Contrary to what I thought would have happened since I was scared, I was surprised to see that I was able to go through the day’s activities that I had originally planned out for the day.
I went through my meetings, completed the drawing and even put it up like we originally intended to and now it was seven pm and time to go home.
I was well aware of James' eyes on me throughout the day. His eyes prodded me everywhere I went and I knew that if I had not given him the order not to mention anything to anyone, Justin would have had this place on lockdown.
I knew that I was going to be in so much trouble when I finally decided to tell Justin about the letter. He was going to be so mad that I didn’t tell him the moment I got the letter and I was going to get the talk on how I had caused a great setback in the supposed investigation that would have happened if I had said anything earlier.
They would not ask me how I was processing what had been written because they wouldn’t understand. I was still trying to comprehend what went through the sender’s mind as she sat down to construct that letter and what she had planned for me.
I swayed my chair from one side to the other as if the action would suddenly provide me with answers to the numerous questions I had. I didn’t want an apology, I wanted to kill the person for thinking they had the right to decide what was best for my husband.
I could feel a headache coming and I rubbed my forehead to relieve some of the tension there but the action itself did little to relieve it so I just dropped my hand and let it rest on the chair. I had told James to go home early and I was waiting for Justin to pick me up.
He had refused to leave for the day but I managed to convince him that there was no way I was getting kidnapped for just a few hours, not when the place was crawling with security. He had managed to convince himself that he was the only one who could keep me safe even when there were other bodyguards around.
My eyes swept over the letter again that sat unbothered in the same spot that it had been since I let it drop from my grasp that morning. I didn’t bother to reach it again or move it because I couldn’t touch it or rather didn’t want to touch it.
My phone lit up with a ding indicating I had a message so I snatched it off the table and unlocked it so I could see who the message was from.
“Pack your things, I’ll be there in five”
That was all the message said and I didn’t have to look at the name to know who the sender was. Justin was a man of short words even in the daily conversations we had.
At first, I thought it was because he was uncomfortable in my presence but I soon learnt that he said less no matter who he was with and I’ve also gotten used to it.
“I’ll be waiting in my office. I have something to tell you”
I messaged him back and placed my phone back on the table face down because I knew he was going to try to convince me to tell him over the phone instead of waiting till he got here. I smiled to myself for guessing it right when I saw the phone light up less than a minute later but I made no move to pick up the phone.
Instead, I removed my headset from my bag and placed it over my head. I reached up to tap the play button on the device and let myself rest against the chair with my eyes closed as my favourite music blasted through the speakers.
The familiarity of the song brought ease to me and I let myself be dragged into the familiar word I knew when it came to music. It was the peace I craved the most now.
Someone tapped me lightly on my shoulders after a few minutes and I opened my eyes to see Justin standing over me with a frown on his face. I wasn’t startled since I was expecting him but the frown on his face made me smile because I had an idea as to why he had that frown.
“You didn’t reply to my messages” He grumbled as soon as I sat up and removed the headphones from my ears.
“I think I would have to see the messages to have replied to them” I gestured to the phone that was on the table “I turned it over after my messages because I knew you were going to do this and I wasn’t wrong. You should learn to stop spamming people’s phones when they don’t answer you. It’s a bad habit”
“What’s this?” I rolled my eyes. With the state of the letter and envelope, I wasn’t surprised at all because he found everything suspicious. I allowed him to pick up the letter and begin to read it.
“I got that today. The original person gave the letter to a little girl to drop it off with the doorman for me. That’s what I wanted to discuss with you” I watched as different emotions appeared on his face but none stayed long enough for me to decipher what each was and by the end of the letter, he was furious but I wasn’t sure if it was at me or the letter.
“When did you get this?” His hands tightened around the letter and it caused it to get wrinkled around the area he was holding.
“This morning and be careful with that, you are going to rip it if you keep holding it so tight” I warned playfully but the icy glare that was sent my way wiped the smile off my face.
“This morning? And it didn’t occur to you that it would be smart to alert me of this because I believe you are not dumb” Ouch. I take my word back, he spoke a lot and harshly sometimes when he was angry which he was now.
“Do you realize what the contents of this letter mean? It is a threat to your life and you are not even the least bothered about it” he read the letter once more, maybe he didn’t fully understand what it was saying but he gave me a glare and finally stalked out of the room after a firm “Stay put” and a slam of the door.
“It’s not like I have anywhere to go,” I whispered to no one. He was probably going to call
Nathan who would inform Atticus and then my husband would either come here or call me but I was betting on the latter since Nathan would keep him at home and insist that Justin bring me home immediately.
Then after that, they would search the camera for the face of the little girl and try to locate her and when they did, they would ask her to describe the person who gave her the letter but I doubt the girl would be able to remember. She was a kid after all and they tend to forget unimportant things.
I knew all these things because I’ve seen them in crime documentaries but I never thought it would be me one day. Nobody ever thinks that. My loud ass ringing tone brought me out of my chaotic thoughts and I saw it was Atticus calling which meant that Justin had told them what happened.
“I don’t like the way you are so careless with things like this. There was a threat letter and you didn’t inform Justin, Why?” At least he didn’t yell like Justin had so I guess that was a bonus for me.
“You should have asked me if I was scared when I got the letter?” I told him instead because that was what I wanted to hear but no one was saying it. He tried to say something but I cut him off before he could.
“I don’t know how others would have reacted when they got that but I was blank. I had so many thoughts and nothing at all at the same time and I tried to make sense of what was happening. I am finally happy after being through so much or at least I thought I was and then I get this and I have to think if this was a mistake”
“What are you talking about? What mistake? How could you say our marriage is a mistake?” His voice was tensed and I could imagine that his jaw was clenched with his hands
“This marriage of course” I cried out in frustration. “The problem seems to keep coming like there is an endless supply of them. Why should I be the one to suffer for your actions? You should be the one being stalked and getting threat letters, not me. Did I commit such a great crime when I got married to you?” The tears just needed to hear Atticus' accusation for them to make a grand entry but so did the guilt as soon as the words left my mouth.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean a word I said. I am just so overwhelmed with the situation and I said some things I shouldn’t have said. I’m sorry” I tried to apologies even though I knew it would do nothing to appease the wound my words may have caused.
“You have nothing to be sorry about when you were absolutely right.” the regret twisted my insides because I could tell he was hurt.
“I didn’t mean a word I said, you have to believe me”
“I believe you. Justin will bring you home okay”
“Wait A…” The call was cut abruptly and I threw the phone across the wall with anger. The door opened at the same time the phone crashed into the space near the door.
I raked my hands through my hair and I felt so angry with myself. Justin watched me and the phone on the floor before bending to pick up the phone and inspecting it for damages.
“I’ll ask them to have a new one delivered” He seemed to think for a minute or less before putting the phone in his pocket “Let’s go home”
I followed him quietly because I had nothing else to say. I could only think of what I could do to correct the wrong I had done today.