ENDLESS NIGHTS
Chapter 15
The following day
Ethan
"Good morning, Sienna! Where are you off to in such a rush?" I inquired, a sense of curiosity mingling with concern as I noticed her diligently packing her suitcase, decorated with delicate monarch butterfly motifs. She stood poised before the mirror, adjusting her hair with a flair that spoke of her elegant nature. It was a morning like any other, yet something felt distinctly different in the air.
Turning to me, she answered with a hint of longing dancing in her eyes, "I'm headed to my father's house. I find myself missing the opulence of the Palace more than I anticipated. Honestly, there's a pressing mission we need to accomplish. This humble abode is simply too cramped for my aspirations. Besides, I can't tackle everything on my own – I'll be back, and this time, I'll bring a team of maids. We truly need some extra hands for cooking and pouring a fine glass of wine!"
A frown wrinkled my forehead as I responded, "But Sienna, remember our pact? We agreed to keep things low-key and handle our mission on our own until it reaches fruition. Isn't that correct?"
She sighed deeply, a melody of frustration layering her voice. "Which is exactly why I'm telling you I can't handle it any longer. I need a change of scenery. A fresh perspective! I'm going to my father's to refresh my mind. And once I'm back, we'll have workers to lighten our load. For now, all you need to do this morning is freshen up and keep a vigilant eye on David's mansion. We have that car, right? It's not that fancy, so slipping away unnoticed should be easy."
My heart raced with intrigue. "Oh, really?" I bit my lip, excitement bubbling within me.
"Absolutely. Just follow them wherever they go. Observe their movements closely. When the time comes for our vengeance, we need a solid understanding of their routines and weaknesses," Sienna whispered, her eyes shining with a spark of mischief. I felt an unexpected thrill at the thought of her leaving; a rush of freedom washed over me. With her gone, I could finally confront my brother in solitude.
I helped her carry her bags outside and quickly summoned an Uber to whisk her away to the airport. After she disappeared from view, a cloud of worry settled over me, leading me to reach for my phone to call my mother. I dialed her number repeatedly, feeling a growing sense of unease as each attempt ended with silence. She lived just a stone's throw away, somewhere within the bustling heart of the city, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss.
As I was preparing to dial once more, I caught sight of a red car edging out of the Maynard family's driveway. My heart raced — it was undoubtedly David's vehicle. Who could be inside? My curiosity piqued, I slid my phone into my pocket and rushed outside, hopping into my own car with a sense of urgency. I began tailing the red car, my mind buzzing with questions about its destination.
To my annoyance, I soon realized that David's worker was the only one occupying the passenger seat. What raised even more eyebrows was the discovery that this worker appeared to be on a quest to scout a secondary school. Why on earth would David need to inquire about schools when his daughter was still a mere child, not even finished with primary school? The absurdity of it gnawed at me. I immediately dialed Sienna, my heart thrumming in my chest.
📱"Sienna! You won't believe what I'm witnessing. I followed David's red car, but his worker is the only one in it. And it seems they're looking for a secondary school? What's going on? I mean, remember, his daughter is only a kid! Who do you think they're searching for?"
"That's exactly what you need to find out!" Sienna exclaimed, her tone was urgent. "If it's someone he cares for, then that person must be eliminated."
My mind raced with possibilities. "But what if he's up to something different? Maybe he's negotiating with the headmaster for some unusual reason?"
"David is a billionaire; he wouldn't waste his time on headmasters for trivial matters. Get it together! Don't be daft," she snapped, cutting off the connection abruptly.
With my thoughts a chaotic whirlpool of intrigue and anxiety, I turned my car around and made my way back home, determination settling firmly within me. I knew that whatever was unfolding, I was not going to sit idly by and let it slip through my fingers.
**Alessia**
David: Alessia, you're mine.
Ethan: No way, she's all mine; remember, I met her first, David? Plus, she's having my child.
David: That doesn't change anything; once your baby arrives, you'll have the baby, and I'll have her.
Ethan: Stay away from Alessia, or I swear I'll kill you.
David: If loving her means dying for her, I'd do it or stay single forever.
Ethan: Oh, really? You took everything from me, David. Now you want the woman I love too? Not this time. I'm going to end you! He pointed his gun at David.
Alessia: Ethan, please don't! It's cool; I could just marry both of you if it helps. Killing each other isn't the answer! I pleaded, but it was already too late; Ethan pulled out a bullet.
