Desired by a Lunatic

☠ Chapter - 20 ☠

Song: Mariners Apartment Complex

Jaine

         "Walden!" I shouted "Where are you?" I hastily climbed up the stairs to our bedroom. I didn't care if he was asleep, I needed to see that he was okay.

I heard him grunt in pain in the bathroom.

I panicked and stumbled inside to see him struggling to get out of his shirt.

"Walden" He paused and looked at me "Are you alright?"

"Yes but I can't-" his eyes widened for a second when he saw the tears in my eyes. He came towards me and wiped a tear off "What's wrong, love?"

I shuddered on his endearment for me, trying not to think about the stalker.

I choked back a sob and hugged him, my cheek resting on his bare chest "N-Nothing."

He ran his good hand in my hair, trying to relax me "You're barely holding yourself together, love."

We remained like this for a few minutes.

"What were you doing?" I tried to distract him.

He narrowed his eyes me but nonetheless replied "I spilled water all over my shirt. I was trying to change it."

I moved away and realised that his shirt was indeed wet and the buttons were halfway opened. My own sweater had soaked it. "Let me help you change" I moved back towards him but he stopped me. "Not until you tell me what's brought you in this state" he said and I sighed.

I couldn't tell him in the state he was in. "I-"

"Don't think of lying to me, love. I know you have been hiding something from me" he said, his green eyes dull and tired.

"I will tell you" I relented "But let me help you first, please."

He nodded and I unbuttoned rest of his shirt. "You couldn't unbutton it with one hand?" I tried to joke lamely.

His lips curled up at the corner of his mouth "I still would have needed your help in getting it off and putting a new shirt on" he lowered his head to reach mine "Besides, my arm gets tired."

I looked up at him and he leaned in and pressed his lips upon mine. He tilted my head to deepen the kiss and I rested my hands on his chest.

We broke apart and rested our foreheads. "Don't hide things from me, love. We are in this together" he kissed my ear lobe.

"Just try not to get mad with me" I whispered, breathless.

After changing our clothes, we went downstairs. Walden sat on the couch watching me while I paced in front of him anxiously.

"Just hear me out before you get furious" I said and he nodded slowly.

"Detective Arthur is in hospital" I said and his eyes widened. I proceeded to tell him about what happened after the stalker stabbed him. The call, the notes and finally about the divorce papers, carefully gauging his reaction.

He didn't say anything for a minute and suddenly his jaw clenched and he looked at me with fire in his eyes "You made me sign those divorce papers, didn't you?"

"Listen to me, Wald" I pleaded "Arthur signed in my place, not me. We were just trying to catch him in his own game."

"You don't trust me enough, Jaine?" He fumed "How dare this motherfucker send us divorce papers?"

Before I could say anything he stood up and continued "I understand that you don't want me to worry but what about you? When was the last time you felt at peace, like your world wasn't falling apart?"

His question caught me completely off guard and I just started at him.

He sighed, his anger diminishing "What I mean to say" He came closer and cupped my cheek "Is that you don't need to suffer alone, love. I know you feel guilty and resent yourself for this situation but this isn't your fault. Don't try to take on eveything all alone" he whispered.

Just then there was a knock on the door and I smiled weakly at Walden before opening the door to see officer Elroy.

He expressed his concern about my rush to get home and I ended up telling him and Walden all about what happened at the party and about the message which made me barge like a mad woman in the house.

"How is Detective Arthur now?" Wald asked.

"He is doing fine now, he will be discharged tomorrow" said James.

"He said it was a trap. What was he talking about?" I asked.

He sighed "Even though it was your college party, it was the stalker's territory. The four officers we sent, two of them were given the task to remain in the sidelines while the other two followed you. All of them however, were given the task to blend in the crowd so as to not raise suspicion" He continued "We specifically warned them not to drink alcohol."

"And they did just that?" Walden raised his brows.

"No, the water they drank was spiked and it was sealed, it was a brand new water bottle."

"What?! How can you spike sealed water?" I asked, horrified.

"It can be done" Wald said after a moment "Frat boys used to do that all the time when they wanted to sneak alcohol somewhere."

Officer Elroy continued "The two who were following you luckily didn't drink it. Detective Arthur told me that when the light went out, he rushed to get you but someone punched him and he couldn't make out his face. He tried to fight his attacker off the best he could in the dark but he got injured."

"Did you get the guy?" I asked, anxiously.

"Yes" he said "His interrogation is going on as we speak."

He spoke after a moment "Are you sure that his eyes were brown this time?"

"Yes, I'm deifinitely sure. His eyes widened when he noticed that I could see his changed eye colour."

"Now we can't even be sure about that. Who knows what his real eye colour is" officer Elroy rubbed his face, frustrated.
"I have never in my life seen a case this complex" he muttered.

"Wait" I exclaimed "E-Ethan was there and I-I just remembered that his...."

"His what, Jaine?" Walden inquired, urging me to go on.

"His full name is Ethan Varley Morrison" I said, terrified and both of their eyes widened.