28

The weather was hot, Giselle did not know why she was restless, it was as though the sun understood her distress and decide to go easy on her as it was beginning to dip behind the skyline across the hallway outside Serayah’s apartment. Giselle had spent the last few hours sulking, wondering what her next step would be. While she was lost in thoughts where she was, a thud-thud-thud at the door made all three of them jump.

"Don't open it," Lawrose hissed, dropping his fashion magazine. "I'm telling you, it’s him. I strongly feel it’s him."

"It’s a delivery knock, Law. Relax," Serayah said, though she gripped her rolling pin like a club. She looked through the peephole. "There’s nobody there. Just a box."

"If you were not expecting an order or a parcel, Don't touch it! For security reasons please," Lawrose warned.

Giselle stood up, her heart doing a slow, painful roll in her chest. "It’s not a bomb. Richard doesn't blow things up. He buys them."

She pushed past her friends and unlatched the deadbolt.

On the welcome mat sat a small, velvet-lined box, jet black and embossed with a gold 'H'. There was no note. No shipping label. Just the Hemingway name.

Giselle picked it up, her fingers trembling. She stepped back inside, and Serayah slammed the door, locking it instantly.

"Open it," Serayah whispered.

Giselle flipped the lid. Resting on a bed of white silk was a single, sparkling diamond stud. Her breath hitched. The blood drained from her face so fast she had to grab the back of a chair to stay upright.

"Is that...?" Lawrose leaned in, squinting. "Giselle, is that the earring you lost at the hotel?"

"Yes," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Wait," Serayah said, her eyes darting between the jewelry and Giselle. "If he’s returning it now... that means..I don’t know what this means. What the hell is he trying to achieve? I hope there is no listening device hiding somewhere."

"It’s a message," Lawrose said, his voice dropping an octave. "Maybe he is trying to tell you something that we probably don’t know."

Giselle stared at the diamond as it caught the light. "I..wish I knew what this was about but I am just as blank as you guys. I am curious to know what this is about."

"That man and his crazy son are weird and now I regret daring you to go seduce him," Lawrose said, peering through the blinds again. "Look. I cant even see the car down the road, it is gone. I am at  appoint where I want to curse myself out for daring you into this mess Giselle, please forgive me."

"What are you going to do?" Serayah asked. "You can't go back there now. I feel he knows you’re here and wants to see how he can get you to come see him, maybe this ear ring was his own conversation starter"

"You could be right," Giselle said, a strange, terrifying heat spreading through her chest.

**

Back at the Hemingway mansion, Richard sat in his library, his phone buzzing on the desk. He didn't pick it up. He was staring at the matching earring—the one he had kept. Recalling how he had found it on his bed the morning after the one night stand, his purpose of sending it was his own way of hoping it would remind her of that night.

The door opened, and Chase walked in, looking smug. "I had a chat with my lawyer today. He says since Giselle has 'abandoned' the primary residence, we can file for an emergency hearing. We can end this by Friday. Dad please, I want this. Please stop interfering, please"

Richard didn't look up. "The hearing won't happen, Chase."

"Why not? She’s gone! She’s defaulted on the residency requirement you set!"

"She hasn't abandoned anything," Richard said, . "She’s just... taking a breather of some sort. And I’ve reasons to believe she will back home soon, so it’s not happening."

"What are you talking about?" Chase snapped. "Have you found her yet? You're speaking in riddles. You've been sitting in this room for days like a villain. It’s creepy, Dad."

"I would like to be left alone for now," Richard said, finally looking at his son. "The word you’re looking for is inevitable. My decision regarding your marriage to decision is final, no emergency hearing or anything please."

Chase frowned.  What are you—"

"Go to bed, Chase," Richard interrupted. "Go do something with your life and let me be, I am not cut out for an argument with you."

"This is insane, I feel choked up in this house," Chase hissed, turning on his heel. "I'm calling Monica. I'm going out."

"If you leave this house tonight to be with that whore," Richard said, his voice stopping Chase at the door, "don't bother bringing your ass back. I am tired of getting you to get your shits together."

Chase spun around, his face purple with rage. "You can't do that! I live here!"

"I am the master of this house," Richard said, standing up. He seemed to grow in the shadows, his presence suffocating. "And I am tired of the noise you make. Giselle was the only quiet, beautiful thing in this family, and you broke her. Now, I am going to fix your mess. And you are going to stay out of the way."