The face Rebecca saw wasn't the one she hoped to see. She clutched her suitcase tightly, her heart pounding, as the driver exited the car and walked towards her. The streetlight cast on his face and the cold smirk on his lips.
"Going somewhere?" His voice was calm, almost casual, but Rebecca felt the menace behind it.
She bit down on her lower lip, scrambling for a lie to tell Anthony. How was he still here? Hadn't he gone back to the club or that building he took her to that morning? Every nerve in her body screamed for her to run, but she knew it was useless.
Anthony eyed the suitcase in her hand, his expression a mix of amusement and irritation. She must be stupid to think she could run. Maybe she didn't know who Greg was.
"I see you think you can run away." He tilted his head to the right, as if pondering his next move. "You know, Rebecca, I've always found it amusing when people try to escape. It's like watching a mouse try to outrun a cat."
Rebecca forced a nervous laugh. "I was just going to visit my mom. Her nurse called yesterday. I was too busy yesterday to make the trip," she lied, hoping her voice didn't betray her fear.
"And the suitcase?" His eyes never left her, scanning every detail.
She looked at the suitcase as if noticing it for the first time. "Oh, this," she cleared her throat, "just some supplies for her. Clothes, toiletries." She shrugged her shoulders.
Anthony's lips curled into a knowing smile. "Supplies, huh?" He stepped closer, invading her personal space. His face was a few inches from hers. Rebecca could feel his hot breath on her face. "You must think I'm pretty gullible."
Rebecca's pulse quickened. She could feel the weight of his scrutiny, his disbelief.
"It's true. She's been asking for these things for a while now," she stammered, avoiding his gaze.
Anthony reached out and gently touched her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Rebecca, do you really think you can lie to me?" His tone was soft, almost tender, but his grip was firm. "I know you're lying. I can always tell when someone is lying."
She swallowed hard, her mind blank. Panic clawed at her chest, making it hard for her to breathe. "I'm not lying," she whispered.
"Enough," he cut her off, his voice turning cold. "Get in the car. I'll take you to your mother's."
Rebecca protested weakly, "It's fine. I believe you have urgent business to attend to."
Anthony looked at her, his gaze piercing through her facade. She had cleaned off the heavy makeup, revealing her beautiful eyes and the freckles around them. "You are my urgent business," he said softly, but there was an edge to his words that sent a chill down her spine. He took the suitcase from her hands and put it into the trunk of the car. Rebecca stood watching him in total disbelief.
He turned to find her still standing in the same spot. "I believe you've kept your mother waiting quite long enough." He opened the car door for her, waiting for her to get inside the car.
Reluctantly, she urged herself forward and settled into the passenger seat. Anthony shut the door behind her a little too loudly, causing her to jerk. He walked around and took his place in the driver's seat, not turning on the ignition immediately. Instead, he paused, as if contemplating his next move. Rebecca's heart pounded at the thought of what he might do next.
"You must be crazy to think you can run away from Greg. I am always watching you."
His words were the same as Greg's. He was always watching, and they weren't bluffing.
Thirty minutes later, they were parked at the old people's home. She got out of the car and started for the entrance when Anthony called her back.
"Forgetting something?"
She paused to think, then remembered her suitcase. Anthony must be wondering if her story was true since she had forgotten the item she was supposedly bringing for her mom.
"Thank you." She flashed him a nervous smile and took the suitcase from his hands.
As she dragged the suitcase, the once lightweight box felt increasingly heavy. Anthony walked closely behind her, observing the environment with keen interest. When she approached the receptionist, she saw the shock in the lady's eyes.
It wasn't visiting hours, and Rebecca didn't want to cause any alarm considering how dangerous Anthony was; she interjected quickly, cutting off any words the receptionist was about to say.
"I wanted to drop something off for her." She hoped her urgency would deflect any further questions or suspicions from the receptionist. Every second felt like a precarious balancing act, teetering on the edge of exposure.
The receptionist regarded her with a mix of curiosity, clearly unsure of how to proceed. Rebecca held her breath, praying that her hastily concocted excuse would suffice. She couldn't afford any slip-ups now, not with Anthony's watchful gaze burning into her back.
Her gaze flickered between Rebecca and Anthony, sensing something was off. "Are you alright, Miss Thompson?"
Anthony stepped closer to Rebecca and placed his hands on her shoulders. She flinched at his touch. He rubbed her shoulders gently while smiling at the receptionist. "She's been missing her mother. She had a nightmare that shook her, so we decided to drop by this early." He looked down at Rebecca, who smiled nervously in agreement.
"But this isn't visiting hours, Miss Thompson. I cannot wake your mother up now. It is against our policy. You know that."
Rebecca knew the rules and the three-page policy of the organization. "Yes, I'm aware. I was supposed to come in yesterday, but I was caught up with work. And today I will be very busy during the visiting hours."
She handed the suitcase to the receptionist. "These are her belongings. I got new clothes for her. Please tell her I came." She hoped the receptionist would somehow notice that the clothes inside were too small for her mother and that the establishment would come to her rescue.
