Chapter Ten

Emily did not want to let anybody in, so she refused to open the door. She just stood still and stared at the door instead. Ryan was also standing on the other side but it was evident that he wasn't standing alone. Someone else was there with him. But Emily could not recall whose voice it was. Ryan called out Emily's name again, demanding that she should open the door, there was something urgent he needed to tell her. She got yet another message that said “Do not let anyone in.” Emily was confused at this point because she was stuck between the text message and Ryan who was standing at the other side of the door. “Is anyone else with you?” She said, but Ryan didn't answer. After one minute he said “ I am here with someone who is going to help.”  Emily squeezed her face and said, “ I never told you I needed help.”

The other voice finally spoke and said, “Your Mom and Dad.” Things are beginning to take an interesting turn for Emily. “Who are you and what do you know about my Mom and Dad?” The voice was quiet. Emily heard Ryan whisper something to him. “You are in possession of something that belongs to your parents.” The voice said. Immediately, Emily thought about the picture that was nowhere to be found, and she put the pieces together. She realized then, that they were in search of the missing picture. “How did you find out about the picture?” Emily asked. Ryan decided to answer this time.                                “I know about it because your Dad instructed me before he passed on.” Emily said “That is not possible.” As she was still in disbelief. Ryan was still trying to cajole her to open the door. He promised to explain everything when she does. But Emily refused. 'Emily hear me out, I know you don't have any reason to trust me.” He said, as his voice changed completely. Ily said, “of course I do not trust you.” “How are you going to find out what your Mom and Dad tried all they could to protect you from? If you don't open the door.” Ryan added. At this point, Emily did not know what else to do, because she wanted that information so badly. “What did my Mother and Father keep for me?” Emily asked. But Ryan refused to answer. That was when the other voice said, “a warning.” Emily's cellphone beeped in her hand, she stepped back to check what it was, and saw a text message “Move away from the door immediately.” She did as it said. The lights went off a few moments later and Emily began to shiver in fear. The whole house was now totally dark. Emily did not know what to do at that moment because she noticed that someone was shaking the door. They were trying to forcefully break in. Emily shouted and moved backwards as the push intensified. When they succeeded in breaking the door, Emily lifted the object that was closest to her. It was a flower vase. She was ready to attach but nobody came inside. She looked and saw Ryan standing by himself at the front porch. The other man was not there. She looked at the floor and saw a little envelope placed just at the doorway. Ryan wanted to pick up the envelope but Emily shouted, “stop.” She walked out and collected it from him. It wasn't sighed, but it had just one name on it. Carter. When she finally opened it, she found the picture that had been missing. She put back the picture in the envelope as soon as she noticed that Ryan had seen it. Ryan asked her to look for another apartment because the one she just moved into is not safe for her. “This is my new home,” She said. Ryan said “not anymore.” Emily asked him what he meant. “People are monitoring you closely,” he said as he moved closer to her. “Are they not the same people that have been monitoring me since I caught you in bed with Vanessa, my best friend?” She said as he laughed with bitterness. “This is not about that and you know it.” “Tell me what it is about.” She demanded.

“It is about your parents.” He said with a low tone. Ryan brought out the picture from the envelope and looked at it.  “It was not just a mere accident.” His words left Emily speechless. “Repeat what you just said.” Ryan turned and looked outside the window. “They were trying to dig up dirt on somebody.” She demanded to know who, but he paused. “was it Victor?” She said as her heart raced. “I don't know the whole story yet,” He said. Emily pleased with him, not to leave her in the dark. “There are some documents about your Mom and Dad, I stumbled on long ago in my Dad's office. It was about some money that disappeared from Knight Global.” Emily looked at him for a while and demanded to know why he close not to tell her all these while. He told her that he was afraid but Emily laughed at his because she didn't believe that. “You have worked with Victor all these years, why did you work with h for so long if you were so afraid of him?” “I had no other option,” he said.

“Emily, I know that it was so wrong of me to sleep with your best friend. I know it is unforgivable, but what I am telling you now is true.” He said it with his eyes closed.  “Why are you telling me this now?” “I am telling you this because you might be the next target.” As soon as he said that, the whole house was filled with silence. The silence was interrupted by the buzz of Emily's cellphone. It was an unknown caller. When she picked up the phone, the only thing she heard was “Why didn't you listen to me?”  and he hung up. Emily went back to her quietness. Ryan demanded to know what the caller said but she ignored him. Her cellphone rang the second time, it was Damian who called her. Damian asked her where she was, and she told her that she was in her new found apartment. He asked if she was alone and she told him that she was with Damian. Damian hesitated for few seconds before speaking with a stern voice. “Get out of that house now.” Emily asked why and he told her that his security unit discovered something. Emily was gripped with fear as she asked what it was. “The person who sent those text messages to was trailed.” She held the phone right as she asked who it was. Damian told her it was someone who has access to Carter Holdings that was responsible for those messages. Emily noticed that Ryan was watching her closely. She demanded to know who. Then Damian finally told her that it was Margaret Carter. Emily stood still. Ryan's mother the woman who has never liked her ever since she married Ryan. Someone who never wanted her to be a part her family. Ryan noticed the expression on Emily's face and demanded to know what was going on. Damian overheard it and told him blatantly. ‘ Ryan, your mother has been the one sending all those messages to Emily.” “That is not possible.” He said, with a pale face. His mother's name popped up form the screen of his cellphone as it rang. His mom kept calling and calling but he ignored the calls. The a message appeared in his phone. He decided to open it. Emily asked what the message said. With Ryan's hands shaking, he showed her his phone screen. With the message which said. TELL EMILY EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO HER MOM AND DAD.