Chapter 54: 47.𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭

(Tw: mention of blood and death)

"Here, thank you for visiting!" The cashier says with a smile while giving me the bouquet. "Thank you" I smile, receiving it. I take a moment to look at the fresh red roses tied together perfectly to form a beautiful bouquet.

I exited the flower shop, it had recently opened and I wanted to try it. As they have their own farm where they grow the flowers. I carry the bouquet while walking to the main street to get a cab.

This afternoon I visited buddy, who is still under the observation of a vet. There didn't seem to be anything wrong but he wasn't behaving like usual so the vet said they will keep him under observation.

Hopefully he will comeback before the new year and we all can celebrate it together

Liam couldn't come due to work, as there will be few days off because of the new year he has to wrap other things before the next year comes. Thought to give him some flowers for his hard work

There's nowhere written that men can't receive flowers

He is the man who deserves it

There's still a smile on my face as I continue to walk. I can't wait to go back home and meet him. It's almost dinner time, the street lights are on as I walk through street 16, it's mostly a residential area but few shops opened by the people living here. Still the place is a bit un-crowded.

I am also feeling a bit tired because of my heels

The tapping sound of my heels on the stoned path. I bit harder than usual, I shrug my shoulders and walk towards the main road. A sudden feeling of uneasiness surrounds me. I couldn't help but focus on my footsteps and the sound of it.

I stop

The footsteps stop too

I take a step forward

The sound of someone's footsteps also hits my ear

Oh Shit-

I take a deep breath and walk, keeping my steps slow and steady. I grip the strap of my bag trying to keep calm. I couldn't feel someone following me but I didn't dare to turn back, I just needed to reach a place with more people. Yes that's it

I just-

I groan and increase my pace walking as fast as I could, my breathing quickens. The person's speed also increases, I take a turn to see if they follow. I shiver runs down my spine as I realize that they are behind me. I take a deep breath and stop, the steps also stops

I turn around

I gasp, a man dressed in black his face hidden with a mask and a cap. He stands at a distance of 20 steps away from me, my fingers grips on the bouquet "You are following me" i confront him in the hopes it's not what I am thinking about

"Yes, I am" he replies, his voice rough and muffled. For some reason it seems familiar. I gulp preparing myself to run "Why?" I ask

His eyes darken,I notice his hand moving forward showing a shiny thing he is holding.

A knife

Oh God-

I start running as fast as I can, I don't know where I am going. Never in my life have I thought I would hate wearing heels. I just need to run, my hands shaking as I take out my phone and try to call Liam, as I was about to hit the call button. A sudden force yanks me back from my collar. It's so strong that the neck of my shirt chokes me

He slams me against the wall making me groan in sharp pain as my back hits the cold stony wall. He steps closer and I feel the fear creeping inside me, I try to speak but my throat is dry

I need to do something

I keep my phone hidden behind my back trying to call someone, anyone just please-

He twists my hand forward making me wince, yanking my phone he throws it to the opposite wall shattering it. He grips my neck, almost choking me. His fingers digging inside my skin made me cry out.

This is him!

The guy who was in the dorm

I could just feel it by his strength

He stabs my shoulder with a syringe inserting something inside my body. I try to push him but it's of no use because he is too strong. He removes the syringe and throws it away

I take the chance

I grip the bouquet tightly and slam it across his face making sure that I use my full strength. He grunt and release my neck, I push them flowers in his face to block his vision. He holds my arm trying to stop me. With a quick reflex I kick his stomach making him fall on his knees coughing

At least my heels worked

I throw the bouquet on his face and start running before he gets up. My whole body is aching and trembling. I couldn't feel my legs at this point. I stop at a crossroad of the street, there are three ways in front of me but I don't know which one is correct. My head pounding trying to figure out the correct way

There's no one around!

