Broken Pieces

Chapter fifty-nine

After leaving Kyle's and going back to my place, as I planned, I went to Caden's. As I entered the penthouse, a wistful smile came to my lips because Caden's penthouse had become my second home and for some reason entering it that day made me appreciate it some more because I loved it and frankly, I didn't want to lose it or him.

I shook away that sudden dark thought and tried to ignore it and what things could make me lose Caden.

After letting me in, Caden had gone to take care of something. I knew it was work but I never complained because though I'd admit that Caden was a little bit of a workaholic, he still always made time for me and knew how to divide his time between me and his first love.

I’d already had dinner before coming and I knew Caden had had his too so I used my time alone to reply to emails. To orders and to the designers and crew I was working with for the fashion show.

A few seconds after I'd just finished, I heard a beep signaling a text and I froze as I had a wild guess of who it could be. This happened every time these days. I couldn't check a text with ease, not without tensing first.

I willed myself to check and felt my heart begin to quicken in fear as I saw the unknown number again.

Unknown number: I'm so glad you all met, exchanged views and showed yourselves my messages. I always knew you would and I need you to know there would be punishment for that and you'd be surprised who I'd hurt. I really like you, Erica, but if you want to hurt me by finding me then I wouldn't hurt you but people you care about. By the way, since you're with him, extend my greetings to Caden.

My phone dropped from my hand with a thud. My heart was on a marathon race and my breathing was way too erratic to be healthy. I felt myself breaking out in sweat under the air conditioning. I knew I'd be pale if I could see myself.

How did he know where I am? Who'd he hurt? My dad? Andrea? Caden?

That he was making me think on it was more than scary and that he knew about today's meeting was enough to make me lightheaded with fear.

And what was this shit about liking me? About me hurting him by finding him? Was he probably a person I knew like Xander thinks? Was he a stalker? Who could this person be?

I was tempted to text back and say he should hurt me instead but then I thought more about it and decided against it. I couldn't grant his wish since he’d told me he wished for me to reply and I couldn't do that.

What could I do though?

Nothing...

Or maybe … Something like …  telling my father everything.

However, I was going to go for neither because I believed none would work. I had a feeling that he planned to expose it all no matter what. I suspected that what he wanted more than me telling my father, was for the secrets to become public. There as, his pestering about telling my father was more because he wanted me to tell my father so he wouldn't have to hear only when it becomes viral news.

I doubted that a little but I wouldn't put it past the lunatic to think he was doing my dad a favor. Since in his messages, he believed my father deserved to know.

But … I didn't want to believe that speculation of mine because then I'd have to accept this been personal and that would be more difficult to handle. A personal vendetta would be almost impossible for us to stop.

So, I'd prefer it to be a hacker as Xander said. One that somehow found these secrets and wanted to torture us for fun.

I doubted that too. I was leaning more to Kyle's speculation which was more like mine. This had to be someone who had something personal against us.