Chapter 21

After the meeting, Alice and Khan took the first flight back home. Alice was sitting in her apartment when she looked at her phone ringing on the coffee table in front of her. She had expected the call. Alice stared at the phone as it vibrated on the table. She let it ring until it went over to voice call. As expected the phone rang again. She leaned forward picked up the phone and answered.

“Hello,”

“Where are you?”

“In my apartment?”

“Is this some kind of joke? What gives you the right to think you can speak to me like this? Come home right this instance.”

“I can’t,” The bitterness hearable in Alice’s voice.

“Excuse me!” What do you mean you can’t? Alice, you better make sure you are here in ten minutes or I will send someone to come and drag you here. You know what will happen to you if I do.”

“Father. How do you expect me to come to you when I can barely walk?”

“Alice!”

Alice felt her blood boiling. She hated this man to the core. But she had to contain herself until it was the right time. First Alice wanted to test his reaction.

“Father I was almost assassinated. Did you not get the news.”

“What?” His tone sounded genius confused. “No, I did not. Were you not at the meeting?”

‘He was one darn good actor. Can you believe this idiot, he almost succeed in killing me and when he did not he ask me about the meeting. The audacity of this man kept surprising me’ Alice thought to herself

“Yes, I have. After I barely survived I went to the meeting the next day.”

“Only the next day?”

“Yes, father. I did not want the dirty their floors with my blood, so Khan had arranged for the meeting to be moved to the next day”

“I do not like the sarcasm in your voice Alice!” Adriano said annoyed.

Alice ignored his comment and stayed silent.

“What happened on your way to the meeting?” Adriano asked. There was no trace of care for her in his tone. It sounded more like he was obligated to ask than he wanted to ask.

Alice did not want to go too deep into detail so she decided to tell him only part of what happened. “On my way to the meeting, I was attacked. I had fought them all off but another man came out of nowhere and shot me in the leg, before I could react I was shot in both shoulders.”

There passed a moment of silence between them.

“That is unfortunate. How did you manage to escape?”

“Before I passed out I shot him in the head.”

“How was the meeting?” Adriano changed the subject without even showing an ounce of care toward her well-being.

“Good, they wanted to increase the product.”

“And, will we be able to comply with their demand?”

“The time frame they provided us with makes it not possible. We will deliver the first four thousand and the rest as the availability of the product allows us.”

“Was the client satisfied with that.”

“Yes, they are.”

“Good…”

“Father, I will be working from home. Oliver will manage everything at the company.”

“I gathered that. I will talk to you later.”

“Okay.”

Alice kept the phone against her ear as she listened to the line ending from the other side. Alice looked emotionless at the phone that fell out of her hand and dropped to the floor.

Khan’s words echoed through her mind….

“Alice do not show Adriano any sign that you know he was behind your assassination. You trust me right?”

Alice worked from home. She attended meetings through video conferences and the rest Oliver handled at the company. Khan did not have to accompany her at home so she did not see him much. He came once a week to check on her but that was it. The image of Kevin never left Alice’s mind. First, she thought of him when she was in a daze but then she started dreaming about him. It just didn’t make sense how this Kevin who approached her reminded her so much of her Kevin. He even looked like him. She could not shake the feeling that just maybe it was him. After a while, she argued that it was her subconscious playing tricks on her. Her mind kept telling her that she wanted it to be Kevin so badly that she started accepting the thought of him being alive.

The first delivery to LLC Corporation along with everything at the company went smoothly. After a month Alice returned to the company. Khan accompanied her as per their usual arrangement and everything felt like it had before the accident. As the day ended Alice walked out of the building. People were passing her as they walked toward their cars. She did not notice a man walking straight toward her he accidentally bumped into her as he passed.

“Hey watch where you are going…” Alice yelled afterward. Her gaze froze when the person turn around.

“Kevin.” She whispered.

He turned around and continue walking.

Alice looked around and noticed Khan busy talking to someone. She hurried after Kevin afraid that he would disappear. She decided to confront him straight on and ask him what he want. Alice increased her steps as she notice him disappearing between the crowds but unfortunately lost him. She stopped and looked around. She felt a hand gripping her arm and she was suddenly pulled into an Alley.

She shook his arm lose and took a step back when she saw who grabbed her

“What do you want? Why can’t you leave me alone?” Alice asked enraged

Kevin started at Alice with a smile.“I made you a promise that I intend to keep.”

“What promise. When did you make me a promise?” Alice looked to the entrance of the Alley making sure they were alone. She dropped her guard once and it caused her to get shot. She would be stupid if she make that mistake again.

“Alice, I came to warn you. You are trusting the wrong people.”

“Are you expecting me to believe you? I don’t even know you.”

“Alice I am Kevin. Your Kevin.”

Kevin looked around and rubbed his neck out of frustration when he saw the unbelief in her eyes.

“You are not my Kevin. My Kevin is dead.”

Kevin stared her in the eyes,

“Did you see me die in front of you Alice? Why are you so bent on me being dead.”

Alice turned away as she remember the gruesome photos that Khan had shown her when she was young. That image she had forever imprinted in her mind

“Open your eyes, Alice. Things are not the way they seem. You have been used as a chess piece this whole time.”

“By whom?”

“Khan.”

“No! Khan would never betray me.”

“Why not? Why would he not betray you?”

“Because - Because…”

“Why will you not believe I am Kevin but you believe Khan? Alice. I will not tell you who to trust and what to do. But you need to believe me when I tell you that I am Kevin.”

Alice stared at him baffled then shook her head.

"Do you remember that day we were in the meadows? I watched you as you twirled around in your dress. You looked so happy. Do you remember what you told me?”

Kevin waited for her to respond but she only looked at him with a complicated stare. ‘Well, at least she is listening.’ He thought to himself. “You stopped and smiled down at me as I was lying on the ground watching you. You fell next to me and asked me if I love you. Do you remember what I said?”

Alice looked at him with wide eyes. “How…?

Kevin continued, “I told you, that you were still a child and do not know what love is.” A silly smirk appeared on his face as if he was taken back to that day. “You argued with me and said you do know. You looked so determined that day. Then you told me you would marry me one day.” Kevin stopped and took a step toward Alice. “What did I say, Alice?”

Kevin waited for her to answer. He wanted her to go back to that day and remember her feelings for him. Even if she was a child they were important to each other.

“You said - you said. No. I will one day marry someone better than you who would give me more than what you could ever give me…” Alice said in a whisper.

 “There was no one around us that day Alice. If I am not Kevin, how do I know all of this? Do you remember the promise I made to you before I left the orphanage?”

Alice nodded.

“I told you no matter where you are I will come and find you”

Alice's eyes welled up with tears. She opened her mouth to respond but stopped when she heard Khan's voice calling out to her.