CHAPTER FIVE: THE NIGHTMARE

KIM

As I walked out of the lecture room. Hundreds of eyes were on me. I could feel their heavy gaze and their disgusting Look on me.

I clutch the strap of my bag with force as I quicken my pace. I wanted to leave here but the hall seems to keep stretching and stretching.

I break into a small run determined to leave the hall and get out into the open space away from the disgusting eyes boring into my skin, away from the loud laugh and pointing fingers. But no matter how far I went, I still couldn't reach the end of the hall.

Out of nowhere, something hard hits my head and the liquid seeps into my scalp. I touched my head, and a shell of egg moved down my burette hair onto the floor. Before I could grasp the situation, dozens of eggs came flying at me.

I crutch down and protect my face as more eggs keep flying towards me, along with unending insults from every corner.

“Slut! Bitch! Whore! Prostitute! Boyfriend snatcher! Go die bitch! Cheap thing! Dirty whore! Go fuck your father bitch!” The insult keeps coming along with the egg.

My throat burns from suppressed tears. And my body aches all over. “Please stop this, I beg” “Please stop, it hurts”, I whisper as the Tears I failed to suppress come pouring down.

“Why are you doing this to me!” I screamed at the top of my voice.

“Why are You treating me like this? What did I do huh? What did I do!” I screamed with tears flowing down uncontrollably, as rage and anger filled my every being.

“You don't know what you did?” Eleanor's sarcastic voice reached my blurry mind. She looked at me with disgust, like I was some garbage she couldn't wait to get rid of.

She walked closer to me and guided my head towards the big screen placed at the end of the hall used to display information to students. When I looked up, I caught a glimpse of a familiar silhouette, way too familiar for me to be mistaken.

“No, no. That's not me. That is not me!” I screamed as my feet seemed to retract into the comfort of something, anything.

I felt a short relief as my back hit a strong study chest and a strong hand that held my shoulder in place. I turned back to see who it was, and my eyes met Jake's brown eyes.

He moved closer to me, closer enough to whisper in my ears.

“Hi, cupcake”, he said sarcastically before busting into a devilish laugh that seemed to tear my being into pieces.

Eleanor and the rest also started laughing at me. I took an unconscious step away from them as I covered my ears to drown the sound of their laughter while running towards the exit.

I suddenly came to a halt as I stared at the figure in front of me. ‘Nathan, what is he doing here?’ I thought to myself.

“Are you here to join them in mocking me? Do you come to see how miserable I'm feeling!” I said shouting at him. He remained emotionless at first but soon his expression morphed into rage. A type of rage you wear when you're about to kill your enemies.

His mouth moved as he mouthed “I will……..”

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The loud sound of my alarm clock pulled me out of my dream. I open my eyes as I look around the familiar bedroom. My face is sweaty, and my sweat-soaked pyjamas cling to me like the second layer of skin

I sat up and turned off the ringing alarm. I ran my hand through my hair and I could feel my hair wet from the sweat. Wet Patches formed on my pillow stand as evidence of my tears. Fuck that dream felt real.

My mind drifted back to my nightmare and I could feel the hair on my arm standing from fear. It's been years since I had this dream.

I remember I stopped having this dream after my dad made me visit a therapist. Rather than facing the fears like the therapist told me, I decided to bury them instead and lie to everyone that I had overcome them.

I continue to tell myself to bury the past and let the past remain in the past until I can successfully bury it. My determination last night must have dug up this memory, making me experience it in my dreams.

And the most confused part was Nathan. Why was he in my dream? And what was he trying to tell me?

I know I heard it in the dream, but for some odd reason, the only thing I remember now is ‘I will…’

He will what? And why did he look like he would kill me?

Is that the reaction he will have when he eventually learns of my past? The thought of that did not help at all. If anything, it added a new height to my fears.

The thought of having Nathan look at me like that when he knows about my past breaks my heart a million times.

But then, if I did not stop Eleanor and Jake from coming close to Nathan, what I fear most will become my reality.

With newfound determination, I step out of bed to get ready for the day.

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I stepped out of my Phantom Rolls Royce sedan as one of my assigned bodyguards opened the door for me.

“Thank you”, I said, smiling at her as I made my way into the 12-story building that houses ‘Eleon Interior Designs’—the company Phoebe and I co-founded.

I stepped into the executive elevator and pressed the twelfth floor. When I arrived, I went directly into Phoebe's office so we could finish our last discussion.

As soon as I entered her office, she gave me a vibrant smile, the opposite of how I was feeling that morning. I decided to keep my nightmare to myself as I tried to meet her smile the best I could.

Phoebe is a beautiful blond with a shape that can make a priest wet. Compared to my pale skin, Phoebe is slightly tan, and she always carries a vibrant smile on her face. But beneath that smile is a lady who is always out for revenge anytime someone hurts her or her loved ones.

“So, what is the first step” I asked as I sat on one of

the sofas in her office while she sits across from me.

“Firstly, you need to know exactly where he works. You know The Pearce has a lot of subsidiaries in all business niches.”

She's right; Nathan's family business spread to most business niches, covering transportation, finance & investment, technology, health & wellness, engineering & real estate, hospitality and many more.

To know which of the companies he works at, I picked up my phone from my bag and dialled a number, putting it on speaker so that Phoebe could listen to our conversation.

“Hello, Mrs Pearce”, a baritone voice answered from the other end.

“Hello, Jeff; I have a favour to ask. I need you to help me find someone”

“of course Mrs Pearce, I'm happy to help.”

“I need you to help me find the names Eleanor Duke and Jake Smith. I want to know everything about them. But most importantly, I want to know which of my husband's companies they work for and the position they hold. How long will it take for you to get back to me?”

He hesitated as if he wanted to say something and refrain from it.

“I will forward the email to you in five minutes ma'am,” he said and hung up.

Robert Jake is Nathan's assistant, so I know he can easily get access to the information.

While we waited for Jeff to send his email, Phoebe's assistant served us coffee and cookies.

We both jumped as my phone beeped with notifications. Phoebe hurried to my side as I opened the email that Jeff had sent and my heart launched into my throat as I read through the email.

-Eleanor Duke-

27 years old,

Single

168cm

head of team, department of marketing and advertising.

Headquarters.

-Jake Smith-

27 years old

Single

178cm

director of account and finance.

Headquarters.

They work in the same building as Nathan!