Chapter 57: A Second Chance

“Suki?” Amy murmured to me worriedly as I stared at the name on my vibrating phone’s screen. “If you want, I can answer it.”

“No… no, it’s fine. I got this. Besides, if you answer the phone then that basically gives away my location. I’d rather this be a secret so stay quiet, ‘kay?” I spoke firmly and Amy gave a nod. I looked back down at the name that was calling my phone.

*Julian.*

The moment I answered the phone, I was the one who spoke up first with my sarcastic tone and not even giving a proper *hello*. “I knew your ass was gonna call me. I’m surprised it took this long though.”

“God, Sukia…” I heard Julian’s sigh of relief mixed with his words. The exhaustion in his voice told me that he had either been running laps looking for me or running laps in his brain trying to figure out how to fix this mess. “I was worried sick! Where are you?”

“Fuck off, Julian.” I snapped angrily. Just the sound of his voice pissed me off after everything that had happened between us. Not to mention that his identical twin just made the situation worse.

Amy winced when she heard the hostility in my tone. She didn’t realize how deep my distaste for Julian went until now.

“Suki, please, I–”

“I said FUCK OFF!!!” I screamed over the phone this time, unable to hold my hateful feelings any longer. “It's because of YOU! It’s all your fucking fault! YOU did this!”

“I did this…? What do you mean?” I could tell the innocence in his voice was real and that he had no idea what was going on.

Unintentionally I started to burst out laughing like a madman as my mania got the better of me. “Oh, how fucking rich. How motherfucking rich!” before he could answer, I gave him the answer bluntly, short and sweet. “Your shitty sissy recorded us last night, dipshit! Put the pieces together and figure it out yourself!”

There was a long silence between us and my sick humor slowly died. Instead, the silence almost felt eerie. Julian was smart, I knew he’d figure it out within a split second. But I assumed he’d apologize and beg for forgiveness like always, being cute as a puppy everytime. But this time, it was *his* voice that held the bluntness and… a little cold too, somehow.

“I’ll handle this.”

*What the hell? I’ve never heard him talk like that before– wait…*

My memory jogged as soon as that thought crossed my mind. I remembered the time we had an argument and I told him I wanted him to leave me alone and his comeback was that I would never be able to get rid of him because my mother was going to be living under that roof for the rest of her life and that meant I would be too. That was the only other time I had heard his tone like that, a tone that gave me the chills. This reminded me of what I was doing most of the morning today, searching the entire mansion in search of him to question him about the maid from last night who had caught us having sex. Her death may have looked like an accidental, fatal car crash on TV but I’ve lived out on these dark streets long enough that I can sniff out a lie from a mile away.

“The same way you handled *Elena?*” I purposely said the maid’s name instead of just saying the maid from last night. Amy looked at me confusedly.

“Elena?” the serious coldness in Julian’s voice disappeared.

“Don’t fuck around, Julian! You know who I’m talking about!”

There was another eerie silence between us until he spoke in a tone this time that I couldn’t describe. “I think we should talk about this face-to-face.”

I don’t know why, but for some reason that immediately sent my heart pounding in my chest. Amy noticed my body stiffen up. “Fuck off! And fuck you too!”

“You’re at Amy’s apartment, right?”

My heated, sassy demeanor froze like ice, something my body had never done before. My brief, second-long silence was the only answer he needed before hanging up the phone.

“Shit! SHIT!” I shouted as soon as he did.

*Fucking bastard is too smart for his own good.*

“What? What’s going on??” Amy looked as if she were beginning to panic. I must’ve looked pretty shaken up just to put her on edge too.

“Shitty bastard knows where I’m at. I need to leave.” I leapt to my feet, about to rush out the door but I’m halted to stop when Amy grabbed my wrist.

“Suki, wait! Lets just calm down and take a breat, ok?” I didn’t take a relaxing breath like she hoped I would but I did at least stay to hear her out. “I think Julian really cares about you. To be honest, I think he’s the only person that can clear up this mess and help you get back in the mansion.”

“I know that.” I couldn’t deny it. If anybody could get us in the clear it was the charismatic charmer. Besides, Grace seemed to scowl but still back down when Julian told her too. And yet… I still shook my head. “I don’t know, Amy. That dude just gives me bad vibes sometimes. Like, real bad. I don’t trust him.”

Amy looked taken aback by my words and she said something that didn’t even cross my mind till now. “Do you think he’s *dangerous?*”

I went dead silent and looked away from her, uncertainty crossing my olive-colored eyes. “...I don’t know.”

Amy’s eyes widened with shock. Of all things, she was definitely surprised that I was having sex with the man that was my brother by marriage but this topic was on a whole different level. “Suki… if he’s dangerous then you and your mom need to–”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.” I quickly stand up for myself with a firm voice. “Shit, Amy, did you forgive where I’ve spent a quarter of my life? These scars on my body? I’ve handled plenty of cutthroats and muggers. I’m not afraid of anyone!”

“Sukia…” she murmured worriedly as he grip tightened around my wrist. “There’s a difference between the people who’re violent to survive and the people who’re violent for desires… you know which one is really dangerous. You know what to expect from criminals on the streets. You’ve never come across somebody who’se unpredictable.”

“I said I’ll be fine, dammit!” I yanked my wrist out of her grasp. Amy winced as if I had just physically hurt her but all I really hurt were her feelings. So I stepped closer to her and placed my hand on her shoulder. “I’ll keep you updated. Thanks, Amy, for everything.” with a brush of her cheek I left for her door.

“Please, be careful, Suki. If something happens to you…”

“Happens to me? Damn. You make it soundlike you can foresee me dyin’.”

“That’s not– you know what I mean!”

“I know.” I grinned with a hint of a tease, trying to lighten up the mood. Her childish frustration eased along with her worry and she returned a tiny smile. “I’ll talk to you later.” with that, I left. Leaving the apartment with a higher chin and a heart not as heavy. I knew the cards that were laid out in front of me.

*I need to get back to my mom. I made a promise and I refuse to break my word. I can’t take her with me, she’s happy with Gabriel and, embarrassingly enough, I’ve come to respect the old coot. So my only options are just to accept the truth to be revealed or… rely on Julian and put my faith in.*

Lost in my thoughts on trying to decide on what to do, my walk up the road slows to a stop when I heard the roar of an approaching car’s engine.