Chapter 44 - The Portrait

Later that night, sitting on the two-seater sofa in the room, Daniella's body was slouching on the sofa, both legs on the table while a laptop on her lap.

Breathing a heavy sigh, she checked all the emails received from her friends.

A woman who she once tormented appeared in her mind – Lyle Villa. Daniella opened a tab on the browser to search for Lyle's husband's information.

The results popped up, enumerating all the properties under his name.

She blew out her cheeks, some of it were from abroad. Thinking it would be hard to sneak and check on Lyle's husband while Selena is in the school, Daniella sighed helplessly.

She could ask Robert or Scott to follow him but, she was used to doing all the job by herself unless she needed a partner, and tailing someone is a one-man job which she can handle by herself.

She wants to know his recent location but, she doesn't have much time to watch the CCTV's around the city to find his last location, and when it comes to this, Robert and Scott are always too lazy to do it.

A groan let out from her lips as she shut her eyes in distress, she needs to sleep soon after spending the last days at the warehouse, she didn't sleep well and she would love to have a full eight hours sleep today.

A knock on the door sounded, she flickered her eyelashes and got up, wondering who's behind the door.

All her scars were visible under her robe, so she slightly opened the door and peeked her head out.

Her lips parted with surprise to see Evan standing behind the door, his face was serious as the first time they met.

"Are you busy?" he asked.

Daniella nodded her head, "Yes, I am quite busy right now," she replied even though she planned to sleep.

"Can we talk?" hearing his request, Daniella rose an eyebrow.

(In what part I am busy, he did not understand?) she asked in her mind but, her hand pushed the door opened.

"Make it quick boss, I have a brat to take care tomorrow."

Evan entered the room; his eyes immediately went to the sofa. "What are you doing?" he asked, feet walked towards the couch and when he reached it, he sat down.

He looked at the screen of the laptop, eyebrows creased after noticing the familiar man. He couldn't be mistaken; it was the son in law of the senator Villa he saw at the warehouse.

"Do you know him?" Daniella asked she noticed Evan's eyebrows creasing as she stared at the screen.

"He's one of my clients," he replied.

Evan moved, giving enough space for Daniella to sit.

Daniella took the laptop from the couch and transferred it to the coffee table, "What do you need?"

With a straight face, Evan looked at Daniella.

"How close are you to Matthew?"

Daniella was taken aback by Evan's question, then, she let out a sigh and smiled at him.

"Not closer than you and I," then her smile widened.

Evan nonchalantly nodded, he took his phone out and called Anders to bring his laptop.

When he ended the call, Daniella spoke, "Are you going to stay here?"

Evan shook his head, "I am guessing you need the recent location of that man," he said pointing at the screen of the laptop.

"You will know his recent location based on the latest cash withdrawal and for sure he's using our bank so I can give you the location."

"Ahuh!" that all Daniella could say, she was not expecting him to help her and she was not even thinking of asking him.

"Isn't what you needed?" he asked.

She nodded; lips pressed together as she thought of what to say.

(Should I thank him?)

As she was about to part her lips to speak, a knock on the door stopped her, followed by Selena's voice.

"Daniella, are you there?" she got up, but before her feet could move, Evan who was sitting on the sofa suddenly disappeared, the last thing she saw was the door of the bathroom opening.

Evan's head peeked and then placed a finger over his lips, asking her to be quiet.

With confusion on Daniella's face, she opened the door and saw Selena with face wrinkling with annoyance.

"Is Uncle Evan here?" Selena asked rudely.

"No, why?" Daniella answered straight.

"You are lying, I know he's here," Selena insisted.

Daniella took in a deep sigh, still wondering why the Evan and Selena are playing hide and seek.

"Have you tried checking his room?" she asked, the face was emotionless.

Selena shook her head, "I don't need too, he always hides in this room whenever he tries to avoid me."

Daniella widened the door, showing that Evan is not in her room.

"What do you mean?" she asked, eyes narrowing with suspicion.

Selena entered the room, both hands were on her side waist as she scanned the room, "This used to be my mom's room that's why he always hides her. Where could he be?" Selena's chest rose up and down after realizing that her uncle is not around.

"If you see him, could you tell me?"

Daniella nodded; the mind was in dazed as she shut the door.

"Is she gone? She keeps nagging me to fire you," Evan's voice sounded.

Daniella nodded, her heartfelt heavy somehow, and to shake it off, she took in a long sigh.

