Chapter 13: Chapter 13

I open my eyes slowly; the room was beginning to be invaded by the gradually rising sunlight. And once again, I woke up suddenly from my sleep. I vaguely observed the room where I slept, without a definite direction. Something was bothering me, and it wasn't the fact that I had slept poorly at night, it was something more intense, improper, perhaps. I was still ecstatic from the dream I had had.

Until then, it might not mean anything, but at the same time, I could say that I was starting to give in to Joshua, and that, in no way, should happen.

With only a few minutes left until sunrise, I decided to start getting ready to go to Joshua's company. And, as I remembered that I would have to spend the entire day with him, a cold malevolent feeling invaded my stomach.

I try to push all those thoughts away. I shake my head and take a deep breath, getting up from bed and walking to the bathroom. I undress and turn on the shower, alternating the water temperature to a little warmer. The rain from the previous night had contributed to a chilly day.

I delightfully observe a small amount of smoke caused by the steam from the water, accumulating on the glass plates, fogging them as always.

***

A few minutes later, I wrapped myself in a towel that was next to the shower. I proceed to the mirror, briefly looking at my face. It was intriguing to look at myself. I didn't look like a twenty-two-year-old woman about to turn twenty-three, I looked more like a fifteen-year-old teenager lost from her parents. Not that this delay in aging was a bad thing, but I just couldn't believe that I was already that age and still hadn't managed to get rich. I mock myself.

I return to the room and search for some clothes inside my suitcase. I hadn't unpacked yet. I hear the door opening and turn around to check who it is, and I let out an involuntary sigh when I see Mrs. Taylor.

"Will it take long?" she crosses her arms, leaning against the door.

I arch my eyebrows, looking at her indignantly for her attitude towards me continuing in the same rude tone. "I don't know, maybe. Why?"

"Joshua asked me to check if madam has already woken up. He'll be leaving for work shortly."

"But so early?" I question when I see that the day has barely dawned.

"He follows a schedule. So, he has to leave home early."

"A schedule?"

"Girl, if you want to know something, ask him yourself."

She answers rudely and leaves the room.

"Witch," I grumble.

Finally, I turn my attention to my clothes. Since I'm going to a more formal place, I would have to dress accordingly. Therefore, I choose a grey high-neck midi dress, a white blazer, and the only high heel that I had brought from Brazil, a beige pump, and even though it was already three years old, it still looked new.

I finish my hair, leaving it loose, and finally, I'm ready. I grab my phone from the nightstand and leave the room, heading downstairs.

Joshua was in the living room, sitting on one of the sofas that were right in front of the stairs. I take a deep breath and try to stay relaxed, so as not to remember that I had a mini-internal breakdown because of him earlier.

As soon as I step down the last step, I receive Joshua's gaze. He seemed dazzled by how I was dressed. And when I think he's going to say something, he just gives a smile and turns his attention back to his phone screen. At first, I was frustrated, I'm not going to lie, I was expecting a compliment, but given the situation I was in internally, wanting to run away from him in every way possible, for fear of falling in love with him, that attitude was the best possible.

I head to the kitchen. I was going to have a quick breakfast and then go back to Joshua, maybe he was a little in a hurry to leave.

Mrs. Taylor wasn't in the kitchen, and so I mentally thank her. I didn't want to eat the first meal of the day with a woman who seemed to hate me. But she could emerge from the shadows at any moment, so it was better to hurry.

***

I get into the car, sitting next to Joshua, in the back seat.

"Today, you're not going to take the same route as usual, sir?" the driver asks.

"No, Mr. Taylor. Today, it's straight to the company."

Mr. Taylor? That sounds familiar. Are he and Mrs. Taylor a couple? But wait, did I accuse her unjustly of being interested in Joshua? Or does she have a secret crush outside of her marriage? Jesus!

But since the problem wasn't mine, I relax and enjoy the ride, taking the opportunity to get to know London a little.

***

It seemed like Joshua had an obsession with big things. Similar to his apartment, his company had countless floors, and at the top of the building, the name S. J Cosmetic stood out.

I follow Joshua inside the gigantic building.

It looked like a model runway inside. Everyone dressed elegantly and walking hastily. I couldn't count how many people were there, but it was a huge amount, and it was only the first floor. All the employees greeted Joshua, who nodded briefly.

We head towards the elevator, and as expected, Joshua presses the last button, even though there was another one above the one he pressed, with a red border and no number.

"I will ask my secretary to show you information about the company," Joshua says, diverting my attention from the button.

"I have a meeting today, so I won't be able to introduce you myself."

"That's okay," I nod, and Joshua gives me a half-smile.

He seemed a bit more serious today compared to yesterday. But I don't blame him. I had acted strange with him.

After a few minutes, the elevator stops on the chosen floor. The doors open, and unlike the first floor, there was only one person.

"Good morning, Mr. Scott. Here's the paperwork you asked for. And the meeting with the shareholders will start in two hours," the person says, bombarding Joshua with information.

"Thank you, Miss Kim," Joshua receives the paperwork.

I couldn't help but notice how stunning that Asian descendant was. Long black hair, well-cared-for skin, dressed elegantly, and despite wearing heels that seemed taller than her feet, which made her a few inches taller than me, she walked as if she were walking down a runway.

