The Handsome Devil

Chapter 6 - Offer you can't decline

Flashback

"Why do we have to go there?" Timmy asked in a wobbly voice as he stared out the car window.

"Shh... We've already talked about it." Deya dismissed him, feeling her irritation rise. At this point, the knuckles of her fingers were white from clutching the steering wheel too tightly.

"But.. I-It's not fair! You always do that!" The little boy was shouting now, his chubby cheeks getting flushed in the process.

"Honey, I'm sorry.." And she really was. But how can you explain a ten-year-old why she's cutting their day short and leaving for university again? Explain why is she leaving him even though it breaks her heart?

"No! You're not!" The little man accused and pouted his lips.

"Pl--" Deya started to say as her phone rang. Jamie. She cursed silently and sent him to voicemail. As much as she wanted to hear his voice, she was not one to call while driving. This whole time, she kept glancing back to the road, seeing the traffic light ahead change to green.

"I hate you! I hate y--" Timmy's shout made her look to the rear mirror right as she was going through the intersection. That's why she never saw the car approaching until it crashed into them with a loud bang and screeching of metal.

Shwump... Shwump.. Shwump..

Irritating sound woke her up, a shot of pain forcing her to close her eyes again. Wipers. She was in a car. Trying to move her arm proved unsuccessful. Her whole body ached.

Timmy. The realisation hit her as she tried to move again. However, the distinctive sound of breathing made her freeze instantly. It was accompanied by muffled sounds which she couldn't comprehend.

Was someone talking to her?

Ignoring her headache, she opened her eyes again only to be dazzled by a mix of blue and red lights.

(End of Flasback)

Present

"I guess that's why you refused my offer, isn't it?" Max asked, well knowing the answer. Not that he would get it anyway, as the girl was too preoccupied with questions of her own.

"How?" She whispered, unable to prevent her voice from breaking. She hoped that running away from everything in her old life would be enough to keep her secret safe. Boy was she wrong.

"Your hoodie." He smiled, obviously satisfied with himself. "In the last five years, there was only one girl named Deya enrolled in University of East Anglia."

How could she be so stupid? All the effort and she screws up by keeping a sentimental reminder of her carefree times. But, to be honest, she never expected anyone to go to such lengths just to find out about her. Did he hack the university's system?

"From there, it was good old googling." He continued nonchalantly. "I have to say, your accident got quite the coverage in your country"

Deya's nails were now piercing through the skin of her palms. How dare he talk about my life as if it's all just a joke to him? He had no idea what she went through.

"It's such a shame your brother didn't get to have his eleventh birthday. How long did he have left? Was it two weeks?" Max was tearing into her mercilessly.

She couldn't hold the tears anymore. How dare he?

"Oh, and we shouldn't forget how the whole incident eventually pushed your mother to commit suicide, tsk, tsk, tsk" He knew he was overstepping, but deep inside he longed see her reaction. In the end, wasn't torturing her his aim all along?