Anthony noticed the receptionist's quizzical look as she reached for the suitcase. "Oh, sorry, babe, is that not yours? I think I made a mistake and took the wrong suitcase." Anthony laughed and took the suitcase back. "She has two of these," He pointed to the suitcase, implying she had another identical one.
Rebecca recoiled inwardly as she heard Anthony address her as babe. But she saw the happy look on the receptionist's face when she heard Anthony call her that.
It was no secret that she was single. Sometimes, her mother told the staff that she wanted her Lily to be married and happy. During one of Rebecca's visits, her mother, with a hint of sadness in her eyes, gently held her face. "Lily, is that you? Are you happy now?" she asked. Rebecca's heart shattered at the question. Even in her fragile state, her mother's concern for her happiness remained paramount. Yet, Rebecca's reality was far from happy. She struggled with the demands of her life, finding herself too consumed to meet new people or engage in meaningful connections. Her responsibilities took over any chance of finding the happiness her mother dearly wished for her.
"I didn't know he was your boyfriend." The receptionist smiled.
Rebecca wanted to tell her he wasn't her boyfriend and that there was no way he could be, but she knew better than to contradict the lie.
She forced a smile and nodded. "Yes, he is. I will be back later in the evening with the right suitcase."
The receptionist turned to Anthony and said, "It's so nice to meet you, sir." She still had that smile on her face. The smile had begun to irritate Rebecca.
Anthony, surprised at her kind gesture, replied slowly, "My pleasure."
Turning to Rebecca, she continued, "I will inform Miss Monique about your visit."
Rebecca bit down on her lower lip as she saw Anthony nod slightly. This was great! The receptionist had unwittingly revealed her mother's name to Anthony. Now, she was certain he knew everything about her. Dread washed over her as she realized the potential implications. She had seen scenarios like this in movies; Anthony would likely exploit her mother as leverage to manipulate her into complying with his and Greg's demands.
As they bid their farewells, Anthony guided Rebecca outside, his hand still resting on her shoulder. She felt the receptionist's gaze following them, adding to her unease.
Back inside the car, Anthony's hands slammed against the steering wheel with a resounding thud. "If you try this again, you won't live to see your mother again," he warned, his tone filled with chilling promise.
Rebecca's heart sank as she realized the gravity of his threat. She knew Anthony meant every word.
"Did you hear me?" Anthony's voice cut through her silence, vibrating with intensity.
Rebecca trembled, her voice shaking as she responded, "Yes."
That single word felt like a heavyweight, sealing her fate. In that moment, she understood the extent of the danger she was in and the terrifying lengths Anthony was willing to go to ensure her compliance.
He drove her back to her apartment in tense silence, his threat hanging heavily in the air. The rising sun began lighting up their path, revealing a new day filled with uncertainty for Rebecca. She nursed a thick, unspoken fear within her, each passing moment amplifying her dread. Rebecca's mind raced, seeking any possible way out of this nightmare, but every thought ended in despair. The dawn light filtering through the car windows seemed to mock her futile attempts to escape, casting a harsh spotlight on her hopeless situation. She felt trapped, with no end in sight.
When they arrived at her apartment building, Anthony killed the engine and got out, motioning for her to lead the way. She hesitated for a moment, her fingers gripping the edge of the seat.
"Don't be funny now," Anthony warned, his voice low and menacing.
But the stern look on Anthony's face told her the consequences she would face if she dared to defy him. She was surprised he hadn't killed her yet after discovering her attempt to flee and lying about it.
She got out of the car. The chill of the morning air did little to calm her racing heart as they walked towards the entrance, her movements stiff and mechanical as she stepped out onto the pavement. Each step felt like a betrayal, a silent surrender to the inevitable. With every passing moment, the walls of her prison seemed to close in around her, suffocating her with the knowledge that there was no escape.
As they reached the familiar threshold of her apartment building, Rebecca's heart felt like it was lodged in her throat. Every fiber of her being screamed at her to turn back, to run as far and as fast as she could, but she knew it was futile. Anthony's presence loomed over her like a specter. It would have been better if she had not gone to that private club.
They ascended the stairs in silence, each step echoing ominously in the narrow stairwell. As they approached her door, Rebecca's stomach twisted with anxiety. She noticed the door was slightly ajar, an unusual sight that sent a jolt of alarm through her. She stopped in her tracks, her breath catching in her throat. She was sure she had locked that door before leaving.
Anthony, noticing her hesitation, grabbed her arm and pulled her forward. "What's the matter?"
Rebecca's mouth felt dry as she struggled to find her voice, her trembling finger pointing shakily at the door. "It's open. I never leave it open," she managed to choke out.
Anthony's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flickering in their depths as he forcefully pushed the door open wider. The soft murmur of voices wafted out into the hallway, an indistinct yet undeniably ominous sound that sent Rebecca's pulse skyrocketing. Fear clenched her heart in its icy grip as she wondered who could be inside her room.