"She is Alice Collins," Joshua introduces me, and I offer a sweet smile, greeting her, which she returns with the same smile. "Miss Kim will pass on all the necessary information about the company to you."

We both nod and watch Joshua make his way into the floor's interior.

"Well, now that we've been introduced, feel free to call me Samantha. I particularly prefer it," she chuckles.

She moves her hand, asking me to follow her to her office. Samantha bends down on the other side of the counter and then emerges with a huge box.

"Here are the most important reports from the last few months. The rest is filed in the warehouse, along with other documents and derivatives," she puts the box on the counter and then sits in her chair. "And I don't know if you know, but S. J is one of the largest cosmetic companies. Its headquarters are here in London, but there are subsidiaries scattered across various countries. And I can say the same for associations, including with the largest cosmetic company in Asia."

I was stunned by so much information. I observe the box and open it, taking the first sheet off the top. I analyze the report in my hands and am amazed to see the total value of last month's profit. The values were absurdly high.

"How did Joshua manage to build an empire like this?"

"I don't know, maybe he killed his best friend or... It's part of the drug trafficking," she shrugs in disdain.

I look up at her, scared. What if it were true?

"Relax, I'm kidding," she says and laughs, but seeing my seriousness, she cuts the laughter. "You didn't believe that, did you?"

What if it were true? Until then, I didn't know much about Joshua. And since he lived in another country, his parents might not know everything their son was doing. I knew it could be more than just a joke, but who would talk like that about their own boss? I feel my blood pulsing.

“Alice?” Samantha arches her eyebrows, waiting for my answer.

What would I say to her? And if she were a part of it too, and according to my response, I became an easy target for them? Especially now that I live with Joshua.

“No! Of course not!” I lie. “I need to go to the bathroom. Wh-where is it?

“At the end of the hallway.”

Samantha's gaze was confused and without thinking twice, I hasten my steps towards the bathroom.

Shit, Alice! What was I going to do now?

I lean my arms on the external sink, which was between the doors that led to the female and male bathrooms, trying to control my breathing. Maybe I was too dramatic or paranoid, but with the world turned upside down nowadays, anything can become suspicious and dangerous. And I trusted that because he was the son of my former bosses, everything would be okay. But how could I think that? Mr. Scott doesn't live in London, so he doesn't know what his son does twenty-four hours a day.

God... Who is Joshua Scott?

An explosion of unexpected thoughts invades my head. Was Joshua a psychopath? A pervert? A criminal? What was he? Was he really involved with drugs? And was he about to do something against my will? I should have known it's dangerous to accept help from strangers. Automatically, I remembered the night at the bar, where I witnessed a quick argument between Joshua and another man.

I panic. If my theories were correct... would I be in danger? I needed to call someone, but I didn't have any acquaintances in London. If Betty were here, she could help me clarify things. But, of course! I grab my phone and don't hesitate to call her. I needed to expose to someone what I was feeling, or else, I would go crazy.

The call through the chat app is not answered, always just ringing, but Betty didn't answer. Damn it, Betty!

“Hello?” Betty says as soon as the call is finally answered, after several attempts.

“Betty!” I say relieved.

“Why are you calling me at this hour, Alice? I was sleeping!”

I squeeze my eyes shut as I remember the time difference.

“Sorry, sorry! But, I wouldn't call if it weren't important.”

“Ok...? Then, tell me what you want.”

“I'm scared, Betty.”

“Of what?”

“Joshua.”

“What? Why? Did he do something to you?”

“N-No! But... What he does is very suspicious! I don't trust him.”

“Say exactly what you mean by what he does” — she emphasizes.

“I don't know him. I don't know who he really is. Maybe he's involved with drugs or something worse! And that's why he has so many things in life. Besides, his secretary said things that contributed to me thinking this!”

“Girl! Joshua worked hard to get where he is today. Don't talk nonsense!”

“Betty, I saw him arguing with a man at a bar in Los Angeles. A guy who wouldn't want to leave anything to be desired... wouldn't get into trouble.”

“Don't talk before you know the truth, Alice. We can all get into trouble, even without wanting to.”

"But have you ever stopped to think that he might be part of a gang? Those guys who went to Mr. Scott's house could be part of his gang!"

"Alice... Are you okay?"

"Betty, are you're telling me you don't think so too?"

"Well... If I didn't know Mr. Scott's family... and didn't know that Joshua inherited the fortune from a deceased friend... Maybe I would think this way, but... It's a serious accusation, especially without thinking it through."

"A deceased friend?" I raised my eyebrows. "Betty! That fits with my thinking! He could have killed his friend to get the money!"

"Alice, I think you're a little paranoid. Why don't you talk to him and clarify your suspicions?"

"Talk to him?" I almost scream. "And what if it's true and... and he tries to kill me?"

"Alice! He's not going to kill you! Now let me sleep, I have to wake up early tomorrow!"

"But..."

Betty ends the call, leaving me full of doubts and anxieties.

I didn't know how to react to all of this. I had thought a thousand bad things about him, and I didn't have any answers that made me think otherwise.

Suddenly, I hear the door next to me open, and I almost have a heart attack. Joshua was coming out of the bathroom, and his expression didn't seem very friendly.

"Is that what you think of me?"