Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Taking a risk and damning the consequences just to help someone out is an act worthy of appraisal.

- Grace Chanbee

[Author's POV]

"We have to make sure she doesn't survive this time around," The watchman in Amber Sanders' home said over the phone.

This time around, he wasn't talking to the psychopath because he couldn't trust him anymore with something so important as he had failed every single time he was assigned with a task.

The psychopath was on the run, thankful that the police hadn't caught up with him the day he had attempted to murder Amber in a heavily guarded police department.

His ever-angry partner, the one who provided him with all the information, the same one who was on the phone now with a new person he believed he could trust to do his bidding, had been so furious and had caught all ties with him, leaving him to carry his cross alone.

"Are you sure she's going to take the bait?" The new man who could supposedly carry out the task asked.

"Definitely. She'd do anything to save the boy," He said in a hushed tone, looking sideways to ensure no one was listening.

"She loves him to the extent of leaving her wealthy home for him?" The new man asked, dumbfounded.

"Yes. She's a teenager, what does she know? She has no value for money and so, she doesn't deserve this inheritance at all," The furious man who was within Amber's home said.

"And how are you going to get her inheritance when you're just an ordinary servant in the house?" The new man asked, still in a state of bewilderment.

"Everyone has dirty little secrets, so does Gilbert Sanders. Just do your job and let me focus on mine," He said in a dismissive tone.

"Okay. The job will be done by tonight, you'll hear of the news in the morning," The new man assured.

The unknown man who had been disclosed as a servant in the house grinned, impressed by the confidence laced in the tone of his new accomplice.

Soon, the chapter of Amber Sanders was going to be closed and he'd get all he had always dreamt of before the end of summer.

******

[Amber's POV]

I had just finished a therapy session and was going back upstairs to my bedroom, feeling really tired and stressed out.

I just really wanted to throw my hands in the air and quit this whole therapy thing without any thought concerning the consequences of such an action.

My therapist was a friendly middle-aged woman with a slender stature and shiny ebony hair and I liked her kind personality but I hated the fact that she was literally forcing me to remember something about my past.

Everytime, all she ever did was talk gently to me like I were a little kid, trying to explain to me about the importance of recovering from Amnesia.

She'd show me pictures and videos of myself and ask me if I could remember anything at all, but no matter how hard I tried to have so much as a glimpse of my past, it all ended up in vain.

There were times I got a hazy flashback but the images in my head were never clear and they never seemed to make the least sense.

I told her about this and she said that it meant I was going to recover in no time as they were good signs. She had told me that with time, all the images were going to become clear and I'd have a solid understanding of who I was and how my entire life had played out before the traumatising accident.

She had been so quick to inform my dad that she was making progress as I had started to remember some things from the past and although they were blurry, I was going to have my memories intact soon.

This had pleased my father so greatly that he had given her salary a raise. He had even given me a hug and had bought me new clothes and shoes I didn't need.

He also promised that he'd give me a credit card if I continued to take my drugs and attend my therapy which I had just nodded to.

Of course, I didn't take my drugs. I always flushed the tablets down the toilet and contrary to my therapist's belief that she was a miracle worker, I knew recalling some things of the past in a hazy vision was normal and not as a result of her therapy.

After all, even before the therapy began, I had been having flashbacks which I was sure happened anytime I came across a significant event that may have happened in the past.

I didn't voice out my true feelings though and made them believe my therapist was actually to be thanked for my hazy memories.

The servants present had been delighted to hear that I was slowly but surely getting my memory back. In fact, everyone had been happy, except for Daisy, who looked like she was angry, jealous and trying to hide something from me all the time.

Apart from the cold glances Daisy never failed to throw in my way, I felt pretty much welcome in my house and it was as if everyone loved having me around.

I got into my room which was decorated in pink and lilac with a king-sized bed and various teddy bears and collapsed on the bed tiredly, closing my eyes and meditating for a while.

My throat felt dry and so, I stood up and walked to my mini fridge, opened it and took out a bottle of cold water which I gulped down my throat, feeling relieved and refreshed.

After I was satisfied, I closed the bottle and shut the fridge then strode to my bedside table where I had left my phone.

I had never thought in my life that I actually had tons of followers on social media and a large number of subscribers on YouTube and they had all been clamouring for me to post a new video and make a comeback.

Of course, I ignored them because I didn't know how to go about it even though my mum kept on asking me to try and see how to go about it by watching my old videos.

It all felt pointless though because I didn't feel like the sophisticated girl in the video, it all felt too different and I was surprised that it was actually me in those videos.

The way I could describe myself now was as just every ordinary girl who loved fashion but enjoyed staying indoors and eating while playing games and watching movies on my laptop.

I was about playing a crossword puzzle game on my phone when a message entered. I never received texts from anyone as my dad had gotten me a new SIM card since he didn't want me to be bothered by anyone I knew in the past till I recovered fully.

I opened the message and I felt adrenaline rush through my veins, my heart beating heavily with fear and anxiety.

"JUSTIN'S LIFE IS IN DANGER! YOUR FATHER LIED TO YOU!!"

