Repressed (Wattys 2014 Winner)

Chapter 19

(Adrian’s POV)

I walked into Cartier. The smell was alluring, it smelt of the rich and famous. I smiled at the salesman who greeted me, “Good morning sir.”

I curtly nodded, “I need a piece of jewellery, which is secure and which can have something engraved in it.” I pulled off my midnight blue coat and unfastened my blue tie, I watched the salesman stroke his chin as if in deep thought, “Eureka! Sir, would you like to have the Love Bracelet?”

“The Love Bracelet? Hmm…” I thought. Milla, wanted her freedom but I needed to make sure, I knew where she was at all times. I had heard that the Love Bracelet was one of Cartier’s most famous jewellery pieces.

“It can also be engraved, sir!” The salesman said in excitement, “It is secure as it has to be locked with the Cartier screwdriver and it can also be engraved.”

Suddenly a plan came into my mind, I could get Alex and Milla’s initials on this and present the bracelet to her saying that Zara gave it to me. But before giving it to her, I could talk to one of the techies in my company and get him to put a tracking chip in the bracelet, in the most subtle way possible. I could lie to her, I know it’d break her heart later on, but she would shatter if I didn’t let her out. I could say that Zara dropped by the office and gave it to me saying that it was a gift Alex had been meaning to give Milla. Milla wouldn’t be able to vouch for it as Alex was in a coma and Zara wouldn’t want to waste her time talking to Milla.  This plan might just work. Milla would get her freedom but I would get to know exactly where she was going and when she was going. 

“I want two, in white gold with diamonds, please get the letters ‘A & M’ engraved in it.” I ordered the salesman, and with his quick fingers he grabbed two bracelets and sent it over to the engraving department. I told the man I wanted the initials on both the bangles and he smiled.

“Yes sir.”

I went over to the payment area and fished out, more than ten thousand dollars for the bangles. A young blond and hot to trot saleswoman asked me, “Hello. The engraving will take time…would you like it to be shipped or delivered to any particular location?”

“Please have it couriered to the Victory Enterprises building. The topmost floor to the offices of Adrian Raphael.”  I replied, slightly grinning at her.

I watched her cheeks flush in embarrassment, “Alright, but sir, isn’t Adrian Raphael the CEO of Victory Enterprises? Do you know him?”

I laughed at the girl, “My dear, I am Adrian Raphael.” And I swaggered out of the Cartier shop. I could feel her gaze lingering on my back. I laughed loudly.

Now all it needed was the microchip that would track Milania and give me a report about her whereabouts whenever and wherever.

“The code that will unlock the door will also turn on the tracking on the bracelet,” The young techie by the name of Chris explained to me. I yawned and stared at him with a bored expression, “Please continue. Don’t mind me.”

Chris ran his hands through his blond, untamed hair, hesitated and then began to speak again, “Well, sir, I have put in a tracking system, on her bracelet, it’s very, very small. It’s not noticeable. And probably will go unnoticed even if you look at it closely. What I did was that I paired the code that would activate the tracking to your entry and exit code. So now, whenever the recipient of this bracelet leaves the house by punching in the code she will unknowingly be turning the tracker on, hence enabling you to see where she is going.”

I clapped for the young boy, “Thank you, Chris.” I turned to Pasha, “Give him a hundred thousand dollar raise pronto!”

I heard Chris gasp, I turned back to him, “You see, Chris, I love showering my employees with accolades, especially when they deserve what’s coming their way.”

“T-t-thank you, Adrian…I mean Mr Raphael!” Chris was hyperventilating.

“You may leave, Chris.” I said, but Chris didn’t move, he was so caught up in the unexpected bonus that Pasha had to escort him out. I rubbed my hands together even though the office environment was a bit warm. I pulled the bangles close to me and inspected them, Chris was right, whatever he did wasn’t noticeable. He had downloaded the software which would enable the tracing to my new MacBook and had also demonstrated with a mock code how the system would work in real time.

Now, all that was left was for me, to put those bangles around Milania’s wrist.

I grinned to myself,

I could not wait.