Chapter 42: "Who's the Target?"

A lengthy chapter. Comment your reactions as you read. Pretty please?👉👈

April 22, 2021

The air in the room was tense. The deafening silence was only punctuated by the occasional sniff from her mother. Salma snuggled close to her, trying to find peace in the comfort of her mother's embrace. Poor Aliya. She had suffered yet another freak attack to know she had almost lost her daughter to a rain of bullets.

Salma figured it was not just the scare of the murderous attack but also, the horrible memories it must have triggered for her; those of her brother walking out of their father's funeral and straight into a storm of bullets. Aliya was reliving her horrible past, the sole difference being her only brother was now replaced by her only daughter as the target of the Tor Gul's cold-blooded plots.

Her mother drew in a shaky breath, hugging Salma closer to her heart. Salma just stared into the air. Her mind was completely blank. The slight tremble that was raking through her had let up and now she was just tired and devoid of any feelings or emotions. She saw Anne folding the prayer mat and taking a seat on the couch across. Asim quietly sat beside the two, worried. He had one of his hands resting on his mother's back and the other massaging his aching temples. They were all waiting for her father to show up and provide some explanation to the madness that had just happened. It was getting late, but none of them could sleep.

A knock on the door made them all jump. Salma and her mother had both gripped the other tightly.

"Someone's at the door," Asim said, getting up.

"Wait!" Salma stopped him.

Anne's ringing interrupted Salma's warning. She attended the call.

"It's Dawood," she said. Asim left to let him in. "Yeah, Asim's coming to get you."

"Uncle Dawood is back?!" Salma asked surprised. When did that happened.

"He arrived around noon but had to go straight to work after the attack happened," Anne replied.

Salma was about to ask why did no one tell her he would be coming today when the man himself walked in, looking exhausted and worn out.

"Sally!" he cried, making a beeline towards her.

"Dawood kaka!" Salma shot to her feet and crashed in his bear hug. She felt a sudden storm built up inside her. The trauma of the attack, the familiar security of his embrace and the fact that she had missed him very, very much all started bubbling to the surface.

"It's alright, Sally." He kissed her hair. "Alhumdulillah, you're safe, and that's what matters."

Salma sniffed, nodding in agree as she begrudgingly let go.

"Assalamo alaikom," Anne and her mother greeted him.

"Wa alaikom Assalam." Uncle Dawood replied, nodding at Aliya and kissing Anne's forehead.

"Can I get you anything?" Anne asked her tired husband. "Dinner? A cup of tea?"

"A cup of tea would be great, please."

Anne hastened to the kitchen while Asim helped Uncle Dawood out of his jacket.

"How's it out there?" Aliya asked, unable to stop herself.

"The usual," he replied, undoing the buttons of his sleeves and rolling them up halfway. "You never get straight answers for anything. Atif lala has his table loaded with information. We're trying to follow as many threads as we can."

Aliya nodded.

"No one told me you'd be here," Salma said quietly.

"I thought I'd surprise you." He smiled wearily.

"How's Will?" Aliya asked.

"He's good," Uncle Dawood replied, as he took his shoes off.

Bursting at the seams to know more, Salma, Asim and her mother struggled with giving Dawood enough time to freshen up and catch his breath. However, once he had changed and settled to have his cup of tea, they really could not hold it back any longer. And he knew it.

"I know you guys really want to know what happened. Who did it? And whether or not we have a lead or two for catching the culprit, but I'm waiting on a few messages before we can draw proper conclusions," Uncle Dawood glanced at his phone before turning to Anne who was putting ketchup on the kebabs she had made earlier. "That's enough, sweetheart. Thank you." He accepted the plate. "But I'll tell you what we know so far. It was a sniper attack. The information we received from Burak and the Green Coat on sight confirms that much."

Salma suddenly sat up straight, getting distracted.

"That guy!" she asked eagerly, "The one who informed Burak Kaka and Spogmae of the attack, who was he?"

"I'm afraid I can not relate that information," Uncle Dawood said apologetically. "If you had seen or recognized him around you, that would be a different story but I can't expose agents like that. It's for the best."

"He literally body shielded me!" Salma replied, strangely aware of her mother, Anne and Asim listening to her attentively. "He jumped towards me, knocked me to the ground and kept me sheltered from the bullets, like literally, just using his body as a shield!"

"Bless his soul," her mother whispered.

"I'd like to know who he is, or just . . . please tell him how grateful I am," she said earnestly. "I can't thank him enough. Had he not been there to keep me calm or immediately alert the Green Coats for prompt action, I'd probably not be sitting here, alive."

"I'll let him know," Uncle Dawood promised. "I'm certain he'd be pleased."

Salma let out a breath, barely holding herself back from asking Uncle Dawood to tell her who that kind gentleman was. She knew it was better this way, for her as well as his security, if his identity remained a secret.

