Chapter 116

DAVID PRESENT TIME I found myself alone at home, the music playing softly in the background, contemplating why things weren’t unfolding as I had meticulously planned. The frustration was annoying the heck out of me.

As I continued to mull over my thoughts, the unexpected sound of the doorbell pierced the quiet of the house. I reluctantly left the comfort of the sofa, hoping it was Hazel, a welcome presence. To my dismay, the sight that met me was not Hazel, but someone entirely unexpected and, truth be told, unwelcome. “What are you doing here, June?” I asked, genuinely puzzled as to why she was in Seattle.

June brushed past me and made herself at home, seating herself on the sofa as if it were her own. “It was you, right?” she questioned, her tone confrontational. Her unatinounced presence had caught me off guard, and I wasn’t exactly thrilled to see her.

I took a seat beside her on the sofa, crossing my legs in a composed manner. “What are you talking about?” I inquired, feigning ignorance.

June scoffed at my response. “Don’t play dumb, David. I know you were the one behind the abduction of the little girl,” she accused, shaking her head in disapproval as she leaned forward to pick up a wine bottle, taking a direct swig from it. “Aren’t you even curious about why I’m here in Seattle?”

I couldn’t help but answer her question with a hint of indifference. “Are you going to answer my question?” I asked, my tone portraying my lack of enthusiasm. In all honesty, I wasn’t particularly interested in her reasons for being in Seattle. “The sooner you do, the sooner you leave my house, right?”

June’s glare bore into me. “Why are you so eager to kick me out of your house?” she countered, her voice filled with a hint of irritation. “I might tolerate Ravel treating me as if I’m nothing but an inconvenience, but I won’t stand for it from you, David.”

My decision to collaborate with June had begun to feel like a grave error, especially as her presence might jeopardize our covert activities. I voiced my concern once more, “What do you think will happen if Hazel or Agatha sees you coming into my house?”

June, seemingly recognizing the truth in my words, smacked her lips and took another gulp of wine, her response reflecting her acknowledgment of the potential problem.

Feeling the need to be more direct, I reiterated, “So, June, why are you here? I don’t want to ask again.”

Her reply conveyed her frustration, “I was summoned for questioning,” she explained, her tone laced with irritation. “and it’s truly bothering me, David. If you had any part in the little girl’s abduction, was it absolutely necessary to eliminate the security or leave that message? I despise being treated as a suspect!” she complained. “I can’t even leave the country, and I have a vacation trip coming up.”

My irritation mounted, and my jaw clenched as I probed further. “You came straight to my house from the police station?” I questioned, seeking clarification. She nodded in response. “Are you being incredibly foolish? Do you not realize they could have followed you here?”

June waved off my concern, appearing rather dismissive. “Don’t worry, they have no reason to trail me,” she asserted confidently.

My assessment of her intelligence took a hit. Blinking at her with indifference, I tilted my head. “You still haven’t explained your presence here,” I reminded her.

With a slow, deliberate drawl, June finally clarified, “I’m here to warn you. Despite all the plans I’ve executed over time, I’ve never brought you into the picture. That’s why I’m here to warn you never to implicate me in the future.”

Leaning forward, I placed a hand on the backrest, my gaze unwavering. “Who told you I have anything to do with the kidnapping? I never confirmed anything.” I declared with a sly smile.

A self–assured smirk graced June’s lips as she spoke, an unsettling confidence in her words. “You don’t have to confirm it, David. I know it’s you, and quite frankly, I don’t care whether the little girl is dead or alive. Just don’t complicate things for me,” she stated firmly before rising to her feet. “My plans are about to be set in motion. Don’t mess this up for me.”

With that, she turned and walked away, exiting my house the same way she had entered, leaving me alone with a growing sense of frustration and anger, I couldn’t help but seethe with annoyance as I stared at the closed door. This was far from how I had envisioned things playing out. The reason I had instructed those men to leave a message for Ravel was to manipulate Hazel into blaming him for her anger and sorrow. I had hoped that in her moment of pain and anger, she would turn to me. Instead, it felt like the opposite had occurred–she was turning away from me and seeking solace in Ravel.

As I dwelled on the situation, my anger grew stronger. Unbeknownst to me, I had been gripping the glass so tightly that it shattered, causing the tiny shards to embed themselves in my skin and blood to drip onto the sofa.

Muttering curses under my breath, I quickly rose from the sofa and grabbed a wipe to clean the stains before tending to my injured hand. As I cleaned, a thought crossed my mind – perhaps it was time to check on the well–being of the little girl in the absence of her parents. Despite my intentions, I never meant to cause her harin.

Originally, my plan was to keep her here until Hazel became vulnerable enough to engage in a sexual relationship with me. Once I was certain she was carrying my child, I would release Daisy. However, given the current circumstances, it seemed unlikely that I would be letting her go anytime soon. Furthermore, if her parents continued to irritate me, I might be tempted to inflict real harm upon her.

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