As Valerie's story unfolds, the mystery surrounding her encounter with Mr. Grayson deepens. The web of questions and uncertainties continues to grow, leaving Valerie in a state of confusion and intrigue.
💓 Here are some possible directions the sto...
Yes, I left him and returned to my room, so what? He was intolerable. He was insensitive. Certainly, I appreciate his hospitality and care but his actions were just beyond comprehension.
He deliberately aroused me, his fingers explored me. And then, as if nothing transpired, he simply turned his back on me??
Sure, we're practically strangers and I don't anticipate affection or sweet gestures from him but CAN YOU SEE WHERE I'M COMING FROM? He is absolutely unbearable. Hence, my plan is to depart early in the morning, before he stirs to avoid any awkward situations.
Moreover, under normal circumstances, I would've left immediately after the strange experience with whatever drug that was but no.
I'm not that heartless.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The following morning
It was a Sunday. At an ungodly hour of five in the morning. And yes, I stayed true to my earlier resolution.
"Good morning Martha," I greeted.
"Good morning dear, are you heading out now?"
"UHMM yes. I need to say goodbye to my mom, she's about to leave the country so I'm seeing her off."
That was a fib. She's likely still in bed.
"Oh alright, I'll let Mr. Grayson know the-"
"No," I cut her off. "I'd prefer if you didn't tell him for me please. Just act like you never saw me."
"Problem solved," I said, offering her a friendly grin.
"Of course. Do you want one of our chauffeurs to escort you to the airport?"
"No need for that, though they can drop me off at Tipsy's, my vehicle is parked there."
"As per your preference," she responded, dialing one of the drivers.
Resting my head against the car window, I pondered. Should I have left a message for him? Was I being overly harsh to the one who took me in? Where on earth is Emi? I had so many unanswered queries yet I chose to depart. If only he wasn't so difficult, I would've loved to understand him better. But that's not my immediate concern. The pressing issue is Emi's whereabouts and her well-being. Absorbed in my thoughts, I completely lost track of my destination and its distance.
"Hey! Stop here!" I yelled as we nearly missed my parked car.
"Thanks again, and one more thing.. could you please refrain from informing your.. 'boss' about this? Appreciated." I exited the vehicle and headed towards my car.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed, with Emi on the other end.
WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR LOCATION, WHERE HAVE YOU DISAPPEARED TO?
Why so loud? It's the crack of dawn.
OH, NO REASON??? WE LOST EACH OTHER YESTERDAY NIGHT? WE INGESTED SOME DAMN SUBSTANCE THAT YOU CLAIMED WAS MOLLY BUT CLEARLY IT WASN'T, AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE, I ENDED UP WITH A VERY ATTRACTIVE STRANGER LAST NIGHT WHO SHELTERED ME THANKFULLY AS YOU WERE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND!
I'm finish ranting now.
Val, I apologize, I was also hammered. When I went to look for you, I saw you leaving with some dude and the good-looking bartender that I was hanging out with all night took me under his wing. And you won't believe it. I'm still in his damn bed.
She indicated she was grinning.
Well, I suppose I can't be completely upset with you.
I responded in a composed manner.
Alright, I'll swing by to collect you for dinner at 6pm. Be prepared.
I plan to refresh myself at the seaside. Please, if my mother asks, say I'm with you.
Not a word from me. Now, if you'll pardon me, I have some pending matters to attend to.
she ended the call curtly.
With a sigh, I ended the conversation. It appears I'm heading to the seaside. It's been ages since my last beach visit. It's naturally become my sanctuary. Whenever I visit, it's because my day has been less than stellar... not that today was particularly awful, but something about the ocean soothes me.
The last time I set foot on the sandy shores was during a period of depression. But who's to say I've completely overcome it? Sure, I'm better than before, with a great therapist and years of healing under my belt. However, this isn't the time to delve into that... not yet.
Life hasn't been overly cruel to me; quite the contrary, it's been treating me kindly. But good fortune is fleeting... still, I hope it lingers for me. I needed this respite.
The rhythmic lull of the waves colliding, the tang of salt in the air, the gentle sea breeze. It's early morning; in a few moments, I will witness the daybreak. Perhaps I should make this a daily ritual.
And there it rises. The dawn. The scene is breathtaking, punctuated by the song of birds in flight, the serenity, my solitary presence on the beach. A moment to be grateful for. This could potentially be an extraordinary birthday for me. I wonder what my mother has planned as a surprise back home.
"3..2..1 !" I snapped a selfie against the backdrop of the sunrise. Yes, I was still wearing the oversized clothes Grayson had lent me. But they suited me well. They hung a bit loosely, sliding off my shoulders to reveal my butterfly tattoo on the right side.
"Done, and it's up!" That's what I said as I hit 'post' for my Instagram story. Surprisingly, the first view came from an unfamiliar account that just started following me.
"What on earth?" I checked their profile. "Nothing. No photo, no bio." "Who is this?" I shrugged it off, assuming it was just a newbie on Instagram. It was odd though; I was the only one they were following.
"Seriously? People are already showing up at the beach? Don't they have anything better to do?" I mumbled to myself, exhaling into the chilly air as I got into my car to drive away.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
What are your thoughts on this chapter? I envisioned Val taking some time for herself, even if it's just for 2 minutes. 💓
