Opposite Guy's bar, there's a restaurant that sells good food, especially their Spaghetti and meatball, which I ended ordering as take-outs and later headed home. Unlike the traffic in the morning, the evening own subsides making transportation better, in nothing less than fifty minutes later, my car is already packed at the parking lot of the building where I live.

The elevator this time neither needs no tapping nor my patience getting exhausted because it's free and available, walking down the third floor to my apartment door I hear footsteps coming from behind me.
Is someone following me?
I stall slightly to look behind, rather there, is Mr. Bells who's walking absentmindedly, busy on his phone.

I stomp my feet in annoyance at how stupidly paranoid I was a second ago, the sound attracting his attention.
"Ha! Miss Eleanor, —that's if I may call you by your first name since we aren't in the office anymore" a slight smirk on his face. His black laid-back hair which has been coated with gel couldn't have been through today's work.
A freaking strand is not even out of place, and I'm sure my appearance isn't worth beholding.

He adjusts his suit jacket on his arm, revealing the white brawn torso underneath the clinging shirt. He must be a sports person to be all this built again why didn't Mrs. Bells describe her son? I wasn't ready for all this in front of me.
"Yes, just Eleanor, Mr. Bells"
"Since you've agreed to first name basis, don't you think you should call me Cale?" he insists
"Okay"
I was about moving to my doorpost when I look behind once again to clear things.
"I'm sorry I couldn't like, see you to office or become that tour guide your mother requested me to be. I forgot"
He holds the bridge of his nose.
"Excuse me?" I ask, quite offended by his reaction.
"All she does is embarrass me" he mutters under his breath.
Aren't we talking about sweet Mrs. Bells?
"No, no, It's far from it, she only did that out of care. You should have seen how uneasy it was for her making that request of me".

He looks at me.
"Well, you didn't do what you were asked" he replied brashly.
I glare at him before replying,
"I'm glad I didn't, see how things turned out. You ended up being my boss" an edge to my tone.
"You don't like me being your boss?" He demands, taking interest in my displeasure.
I change my perspective to somewhere else, now fuming.
"I wasn't expecting it, okay" I literally blurt out.
"Maybe you should get used to the idea" he deadpans before walking off to his apartment door which is a few miles from mine. I growl and face the opposite direction.
"Eleanor?" He calls
I turn around to meet his face.
"I, personally, made a news report concerning HR's Hotel, I didn't see it in the publisher's desk. I was told it got to your office first, may I ask where it is?".
My mouth falls open.
"What's that?"
"You wrote it?"
He eyes me hysterically
"Do give publishing tomorrow, before I get to the office" he declares before walking into his apartment and slamming the door behind him, I dare say like a Lunatic.

Cale just destroyed my night rest, and he did it to achieve the agenda. I'm reading the file, but everything doesn't add up.
What does he know about the woman to report she committed suicide?
Was he even there the night of the party?
How come the woman got to the fifth floor when everywhere is secured?
Was she killed because she knew something about the Rolando's?
Or she overheard something like I did?
Am I also in danger? A target?

My questions pile up with each passing minute, all remaining unsolved until I was at Mrs. Bells' door, knocking desperately. How ironic, now I'm the one in need of answers from her son.
"Who is it?" I hear his voice at the opposite side of the door
There's a beep and the door flies open revealing Cale in a bathrobe, he was shocked to see me the same way I'm shocked to see him in a bathrobe but unlike me, he has regained his composure quick.
"Come to get something?" he asks, wiggling his eyebrows which makes me grimace at the realization of what he means.
"If something translates to answers then, yes" I push past him and went uninvited into his apartment.
I look around the posh apartment, the last time I had been here, Mrs. Bells covered almost everywhere with potted flowers, the scent lingering was basically lilac which gave the living room a bold and creative look unlike what Cale has done to this place, it looks serious not a single potted plant in sight but moderately posh.
I take a seat on the round white sofa hearing him lock the entrance door from behind.

"Answers?" He asked again making way to his living room.
I glance him up and down, feeling not comfortable after that action, "You can wear clothes too!" I yell my piece of advice.
"Says the one who barge into her boss' house", he retorted.
I glare at him also, thinking about what he's just said. It truly is a stupid idea of me coming here, and he's actually right about it, if we weren't neighbors, would I have driven all the way to where he lives to get solutions?
Of course not.
I get on my feet, heading to the door with the file in my right hand.

"Wait Eleanor" he calls after I've made it past his shoe rack that's placed just by the door.
I stop in track.
"I'll go put on some clothes, stay".
I turn around with a considerable smile on my face after I'm sure he's gone, cause honestly, I wasn't looking forward to going back to my apartment the same way I came. Finding the same sofa I had just sat on, I wait for ten solid minutes before Cale came back. He drops beside me, then stands to ask,
"Do you want anything to drink or eat?".
What?!.
"You cook?" I ask surprised.