"She's gone Mr. Su, so, could you also please leave?"

Evan who had just left the bathroom looked with confusion at Daniella.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

Daniella met his eyes and shook her head, "Nothing Mr. Su, I am going to sleep now so please leave."

Daniella's eyes glooming with irritation has made Evan realized that something was wrong.

He stood opposite her, "No, tell me what's wrong and I will leave." He said straight.

Daniella sighed, hating the situation she was in.

"There's nothing wrong Mr. Su, I am just tired so please leave," she faked a smile but, her eyes were narrowing with annoyance.

"No, tell me first and I will leave."

"Ugh!" Daniella groaned with irritation. She stomped a foot and looked at him angrily.

"Why did you let me sleep in Kierry's room?"

Evan blinked; he could see the veins popping out in Daniella's neck as she exclaimed.

"Are you scared of ghost?" he wondered, clearly remembering Daniella's word when she said that she was afraid of Sadako.

Daniella shut her eyes, right now she wished nothing but to read his mind.

"Just sleep in my room, Kieery never slept there. I will sleep in the guestroom," without waiting for her reply, Evan turned and left the room.

Daniella still couldn't move, mind filled with anger frost, uncertain where did Evan get the idea that she's scared of ghosts.

She blinked, realizing that she's alone in the room somehow reminded her of the scary movie she once watched. She was not scared because she believes in ghosts but, by the sound of the movie and the sudden appearance of the ghost.

Thinking of that, Daniella's heart pulverized, she gulped hard, this is the reason why she doesn't watch or think of the scary movie when she's alone, the last one she watched was with James, her first boyfriend.

Her eyes anxiously moved into different directions, then her feet moved backward as she shuffled towards the door.

As she reached it, her hand sweating with fear held the doorknob.

Daniella's shoulder jumped after when she realized that Evan was standing on the hallway, arms crossed, back leaning against the wall.

"Mr. Su, what are you doing here?"

With a straight face, he replied, "waiting until you come out. Do you know where my room is?"

Daniella shook her head, "No, but I am alright with my room. I am not a kid to be scared of ghosts."

A silent sighed let out from her lips, black irises stared directly at Evan's eyes, showing that his thought was wrong.

Raising an eyebrow, body moving closer to Daniella, Evan smirked.

"Alright, I will see you tomorrow."

Daniella blinked, heart pounded when her eyes caught the corner of his lips lifting in a smile, at that moment, the memories of their kisses filled her mind.

Evan never once talked about it, nor tell his feelings towards her, he just kisses her whenever he wants wherever he wants, it what as if he owns her that she doesn't have a choice than to obey and accept his kisses.

The pair of her irises turning into green watched the man's figure disappears in the hallway, and now, being alone, she felt an indescribable feeling rising in her chest.

Daniella gulped hard, her feet moved to enter her room when she suddenly noticed the door next to her, it was Selena.

She walked towards it instead, she's certain that she wouldn't be able to sleep well tonight after thinking of ghosts.

As she opened the door, she found Selena sleeping tightly on the bed, her small petite body hugging the pillow with both legs like a panda hanging on a bamboo tree.

Daniella looked around, an empty space enough for her body to fit in could be used as her bed tonight but she doesn't want to wake up the next morning with Selena scream so she decided to sleep on the couch.

As turned her back to face the couch, her eyes caught the portrait hanging on the wall.

Curiosity filled her mind as she walked towards it, using her phone as the light, she pointed it at the portrait.

It was a family portrait, she focused the light at Evan, her lips beamed a smile seeing him with a serious face despite his young face.

He must be around seventeen when the photo was taken, even Selena in Kierry's arms was still small, her chubby cheeks blushing as she smiled while the pair of her small eyes were looking up.

She followed where the small Selena was staring at, and seeing the man standing behind Kierry, Daniella felt as if her soul has left her body.

Her phone fell on the ground with a loud thud sound and it echoed in the room.

With shaky legs and hands, Daniella bent down to pick up her phone.

Her mind floating in wonderment came back to reality when she heard Selena's body moving.

Daniella shakily sighed, feet moved towards the door to leave the room.

She couldn't be wrong, the man in the photo is the same person that took her mother's corpse seven years ago.

She closed the door behind with her hand trembling uncontrollably.

Her lips parted to breathe, feeling as if someone was sucking the air out of her lungs.

With her lips shaking like a leaf, Daniella's mind flew back on the day she lost her family.