CHAPTER 4

     "You know,  you are so insane. How could you have told him you will be there for him but you didn't take his number?" Rebecca asked. 

     It's been over a week since we returned from the police station but Rebecca couldn't let go of the fact that I didn't get Nathan's number. 

     

     "There's always a next time, Rebecca. Plus,  I was only meeting him for the first time and our meeting was awkward. Everyone thinks I murdered his brother even his mum thinks the same."

     The past week has been hard on me. People shading me on social media, reporters hanging around my house and workplace. My boss had to fire me cus he felt I was becoming a nuisance to him. I couldn't even leave the house without putting on sun shade and hoodie. Countless missed calls from my parents, Kylie's boyfriend asking her not to spend time with me, and Rebecca's unending taunts. It was the most difficult week of my entire life. Notwithstanding my challenges, I couldn't stop thinking about Nathan and what he might be going through. Could that nasty girl be giving him a hard time? I badly wanted to talk to him but didn't know-how. The buzzing of my phone snapped me out of my thoughts. I stretched out my hand and held the phone up to see who the caller was. 

     "Who's this?" I asked 

     "Wow! You didn't even give it a month before deleting my number. Are you still upset with me?"

     "Philip."

     "You still remember my voice. I know now that you still feel something for me."

     "Philip, I'm already in a lot of mess. Please don't add up to my problem."

     "Baby, I'm sorry. Please let's get back together."

     "What do you take me for? You feel like you could just dump me whenever you want and take me in again. Do you think I'm a trophy that can be won whenever? Philip, you are the reason I'm in this sticky situation. If you hadn't called off our relationship I won't have gone to the club. Don't you ever call this number again!" I dropped the call and threw the phone to the side of the bed. 

     "Next time he calls you to give me the phone let me give him a piece of my mind. He's so lucky I haven't met him face to face since he broke up with you." I threw her a wry smile. 

     "Thanks, Rebecca. You might be mean but you are quite sensitive."

     "I know. You don't have to tell me the obvious." My phone rang again. I picked up the phone without giving the receiver a chance to reply.

     "Philip, are you intentionally messing with me?  Didn't I tell you to never call me again?" 

     "How dare that cheap fool call you again?" Rebecca asked angrily. "Doesn't he have any manners at all? Pray we never cross paths because if we do, I'm gonna break every single bone in your body."

     "You just heard her. Don't make me repeat what she just said."

     "Who's Philip?" The receiver on the other end asked. I paused to the familiarity of the voice. It wasn't Philip. It was him, the one I've been waiting to hear for the past week. 

     "Nathan?"

     "Yes, it's me. Were you expecting someone else?"

     "Not really."

     "Maybe I should call back later."

     "No, it's okay. I thought it was my ex-boyfriend calling."

     "Relationship issues. I get it."

     "It's not what you think. I'm so over him. He's a real pain in the ass."

     "Pain in the ass." I could hear him chuckle over the phone. "Why do girls consider their boyfriend to be a pain in the ass after using them? "

     "My boyfriend was the one who called off our relationship because he thinks I'm too boring for him. I never cheated on him nor raised my voice at him. So I don't think it's fair to blame girls whenever things go wrong in their relationship."

     "Chill gal. I was only pulling your legs."

     "Kylie!" I slammed my hand to the wall in anger. "You had me thinking it was Nathan who called. I swear, I'm gonna kill you when next we meet."

     "You don't want to do something you will regret later."

     "Wait until we meet then we will see who's gonna be regretting and who's going to be laughing."

     "Nathan is here."

     "Nate is with you?"

     "Chill gal. You say that like I'm trying to steal him from you."

     "Sorry. But why is Nate with you? "

     "To be fair, I was the one who came over to his house."

     "Don't take this the wrong way but Why?"

     "For you. You've been going through a lot this past week. I just wanted to do something to ease your pain."

     "You're the best, Kylie. Thanks but the only way to ease my pain is to find Richards' murderer."

     "About that,  I just talked to the police force and they are willing to give you more time to prove you're innocent."

     "More time?"

     "Yes. Mrs. Williams had earlier filed a lawsuit case against you. She had accused you of her son's murder."

     "What?"

     "Yes. Luckily I happened to be there when the whole thing happened. My boyfriend got arrested for drugs, I went there to bail him out. That's when I saw her."

     "How's Dalton doing?"

    "He's OK. I'm sorry about the fact that he Hates you."

    "It's okay. After today he won't be our problem again." Rebecca replied from the bed. 

     "Why's that?" I asked. 

     "I dunno. I just felt like saying something."

     "Back to the topic, how did you handle the entire situation? "

     "Well, I went after her and begged her to give you more time to find the real victim. After much begging, I promised her that you would stay and work for her till the real criminal is found. That way she would be assured that you won't run away."

     "You want me to work at Nate's house? "

     "Isn't that cool. I've just bought you a ticket to your charming prince. Ashley, you're my best friend and I don't like seeing you suffer. I only did this for you. Please don't hate me."

     "What work are we talking about here?"

     "Nathan's PA."

     "No!!!!!"

     "What's wrong?" 

     "I hate this job!!"

     "It's not that difficult."

     "Kylie!"

     "Sorry. It's not like you have an option." I looked out the window and saw some reporters being prevented by my security guards from entering the house. 

     "I will take the job."

     "That's the spirit."

     "Do I have a day off?" I signed. 

     "No, you don't."

     "Why?"

     "Your Saturdays and Sundays are for Rebecca and me."

     "How could I ever forget that."

     "I will talk to you later. I have to go."

     "Wait, the person who talked to me earlier was Nathan, right?"

     "No. That was just me using a voice changer."

     "You are so dead when I find you."

     "Ha! Bye." I lay on the bed close to Rebecca with my face up. 

     "Guess what."

     "You got a job at Nathan's and you are super happy about it."

     "I dunno. Aren't you happy for me?"

     "Your happiness has nothing to do with mine. I already have a lot on my mind please don't stress me."

     "Rebecca, wait. What's wrong with her?" I turned on the TV 

     "On Tuesday night last week,  Richard Smith was murdered by none other than the daughter of the well-known bank manager, Mr. Berk." I turned off the TV and checked my messages. 

    "Oh no. Twenty messages from mum. I hope she hasn't seen the news yet. Hello mum." I dialed her number. 

     "What is this I'm hearing?"

     "I can explain."