CHAPTER 14.

 “I really do not want you speaking to strangers,” Marchen said to AnniBerry in a very serious tone.

 She looked at him but said nothing, continuing to scroll through her phone.

 “Why didn't you ask me about the password?” he asked again.

 “You were busy,” she replied, still focused on her phone.

 Marchen stared at her for a few moments before finally taking a seat beside her. AnniBerry glanced at him and shifted slightly away.

 A few minutes later, the doorbell rang.

 Marchen walked over and opened the door. A tall, light-skinned, skinny man walked in. He was wearing black trousers, a red shirt, and a matching red face cap. He looked very much like a delivery man.

 The instant he stepped inside, his eyes landed on the young woman sitting in the chair.

 “AnniBerry?” he called out in shock.

 AnniBerry quickly raised her head to look at him.

 “Peter?” she exclaimed.

 She stood up and moved to hug him. At the same moment, Marchen quietly locked the door.

 “Where have you been, AnniBerry? Everyone has been looking everywhere for you,” Peter said, his face filled with worry.

 “I've been... umm... fine,” AnniBerry replied, struggling to find the right words.

 She remembered how Marchen had told her she could never return home, and how furious he had become the last time she stepped outside. She was certain he wouldn't want her telling anyone that she was living in his house.

 “Do you stay here?” Peter asked curiously.

 AnniBerry turned to look at Marchen. He blinked once, and she immediately understood what he meant.

 “No. I just came today to say hi to my uncle,” she lied.

 At the word uncle, Marchen scoffed.

 “Peter, drop the food. You can leave now. It's late,” Marchen said. Peter walked to the dining table and placed the food on it before quickly returning to AnniBerry.

 “Anni, when will I see you again?” he asked eagerly.

 AnniBerry didn't know what to say. As she searched for an answer, Marchen opened the door, silently signalling Peter to leave.

 “I'll call you, Peter,” AnniBerry finally said.

 “I'll be expecting your call, Anni,” Peter replied before walking out of the house. Marchen followed him outside.

 “Peter...” Marchen called sternly. Peter stopped and turned around.

 “If anyone finds out she's here, I'll kill you.”

 Peter looked confused, but he dared not question Marchen.

 “Yes, sir,” he answered before leaving.

 Marchen went back inside. AnniBerry had eaten almost all of the pancakes. Marchen glanced at the nearly empty food container. He couldn't help but wonder if he had been starving her.

   “You should have told me you needed to eat,” Marchen said to AnniBerry in a calm tone.

“Okay,” she responded and continued eating.

Marchen felt sorry for her. He thought about stocking his house with food now that she was here. As for him, he could stay for days without eating at home, but for the past two weeks, while she had been staying with him, they had only eaten once or twice a day, usually something light. What he saw today made him realise he needed to stock up his kitchen.

“Good night,” he said to AnniBerry before walking off to his room.

AnniBerry finished everything on her plate. Feeling completely satisfied, she headed to bed.

...

AnniBerry woke up the next morning to the warm rays of the sun piercing through her window. She stretched her body, picked up her phone, and logged into F******k, hoping someone had sent her a message about Merrilyn. But there was nothing.

She hissed in frustration and tossed her phone onto the bed. After washing her face and freshening up, she decided to leave her room. As she reached for the door handle, she realised the door was locked.

She tried opening it several times, but it wouldn't budge. She wondered whether someone had locked her in or if the door was simply faulty. She kept twisting the handle, but it refused to open.

She picked up her phone to call Marchen, only to realise she didn't have his number. She sighed in frustration and sat on the edge of her bed, wondering what to do next. How had the door become locked? She was still deep in thought when the handle suddenly creaked. The door didn't open, but she heard a woman's voice from the other side.

“Why is this room locked?”

The voice was deep, but she could tell it belonged to a woman.

“I keep my supplies there, and they are very delicate,” she heard Marchen reply.

AnniBerry froze.

“What's happening?” she muttered under her breath.

She remained perfectly still as countless mysterious events since Merrilyn's accident raced through her mind. She needed to know what was really going on.

But who was willing to tell her anything?

Nobody.

AnniBerry was literally shaking on her bed when suddenly the door creaked open. It was Marchen. He walked toward her bed and sat beside her. He looked at her. Fear had clearly taken hold of her. She looked stressed; as a matter of fact, she looked leaner than she had the first day he saw her.

"I'm sorry, AnniBerry. I had to lock your door to prevent you from being found," he said calmly.

AnniBerry quickly stood up and looked at Marchen.

"By who?" she raised her voice. "Who am I hiding from? I'm beginning to think there's more to all of this, or you're just a liar. I've never had issues with anyone, but the instant you showed up in my life, you made up a false story, telling me my life was in danger."

Marchen stood up and looked at her in disbelief.

"False story?" he asked calmly. "Then how do you explain the attack at your house? They wanted to kill you. You would have been dead if I hadn't shown up when I did."

AnniBerry's eyes widened. She stared at Marchen with a stern expression.

"But you said it was the police who saved me. You lied," she said quietly, still unable to believe it.

Marchen was confused. He did not know what to say to her. He couldn't tell her the truth, and he wasn't willing to make up another lie. For a brief moment, he thought about letting her go. Whatever fate she faced would have nothing to do with him. But on second thought, for reasons he could not yet explain, he needed her to be safe.

AnniBerry picked up a brush and began brushing her hair aggressively, her anger evident. She put on a pair of jeans and a top, picked up her phone, and walked toward the door when Marchen stopped her.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking straight into her eyes.

"I'm going back to my house, and if you try to stop me, I'll scream for help," AnniBerry said angrily.

Marchen looked at her in disbelief. He knew he couldn't keep her there forever without giving her a decent explanation, but he didn't expect her to give up on him so soon.

"How do you expect to find your way back home?" he asked. "You have no money, and you still haven't cleared your debt to me."

AnniBerry scoffed and looked at him.

"If you really want your money back, then you'd let me leave," she said firmly.

Marchen rolled his eyes and placed both hands on his waist, looking exhausted. He racked his brain for something he could say that would convince her not to leave. “Fine, you are free to go,” Marchen said to her. “But since you have decided not to trust me, there is nothing I can do.”

AnniBerry walked out of Marchen's house, and he followed her, looking worried.

“Please, AnniBerry, come back inside, and I'll tell you everything,” he assured her calmly.

AnniBerry stared at him with a stern expression for nearly two minutes.

“Promise me,” she demanded.

“I promise,” he replied.

AnniBerry walked back into the house and sat on the sofa. Marchen came in behind her and locked the door. She fixed her eyes on him, expecting him to finally tell her the truth about everything that had been happening.

“The day your cousin had the accident,” he began, “she destroyed something that belonged to someone. Now they want you to pay her debt since she was transferred somewhere far away for treatment.”

He avoided looking directly at her as he spoke.

AnniBerry's expression changed to one of worry. It was as though she had just discovered something she had never imagined.

“Is that why everyone in her family disappeared?” she asked curiously. “What did she destroy?”

“It was something very important,” Marchen replied. “They became really angry. In fact, they wanted to have you arrested. That's why I stepped in to save you. I had you taken to the hospital, and they attacked your home.”

AnniBerry's face paled with fear.

“So... it's because of Merrilyn?” she asked.

“Yes,” he answered.

Marchen studied her expression for a moment. He was relieved that she believed him and showed no eagerness to leave.

Then she looked at him again.

“Why did you lock my room this morning?” she asked. “I also heard a woman's voice while I was trying to open the door.”

Marchen smiled.

“Oh, that's my aunt,” he replied, forcing a smile. “She's just very noisy.”