CHAPTER FIVE

I frowned as I saw her waving to a little boy who looked about two years older than Dawn. The boy wore a sad expression as he walked away.

The woman turned, and her eyes widened when she saw me. In an instant, her expression shifted to one of disgust.

I knew she looked familiar.

I took slow steps toward the woman, who looked almost malnourished with her thin frame.

Nyxia Russell.

My cousin. She was the one who cheated with my ex. We broke up years ago, anyway.

I had walked in on them celebrating her pregnancy with him. I guess that boy was the result.

"Nyxia Russell," I called out, smiling, though the smile I forced didn’t match what I felt inside.

"Well, look who’s back! The world’s best model," she sneered. "Finally back from your little ‘run.’ Thought you’d die out there; now that would’ve been a fun story. So, how’s life treating you? You must have some magic down there to lure men your way. Heard you got married yesterday. Who knows how many rounds you had to get him to marry you? He must be ashamed of you, hiding his face from the public."

She clicked her tongue, and I had to resist the urge to lash out.

The wedding between Arrow and me had been high-profile, but with a low profile on the details. All information about it had been erased, and only the attendees knew about it. I didn’t understand why he was hiding that fact… though, honestly, I wasn’t eager to have the world know, either.

But I wasn’t surprised she knew; after all, she had an influential husband—my ex.

"Pretty well, Nyxia. You see, not everyone is a lying cheater like you and Clyde. I’m married, and at least I’m not suffering. So, how’s life treating you? Looks like you’re having a rough time with your husband," I said, eyeing the red mark on her cheek, clearly from a punch.

She quickly covered it with her hand.

"How things are with me and my husband is none of your business. He’s treating me fine," she snapped, and I chuckled.

"Well, the bruise on your cheek says otherwise," I replied, stepping closer. She took a step back.

I could tell she felt intimidated, but if she was still the Nyxia I knew, she would never bow to shame or intimidation.

"You know… even if Clyde never loved me, he never raised a finger on me. I wonder why things are different with you," I said, turning to walk away, feeling her angry gaze burn into my back.

"Screw you, Kalmia Paxton! I hope you keep failing, and that you never find your sister!" she yelled, and I stopped abruptly.

I turned around to face her, my gaze cold, my expression icy.

“Repeat that,” I said, watching her throat move as she swallowed nervously.

She scoffed, then turned and left like the weakling she was.

I watched her car as it drove away, passing right by me.

Well, well, Nyxia. You’re at the top of my suspect list.

“Come on, Kalmia, let’s leave. Some people are staring,” Jemima said, and I glanced around.

It was true—people were staring.

I may have been forgotten by some, but a few still remembered who I was.

They knew Kalmia Paxton, the heartless sister who supposedly valued an award over her sister’s life.

And right now, those were the words dripping from their mouths as I walked back to my car.

“She dared come back after what she did to her sister.”

“She’s got guts, that heartless witch.”

Tears brimmed at the corners of my eyes, and as soon as I sat in the passenger seat, they spilled over.

Jemima shot me a sympathetic look as she started the car.

“Stop crying, Kalmia. It’s not your fault. You didn’t cause your sister’s disappearance. We both know you’d have given up any award just to save her life. Stop crying, okay? It’s not your fault…” she said softly, and I sniffed.

“That’s what we both know, Jemi. But others don’t. Everyone thinks I’m a witch who let her sister get hurt, which led to her disappearance. To everyone, I’m an evil person,” I said, breaking down under the weight of everyone’s hatred.

“It’ll end, Kalmi. We’ll find your sister, and this will all be over,” she reassured me, and I sighed, looking out the window.

“Where are you, Visha?” I murmured to myself.

That was the name of my missing older sister—Visha Paxton.

*****

Arrow watched as Ozzy’s fingers flew across the keyboard in his personal lab.

He’d come here to get Ozzy’s help in tracking down the location of the organization and hacking the security passcode.

The boss stayed on the topmost floor, and security was tight.

Getting through the layers of guards would be nearly impossible, and he needed a way to get in and out smoothly after completing his mission.

All he wanted was to get the list of people who’d bought those bullets six years ago.

Ozzy had managed to hack into the system, only to discover the boss didn’t store any information on it.

Finally, Ozzy stopped typing and stood up with a grin.

“I deserve the best hacker award, bro, don’t you think?” he asked, but Arrow’s expression remained stoic.

“Did you do it?” Arrow asked bluntly, and Ozzy did a silly twirl.