"Oh my God, David, are you okay? I screamed as I jolted awake, grabbing David to check if he was breathing. Then it hit me — just a dream. He blinked awake and asked,
'What's up? Are you alright?' I quickly pulled my hands away and said,
'Yeah, I'm good; I just had a strange, scary dream. You're back from the garden already? Wow, it's morning! Thanks for everything, David.'
'Let me fix you some breakfast before you go, Alessia.'
'No, no, we're good, let's save it for next time. I should leave before your mom wakes up,' I replied.
'Let me drive you, then.'
'No thanks, we can Uber,' I said, heading to the shower. After washing my face, I returned to his room and asked,
'Can you show me to Ariel's room? Mandy is there, right?'
'Sure, just take this cash, okay? Pay the Uber driver,' he said, handing me some money.
'We still have your card, remember? We don't need cash; let's use that.'
'Well, I wanted to ask for that card; someone's coming over. I need to use card for her from where she is to here, That's why I'm giving you cash,' he explained.
I was a bit taken aback. Someone? A side girl or a fiancée? Rich people usually hire escorts from other countries just for a quick fling and then fly them back. Why should I care? We stepped out of his room and made our way to Ariel's. She seemed to still be asleep. I shook Mandy awake and asked her about David's card. Thankfully, she had it and handed it over. We said our goodbyes, hugging him before heading out. Our Uber was waiting for us, and I wiped Mandy's face and joked,
'Next time you nap, close your mouth! You've got sleep marks all over.'
'So, are we hitting the hospital or heading home?' she asked.
'Definitely the hospital,' I replied.
'Ariel's going to be upset waking up and finding me gone.'
'Why do you think that? Are you two besties now?'
'Yeah, she's super sweet; I can see why someone would push her away.'
I interrupted her, saying,
'Let's not go there; we're past that now. By the way, I had a weird dream last night, and I have no clue what it means.'
'What was your dream about?' she asked.
I told her,
'I dreamed Ethan and David were trying to kill each other over me. It was so confusing; I don't know what to do about it.'
'It's simple, Alessia. Just tell David you mistakenly fell for his brother and that you're pregnant, but you have no interest in him. The baby will be born, and then you can give Ethan his child and marry David.'
(Laughing) "Hahaha! Oh, you little whirlwind of chaos! You're seriously suggesting that I should become Ethan's baby mama after tying the knot with his brother? Mandy, have you lost your mind? They'd go at each other's throats! Just picture it – a battle royale fueled by jealousy and rivalry, and here I am, still in my twenties, blissfully unaware that I might be the spark to ignite their volatile feud. I can't even fathom watching two billionaires clash over me. I mean, look at me! I'm just a simple girl with dreams of a tranquil life. Drama? No thank you! Really, all I want is peace, and for that to happen, I need to make a hard choice about this baby – one that Ethan will never have to know about.
"Please, listen to me! Don't even think about terminating the baby!"
"And I still haven't found the courage to tell David, either." Before Mandy could respond to my frantic plea, my phone erupted into a cacophony of sound, cutting through the tension in the air. I turned to glance at the screen, and my heart dropped; it was David. With trembling fingers, I hastily scooped up the phone.
📱... "Hello, this is Alessia."
"Alessia, are you pregnant?" he asked, and my heart nearly plummeted out of my chest. I felt my phone slip in my grip, but I steadied myself and mustered whatever courage I could gather to respond, forcing my voice to remain steady.
"I-I-I am not pregnant! Where on earth did you get that idea?" I stammered, shooting a panicked look at Mandy. Leaning closer to the phone, I whispered furiously, "Did you tell him about my pregnancy? If you did, I swear I'll make you regret it once this call is over."
"Relax, I didn't breathe a word! Maybe he's just caught on to something," she replied, trying to calm me down as I felt the walls closing in around me.
📱... "Alessia, can you hear me? Are you pregnant? I need to know! When you left to go out, you accidentally dropped something from your handbag. I picked it up, and—Alessia, it was a pregnancy test, and it had two red lines." His voice was a mixture of concern and confusion, and I felt a chill creep down my spine as memories flooded back—the test I had used before my doctor's appointment. Of course, it would end up falling out at the most inopportune moment!
"Ma'am, we've arrived at the hospital," the driver announced, oblivious to the emotional tempest swirling within me.
📱... "Alessia, my heart is breaking right now. You're pregnant... but whose baby are you carrying?"
And just like that, the world around me seemed to spin wildly out of control. My heart raced as I realized how precarious my situation truly was. The secrets, the lies, the tangled web of relationships—it was all unraveling, and I had no idea how to stitch it back together.
To be continued...