That was what the text message read and I instantly became frightened. What could possibly be wrong with Justin? I wondered as my head began to ache as I shivered with fear.

When I had had that scary dream three days earlier on, I knew that everything was not okay. I had known it and Justin biting his lip had served as a confirmation that nothing was fine because the only time Justin ever bit his lip was when he was telling a lie.

I had however chosen to ignore things and although I wanted to see him desperately, there was no way for me to do that.

I wasn't allowed out of the house for the meantime and my father was quite protective of me. If I even asked him to let me see Justin, I knew he wasn't gonna budge.

The message I had just gotten now was so alarming but who on earth could have sent it? What if it was the person after my life who probably wanted to lure me into making a mistake? What if I was just overreacting and nothing was actually wrong?

My phone beeped as another message came in and I quickly rushed to check my inbox being nervous and really afraid. The message read:

"YOU NEED TO SEE JUSTIN NOW, HE NEEDS YOU BADLY. ONLY YOU CAN SAVE HIM NOW!"

I dropped my phone on the bed calmly as I contemplated on what to do, trying to find a solution to the scary nature of things.

My mind flashed back to the dream I had in which I hadn't been able to do anything to save Justin's life and that was when I knew it was decided that I had to see Justin now or never.

Justin had saved my life and the least I owed him was reciprocating the favour. I felt that if I even hesitated for a second, all hope will be lost. After all, in my dream, he had ended up dying which had left me aghast and terrified.

I couldn't afford to lose Justin and I had already predicted beforehand that the dream was probably a warning. The scary messages I had just received were a confirmation that Justin's life was probably in danger and he didn't want me to know because of his ego and not wanting to bother me.

If Justin had been in my shoes, wouldn't he have gone to great lengths for me? Of course, he would have.

Pushing aside my fears, I climbed out of the bed and packed my hair in a bun, not wanting the stress of pushing away strands of hair as I went.

My leggings and white blouse seemed okay and I didn't need to change my outfit. Slipping into a pair of flat black shoes, I grabbed my phone and exited my room, not before checking sideways to make sure no one was in sight.

The rooms on the third floor of the house where my bedroom also was were all empty without any occupants and I didn't know why there were so many rooms when there weren't much people to fill the rooms.

All I needed to do was get past Daisy's room which was the only room which had an occupant apart from mine on the third floor, then try to leave without the servants or guards noticing.

I didn't know how I was going to get through the number of people in the living room downstairs but I thought to myself that I was going to cross that bridge when I got there.

As I made my way, I saw Daisy in front of her room with her legs wrapped around a guy's waist as he covered her face with kisses and cuddled her aggressively.

The stature and appearance of the guy was akin to Richard's own in all ramifications and I walked with increased pace to let them know I had caught them red-handed.

"Hello," I said, crossing my arms.

Richard put Daisy down and gasped in surprise upon seeing me when he should actually be grovelling for mercy knowing fully well that I had caught him in the act.

"What is it? You're in for a threesome?" Daisy asked, licking her lips lustfully.

"What's that?" I asked.

"It's when three people eat the forbidden fruit together, if you understand what that means," Daisy said.

I got an idea of the message she was trying to pass across but just rolled my eyes, not interested in that topic anymore.

"Shouldn't you be ashamed of yourself? I just caught you with my own boyfriend," I said in a calm tone.

Daisy scoffed. "Why should I be ashamed? Did I kill anyone? Besides, this isn't the first time you're seeing us having fun with each other. You just can't seem to remember....."

"Daisy!" Richard hollered.

"I'm only speaking the truth. Be sincere with me, Amber, do you feel angry or jealous right now?" She asked.

"Of course not. I feel indifferent, no! I feel relieved. At least, I have a good reason to tell Richard here that I'm done with him," I said, a smirk playing around my lips.

"It's not what you think it is," Richard said.

Daisy ignored him as usual. "Exactly, Amber. That's because you don't like him anymore, you like that poor guy from Arroyo Grande. You should be with him, I'm sure your father will understand with time. After all, you're his only child and he gives you everything you need," Daisy said.

"You're right. My dad will only be angry for a while but with time, he'll come to terms with the fact that the only person I'll ever love is Justin," I said, seeing reasons with her.

"Of course, darling. You're dressed up, I'm sure you're planning on sneaking out to go see him," Daisy said.

I nodded without saying a word.

She touched my shoulders. "How do you intend to get past everyone looking like your real self?"

"You think I should disguise?" I asked.

"No. There's a road you can pass through that'll lead you outside the house without being noticed by anyone," She said.

I suddenly got really interested in what she was saying. "Is it safe?" I asked.

She nodded in the affirmative. "Of course, it is. You and I used to sneak out of the house through that route and go to clubs without anyone knowing," She said.

"Clubs? I used to do that?" I asked, feeling disappointed in myself.

"Yeah. And you used to get wasted as well while I used to wake up in the beds of random guys. You were always the virgin but the alcoholic, but that's not the bone of contention right now. Are you interested in sneaking out of the house to go and see your precious Justin?" She asked.

I thought for a while then nodded my head.

"Fine then. Can you see that room there?" She asked, pointing at the last room at the far end of the floor.