“Yes, boss. I hacked their cameras and checked every single area. Only the topmost floor is flooded with guards. There’s a tunnel at the back that leads to the elevator going to the top floor. You can easily get in and leave through there. Aren’t I a genius?” Ozzy grinned, and just then, Eros burst into the room.

“You guys are a bunch of traitors! How could you work on something without me?” he yelled.

He’d been on his way to talk to Ozzy when he overheard their conversation.

“You didn’t come quick enough. Sorry, but it’s gonna be a hot hunt tonight. Only Mr. Cold here wants to go alone,” Ozzy teased, grabbing a plate of popcorn and stuffing his mouth.

“Still on the case of your grandmother’s murderer and your fiancée’s attempted murder?” Eros asked, and Arrow nodded.

The thing was, after his fiancée’s attack, his grandmother had been driving from the wedding venue to see him at the hospital when she was shot in the exact same spot—with the same kind of bullet.

A red-tipped bullet.

It meant the same person was responsible for both attacks.

At the time, he had power but not enough influence to dig into the case properly. But now he did, and he was determined to get to the bottom of it.

“Bro, do you think it’ll be easy?” Eros asked, and Arrow lifted his gaze as he stood up.

“I know it won’t be,” he replied, starting to leave.

“Text me the door code, Ozzy,” he said, then disappeared through the door.

*******

Kalmia's Pov

I was at CY'S OPERATION, waiting for my turn to be interviewed.

I checked the time on my phone and sighed in frustration. It was already ten minutes past Dawn’s school closing time, and she was still waiting there.

I would have asked Jemima to pick her up, but I’d made Dawn a promise I couldn’t break.

Scrolling through my contact list, I saw his number, unsaved but second on the list. He’d called me with this number the day he handed me the contract, so I knew it was his.

I dialed his line, but he didn’t pick up. I tried again, and this time, he answered on the fifth ring.

“What?” his cold voice came over the line, and I blinked, surprised.

Was he expecting me to call him? Did he know I would?

Or, more importantly… did he know it was me, or was this just how he responded to everyone who called him?

“I’m quite busy, Mia. I don’t have all day to wait for you to speak,” he said again, and I gasped.

Wait, he knew it was me?

That meant he’d saved my number. And what was with him calling me Mia?

“My name, Arrow, is Kalmia. Don’t shorten it to your own terms,” I said, but he didn’t reply.

“I called to tell you… (sigh)… Dawn wants you to pick her up from school,” I said.

“You think I haven’t done that?” he interjected, and I blinked in surprise.

“Huh… wh—”

“Bye, Mia,” he said, ending the call abruptly. I stared at my phone.

What was with this devil… and why did he keep calling me Mia?

And he’d already picked up Dawn? Well, that was a relief.

I wouldn’t lie; that nickname did make me feel a bit special. But then… nah, I didn’t want to think about it.

“Miss Kalmia Paxton… you’re up next,” the secretary called my name, and I sighed, standing up for my interview at last.

I’d been here for more than an hour waiting. But now it was finally my turn.

I hadn’t used my new last name, Spears, for security reasons.

Walking with my head held high, I could feel the glaring eyes of the people around me, their stares practically gnawing at my flesh.

Ignoring their hateful looks, I was finally led to the office.

I knocked, and after hearing a “Come in,” I pushed the door open.

The figure sitting with his head bowed looked extremely familiar, and as he lifted his head, my suspicions were confirmed.

“Clyde?” I called, shocked, as the corners of his lips stretched into a thin grin.

“My dear Kalmia… you’ve grown bigger, as in, bigger in all the right places,” Clyde sneered, and my shock quickly dissipated into irritation.

Clyde was my psychotic ex-boyfriend from years ago—the one who had cheated on me with my cousin, Nyxia.

Wait… he was the owner of this corporation?

What the hell?

“Wait a sec, is this some kind of twisted reunion? I just ran into your wife a few moments ago, and now I’m meeting you.” I scoffed, placing my bag on his desk. His expression darkened.

“You saw my wife? Wait… I hope you didn’t do anything crazy to her,” he said, standing up, feigning concern. I scoffed, disgusted by his act.

“Stop it, Clyde. Stop pretending like you care about her when, clearly, you don’t. You made her your punching bag, and now you’re acting like a concerned husband? Are you even human? Why keep her if you hate her so much?” I yelled, glaring at him.

As much as Nyxia was a b****, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for her.

He let out a dark laugh. “Hahaha… oh, it’s so easy for you to figure out, isn’t it? Why should I let her go when I’ve got a free woman to lay with and a free face to punch, huh?” he taunted, standing up from his seat and taking slow steps toward me.