Adhesive Note

Holding her breath, Kiera dialed the number written on the business card that she received that day. She thought she wouldn't need it when she received it. She also planned to throw the card after coming back home but forgot to do that.

What an irony!

Right now, she is the one who needs it more than anyone. She has to pursue this man to help her though she never thought she would do something like this in her life. But he said she can ask for his help if it is needed. She would do anything to make things right.

"Hello? Who is it?"

"It's me. Simmons."

There was a huge silence from the other side as if they never answered the call. After a few seconds, she again heard the voice.

"Yes, I remember. Why are you calling me all of a sudden, Miss Simmons? I didn't expect to get your call this soon though."

That voice sounded somewhat surprised.

Kiera bit her lips as she was puzzled about how to say it. She is definitely going to ask something more like a shameless person as she has no other options. She has to do it no matter what. After all, it's for Anna's sake.

"I need your help right now. To be exact, I need some help that only higher-ups can do," Kiera said, holding her breath.

Again there was an uncomfortable silence from the other side.

"What is it?" that person threw a question to her all of a sudden.

**** **** **** **** ****

Anna drove to Kiera's apartment on her own. She parked the car and charged towards the building.

Her mind was full of thoughts. Though Kiera said it was not necessary, she still felt the urge to meet him. At least, she has to make sure that he is not uncomfortable with the rumor about them roaming in the media right now. After all, it wasn't his fault. His luck was bad that he had to be captured like that when he was with her. No matter what happened before, he owes a sincere apology.

The elevator was crossing the floors one by one but somehow it looked kinda slow to her. Should she have taken stairs?

She was not being super impatient now, though, until yesterday, she thought she would not see him anymore. What was it? When did she become so shameless for someone? Where was her strong principle to not meddle with people unnecessarily? Today isn't something unnecessary. But it actually needs not be done this sincerely though.

Thank god, Kiera didn't change her passcode, Anna thought when unlocking her apartment door.

Inside the apartment, there was pure darkness. Kiera would always turn her lights off before going outside when she is alone at home. Is he not here?

Shit! She should have guessed this possibility. It was very possible that he went outside. She doesn't have time right now. She doesn't know if there were any paparazzi again trailing her here too. She took the risk for this foolishness but didn't think about this single possibility. She was more than frustrated.

Feeling disheartened, Anna turned on the lights of the living room. Silence enveloped her in deep thought. Suddenly, her eyes caught a yellow piece of paper. It was placed on the kitchen table with a paperweight.

What was that?

Being curious, Anna strode towards the kitchen table and picked up that piece of paper. Some words were written cleanly on that paper.

'I am going back.'

There were just these four words written and nothing else. She didn't know how Theodore's handwriting looked. But she could guess it was his for sure. There was no affection coming from that message. It was as if he needed to inform Kiera that he left and that's it.

Why did Kiera hide about his being not here? She could just tell her directly that he wasn't here. Then she shouldn't have wasted her time to come here. After all, they are running out of time. They have to shift to Mr. Kavin's penthouse as soon as possible.

Anna lost her footing and crouched on the cold floor. Suddenly, she was feeling nauseous. Memories of that day were constantly replaying inside her mind.

… … … ...

"Then why don't you try dating me? I think doing it would be much better and much more fun than those sex partners of yours? I know I can do it better."

That day, Anna spelled those words without thinking anything further. She didn't think what the consequences would be. She just said what was inside her mind. She was afraid, afraid of the unknown jealousy she was feeling, afraid that he would just pick any of his past partners.

Theodore was trying his best to regain himself until now. Though he accidentally showed his real self, he was trying to look like before. But somehow, he was looking more pretentious to her. Why was he trying to fake himself in front of her? Why was he trying so hard to act gently in front of her? It's not like she will complain about his true nature or anything. She didn't have that kind of right to be exact. He was just a nobody to her, so he didn't need to bother about her feelings.

Then again, why does it hurt so much? It can be possible that these days he never considered her more than a stranger. She couldn't make a single bit of impact on him then. So, why would he think about someone this far who has nothing to do with him?

Well, if that's the case, if he is that cruel, if he didn't care much about this, then she wanted to take the opportunity. After all, to her, he really was way more than a stranger. Though she couldn't define it by any name, she still wanted to be close to him.

All of a sudden. Theodore's face became stiff again. As if he didn't expect to hear these words from her. He could no longer act gently. He shouldn't have asked anything about her from the start. It was his fault to know about her. It was his damn curiosity that it made him this way. Why did he have to give a damn about her? He thought he was different from others. But no, she was just the same.

Suddenly, his whole act to become gentle felt ridiculous to him. Why was he suppressing his true self which forced him to come out on the surface of his face? He should have shown her how he looked when he was himself. After all, how can he forget that he was not someone she could handle and keep by her side.

"So, you think you can handle me?"

Theodore's voice sounded sarcastic. As if he was laughing at her poor self.

Anna was hurt by each and every word he was spelling at this point. She was feeling suffocated.

Theodore smirked evilly as if he was having fun watching her pained expression. But little did Anna know about the storm happening inside him.

"This is not a child's play, Annabelle D'Costa. Think before you talk." Theodore added making her feel more inferior to him.

Theodore was going to walk away when Anna called him from behind.

"Okay then. Let me grow up a little bit then. After that, let's continue this adult's play."

Anna didn't wait for his reply. As if she declared that he can't get involved with any other girl until then. Suddenly, she stood up and stomped towards her bedroom leaving Theodore there dumbfounded. Though she looked like a soft person, she wasn't actually. She was stronger than he thought. Stronger enough to talk back to someone like him. It was first for him, first for him to see a girl pass through his cruel self.

Though she wasn't scared now, she would be in the near future, he thought. After all, a bad guy like him doesn't deserve such a good girl. It would be better if she stayed far away from him.

*Back to the present*

Anna was acting all strong and mighty that day. She was acting as if it didn't affect her that much. She didn't cry. But today, seeing that small piece of paper, she somehow lost all her strength. After stirring up her like this, he just went back to Canada like that?

Suddenly, her eyes became a little moist. She suppressed herself to not shade it into the tears. He wasn't worth it, right? Why is she acting so weak for a nobody? She just has to act like her old self. Kiera was right. This guy was really no good for him, after all.

*Be rational, Anna. Be calculative.*

So, that was it, huh?

So, that was his answer? He just rejected her like that?

"I see, so that's what you want, huh?" Annabelle spelled those words slowly as if she was trying to make it strong enough to also make him hear it from far away.