She Knows

"I'm going to call the police," Denzel said but I stopped him. I had to think fast and use this opportunity for my benefit. 

"Don't call the police. There's nothing much they can do without any leads. I will get to the bottom of this myself." 

"You know who did this?" His face dulled in confusion. 

"It's Morgan. Your father. He has every reason to hurt me. I've been hurting him for the past months. It's his turn I suppose." I was blatant in revealing my thoughts.

"My father? Do you think he's that dangerous to hire an assassin? You could have been dead by now." He examined.

I guess he doesn't entirely detest the man.

I chuckled. "It's a clumsy job. I think he's only trying to scare me." 

He blinked twice, observing me like I was a completely different person. "Why aren't you suspecting my mother? She's the only trouble we all know." 

"She has no beef with me. Not yet. But your father, right from the moment we said we were marrying each other, he loathed me. And he's helpless because your mother is not aware of his illicit affairs." 

He sighed and leaned next to the wall, looking worried. 

"Denzel, please go, I'll handle this." I touched his shoulder and he avoided my gaze. "What's the matter?" 

"You know how much I want to marry you. This problem you have with my parents —"

"Is going to make them hate me and I won't get their approval?" His mouth snapped shut. "If that's what you're worried about, then don't bother."

"Their approval? What are you saying, Sheldon? This has nothing to do with them. Last time I checked, I'm old enough to make my own decisions." 

"Then, what were you going to say?" 

"I meant you might not accept me because of the evil my parents have done." His head hung low.

I rolled my eyes. Marriage was the last thing on my mind right now.

"Can you do me a favor?" 

He lifted his head, eyes piercing into mine.

I didn't know he'd agree to do what I wanted but he did. And he did it with some reflection that he cared about me.

Denzel was gone. I convinced him to meet his mother so she wouldn't think there was a problem because it had been a while since the both of them spoke. 

I invited Mr. Morgan.

How foolish of me. 

I didn't let Denzel know exactly what my plan was. He didn't have to know anyway. 

The man arrived, his breath sagged and his suit tinted with blood. 

"What the hell happened to you?" I asked as I began to pour us a drink.

"None of your business."

I chuckled. "Morgan, you're always getting into fistfights. Don't you know violence isn't the answer? It might get you sued one day, just so you know." 

He looked away as if in disgust.

"Why did you call me here? I'm sure you know we can't do anything funny in my son's house." 

"And who's doing anything with you?" I sat on the couch and crossed my legs. "I just wanted to let you know that I've received your message and you don't have to keep hiding behind texts to threaten me. One thing for sure, you'll die before I do."

"What?" He yelled. "What are you talking about, you little devil?"

"Stop pretending. We both know you sent an assassin to finish me off this morning."

He scoffed. "You think I would waste my time and money on you? It's only a matter of time before my son detests you and dumps you for good. I have nothing to fear." 

I gazed at him, dumbfounded.

"I don't believe you." 

"I'm innocent." 

Right before my eyes, Morgan swore that he had nothing to do with the threats I'd been receiving. If not him, then who?

"I'll file a report to the police and maybe when they interrogate you, you'll finally spill the truth." I was bluffing.

"There's no need for that, I never did such a thing..." 

I was helpless.

I thought I was finally getting somewhere but I was back to the beginning. My suspicions were very wrong.

"Sheldon, I need you to promise me one thing. It's a favor I'm asking." Without waiting for me to respond, he went on. "Promise me you'll leave my son. This revenge path you're on will only hurt you more and more. It's best if you build your life somewhere else. Just not in my home." 

My eyes got teary all of a sudden.

"That will be left for me to decide. Please, get out. We are done here and if I ever learn that you lied to me, I'll hit you with everything I've got." 

After Morgan left the house, I was using most of my time to worry and analyze who my enemies were. Morgan wasn't the only one this whole arrangement was supposed to spite. There's another hidden figure who's pointing a gun at my head. 

The moment I heard the sound of movement in the kitchen, I called out for Denzel but I didn't get a response. All of a sudden, a shadow appeared before me, smashing my head with a vase. I crashed to the ground but I was still conscious. I slid my hand to the back of my head to feel blood, dripping. I tried running on my fours. The intruder stabbed a syringe into my back and I was immobile, everything gradually going blank.

When I finally opened my eyes, an open window was before me, the landscape was of a mountain, hidden in the darkness. I looked around the room, freaking out with the state that I was handcuffed to a table—a huge one that couldn't be moved by one person. I struggled to get free but it was impossible. I couldn't do this without the key, so I screamed. 

"Help! Is someone out there? Please, help me." 

After what felt like an hour, the sounds of the door unlocking filled the cabin. It opened with a weary creak and I braced up for the worse. I got tired of guessing who could have done this to me. If I would become a slave to a human trafficker from now on?

A foot made its way through the door and I curled up like a ball. If it was Mr. Morgan, he's a dead man. 

The person was finally in. 

My heart sank. She was covered in a thick coat. The night was freezing anyway. Reaching for her mask, she pulled it off swiftly.

"Raven?" Slipped from my lips when our eyes met. 

She laughed and drew a chair to sit before me. "Raven? No more formalities, huh?" 

I stuttered. This must be a mistake. She must be here to rescue me. "I wasn't expecting to see you out here, alone." 

"It's funny, isn't it? How can I climb a mountain considering my health condition? I flew a chopper if that satisfied your curiosity. I can afford it, unlike some rats who could only dream from the sewers." She had a visibly irritating grin on her face which I'd never seen before. 

I think she's just giving me a feel of what's to come. She's about to make my stay here very uncomfortable and she's not here to rescue me.

"Did I do something wrong?" I inquired, surprised by the fearlessness in my voice.

Her hand went across my cheek giving me a pain to think about. 

"How dare you ask me that, you wrench? As if Morgan cheating on me with a college student wasn't enough, he let her into my home to marry my son. The guts!" 

She paced around the room, reaching for a pressing iron from the top shelf of a cupboard.

"You knew this whole time, didn't you?" I whispered. 

She paused and flashed a smile my way. "You have no idea. I knew about everything. Every single affair. I don't care about Morgan. But my son? You're as good as dead, Sheldon." 

I sat on my knees so she could see me clearly. "You hurt my mother, you're as good as dead, Raven." 

Her brows curved in confusion.