Anonymous

Chapter 10

Chapter 10
Matthew Kelenny, with beauty as his middle name, decided to play a con tonight. His brown skin beautifully exhibited the grey of his eyes. Walking up to the bar, he ordered whisky, sitting and sipping.
Taking his last puffs of courage, he finally turned to her. Stella Mauel, eighteen and cheeky,  noticed his gaze upon her and seized a moment to glance at her admirer.
His marvelous eyes kept her looking, "What? Poop on my face?"
Matthew grinned, easy, "If elegance is poop, then so be it."
She almost choked at his attempt on flirting, "You don't happen to know I'm involved, do you?"
Matthew raised a brow, "Better looking?"
"I doubt, " she replied, "now he's gotten a gift beating from Andrew Stephen."
The first name that would get into anyone's head, "Thomas Becker's your boyfriend?" He clearly showed his disgust.
She nodded, "Don't say that too loud."
Matthew was disgusted by her backstab. However, he played along, "I'm always a great relief to damsels like you at a point like this, " he eyed her body, "that is, if you are interested."
Stella checked her watch, looked up at him and smiled her acceptance. Matthew could have thrown a flip then but he simply got up and walked her out.
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The awkward feeling of being in a new place; Dani held her head low as Andy threw questions curiously, "So you would be staying here from now on?"
Andrew gave her a glare and she succumbed.
However, Dani still answered her, "Well, just for a while."
The last of them, Timothy Stephen asked shyly, "Why exactly?"
Andrew blurted, "Angus has been gone for a while and he wants Dani to stay with someone and close up the store until he's back,  satisfied?"
When his brother replied with a nod, he stated, "Now no more questions."
The table seemed to obey in silence until the first of the family, Simon Stephen spoke sweetly, "Yes Dani. You are welcome to live here."
Daniella sent a smile across to him that seemed to disturb Andrew.
Simon had not always been interested in Dani's acquaintance to the family. Why now?
He raised his brow at his elder brother at twenty-three, staring in confusion. Simon noticed and replied his brother's stare with a fake smile.
Andrew ignored him and sat beside Daniella after he had finished serving her breakfast when a sudden message from Matthew reached his phone.
It read, "You would not believe it. Alex is not Eleanor's killer..." Andrew just read on with a big, worried frown; someone dear to him?
He sent a stare to Dani who nodded to his silent request of them speaking in private.
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"Alex did not kill Ashley, Eleanor or Jennifer?" Andrew spat in confusion.
Dani frowned, "How? So who wears the mask?"
"I don't know Danielle. Matthew says he found out it's someone dear to me. The only ones dear to me now are family... You don't think any of them can, do you?" Andrew asked.
Daniella shook her head, "Why do you act so hateful towards them?"
He released a smile, "You think they will kill me because of that?"
"Mm... Not really. But it can stir up something." She answered.
Andrew sniffed and answered, "It's for their own good, " when he saw her confusion,  he explained, "Ever since Ashley, they killed anyone who made me happy. After her, I tried Eleanor, they killed her, then I went to Jennifer. She was murdered days ago. Now it's you next I guess. That is why you are not supposed to leave me sight. Anyone I confide in, talk or laugh with, they end because they don't want to see me happy. You don't think I want those innocent lives gone, do you?"
Daniella watched him blink back tears and swallow pain with endurance. To her, he was the most wonderful person on earth. It really explained why he acted like a predator towards anyone who came close to him. So he doesn't get too close to cause their deaths.
She changed the topic, "The mighty Andrew Stephen. Why exactly do you fear this masked guy. All the while you thought he was Alex, you got scared whenever he came. But seeing Alex face to face, you almost killed him. Like, he was the same person right?"
Andrew's look frightened her;an angry, thoughtful look, "Can I confide in you Dani?"
She had the biggest suspense of her life; Why did Andrew only fear this guy when he had a mask on?
Nodding, she heard him say, "Ever since childhood, I have been afraid of masked figures. It's the mask I fear, not him."
Daniella hid a  laugh. Andrew Stephen was afraid of some spider man action figure, "Why?"
He shrugged, "I feel they wear it to hide the monsters beneath it. That is my second weakness... After you."
The last phrase warmed her and she stared softly at him. He was not trying to be romantic, just truthful.
Wiping his tears, he turned away and supported his weight on his drawer. The weariness of the lack of drugs was clearly over him, but he hid it and kept his promise, for her.
She never thought she's met any greater person.