Something feels wrong the moment I arrive at my office and receive a phone call from an unknown number.
Since the media attention started, Jonathan changed my phone number so that only he, his family, and Layla have it.
He even deleted Ethan’s number when I added it. No kidding.
Jonathan has been more severe about his possessiveness since he took me against the sofa a week ago. He’s been more tender, too, whether we’re alone or with people. I still haven’t asked him what he meant about the whole fiancée business, but I’d rather not ruin it.
At least, not for now.
I need his closeness more than anything as I deal with this whole fucked up situation. I need to sleep in his arms and feel like I’m in a castle and no one will ever be able to hurt me.
It’s weird how I handled it all alone eleven years ago, but I don’t want to think about that option now. Having Jonathan, Layla, and even Aiden and Levi and their wives, brings me a long-lost sense of peace that I’m ready to fight for with all my might.
At first, I don’t answer the phone, thinking it’s a reporter. They don’t stop. At all. They keep bugging me, Layla, and even our employees for stories about me.
Jonathan wasn’t kidding when he said he’d crush them, though. Aside from the security that surrounds H&H on a daily basis, Harris is keeping King Enterprises’ solicitors busy by having them file countless lawsuits and restraining orders.
My screen lights up with a text.
Unknown Number: Hello, Ms Harper. This is Stephan Wayne, Mr Griffin’s solicitor. I have one final message to relay from my client. There’s a threat to your life and Mr Griffin can protect you from it. Your father is ready to take back his accusations if you visit him.
I sit down on the sofa, staring at the text. He’s willing to leave me in peace?
No. I internally shake my head. This is one of Dad’s games. He loved those — games, that is. There’s a reason why I never visited him. Aside from the pain and trauma I feel whenever I think about him.
Dad is a master of manipulation, and although I could see through it, I’m not completely immune to it. If I do visit him, I have no clue what type of person I’ll be when I walk out of there.
The day the court sentenced him for life, our eyes met, and I couldn’t stop crying. All the pain and disappointment I experienced back then translated into tears that I couldn’t hold back.
As the officers were taking him away, Dad stopped in front of me and whispered the words I’ve never been able to forget, “Next time we see each other, either I kill you or you kill me.”
My phone lights up with another text from Stephan and I open it with unsteady fingers.
Unknown Number: You should be receiving a gift from your father.
A knock sounds on the door and I stare up as my assistant, Jessica, walks inside carrying something in her hand. “This came for you, Ms Harper.”
My eyes widen as I make out the wooden box. It’s so similar to the ones I received Alicia’s messages in.
Oh, God.
No.
All this time, I’ve been coming to terms that the entire debacle with the messages was a hallucination. I’ve become paranoid and had to check things twice and even take pictures so that type of incident never happens again.
If there’s another box, then…it’s real. It wasn’t my imagination, after all.
Was this my father’s game all along?
“You saw me with the box, Jessica, okay?” I take it from her fingers, and she nods with a quizzical expression before leaving.
My fingers shake as I unclasp the box, and sure enough, there’s a flash drive. However, what’s different this time is the note neatly folded underneath it.
I open it and read the writing I would recognise even a hundred years from now. The neat writing and his way of curving his S’s and C’s are still the same from when he helped me with my homework.
Dear Claire,
You must’ve received similar packages to these in the past with Alicia’s voice on them. I have, too. Probably at the same time as you. That’s why I’m breaking my silence.
I dislike being shoved in a corner, just like I’m sure you do. Someone is after us, my little muse. If you want evidence, listen to my own recording of that day.
Then we’ll talk.
If I had any doubts, they vanish after reading Dad’s letter. He received Alicia’s messages, too? But why would he? They were directed at me.
It takes me a minute I don’t have to spare to plug the flash drive into my laptop. Soon after I hit Play, there’s a rustle of sounds, like a car revving to life or something. Then there’s the sound of a crash, a loud one that deafens my ears.
“Fuck.”
Dad. That’s Dad’s voice. The sound of a car door opening, then slamming shut echoes in the air. I assume it’s his truck.
The rustle of running and the harsh gliding against a surface is the only thing that can be heard. It’s like he’s sliding down dirt or a harsh surface.