"So what else do we know?" Asim inquired.

"After the Green Coat had informed Burak of the attack, he ascertained where the assailant was located. The canopy was taking damage from the west, and you and the Green Coat had ducked behind the table on the east," he told Salma. "The Green Coat said, every time either of you moved a tad, bullets were fired, which confirms he could not see you from his location, once laid low behind the table. There is only one building tall enough to provide a clear line of vision of the grounds from the west --"

"The Social Sciences building," Asim guessed.

"Precisely." Uncle Dawood nodded. "Leaving ground operations to Spogmae to improvise a rescue, Burak left to chase down the attacker."

"Did he find the attacker?" Aliya asked, sounding hopeful.

Uncle Dawood shook his head.

"He did alright," he said, "He was there on the roof. Dead."

"Dead?!"

A silence followed the surprised cry of all four of them.

Uncle Dawood sighed.

"Somebody had shot him. One clean hit to the back of the head," he said. "It's confusing and frustrating."

"Do we know his motive?" Salma asked, holding her breath. "Was the target me?"

"We are still waiting for information on that," Uncle Dawood replied. "People had heard a gunshot and called the cops so Burak had to leave in a hurry. Also, the campus security had already asked for ARVs and air ops. What we know from our people among the local authorities so far is that the shooter was shot from the building behind him. He was known to local agencies as a hitman who has been involved in eighteen kills so far and has evaded arrest for almost seven years now."

"Someone hired a professional assassin to shoot at us?!" Salma cried, unable to believe what she was hearing.

"There's always a sniper locked on Asim," Toryal's cold voice rang in her head out of nowhere. A tremble raked her frame. Salma prayed she was wrong. Could it really be him? Was it possible that he had switched targets from Asim to her, knowing that the threat to her brother's life did not make her bow.

"It seems. And then they killed him," Uncle Dawood confirmed. "CCTV footage shows a man in a balaclava and shades getting off the roof. There is some footage available of him getting down and racing to the grounds but then it's unclear where he went once he got mixed in the chaos of the panicked students crowding the parking lot. It's all hazy after that."

Salma sat back with her arms around herself. Her heart was racing with trepidation. She felt exposed. Uncle Dawood may have updated them on what they knew, but it just made Salma feel like she knew even less now. No one knew who the man was actually aiming for and why? Who hired him? Who killed him? Were they any safer than they were before the shooting.

So many questions and no answers. Salma's head hurt. The unknown was giving her anxiety. She just kept hoping she was not the target. She prayed it was not a Tor Gul attack. Things would get so much worse for her if it was found that they had started hiring guns to turn her cold.

Again.

They waited for the news that uncle Dawood was supposed to get. A few attempts were made at small talk but mostly, they just waited in silence.

A phone rang. Everyone turned to Uncle Dawood. Taking in a deep breath, he attended the call. Salma felt her heart pounding at a mad pace as he talked over whoever had called him with information. Anne got up to put an arm around Salma. She realized she had started trembling again.

"It's going to be alright," her aunt gave her a reassuring squeeze.

Salma nodded, glancing at her mother. Aliya was pale as a sheet, her eyes fixed on her brother in law. She had her clasped hands pressed against her mouth.

"What did they say?!" Aliya asked the moment uncle Dawood cut the call.

Salma held her breath.

"Sally wasn't the target," Uncle Dawood replied.

It took a few minutes for the news to register. Salma blinked, not trusting her ears.

"What?!"

"You weren't the target."

Salma's expression crumbled as the weight of the world lifted off of her shoulders. She covered her eyes, crying in gratitude. She did not put everyone in danger. Lena's wounds were not on her. Jason, Louisa, Niall and Zayn. She did not put any of them in the line of fire.

Her life was not the one they were paying for.

Anne pulled her into a hug, laughing.

"Alhumdulillah!" she heard her aunt as she cradled her. "Ya Allah thank you!"

She felt her mother reaching out for her. Salma sniffed, saying a prayer of gratitude silently as she snuggled in her mother's embrace.

"Any idea why they were shooting? Any particular target?" Asim asked.

"They searched the shooter's belonging and contacts and found that he had been in touch with a man named Derek," Uncle Dawood said.

Salma stilled.

"I believe Sally must have heard of him." He looked at Salma for confirmation.

Salma's heart paused before kicking off at a mad pace again.

"I do," she said quietly. "He's a predator. He's been targeting Zayn's sister and my professor's daughter for horrible things, but I never imagined he was so cruel he'd hire assassins to murder people. "

Her mother seemed surprised and disturbed by the news.

"What kind of people are you mixing with?" Aliya asked, terrified.

