Chapter 96

MELISSA'S POV
'Where are you, Lisa?" There was actually an edge to Daniel's voice whenever he was tense, irritated or at the moment, pissed.
Stuttering was my thing whenever I was tense, irritated or scared, 'I uhm, I came to the house to pick up some of Ken's stuff" I stumbled on my words not even aware of why I was fumbling. I was allowed to go to my house, wasn't I?
Daniel didn't seem pleased with my response, 'You could have just waited for me, Lisa. I told you I wouldn't be long" he replied hesitantly. I sighed slightly, he had told me he wouldn't be long, that was true but it was also a quick trip and I could handle it by myself.
'What if Ken shows up? You didn't think of that possibility before you waltzed up there by yourself?!" His voice had gone an octave higher and mine went a few notes lower.
'I actually did think about it"
'No, I don't think you did. Why would you put yourself at such risk, Melissa?"
'Risk? What's the risk, Daniel? Ken isn't some monster from a fairytale okay?"
'Are his actions not equivalent to that of a monster? Who the hell beats up his wife and children?!"
'I do not want to have this conversation with you right now"
'Me neither. See you in 10 minutes"
'Don't even think abo.." the line clicked dead. I groaned loudly and had to strain to resist the urge to smash my phone on the wall the same way Ken had done the night of the fight.
With no one to pour my anger on, with a huge house in front of me where I was low-key worried my crazy ex husband would show up and beat the hell out of me. I did the only thing a sensible person would do in such a situation.
'Who exactly does he think he is? I am not a fucking child, why is everyone treating me like one!" I screamed into the air not even worried if anyone would hear or be alarmed at my sudden outburst.
'First it was Amber, now it's this annoying ex basketball player turn billionaire! Don't people know when to leave someone the fuck alone??" The second shout was louder than the first and I felt oddly good.
Amber and Daniel both had good intentions towards me but all I've wanted for the past few days was a sort of getaway. I needed to breathe a different air without worrying if Amber would be scared I took too many gulps at the same time. I wanted to take a taxi to the restaurant and whip myself up some spaghetti bolognese without wondering if Daniel would freak out like he had just done.
Good intentions could quickly turn to bad ones if they're shoved down a person's throat. Jesus Christ. My friends needed to take a huge batch of chill pills, I was fine and I could take care of myself. Even way better than the both of them combined. I mean, who knows my body better than I do?
'You really shouldn't be yelling like that during the day, what if you disturb the neighbors?" I flung around so fast I stumbled on my injured foot and fell on my butt. Way more than the pain that shot up my foot as soon as I landed, the pain in my butt was nothing compared to the fear that filled me as I saw Ken Duke.
'Did you maybe see a ghost that I can't see?" The amusement in his voice made my anxiety hitch higher up my throat. How exactly was I going to face Daniel after he had clearly told me this was going to happen?
Taking a step closer to me with his hand stretched out towards me, Ken smiled broadly and nodded at the hand I had been looking at in horror, urging me to take it and help myself up.
I shook my head slightly in silent denial. I couldn't possibly get myself up on my own but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of thinking I was vulnerable and in need of his assistance. Even if I clearly was in need of it.
'You can't possibly get up on your own with that foot" he said calmly with his eyes not leaving mine. I shook my head for the second time. There was no chance in hell I was going to allow Ken Duke act like my knight in shining armor after he had inflicted so much pain on me and was even the reason I needed help in the first place.
For a grown woman of 26, Tokyo ghoul's Unravel was a very strange ringtone to be using but when you have a son that loved anime more than the next big thing, you rarely had a choice in most matters including what your ringtone was supposed to be.
'Won't you get up and answer your call or should I just the phone to you?" Ken asked as he leaned closer still with the outstretched hand. Bringing the phone to me would have preferably been the best option since I probably had injured the foot already but there was also the chance that it was Daniel calling.
The last two times Daniel was involved in something that had to do with Ken and I, I had ended up running for my life at 12am and then the second time, the only reason I had escaped was because I was in a public place. There wasn't going to be any escape for me this time around if something like that were to happen.
I used to think there was a deity that answered our heartfelt cries and prayers but as Ken reached into my bag, pulled out the phone, looked at the caller's ID and back at me, I knew then and there that there wasn't anything like that at all in the world.