I breath heavily trying to scream but the way he choked me i can't -

I rub my neck

Footsteps

I turn back, he is coming. I couldn't see him but I could hear him. I bring myself to keep going, I take the right turn and keep running. My heart is racing fast making it harder to breathe. My lungs burning up and some kind of influence taking over my brain

The footsteps get louder and faster

I increase my speed, the stone walkway making it difficult for me. My heels getting stuck in between those stones slowing my pace. The sound of his footsteps constantly reminding me of the danger I am in

Finally I hear some noises, there are people around here. A little more, please. I keep praying and begging for someone to appear. The light chattering of people gives me some hope. I wanna escape

My vision is getting blurry due to exhaustion, I am losing it. Every breath I take is ragged and desperate. My strained muscles working overtime just so i could keep moving forward

I can't-

My eyes are almost closing and I trip on my steps. A crunch sound hits my ears and I lose my balance as one of my heels break making me fall

Oh God please

"Stella Miller?" A sharp voice speaks, I don't touch the ground but feel myself in someone's grip. I try to open my eyes but my head is groggy, a male calls out my name multiple times shaking me

My head goes blank and my body goes down

…..

I slowly open my eyes, everything around seems fuzzy. My vision is still a bit blurry and my head feels heavy. I could hear the faint sound at a distance but can't recognise it. I hold my head recalling the past events which comes rushing through my mind

I look at my surroundings with a mixture of confusion

I find myself seated in a car, a range rover. I look outside from the front. The car is parked in front of some shops, many people walking on the street and the vehicles passing through the road. It's the main road

Who brought me here?

I quickly grip the handle and try to open it but the car seems locked? I unlocked it and before I could open it a voice called out "woah calm down lass, you wanna get hit by a car or something?"

It was his voice which I heard

I turn to see Jeff standing outside, leaning over to the window of the driver's seat "the door opens to the road side" he points out. Realizing it, I release the handle. I study his expression, his face neutral and calm. He is wearing a black suit like most of the time. He snaps his finger and a guy hands him a water bottle.

He tosses it at me and I catch it "drink up" he says, as if ordering me. I look at the water suspiciously, thinking to trust him or not. He sigh "brought it from the pharmacy, it's sealed too"

I glance at him, his face doesn't show any hint of hidden motives. I take a deep breath and open the bottle and drink it down trying to soothe my dry throat. I drink half of the bottle and sigh in relief feeling a little better.

"You were passed out for an hour, what happened there?" he asks, staying in the same position. I look down, recalling the events, and felt like everything was ending. "I don't know its-" he cuts me off "That stalker?"

I look at him in shock, how does he know!

He chuckles at my reaction, "I know everything, so it's him right?" He confirms and I nod. "I tried contacting Liam, but he has blocked my number" he scoffs shaking his head "moody Prince" he says mocking

I frown, I knew Liam didn't want to keep an contact with Jeff but he just blocked his number

"Anyways, call him up" he says, my bag is kept on the dashboard. I grab it and open it only to be disappointed that the man already broke it "I lost my phone" I sigh closing my bag

Jeff looks at me with an amused expression, He extends his hand to the side and the man who gave him the water bottle steps forward giving him a phone "Here, use it" Jeff gives me the phone.

I quickly take it and dial Liam's number, as each vell rings I tap my foot against the floor feeling anxious. He doesn't pick up-

It's an unknown number so he wouldn't

Jeff sighs and opens the door and sits on the passenger seat "I will drive you back" he offered, surprising me yet again. "I thought you don't help anyone unless and until it benefits you" I blurt,  gasp and keep my palm on my mouth regretting what I just said

He raises his eyebrow at me and nod "yeah, but you need help and with the whole situation I better do it" he replies nonchalantly

Liam was right

No one can understand this guy

Jeff starts driving, I glance at my lap that the phone is still with me "Here" I say giving it to him. He glances at it with the corner of his eye but doesn't react "Keep it"

I look at him confused. "Liam might have told you about me and I know you wouldn't trust me. So keep the phone incase you feel like I am dangerous to you" He says keeping his eyes on the road

He is surprising me with each word

Yeah, Liam did say that Jeff is loyal yet not trustworthy. Confusing!

"So you won't harm me?" I ask directly, because the fact that he was there while I was being chased by the stalker is really suspicious. Liam mentioned there are two of them

Is he one of them?