"Yes, not to brag, but I'm good, one of the best in fact" he totally did the opposite, boasting confidently with both arms crossed across his torso.
"Maybe another time"
"So what brings you here?".
"Work" I reply.
"Hmm! The employees said you're a workaholic, now I see"
"They gossip about me?" I ask in disbelief.
He ignores my question, taking the file from my hand. Cale opens it without asking and starts reading, only the title considering he stopped short.
He looked up from the file in his hands, asking, "I don't see questions here, why need answers from me?"
I roll my eyes.

"I was at this hotel the date stated. I met this woman too, we talked. She didn't look like someone who was about taking her life. I may not know her inner thoughts or anyone else's either, but I know she certainly had other plans that night, and it wasn't suicide. Now answer me, what made you write this?, what did your source say? I need answers, Cale!!" I disclose everything bothering me, not all exactly.
He is watching me closely, not saying a word yet, probably still digesting what I said, but it's just all weird to me. As a competent boss they've tagged you to be, you wrote a report to be published at the prestigious media firm you work for, aren't you meant to be countering every word that leaves my mouth to support your claim, your article?
If anything, my suspicion is on full volt now, accusing Cale of hiding something crucial.
He pinches the bridge of his nose again, his face upward, eyes closed. A habit of expressing frustration, I note. He sighed then open his mouth to speak, stops halfway contemplating his thoughts then speak this time around.
"Look, Eleanor. I don't know what else to say except my source confirming that this woman committed suicide at HR's hotel". I await another response from him, but there's nothing.

"Is that all you have to say?, Cale?"
"Tell me, who's our source that you're so confident in? I'm telling you, this news report you've written doesn't add up and all you say have to say is the same thing repeated over and over again".
He tries to speak, but I shake my head, not ready to hear him repeat the same thing.
"Listen Eleanor-" he starts off, but I'm already on my feet, making my way to the entrance door. Before I could clasp the handle and actually pull on it, I feel his sudden grasp on my arm which he pulls so hard my whole body returns to his face. The distance between us is not mere a distance, at this proximity I notice he has a beauty mark on the right side of his face, just above his lips.
I look away from his lip area, cause that's a weird direction to look at this moment. In his eyes, I see something like confusion then a flash of regret, maybe for what he's about to say.

"I have never told anyone this except you, so, here's the plain truth, Eleanor."
Once again, I see the same look he had in his eyes, but I didn't miss the slight tingle I felt with the way my name rolled off his lips from a close distance. Just from his anxious movement, I can sense he doesn't trust me with what he's about to say. Then again, I'm not here to give him a comforting speech too because I'm doing this to find out the truth, doing a huge part in saving my skin and finding justice to this woman's case.

"I believe HR's hotel is sketchy, although, I have no proof to back this up, but this information, you've refused to hand over to publishing will lead me somewhere when this magazine edition hits the market" he says, his eyes on everything in this apartment except mine.
"You're lying" I deadpan
He immediately looks at me, "What?" confusion evident in his tone.
"I said you're lying" I repeat, but this time blatantly.
Cale looks me dead in the eyes and scoff. He looks away not believing what I just said then looks back at me
"I tell you what I've never told anyone, and you say I'm lying" he acted more convincing saying that.
I shrug as a reply, my unbothered expression sufficing.

"I can't believe you Eleanor, just today we met, and you've stressed me enough for the longest time this damn month", he holds the bridge of his nose literally blurting out word by word.
I release my hand from his grip, making me weirdly miss the warmth on that spot, but shake it off as soon as the thought cross my mind.

"See, Mr. Bells. You should know, I'm not one you should, lie to, neither offend nor take as a fool—" I stop short to take in a calm breath. He put on a face which makes me fume more.
"You tell me the truth, or I'll report you to Mr. Elias about the false information and how you are willing to go as far as jeopardize the good name of his company just to publish this nonsense.
Either that or you can kiss your job goodbye" I put on my intimidating glare and tone.
Instead of a cowering man, I see Cale in all smirk and glory. Did he get what I just said? Or is my intimidating face not remarkable anymore? He clears his throat and walks away, I follow him.
"Did you listen to what I just said?" I ask, still in step behind his frame.
He walked through a door which I also follow in leading us into a room I can identify as the kitchen, He walks further to where the huge refrigerator stands and pulls out a bottle of water. I turn away as fast as I could at what he did.
Damn my thirst. Of course, he doesn't notice my reaction because his back is to me.
"I'll see you soon Mr. Bells, you-u should dec-cide on what to-to do" I stutter in devastation before turning to see myself out. "The furious kitten is leaving?" I hear his thick bass voice from the kitchen.
When I get to the door, in seconds I wish I don't get turned to my back but as my wish got answered I also felt a sudden pang in my chest as I didn't get stopped from leaving, again.

Malone caused this.

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Thank you for reading this far.
~Darasimiwrites.