The Journal [A Sequel To Maya's Diary]

Chapter Twelve

Daniel sat on his work table, looking out the window of his penthouse and caught a glimpse of the majestic daylight ball take it's place. He took another sip of his hot coffee which he preferably selects black void of additives. He peered out the window and sighed repeatedly, making light sounds with the slight tap of his fingernails against the caramel brown coloured mug.
"The shower's broken!" Sofia yelled, coming from behind and startling him a bit. A head towel graced her head, cutting into a 'v' shape on her forehead. Wrapped over her body, was a white bath robe whose belts were firmly tied together. Her face had remains of dried moisturizing cream, applied everywhere but avoiding contacts with her eyes and pale pink lips. A nose ring pierced through her soft pointed nose, which had similarities with the ones adorned on three punctured holes each on both sides of her ears. She blew a minted gum outwardly, releasing an inflated bubble. It deflated almost immediately and was back into the right corner of her mouth, dancing maniacally to the jagged rhythm of her pearly white teeth.

"I'll call the plumber," Daniel replied exhausted.

"Hey, what's up with you?"

"Work stuff," he replied dropping the base of the mug on the table.

"I'm sixteen not stupid. Spill," she replied crossing her arms.
He released a weak smile and sat back down on his white sheets. "Yes you are. The girl I told you about, she-"

"Oh my God! She stood you up. Perhaps when I shove my hands into her throat and literally wear her spine as a neckbead, she'll-"

"There is no need for such thoughts," Daniel replied as his face scrunched into a slight disgust before he further added, "It wasn't her fault."

"You're right. It was yours." Daniel's gaze feasted back on his teenage sister, when she saw her chance to be defensive she added, "What? You knew she was engaged."

"Is this what love does?" he asked leaning his elbows on both thighs and clasping his fingers together.

Sofia rolled her eyes at the emotional wreck her brother had found himself in. She looked at him, contemplating if she should ignore his plight, or let what she held within her out. She chose the latter.

"Look at me, I'm a mess. All my life, I've dated eighty three guys. Wait, I broke up with Alex and well I'm officially done with Jason and Adam so eighty five guys."

"Is this supposed to make me feel less sad?"

"No, but this should. You're better than me. You're good looking, intelligent, skilled, what not? You deserve someone better." She replied slightly tapping his shoulder and making for the door. "Call the plumber!" she briefly turned around to remind him before closing the fibre glassed door.

⭐⭐⭐

Leone walked through the door of the office, making brief eye contact with Ivy who stood beside the entrance and took down some random notes. She wore a black pencil skirt, that firmly hugged her hips and tucked her white shirt in. Her almond eyes glistened as she raised a brow to notice Leone. Her lipstick choice this time around, was a purple morphe matte lipstick that gave her baked face some finishing touches. Her blonde hair, was firmly packed up into a bun. She batted an eyebrow at the sight of Leone, and continued with her paper work.

Leone walked into his office and back out. He made for other rooms frantically searching. Ivy noticed his uneasiness and chipped in without taking her eyes from her papers, "Looking for something?"

"Someone actually," he said moving closer to the counter. "Ivy, have you seen a lady report to work this morning? About this tall, brown hair, pretty faced?" he described.

"Maya Anderson," she replied with scorn.

"Great, you know her."

She picked up a file and walked away from the counter, slicing her fingers against the side of the thin collection of paper work. She moved closer to him and pushed her face to his then whispered, "I know everyone in this organization," she said as she moved away to sort out more files for submission.

"Well?"

"Your little bird hasn't reported to work. Great way to begin a job that hasn't been given to her yet."

"She's not my little bird, we're partners. She cannot just be late perhaps something is keeping her. Maybe something bad happened to her."

"You know the both of you sicken me: Amateur detective, Don't-know-how-to-read-journalist."

"I'm not an amateur detective. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you? If you were so good, you would have known that Tess has been released by her captors."

"What?" he asked, as he dismissively exited the sliding glass door.

⭐⭐⭐

"Joe we need to leave. Book a flight, I'm going back to my Nona in Madrid."

"What? Why?"

"Um Ok that's not good enough. Australia, London, Paris... I hear it's the city of love. Maybe I can finally find love."

"I thought your love was standing right in front of you," he replied with a smirk.

"Let's not push this, shall we?" she retorted back seriously.

"Ok, but first you have to tell me why you're so hasty all of a sudden. The dead guy has been taken care of, if that's your fear." He replied.

"That guy, was the one who rescued me. He told me a history of my life I know absolutely nothing about. If he was left dead on my front porch, it means his killers knew he had contact with me. They didn't want to kill him because they wanted to, they killed him to leave a warning... for me."

He laughed hysterically at the expression written all over her face, "All this fuss is about a key?" he broke into another round of laughter.

"This is not funny, that guy was my friend. He came here because I told him to. I had so many questions about my past that only he had answers to. We need to leave." Tess replied pacing about.

"Ok we will leave, but what about your career?" he replied adjusting to the seriousness of her tone.

"I don't care about my career right now."

"These guys will just track you down.

"You're right. Equip my bodyguards. I need eyes all over me at all times."

"Sure. Any other thing?"

"There's something actually. The guy who abducted me, track him down and get me his wife."

"What do you need his wife for?"

"From the looks of it, he is a hardened criminal. He'll just escape again. I happen to know that he deeply loves her. I figured out that the best way to inflict pain on him, is to torture his beloved wife," she replied with a sudden taste for revenge.

10:02 am