Jeff keeps his face neutral at my question "No, I don't harm women and children. At Least physical" he glances at my neck and then back at the road. I touch my neck and look at myself in the mirror, my skin is red because of that man's actions

I sigh and look out of the window. Many questions are bouncing in my mind. A part of me wants to relax because of Jeff's sincere words but many reasons stops me from trusting anyone right now

Yet I am in his car

I keep my grip on the phone just in case of anything happening. The whole car ride was so silent that my heart pounding could be heard. Jeff doesn't speak and just drives, it seems like alot of things are going on in his head. He didn't do anything sketchy and drove to Liam's apartment.

I look at my heels, one of it already broke white they other already messed up. I unbuckle them, tonight they saved me and also put me in danger

As we reached I spotted his bike parked outside and Liam walks out of the building holding his helmet in one hand and his phone in another, he kept his eyes on the phone not noticing our presence yet.

The phone in my hand starts ringing, Liam's number flashes on the screen. I leave the phone and my bag in the car and run out of the car bare feet. Liam's eyes falls on me, his eyes widened and he dropped his helmet down and quickly hugged me.

I sigh in relief feeling safe, I cling on his shoulders tightly. Liam slightly picks me up and makes me stand on his shoes

He pulls away slightly looking at me, removing the messy hair strands from my face. His gaze hardens when he notices my neck "who did this" he asks in a rough tone

"Long time no see" Jeff's voice comes from behind me. Liam's gaze diverts to him, his jaw clenches as he glares at Jeff "did he do it?" Liam asks me

Jeff chuckles standing at a distance with his hands in his pocket

Liam takes a step forward, almost going to punch him when I stop "No! You gotta listen to everything"

…

As I stepped into the shower, the hot water washes over me and gives me a sense of relief. The heat soothes my tired muscles and releases the tension inside my body. The water massaging my scalp helps me clear the memory of what happened.

I explained the whole situation to Liam, Jeff was with us too. Liam was furious thinking Jeff was the one who did it until I narrated everything, he calmed down but his expressions were tense because of the attack on me. They both discussed something in private before Jeff left.

I take a shower and slip into some comfortable clothes, and walk out of the bathroom. I find Liam already pacing in the room back and forth, he notices me and pulls me into a comforting hug caressing my wet hair "How are you feeling?" He whispers

I hug him tightly, burying my face in his shoulder. My heart calmed down with his embrace "better but still terrified" I say, never I felt so threatened. last time Jasmine was there with me, this time I was alone

"I felt i would die-"

"Shh…. don't say that…nothing will happen to you" he says with a promise cradling me in his arms. "Why is this happening? Why are they behind us?" I ask. I feel Liam's grip loosen around me, he takes a deep breath and takes me to the bed making me sit. He kneels in front of me while holding my hands

His eyes softens but the tensed forehead says otherwise. He brushes his thumbs on my knuckles "I am really sorry, Stella"

I frown at his sudden apology, as I was about to ask why he speaks before me "I have been hiding something from you" he reveals. His words make my heartbeat increase. He holds my hands in a firm grip looking at me with a guilty expression

"This all is related to your father "

He takes a deep breath "your father, became the most successful lawyer in Sydney by not just justice. He supported many criminals and let them be proven innocent even after doing many crimes" I feel a tightness in my chest as I listen to him

"He also ruined many innocent lives for money, one of them is Louis Martin" he says, my heart sinks with a wave of shock and disbelief. My grip tightens on his hands, he does the same not breaking an eye contact

"Your father was the one who falsely accused him of plagiarism, assault and all. Which lead uncle Louis to commit suicide" he completes, I could hear his voice cracking "He just didn't destroy him but my whole family broke down after that"

Tears well in my eyes, the news is overwhelming and all consuming making it difficult for me to think or feel anything. My body gets stiff as I try to process his words.

"Somebody is trying to take revenge on your father by harming you" he completes and I break down. My sobs rips through me as I struggle to regulate my breathing between the gasps. Liam quickly pull me closer burying my face in his chest.

