Ah, Helen” and I nodded

“Come here” he beckons to me and I furrow my brows. His arms spread wide open to hug me and I sighed,

“Mr. Pearls, I'm actually okay. I don't need a hug now. I just need my daughter” I said but still went ahead to hug him.

“You worry too much about her,” he murmured on my neck. I tried to let go of the hug, but he didn't release me,

“Mr. Pearls?” My voice trembled a little.

“Grace, I told you, I'll take care of you and your daughter. Just let me have you this once” he coaxed, causing my eyes to widen.

With force, I pushed him away, not caring if he hit himself on something. My hands shook, and my heart thudded in my chest,

“Grace…” he called as he tried to reach for me again, but I had already picked up my bag,

"No," I said in a hurry before I rushing out of his office.

“Jesus Christ, I'm definitely not going back there” I muttered the moment I got out of the building. I flagged a taxi immediately and got in, making my way to Helen's school.

On getting there, I met a few of the teachers still in the school, and I walked up to them with a smile.

“Hello”

“Grace, Good evening”

“Good evening, Mr. Michael. How are you?”

“I'm good, you?” He asked and I smiled tiredly.

“Where is my daughter?” I asked when I didn't see her playing around as usual and saw him narrow his eyes. I raised a brow,

“Grace, your husband came a while ago to pick her up,” he said to me. I let out a laugh before asking,

“Which husband?” I licked my lips and swallowed.

“A man came here a while ago saying he was your daughter's father, and she agreed to it. So, I let him take her home”

“Home?” I was confused. My heart is already beating loudly in my chest. What does he mean by that? Who is my husband? I held my chest.

“Grace, are you okay?” He tried to touch my shoulder, but I slapped his hands away.

"Did I ever tell you I have a husband?!?" I barked at him attracting everyone's attention to me.

Taking deep breaths with my eyes closed, I tried to calm down. For God's sake, I need to calm down. It might be Joshua who had helped me pick Helen up from school.

I quietly walked out of the school, ignoring the calls of the other teachers, I took a cab straight home. All this while, I was calling Joshua to ask if he was the one who had come to pick Helen up, but he didn't pick up his calls.

With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tears began to rush down my cheeks. Helen is my life, nothing must happen to her. I really do not want to remember what had happened that night years ago, but the knot in my stomach made me so sick, I can't help it.

I was quick to pay the cab driver before stepping down and rushing towards my apartment,

“Helen?” I called only to find my apartment locked just as I had left it this morning. I opened it and went in, but Inside the house was dark, and I turned on the light.

Everything was exactly as I had left it, there was no Helen in here, and I felt cold run down my spine. My heart was breaking and aching.

“Helen!” I screamed as I rushed out of the house only to see a piece of paper pinned to the door. I must have missed it earlier.

With trembling hands and thudding heartbeats, I pulled it to read,

“Hello again, it's May 19th, Happy anniversary. So I decided we play a game like the last time, remember? Let's not mess this up this time, okay? I mean, it's your daughter we are talking about here. I know you want a clue, so I'll give you one. Go back to your daughter's father. I give you three days…

Tick Tock… Tick Tock"

I fell on my knees in tears, as I felt this unusual cold. Blood and strength drained from my body as I let out an ear piercing scream.