More rustling comes through before Dad’s booming voice fills the air, “Alicia! Give me your hand!”
Alicia? My sister?
“Alicia!”
“N-no…” Her voice is brittle and she sounds far away and in pain. “You’re the reason behind this.”
“I’m fucking not. I would never hurt you or Clarissa.”
A small chuckle comes from her before she coughs, and her distant breathing catches as if she’s gurgling blood. “Why? Because we’re Mum’s daughters? Your original muse? I know, she left it for me in her will. She told me to cut all ties with Clarissa because of you. My own mother wanted her daughters apart because of no one other than you! She said that something unlocked inside of you after you met her and that she created a monster. You told her that you loved the challenge of killing people who looked like her because you couldn’t hurt her. You can’t hurt me and Claire either, because we look like her, but we inspire you to kill, don’t we?”
“And yet, you kept coming back.” Dad’s voice is stone cold. “You came to Leeds all the time when you could’ve stayed away.”
“I didn’t want you to use Clarissa as a muse instead of me.”
“Give me your fucking hand, Alicia. You’ll die in there.”
“Maybe it’s better if I do — just like Mum did. I thought she killed herself because of Dad, but it was because of you, Maxim,” she snarls. “She willingly left this world to not carry on your sins with her.”
“So you’ll leave your role for Clarissa?” His voice turns calm in an almost manic way.
A sob tears from her throat. “Leave her alone. She’s your daughter. At least she’s your daughter.”
“Which will make her a better muse than you and your mum ever were. After all, she shares my and Bridget’s DNA.”
“M-Maxim…leave her…”
“Then give me your fucking hand, Alicia. Take responsibility for both Bridget and her.”
“I can’t.” She sounds defeated, numb almost. “My own husband thinks I’m crazy, and even my son believes it sometimes. And now, he left me. Aiden and Clarissa are the only bright things in my life, but I’m not theirs.”
“You’re not crazy — you were made to believe that. I think I know who’s behind this.”
“I-is it Jonathan?”
“You don’t want it to be him?”
“Tell me. P-please.”
“Give me your fucking hand first.”
“Y-you’ll leave Claire alone?”
“I will.”
“And Aiden?”
“I couldn’t give two fucks about him. He looks nothing like you and Bridget.”
“F-fine.” There’s the sound of a pained moan as a rustle of clothes comes from Dad.
“Oh…” Alicia breathes heavily. “I c-can’t move. T-there’s so much blood…”
“Fuck! Fuck!”
“M-Maxim…I…I d-don’t feel so good…”
“Don’t you dare go!” he shouts at her, voice more enraged than worried.
“C-Claire… D-don’t do this to her… D-don’t make her me and Mum… P-please…please…”
“Shut the fuck up, Alicia.” More friction of clothes come from Dad’s side.
“T-tell Aiden and C-Claire that I love them so much and I-I’m sorry I couldn’t take them far away and p-protect them.” She’s full on crying now, her voice turning weaker with every second. “Tell J-Jonathan I forgive him if he did it. Tell him that he should pick up his life and move on.”
“I said shut the fuck up.” Dad groans as he seems to be trying to lift either the car or her.
“This must be how those women felt…” Her voice is far away, barely audible, but sounds serene. “The helplessness. The…end. I’m paying for staying silent and playing a part in their deaths. Isn’t it ironic that you, of all people, get to see me go? I-I’m cold, Maxim. S-so cold…”
Dad curses a few times more, but Alicia’s voice disappears, and soon enough, the recording ends.
Tears stream down my cheeks as I stare at the screen through blurry eyes.
The sound of Alicia’s voice plays in my head like a haunting song on repeat. Her words, her helplessness, her final moments.
That’s where Dad had been that morning. He was chasing Alicia before she crashed, then he returned to bury his seventh victim.
He was there with her as she spit out her last breaths.
I grab my bag, and I’m on autopilot as I leave the office.
This recording confirms a few things.
One, I’m not crazy. Alicia did say that Jonathan was poisoning her.
Two, this is a lot bigger than I thought.
And there’s only one way to figure it all out.
