Chapter Eight: Aftermath and Consequence

May left the office, the action of her legs seeming almost automatic while her brain kept on replaying the situation of the last few minutes. The disclosure that it was James who had been sending her the cryptic messages had utterly stunned her, and being confronted with Malory after that was just the icing on the cake. All these emotions were like a wave that almost engulfed her, and she was quite lost.

As a matter of fact, May was thinking about the working relationship she had had with James when she was outside. She had been very fortunate to learn a lot of things from him, both at work and in life. Not only did he encourage her to give her best, but he also invited her to take risks and confront her fears. Nevertheless, he also injured her by toying with her feelings and by using her as a puppet without actually ever showing his strings. It is uncertain whether she can find it in herself to forgive him, or if she even wants to attempt it at all.

In May's mind, her musings were suddenly interrupted by the noise of her phone demanding attention in her trousers. To her surprise, May was not the one to send the text but somebody unknown. She was so shocked that her heart skipped a beat and she stood there for a moment, looking at the phone, agitated about whether to pick or not. Ultimately, she was the one who consented to the call when her inquisitiveness overtook her.

"I am May," she said, her voice hardly trembling.

The voice was behind an electronic voice scrambler, so gender was undeterminable. The person said, "May, I am aware of the issue situation with James. He has not been genuine with you though he is not the person that you think," the voice went on.

May could barely hold her thoughts as she was listening to the words trying to wrap her head around them. The possibilities were running wild in her mind. To whom she was speaking? What they want?

On the other side, James was trying to salvage what was left from his wrecked situation of things. The man decided to call it quits between him and Malory, and now he is bearing the brunt of her anger. Malory came out of his office like a whirlwind of emotions, tears streaming down her face, and he is aware that she will be his guest very soon.

James rubbed his temples with a weary sigh, trying to make sense of it all. He never intended to cause her pain, but he could not deny his attraction towards May. The girl was clever, lively, and pretty, and he just could not resist her.

However, May was not like the others that he had been with previously. She had something unique and he knew that if he really wanted to have her, he would have to be cautious.

Before James could make up his mind as to what to do next, his assistant's urgent message made his phone vibrate. "James, we are in a very serious situation here," said the message. "The company is on the verge of bankruptcy and the board is asking for explanations."

He was so shocked by the news that he had to read it twice in order to be sure. One of the ways out of his personal troubles would be such a big crisis and it was the exact thing that he needed right now. Preparing for a rough fight ahead, he took a deep breath and decided to face the situation.

On the other hand, May was still in a state of disbelief over the anonymous message she just got. Although she knew she should be cautious, she was drawn towards the mysterious person.

May couldn't stop thinking that her life was going to be changed very soon albeit she didn't know how, when, or in fact which way. Needless to say, she was standing at a crossroads not knowing which road to take.

James indeed was making an effort to rectify the situation, however, it would not be a walk in the park. The thing that was at stake was whether or not May would trust him again.

The chapter is closed with the buzzing of May's phone again, showing another message from an unknown sender: "Meet me at the old warehouse at midnight. Come alone."

May froze when she read the message and her thoughts were generating a million different scenarios. What on earth was she about to do?

May could not take her eyes off the message that seemed to have her heart racing with nervousness. Meet me at the old warehouse at midnight. Come alone. What did they want, and who was this person? The mere thought of the mysterious messages that James had sent to her and now this baffling message from someone she didn't know made her shiver.

May's walk home was a total mess of contradictory feelings. She was infuriated with James for the trick he played on her but yet a little part of her was attracted to him. By all means, the stranger left a message wanting to communicate with her and yet she was also an alarmed person. What if it was a trap?

Upon arriving at home, May attempted to amuse herself with work, however, her thoughts kept dwelling on the message. She kept glancing at the clock as if time would go faster but it was the opposite and it looked like it was forever between two hours.

Eventually, it was the hour to be leaving. May took with her keys and left the house with her heart wildly beating. She hailed a cab and after giving the address to the driver, tried to calm her jitters.

As May arrived at the deserted old warehouse, she was overwhelmed with the feeling of anxiety. It looked like no one but her was supposed to be there and she felt as though she made a big mistake by coming. After paying the driver, she came out of the vehicle and checked the place out, full of uneasiness.

There was not a single ray of light at the warehouse, and not a single living thing could be heard except for the old wooden beams creaking. May was standing there, hesitating to go in or not, but in the end, it was her curiosity that persuaded her. She took a deep breath and went in.

The sights inside the warehouse were barely lit – the only light coming from a single tiny bulb hanging from the ceiling. May slowly became accustomed to the darkness, and a shadowy figure was there to greet her.

"Greetings May," the figure said in a low, smooth tone.

May palpitated when hearing the voice. It was James.

"Why do you come here?" she asked, attempting to keep her voice steady.

James came closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "It was I who sent the message," he said. "Honestly, May, I wanted to talk to you. I wanted to explain."

May was a horror movie of emotions – rage, relief, and even a little thrill. "Explanation for what?" she whispered, barely audible.

James drew near one step more, temper flashing in his eyes. "I.."