"Yeah."

"Go there and you'd find a staircase which you must go through. Note that the steps are quite much but at the end of the steps, you'll find a small door which you can only pass through by crawling. Do that and you'd find yourself outside this building in no time," She said.

"Are you telling the truth?" I asked, filled with doubts.

"Of course. That place was built in case we were under attack and needed to leave for safety. Only the family members know about there," She said.

"If it's so much of a secret, won't it be locked?" I asked.

She smiled, seeming impressed. "Of course, it is, but don't worry, your adorable cousin here has the key," She said.

I stared intently at her for a moment, wondering what she was up to and why she was so eager to help me out. Honestly, I didn't trust her at all and I could swear her reasons for lending a helping hand to me weren't genuine.

"What is it? Why are you staring at me that way?" She asked.

I shrugged. "Just wondering why you're suddenly being so nice. I mean, what's the catch?" I asked.

"I'm just helping you go find the guy you love while I get time to spend with the guy that I love. That's all, okay?"

"Okay," I said, even though I didn't believe her words.

"Hold on a sec," She said, pecked Richard's cheek and went into her room.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Richard said.

"For?" I asked, unconcerned.

"Everything. You don't really trust Daisy, do you?" He asked.

"Why do you care?"

"I'm just concerned. She betrayed you and she had forcefully kissed me here like she wanted you to catch us intentionally," He said.

I laughed. "Quit talking like a saint and I actually don't care about what she has in mind. All I care about is seeing my Justin."

"Your Justin?"

"Yes, he's so much better than you are," I said through gritted teeth.

He scoffed. "But he's a church rat, you can only get married to someone from a wealthy family like me. Your parents will never approve of your relationship with him," He said.

Daisy opened the door and stepped out, jingling a bunch of keys and holding a bundle of dollar notes in her hand.

"Let me deal with my issues by myself, mind your own business," I said, concluding my conversation with Richard.

Daisy looked confused but she chose not to say a word concerning what I had just said.

"Figured you didn't have money to pay for your fare to Arroyo Grande," Daisy said, explaining why she was with the dollar notes.

She handed over to me the money and the keys, shooting me a sly smile.

I collected them from her feeling a little bit fulfilled. "Thanks a bunch," I said.

"It's fine. You leaving is for my own good anyway," She said.

"What do you mean by that?' I asked, befuddled by her statement.

She shook her head nervously. "It's umm... Just a slip of the tongue," She said.

I brushed aside other questions and turned my back on she and Richard, heading towards the secret room which led to the front of the house, hoping Daisy was actually telling the truth.

"We're gonna get some good news soon," I heard Daisy mumble as I left.

I felt jittery upon hearing her statement. I knew she wasn't to be trusted but of what use was I in my house feeling scared for Justin without being able to help him?

I ignored her statement, braced myself and unlocked the door, entering into it then locking it behind me as soon as I was there.

The place was dark and there were no windows to aid my sight neither could I trace where the switch was.

I felt something touch my face which sent a frisson, rushing through my veins.

Being in this sort of situation helped me recall I was with my phone which I immediately unlocked then put on the flashlight, making everywhere bright and I was able to see clearly now.

I realised that it was a cobweb that had touched my face and I immediately took it off, scanning my environment as I coughed out loud.

There was nothing in the small room, it was literally empty but dusty as well as being filled with a wide range of cobwebs which I ducked as I approached forward, searching for the staircase.

I saw a metal door which I opened and opened my mouth in awe seeing the fleet of stairs that I was supposedly told to climb.

I looked around in search of another door leading to another staircase but it appeared that was the only staircase in sight and I came to the sad realisation that it was the one whose steps I was going to climb.

Consoling myself with the thought that Justin would have done more than climbing down a staircase just for my sake, I heaved a deep sigh and proceeded to climb down the stairs.

After what seemed like ages, I finally got to the bottom of the staircase, sweating profusely and panting heavily as I felt weak and my legs were numb.

There was a small door at the foot of the stairs like Daisy had already informed me and I felt kind of nervous about opening it.

What if I bumped into some guards and met my father's angry face and my mother's disappointed look? What if Daisy had ratted me out?

I decided to be optimistic and opened the door which creaked a bit and I bent down and crawled my way out, bursting into some flowers. I shut the door behind me and pushed through the flowers till I fell on a hard ground.

My body ached all over as I managed to sit up, rubbing the dust off my body, my head banging like it was going to fall apart.

I looked around and saw that there were no cars in sight even though it was still evening. The place was always quiet and peaceful all the time.

I stared back and saw that I was actually in front of the gate leading to my house and I couldn't even see the door I had passed through because everywhere was all covered with flowers. No wonder no one except the family members knew the place existed.

I was thankful to Daisy for being truthful even though I still didn't know her motive behind her kind gesture.

I picked up my phone and the money from the floor and looked sideways, wondering where to go in search of a vehicle to take me to Arroyo Grande.

I then saw a car drive with so much speed in my direction and I tried to flag it down but the driver of the car kept driving recklessly and swerving the car towards my side, even though I kept moving backwards.

It was like the driver had only one intention in mind; that intention was to end my life for good.