Chapter 22

Erica's POV

The car drove for close to twenty to thirty minutes before it came to stop. I couldn't tell where I was, the ride was very exhausting as everyone in the car was very quiet.

I personally did not have anything to say I was scared of saying anything to piss off the already pissed off guy beside me. I could feel Damian eyes on me through the dark shades he had on.

I tried to steal little glances at him, looking at him I can categorically say Philip was no match to Damian. This guy must be a descendent of Zeus.

Damian has this dominating aura he carries with him. He is a fine, tall muscular, easy on the eyes kind of guy.

I must confess, I have missed him so much. For a second there I wished we were alone. I long for his hands to touch me where they have touched before. I never really see him this angry before.

"Why are you trying to replace me so quickly?" He finally spoke, his voice so perfect as his questions almost turned music to my ears.

"I am asking you a question what are you doing with him and why did you agree to go out on a date with a total stranger" he asked.

"He is not a stranger, his name is Philip, and how did you know I spoke with him, or have you been the one stalking me?" I questioned trying to avoid his gaze.

"I can't believe you claim to love me and yet not up to two weeks you are already open to go on a date with someone else" He said

"Wait hold on, aren't you the one who is accommodating a woman as we speak"

"You know Sophia is my step sister, and its far more complex than you think" he said with a bit of harshness in his tune.

"and Philip is my long lost brother my parent never knew they had" I snapped back.

"For goodness sake, just don't go out with him" I could sense jealousy in his voice.

"Is that why you called me into your car? Its been over a week since you left me at the clinic, you have not called for once to check up on me and and just when I decide to move on with my life you spring out of nowhere making unnecessary claim on me" I said.

As I tried to open the door, I discovered it was locked.

"Look, I'm sorry, I know you are angry and you have every right to be. But I promise I will explain everything to you once the time is right.

Please just call off the date, he said and before I could answer him, he was already out of the car. The car drove me straight back to my hostel.

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"You don't have to go you know" Beatrice said for the sixty seventh time. I just ignored her and continued with what I was doing. I knew what I was doing was wrong. I am not that stupid to go out with a complete stranger, but if only Damian had stayed the hell out of my business.

If I don't go now, it will be his win. I don't want him feeling like I'm his little mistress which he can detect what to do to. I am a grown up woman and I am going on this date whether he likes it or not.

I took a final glance at myself on the mirror and couldn't believe what I saw, I looked like a porn star from the eighty's. I won a very short red dress that had my breast almost spilling out of them, a blonde wig and a white sneakers to go.

I am not too good on heels so I tend to play it cool. I took a deep sigh and sat down to wait for my date.

"Can you at least call me to tell where you are?" She asked softly just then my phone rang, and I picked my phone to answer the caller.

"Hello" I answered "I am coming" as I hanged up the call.

"He is already outside, I will call you as soon as I get there" She stood up to hug me "please be safe" she said as I walked out.

As I walked out of the hostel, the stares from other students made me a bit uncomfortable, but I pretended not to be affected by their stares.

I got outside and saw Philip standing on close to his car, its grey color Chevrolet sonic car. He smiled as he opened the car for me.

We drove off to a nice restaurant and had a nice dinner, Philip seem like a nice person, from the way he spoke, and his composition and all.

When we were done, he ordered for a red wine, I declined because of the alcohol content. So he ordered for a glass of juice for me.

We talked about lots of things. Things started getting bizarre when he asked about my relationship.

"So you have a boyfriend" he asked. I almost choked on the juice I was drinking from.

"Not really" I answered because I could not classify my relationship with Damian just yet. I looked at his eyes and saw that his eyes had become dark and his once smiling face as turned cold stone.

"What about the guy that you entered his car yesterday? Who is he to you?" His tune full of some much anger and there was this look that I did not notice was there before and it freaked the hell of me.

"He is a friend, he just dropped me off at my hostel" I found myself explaining to him.

"Liar!" he growled. "I saw him pick you pick and I saw him drop you off, what did he do to you while inside his car" I immediately became scared and felt embarrassed, the other restaurant guest were already looking at us. I felts his eyes poking through my skin. I have never see so much anger in someone's eyes. After some time he looked calmed and apologized.

"I'm sorry is just that when I saw you with the other guy, I became jealous, I am sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. I can go and drop you off now if you no longer feel comfortable" he said calmly

His voice and demeanor unbelievably now calm to the extent that you would not believe he is the same person that almost just spit up fire from his eyes.

"I need to use the restroom, I said as I quickly walked away, I felt his eyes following me, and it was creepy. When I entered the ladies room I quickly ensured I locked the door, as I brought out my phone and sent an audio message to Beatrice. Telling her where I was, the car we drove in and that I needed help, ASAP!

When I was done, I quickly straightened myself and took in a few deep breaths to enable me stay as calm as possible. When I felt stable enough, I went back to meet an already agitated Philip.

"Are you alright" he calmly asked.

"Please can you take me back to school" I pleaded, even though I did not think going with him was a good idea , I had no choice, I didn't have plans to go back on my own and that was the only thing that I could come up with.

He calmly beckoned on the waiter as he makes his payment and stood and waited for me. I stood up and we both went to his car of which he opened the door for me to enter first. I entered and sat down, he closed the door.

I watched as he moved to the driver seat to start the engine of the car. He drove the car out of the restaurant parking space towards the express.

We have not gone far when I noticed he took a different route from which we came. I looked at him and the coldness was suddenly back. He started mumbling words under his breath "you are all the same" cheaters! Liars! They all deserve to die" He kept mumbling words while he kept his eyes on the road, not sparing me a seconds of his gaze.

I cleared my already shaky voice and said, "please I'm sorry, don't hurt me" He looked at me with his eyes red and darken like an angry beast in a human form, from a horror movie.

"Don't worry, I am taking you home" he said with an evil smile. we saw police check point ahead and that kinda reinstated him back to normal.

"it's okay, l am just taking a shorter route so that you can get to school in time, You are shaking, I am not a monster, didn't you like the gifts I sent you, the letters, the scented flowers, just be a good girl and I promise no harm will come to you"

As we got closer to the police checkpoint. He slowed down his car and was about bringing out something I assume was a weapon when I instinctively opened the door and started running towards the policemen.

but he dashed after me, a gun shot fired through the air and that was all the disorientation I needed as my foot redirected my body to the near by woods.

I heard the police run after me, and suddenly everything turned into a Hollywood action movie, "Erica!" I heard Philip called out, I just kept running into the dark woods till I felt my feet stumble on something and I fell bruising my kneel, I let out a small whip from the pain escalating all over my body.

I crawled to the back of a tree hoping it can shield me from the danger I willingly walked right into. I heard several gun shots fired inside the wood. I just coiled up myself clinching tightly unto my hurting kneels.

Moments later, the whole place became uneasily silent. After some time, I heard someone foot steps coming towards me, I became very scared as tears rolled down my eyes. I was shaking uncontrollably I could feel the person close in on me.

I quickly tried standing up so I could see whoever it was. I stopped dead on my tracks to see that I was face to face with Philip pointing his gun right in my face. A deafening gun shot went through the air stopping even the tiniest insects on their tracks.

Suddenly I heard voices everywhere "Someone has been shot!" A voiced echoed

"get the medical team!" Another yelled

"Hurry!"

A familiar voice roared.

"Are you alright Miss?" I heard someone call out. Everything suddenly became blurry as my foot became too weak to accommodate the weight from the rest of my body, slowly I felt my body crash on the floor.