*
*
Faith was absent-minded towards whatever was being displayed on the TV.
Much to her relief, an urgent office matter came up, so she didn't have to deal with Sterling this morning.
The memories of the night before continued to attack her, at this point she didn't even know what she wanted. Was it to destroy him or be with him?
She was so lost in thought and hadn't even heard when Sterling's mom entered the room until she was already standing so close that Faith jumped in surprise.
"Sorry dear, I knocked but got no response. Are you okay?" Mrs. Barbara stared at Faith's pale features.
"You look ill, should I call the doctor?"
Faith shook her head, aside from the fact that her conscience was eating her from within, she was fine.
Mrs. Barbara had attended a charity event the last evening and was only back now.
"I'm fine, just preoccupied with some thoughts..." Faith muttered.
Mrs. Barbara asked for permission to sit beside her on the bed.
"If it's a matter between couples, then it can be resolved__"
"No, we're not__ I mean nothing is going on between Sterling and me" Faith hurriedly spoke causing Barbara to laugh.
"You don't have to look so tensed or deny it, you were married before wasn't it? Even though I'm not too sure what transpired between you both, it's good that you're back together. I'm only angry with him for not introducing us properly earlier."
"Mrs. Barbara, there's really nothing going on__" Faith started again but was hushed by Barbara's dismissive look.
"Even a blind man knows that my son loves you, he's been happier since you came back, you've also stood by him all those years, some things might be destined after all."
Faith wondered why most people thought love was enough, it couldn't sufficiently keep a healthy relationship. It wasn't as if Sterling loved her though, he probably thought he did, but in reality, he was just selfish, when had he ever cared about whether she wanted to be with him? He absolutely forced everything on her.
Faith started to speak but noticed Mrs. Barbara was so focused on the television. Her heart gave a pound when it was an obvious picture of Emilia on the screen.
When Faith stared at Barbara again, the woman was already in tears as she reached for the remote control to turn off the TV.
"Isn't that __? Wait, what happened to her?"
Mrs. Barbara sighed, seeming to struggle to get a hold of her emotions.
"She just disappeared on us, no one has heard from her"
"What?" Faith was completely shocked.
"She's always been close to our family, I guess I could consider her my daughter, we still don't know what happened. Sterling is handling the whole process of finding her, but it's already been so long, I'm sure this was why her family had been forced to make the news of her disappearance public."
How could a grown woman just disappear?
"Has anyone contacted all her friends or the people she usually associates with? How long has it been?" Faith inquired.
"Seven months or thereabouts, if she was kidnapped, we should have gotten a ransome call, she isn't also a person that would run away from home. I pray she is alive and well__" Barbara wiped a trail of tears.
Faith didn't know when her head did the maths, Barbara disappeared almost at the time she and Sterling had gone their separate ways.
Was it just a coincidence or did Sterling make her disappear?
No, Faith didn't want to believe that Sterling could be that evil but at the same time, she didn't know the extent of what he could do when he was provoked.
"She disappeared a few days after Sterling and I divorced, do you know if they had any deep argument?" Faith wanted to know, she was also surprised to learn that a deep part of her wanted Sterling to be innocent.
"What does that have to do with anything? Emilia had always been fond of Sterling, she wouldn't leave because of an argument, why would you think so?"
Faith suddenly thought how little Barbara seemed to know about her son. She certainly wasn't aware of his psychotic nature and all the things he could do to make even the world bend to his will.
Faith decided that Barbara was just an innocent woman, telling her about all of her son's deeds would probably break her. Barbara probably wouldn't even believe her.
"Why are you quiet? Is there something you're not telling me? Why did you think that your divorce might have something__"
"It's nothing, don't mind wherever I said." Faith spoke.
Her fingers tightened against each other as she inhaled deeply.
If Sterling had anything to do with this__
How did she ever fall in love with such a man? He was evil, so why couldn't she get over him? Did that make her as bad as he was?
And last night__
She slapped her temples, abruptly banishing the thoughts to the deepest corner of her mind.
She didn't care a lot about Emilia, but would be horrifying to know that something bad had happened to her.
Her will was suddenly strengthened.
It was time to pay a visit to the lawyer, the documents should be ready.
*
*
Faith exited the lawyer's office in high spirits, she was also nervous, the battle had just begun. She would find a way to make Sterling sign these papers. His major asset would become hers, then he would understand how it felt to have everything he'd worked for snatched away from him.
Faith started to walk towards her car when she felt it.
She was being followed. Her eyes rapidly scanned around, but she couldn't tell where the strong sensation of being watched was coming from.
She gripped her bag, tension making her legs walk faster and faster.
The street was quite busy, was it just her feeling skeptical because she wanted to do something dangerous?
What if it was Sterling?
Once again, Faith cast a quick glance behind her shoulders. Could it be that he's found out about her plans and had someone follow her?
Her knees faltered at the thought.
No way that was possible! She had been very discreet about it.
Just as she started to hurry into her car, across the street, she spotted a man wearing a black hoodie. He stood different from the rest of the crowd.
A cold shiver swept through her spine. From the distance, she couldn't see his face, it didn't help that he had something like a black mask covering the lower half of his face.
Who was he?
Her fingers trembled as she inserted the key into the ignition, still wondering who the suspicious man was.
She thought the scary moment was over, that was until the man suddenly crossed the street and started to run towards her car.
Faith roared the engine to life, her heart was pounding too fast.
She was certain that this person could not have been sent by Sterling. Instead of relief, all she felt was intense terror. With Sterling, she knew that he wouldn't hurt her, at least not physically.
She watched her stalker through the rearview mirror even as she continued to speed.
Now that she looked properly, she thought that this stranger's movements looked slightly familiar.
Was it someone who she knew?
*
*