Chapter 4: Right When I Need Him

Gabriel drove me back to my building after everything that happened at the store. We were both silent, neither of us wanting to start a conversation even though the atmosphere inside the vehicle was incredibly awkward. I just kept my eyes glued to the window, staring at the passing buildings even though I had already seen them a thousand times before. The moment the SUV pulled up in front of my apartment complex, I quickly thanked him, opened the door, and practically ran straight inside.

Once I was safely inside my apartment, I grabbed my phone and sent him a text. I told him straight out that I would handle things by myself from now on. I did not want him stepping in to save me again because it made me look too weak to defend myself, and more than anything, I did not want him involved in my chaotic life anymore.

As I walked into the living room to sit on the sofa, my parents looked at me with pure shock. They had no idea I had even stepped outside, and I purposely kept it a secret so they wouldn't worry about me any more than they already were.

Trying to shake off the anxiety, I opened my laptop and forced myself to focus on work. It was the only way to keep my mind from constantly replaying the terrible things that had happened to me. When I checked my email, there weren't many reports or urgent tasks waiting for me. It seemed everyone was giving me space to rest and clear my thoughts. My employees were incredibly considerate, and it made me realize how lucky I was to have them.

As the CEO of the Laurent Group law firm, I usually did not have to deal with the stressful, everyday micro-tasks. But today, I used the high-level paperwork to bury myself in productivity, refusing to waste another second of my life crying over the man who had ruined my wedding day.

Two days after the supermarket incident, disaster struck again. While I was working at home, a water pipe suddenly burst, quickly flooding my entire living room. I ended up standing out in the hallway of my building, completely soaked from trying to stop the leak.

Before I could even dial a number to call for emergency plumbers, a team of professional contractors marched down the hallway, followed closely by Gabriel’s personal secretary.

I froze, completely shocked by the scene unfolding in front of me. How did he even know this was happening? He was entirely too quick to respond to my emergencies. A sudden wave of unease washed over me. What if he had people constantly watching my every move? I immediately looked down the hallway from left to right, half-hoping to catch whoever he had spying on me.

Within an hour, the contractors had fixed the leak and were already replacing my ruined flooring. Frustrated and overwhelmed, I dialed Gabriel's number to demand an explanation. When he answered, his voice over the line was short, blunt, and freezing cold.

“I told you that you are under my protection, Ayanna. That includes everything.”

“I am a lawyer, Gabriel,” I argued, my voice tight with frustration. “How can I prove to the world that I can defend my clients when I clearly cannot even fix my own household problems? So please, back off.”

“No.”

He shut me down instantly, his cold tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation before the line went completely dead. I stared at my phone, letting out a sharp laugh of disbelief. He actually dared to hang up on me.

But before I could even process my anger toward Gabriel, my phone vibrated in my hand again. This time, it was a text message from an unknown number.

My breath hitched in my throat as I read the words on the screen: “Ayanna, please. I know you hate me, but I need to explain. Meet me at the park near your building tonight at midnight. Just ten minutes. Please. — Evan.”

I stared at my screen for a few seconds before shutting my phone down completely. I had absolutely no intention of showing up or giving Evan a single second of my time. Stepping back into my apartment, I walked straight up to Gabriel’s secretary, who was quietly supervising the contractors in my living room.

"You can stop monitoring me now," I said, keeping my voice firm. "Tell Gabriel I don't need a shadow every single moment following me.”

I had already figured out that he was the one following me because for an hour, I noticed the secretary discreetly tapping away on his phone, texting Gabriel updates on everything happening inside my apartment. Not only that, but his eyes were constantly scanning every corner of the room, checking the windows and doors as if looking for hidden dangers.

He didn't look shocked when I confronted him. In fact, his face remained completely professional, but he didn't agree to leave either. He simply gave me a polite nod and went back to work.

Once the team finally left, the silence of the apartment rushed back in. I forced myself to finish my remaining legal tasks, but as midnight approached and I finally climbed into bed, Evan’s text message flashed in my mind. Panic and hesitation battled in my chest. Should I go? Or not? Before my logical mind could win, I found myself getting out of bed. I needed closure, and I want answers.

I waited until my parents were fast asleep. The last thing I wanted was to worry them with my reckless midnight choices. Pulling an oversized brown hoodie over my head and slipping on a black face mask for safety, I quietly slipped out into the cold night.

The park was entirely deserted, save for one lone figure.

When I reached the park, I saw him. Evan was sitting on one of the swings, his head buried in his hands, looking completely miserable. I froze behind a large tree, my heart was pounding so fast and a sudden wave of hesitation hit me so hard that it made me scared. Am I really ready to face him?

In an instant, the memory of our wedding day flashed behind my eyes. I remembered the pure happiness I felt walking toward those doors, only for it to be brutally ripped away the moment I saw him holding someone’s hand. I remembered the heavy silence of the church, the way he looked at me with those pathetic, apologetic eyes, and the burning shame that followed. The way people judged me and the time I felt helpless and weak.

The pain came back, making it hard for me to breathe. Tears pricked the corners of my eyes, and a devastating wave of hatred washed over me. I wanted to scream at him, to throw every ounce of my anger in his face, but I felt too hollow. If I approached him now, I knew the pain would completely consume what was left of me.

No. I can't do this yet, I thought, backing away slowly. I turned around, deciding to head back to the safety of my apartment before he could see me.

But as I turned around, I ran straight into him again. I told him not to get involved with me again. He's annoying.

All of a sudden, a warm hand instantly touched my waist to steady me, and that rich, familiar scent of expensive perfume was comforting to me.

I gasped, looking up through my blurry vision. He was dressed in a dark overcoat, his eyes fixed on my face with a terrifyingly sharp gaze. He didn't say a word, but his grip tightened around me. He had followed me here and looking at the fierce expression in his face, I knew he hadn't just come to spy on me. He had come to save me from completely bursting into tears in front of the man who broke me.

"Looking for someone?" a sharp, familiar voice called out from behind us. I stiffened. The sound of footsteps grew louder.

Evan, the man I hated the most, stood up from the swing, and he was walking right toward us.