Irregularities
It had been a few minutes since Ariel had left the office, but Farrah was still stunned by the questions that filled her mind.
“What’s wrong with Ariel? He’s never been like this before, has he? It’s not like Ariel to visit his parents’ house so often.”
The more Farrah thought about it, the more strange she felt. Especially since Ariel’s recent visits coincided with her conversations with Teddy.
“Is he planning something?”
Farrah wondered again; her thoughts interrupted by a knock at the door.
“Come in.”
It was Teddy, who had returned to meet Farrah. Seeing Farrah’s troubled expression, Teddy asked, “What is it, madam?”
“It’s nothing,” Farrah replied quietly, shaking her head. “I’m just confused about Ariel’s recent behavior.”
Since this was Farrah’s only child, Teddy refrained from speaking. He remained silent until Farrah spoke again.
“I feel there’s something strange about Ariel.”
“Strange?” Teddy asked, unsure. “Does that mean we need to change our plans, madam?”
Farrah was silent for a moment. Then she sighed deeply and shook her head.
“Maybe it’s just my guilt for wanting to get rid of Elice,” Farrah said in a low voice, as if she was talking to herself rather than Teddy. “Yeah, that’s probably it.”
It was more a sense of guilt that Farrah felt consuming her, knowing that planning something would undoubtedly hurt Ariel’s feelings.
“So, shall we proceed, madam?”Belongs © to NôvelDrama.Org.
Farrah nodded. “I think Garrett and Elice know I’ve been listening in on their house. They haven’t talked about anything important at home, and that makes me think they know what I’m up to.”
It seemed impossible for Garrett or Elice not to mention her. Especially about Daphne’s accident.
But among the possibilities there was also the conversation between Elice and Garrett last night that had made her angry. About Ariel, who had obviously contacted Elice again.
This time Farrah wasn’t going to wait any longer. Her patience had run out.
“So, let’s forget it. Besides, we have to get rid of her eventually,” Farrah said, looking at Teddy. “As soon as possible.”
*
The bright morning seemed to have eluded Elice and Garrett. Messages and call logs from Ariel that flooded Elice’s phone successfully made the couple uneasy.
However, Garrett tried to remain calm in front of Elice. He smiled and made sure Elice enjoyed her breakfast.
“Mr. Carolus called me,” Elice said just before they sat down at the dining room table. “He’s coming to see me this afternoon.”
“So soon? I just told him yesterday to arrange a meeting with you.”
Elice nodded. “I think it’s because I have a lot to learn starting now.”
“It seems so,” Garrett sighed and rubbed Elice’s arm. “But I hope you’re not too tired. Your health is the most important thing.”
Garrett’s arrival at the office that morning was greeted by an article that Amber had shared with him. The article had just been published earlier that day, detailing Garrett’s accomplishments over the past few months.
“Congratulations, sir,” Amber said.
Garrett just nodded briefly. “Thank you.”
“Oh yes, sir.”
Garrett often gave flat and seemingly ordinary answers on several occasions. But this time Amber sensed something different. Garrett’s face suggested that something was on his mind at that moment.
“Is everything all right, sir?” Amber asked.
Garrett, who had been about to turn on his computer, suddenly turned to Amber. There was a hint of concern in Amber’s eyes behind the glasses she was wearing.
Understandable. After spending days with Garrett, Amber certainly understood his attitude and character. And if it had to do with his troubled mind, Amber wouldn’t be wrong.
“Yes, don’t worry.”
Amber wouldn’t be wrong to guess that answer either. Garrett was lying. But Amber didn’t push any further. Instead, she immediately took out the tablet that always accompanied her daily work. She began to read Garrett’s important schedule for the day.
“And finally, I have a meeting with Mrs. Nelly at five.”
“At five?” Garrett asked, taking a deep breath. “Can’t it be moved up?”
Amber shook her head. “You have a meeting at three, and it doesn’t look like it’s going to end anytime soon.”
Garrett had no choice. Finally, he nodded and let Amber leave.
Alone in his office, Garrett didn’t get to work right away. His increasingly troubled mind robbed him of his usual enthusiasm for work. And that was certainly because of his conversation with Elice the night before, which had touched on Ariel.
The longer Garrett thought about the message Ariel had sent to Elice, the more convinced he became that something strange was going on. Sending a desperate message was not like Ariel.
But Garrett couldn’t find any clues. But the option of asking Elice to answer Ariel’s message was certainly not a way out for him. Garrett didn’t want to take the risk if it was about Elice and the baby she was carrying.
Garrett tried to control his mind. He tried to push away the various negative thoughts that tried to bother him throughout the day. He had a company to run. He couldn’t allow his mind to be in chaos when he needed to be focused.
Finally, when all of Garrett’s appointments were completed by half past seven in the evening, he hurriedly got into his car. As Abert immediately started the engine and drove the four-wheeler, Garrett held his breath.
Strange. Garrett should have been relieved that he and Abert were finally on their way home. But for some reason, Garrett didn’t feel calm at that moment.
Garrett’s mind drifted back to that night. When he and Dariel had been attacked so suddenly.
After that incident, Garrett had asked Amber to completely overhaul his schedule. He wasn’t about to take the same risk. Especially now that he realized that the ambitions of those who wanted to get rid of him were out of control.
But at that time, the streets were still crowded. It wouldn’t be impossible for Garrett to experience something similar, right?
However, for some reason, Garrett’s intuition told him otherwise at that moment. As if it was sending him a signal that something was about to happen.
Garrett sighed and tried to calm down, maybe talking to Abert could be one of the remedies.
“How is Dariel?” Garrett asked.
Abert looked at Garrett through the rearview mirror. Then he turned his attention back to the road, which was teeming with traffic.
“He’s fine, sir,” Abert replied. “Dariel’s recovering, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be back to work anytime soon. The stitches aren’t completely healed yet.”
Garrett nodded. He remembered the long gash on Dariel’s hand. It would probably take some time for him to fully recover.
There was no more conversation. Silence once again filled the slow ride home. There wasn’t much Abert could do because of all the vehicles on the road.
Abert drove as carefully as he could. He knew that Garrett’s safety was of the utmost importance. He was paid to look after Garrett. To protect Garrett. No matter what.
But sometimes, when fate had spoken, even firmness couldn’t help. For when the light that had stopped the car turned green, Abert became careless. He drove the car with the assumption that no vehicle would violate the traffic rules.
At the intersection of the main road, a truck approached quickly. It collided with the car Abert was driving.
*