My father ruined his family

Not just his but many people's

Ethan did say that dad was just working for money and didn't care about any other things and supported the wrong. But I never realized that it would be this bad.

His family got ruined because of my father

"Why didn't you say it before?" I manage to ask between the sobs. He rubs my back stabilizing my breathing "I just couldn't make myself to, i thought you wouldn't believe me or even worse" he sighs holding me tightly"I am so sorry"

I shake my head "no…it's not your fault…..i just wished I knew about it sooner. I-i a-am s-so-sorry"

"You shouldn't apologize, you didn't know" Liam cups my face wiping my tears, as I calm down he tells me the whole incident that happened in 2010. And I listen sitting their silently, unable to process it. The weight of his sadness and grief crashing upon me

I was disgusted by the fact that how my father treated Ethan and tried to ruin my dream but the amount of hatred that's forming inside me after knowing what all he did

"How did you never react? You knew who I was yet you didn't care?" I ask, my voice low as a whisper. A small smile forms on his lips as he continues to cup my face "because you didn't know, you had nothing to do with it. It was years ago Stella, uncle Louis was already proven innocent. Yeah, I can't stand your father for what he did not care about his morals. In Fact I hate him so much, but how can I ever hold it against you?"

I shudder and press my forehead against his "You didn't deserve what happened, not your family nor Aunt lia"

"No one did" he mumbles, caressing my cheek. He holds me tightly in his embrace providing comfort from the suffocation of the world. We both remain in the same position silently until I fall asleep

….

My eyes stir open at a noise, I get up and sit on the bed. The room is dark and cold, a little light from the moon illuminating through the window. I look beside me to find the bed empty

"Liam?" I call out thinking he is in the bathroom but there's no response. I get down from the bed, my eyes landing on the note kept on the nightstand. I pick it up recognising Liam's handwriting

'I have to leave with Jeff to find out something, will be back soon. Stay inside and don't worry too much'

I glance at the clock, it's three am right now. Still so much time until Liam comes back. I sigh thinking to go back to bed, a bark echoes in my room making me get up

Buddy?

That's definitely his voice

Did Liam bring his back?

Another bark and a smile forms on my face being fully sure that Liam brought buddy back maybe because I needed someone right now. I quickly run out of the room to the living room "buddy? Where are you boy?" I ask looking around

My heart stops as my eyes fall on buddy lying motionless on the floor, surrounded by a pool of blood. I keep my hand on my mouth trying not to scream, my legs go numb as I try to step closer

Blood

Blood everywhere

Buddy, the most lively and cheerful boy is now lying lifeless. Tears flow down my eyes, a wave of shock and guilt washes over me. My brain couldn't process if this is true or just a nightmare

Please

Wake up

I call out his name but there's no response, he doesn't get up like always. His tail isn't waggling, he doesn't show me his love. Please wake up

This is a joke

A lie

A nightmare

Please

The nightmarish scene in front of me makes it hard to stay, I flee from the living room and run out of the apartment, tears streaming down my face.

They killed him

They killed an innocent soul

The image of buddy' lifeless body is seared into my mind that I could never forget. I can't see it anymore, I run until I reach the elevator.

I am tired

I am running and running

I need a break

I crashed into someone "Stella!" Liam yells holding me tight "what happened?" He asks, looking at me concerned. I look at him and cry out, how would he feel when he gets to know that?

Buddy who was raised by Liam since he was a puppy

"Stella, are you okay?" He asks again. I pat his chest trying to speak "th-they t-they" . My words are heavy and shaky. Liam keeps looking into my eyes waiting for an answer.

"They killed buddy"

── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──── ⋅ ⋅ ── ✩ ── ⋅ ⋅ ──

Author's Note

Hm guys- please don't attack me 😭

I gotta keep my eyes open and sleep tonight for sure-

Honestly, I am bad at writing sadness, crying or scary things 😭 I just know how to write cute fluffy romance. Hope y'all felt something while reading

Don't worry guys, it's a happy ending

You all will know about the stalker in next chapter 👍🏻

Voting target- 500+ votes and 250+ comments

-have a nice day 🎀

Even after this chapter 😶‍🌫️