Still Caught

Ava stayed up all night contemplating what to do. She reckoned that Daemon is just that guy who is allergic to the word ‘no’. He is the type of guy on first blind dates that would like to have sex with you right away.

“Not effin’ gonna happen,” she murmured and covered her face with the blanket to try to get some sleep.

It’s been five hours already that she’s just on the bed, tossing and spinning around but she can’t get to make herself fall to that beloved goddess of sleep.

“Am I afraid?” She shook her head. “No, definitely not. Those are just empty words. What is he? A president? He can’t decide on my life and my decisions! I’m going to sleep now!”

Minutes later, she found herself in the kitchen drinking her coffee and winding up how miserable her life was. She’s an orphan, obviously no parents and no siblings with no known relatives. A lonely bitch is all she will ever be known for living in a cramped apartment inside one of the most dangerous districts in the state.

He remembered the name of the woman Daemon hated who was his wife. What could have happened for her husband to harbor deep resentment towards her? Did she cheat on him? Perhaps. That’s a very likely reason.

“Devon Farrows.”

She opened her laptop and researched about her but there’s no results so she tried to type his name only to close her laptop and leaned in the backrest of her worn out couch she got on a thrift shop when she realized she didn’t know his full name.

Staring at her small place she proudly called the living room, Ava cannot help but feel self-pity. Her life is directionless. She lives her whole life waiting for that meager monthly check only to spend it all on her hospital bills.

“And now I have a handsome and dangerous stalker who is forcing me to go on a date with him. Gosh, this is life! Wooh! I love my life! Geez, I have to get rid of at least one of them.”

Sighing, she opened her laptop again and began composing her resignation letter. No matter how kind Mark is as a boss, his loaded friend is a shark she must avoid at all cost.

Her life is already hard as it is. She cannot let another nuisance in the form of that dark brooding testosterone named Daemon be added up.

“But if he came into my life as a charming prince and a knight in shining armor, then maybe I could reconsider,” she said giggling.

“If you show up, I’ll stop coming here. If you don’t, you won’t like what I’d do to you.”

“Shut up!” she cried out and slapped her head when she heard his voice.

“I’ll pick you up tomorrow. Don’t even bother to hide. I know where to find you.”

“Fuck, you’re so annoying.”

For the next few hours the next day, she tried to take him off her head. She cleaned the house and submitted her irrevocable resignation. Jessica and Mark called her but she didn’t pick up.

She stayed in the mall for half of the day until dinner. Sometimes, his threats would casually ring in her head and would scare her but she didn’t go. He can fuck with that dinner date for all she cares. Instead, she holed up in her room from midnight to dawn scrolling through a website looking for a new job.

Luckily, she found one. A small local fast food chain looking for a crew member. It’s a few kilometers from her apartment but it’s okay. She had had a part-time job before in the same street.

“Good morning,” I greeted the lone employee behind the counter. “I’m Ava. I saw your ad posted online for a crew member. I would like to apply.”

“Hello, Ava. I’m Charisse. Thank god someone showed up. We’ve been understaffed for over a week now. Go inside that room,” she said pointing at the white door at the end of the place with a ‘resource manager’ plate hanging on it. “The manager’s inside.”

“Okay. Thank you so much.”

Breathing hard, she knocked on the door twice before turning the knob and pushing it open.

“Good morn-”

Her smile froze in the air when she met the same pair of eyes she’s been avoiding since yesterday. Daemon sat on the chair comfortably, his feet crossed on the table, while his gun was twirling in his hand.

“I waited for you last night,” he started. His voice is cold and menacing that her knees began to tremble.

“I…” she turned her back towards the open door to see if Charisse was looking her way.

“I’d close the door if I were you, Ava,” he ordered and heaved a low sigh that she immediately closed the door behind and stood there like a tree, blood drained from her face.

“I’m sorry but I think I entered the wrong office. I’m here to see the manager,” she’s still able to say despite feeling like she could melt in fear at any moment.

Daemon gazed at her. “You’re not mistaken, Ava.”

“You’re the resource manager?”

“No, I’m the owner. I also owned all the other establishments you applied for last night at exactly eleven in the evening while I waited for you outside.”

“Wow. You’re really loaded.” She bit her lip. “But I never agreed. Can you please be a gentleman for once and just let me go? If a lady says no, you should accept her word for it. I don’t like you, Daemon. And I’m not your wife. I’m not Devon Farrows.”

He picked up the gun and stood up. She stepped backwards until she felt the sofa on her back and sat down, her eyes fixated on his gun and her hands shivering in fear.

Daemon crouched down on his one knee, his palm on her chin tilting it up as if inspecting her face.

“I’m sure you are her. You were my wife, Ava.”

“And if I prove to you that I’m not Devon, would you leave me alone?” she asked, mustering up her courage.

She needs to fight for herself. She just can’t let this man do what he wants with her. Yes, she’s shaking. Yes, she’s so fucking scared with him but she should at least protect herself. She’s not going down without a fight. She would scratch his face and leave her DNA on him as a lead for police in case he’ll kill her.

“But how can you do that? How can you prove you’re not Devon Farrows when you are her?”

“But I don’t remember her!” Tears stung her eyes.

His features softened as he wiped off her tears and gently caressed her cheeks. “Then, I’ll make you remember me.”