"Dare I say it's barely their fault?" Asim shrugged. "Salma is a trouble magnet. How else can a person have a target drawn on their back and make friends with, and have teachers whose family are people with targets drawn on their back. You just don't do normalcy, do you?"

"I don't know. I wasn't consulted when the script was being written." Salma huffed, wondering what else was instored for her.

"So Derek's the one who's hired the shooter?" Anne asked.

"Seems like it."

"Why?"

"The correspondence reads that target is a blond haired girl who usually sits on benches at the far end of the grounds around noon."

"Well that could be have been anyone between Lena, Charlayne and Louisa," Salma replied.

"And Claire," Asim added.

"Claire wasn't there when the shooting happened.

"But did he know?" Asim pointed out. "Blond haired girl that sits on the benches around noon isn't a very detailed description, it is? He could have shot Lena thinking she was the one."

"Did Lena have problems with Derek?" Anne asked.

"None that I know of," Salma replied. "I know Claire and Louisa were being blackmailed and Louisa had confronted him about some compromising videos recently."

"Could Louisa be the target and Lena just got in the way?"

Salma felt her stomach churn. Lena had lunged towards Salma just when she was shot. Louisa was standing right beside her. Could it be?

"She's just a child!" Salma cried, feeling sick. "How can someone hire trained assassins to kill a child in cold blood?"

"You'd be surprised," her mother muttered with a bitter laugh.

No one said anything after that. The news that Louisa was the one the shooter had wanted to kill in such a cruel manner had shaken them badly. Sometime later, her father came home. He confirmed Louisa was the target and showed a picture of her that was provided to the assassin. It was her twitter display picture.

"Ya Allah!" Anne cried, aghast "What can a small kid like her do to someone? She's so young!"

Salma felt horrible for Louisa.

"Has she been informed?" Salma asked her father.

"Can't say," he replied. "We did not do it since it's not our job. Horrible as it may sound, we can't meddle in other people's affairs without causing more trouble. I don't know if the local authorities have done it."

"I hope they haven't," Aliya said, surprising them all. "Poor child will live in fear. It's best to inform those who can actually do something about it than the child."

Salma inhaled a deep breath. Her mother's words made sense. But someone had to be informed so Louisa would be careful. She wondered if Louisa's parents would be told. So far as Salma knew, Professor R.K did not know about Louisa's problems with Derek. In fact, his blissful ignorance was one of the reasons why Louisa did not want to press charges against the beast.

Perhaps, Salma should give Zayn a heads-up. . ?

Nevermind, Salma rolled her eyes. That dimwit would start hounding the poor girl. She wondered if he would actually corner her and blame her for putting everyone's life on the line like he did Salma?

Probably not!

That night, Jason dropped by with Spogmae. Salma was surprised to see the junior with her things.

"I was mistakenly given your things," Jason explained. "And your aunt is really protective of you. She wouldn't let me cross into the street without accompanying me."

"My aunt?" Salma glanced at the Lady Green Coat boring holes into Jason's skull, with her usual no-mess face. "Right, yeah. She's a little tough." Salma smiled apologetically. "How are you holding up? You want to come in? It's super late. Maybe you should --"

"I'm good." Jason smiled. "I'll be alright. I think I'll be asleep the moment I hit the bed."

"Rest well, then," Salma replied. "Let me know if you need anything."

"Of course." Jason smiled. "Good night."

"Good night. Take care," Salma said quietly. She almost told him to tell Louisa to be careful, and also to be extra vigilant when he was around her, but she had to bite her tongue and just wave him goodbye. Salma had to think it through before letting any one of them know who the murderer was actually after.

As she dragged herself upstairs to her room and opened her bag, she found flowers. On closer inspection she realised it was a bouquet of hand-drawn notes from Zayn.

Salma sighed, shaking her head.

"Why are you such an idiot?" she muttered to herself.

A beep from her phone alerted her. Salma reached for the device that she had not been able to attend to since she had arrived.

There were texts from Sarah asking about her, a few from Claire updating her on Lena's status and then a few dozen from Zayn. Salma scrolled through.

Apologies, explanations, regrets and more apologies. Quite like the flower-notes of the bouquet. Salma sighed again.

She needed him, she figured. She had to tell him about Louisa's complication. He was the only person to contact and warn about the threats to her life. Holding his idiocy against him was not an option right now. Not when a young girl's life was on the line.

Salma started typing.

Salma: We'll talk tomorrow. I'm tired. Meet me by the café.

Salma: Rest well.

The reply was prompt.

Zayn: Okay.

Zayn: Good night.

Zayn: I love you.

A pain went piercing through her heart, reading the last text. She wished he would stop saying that. Those three words were sacred to her. She did not want him saying it when she could not respond with the same. They felt wasted like this. She hated that.

Salma: Good night.

Locking her phone, Salma got up to brush her teeth and pray isha.

***

First draft: June 25, 2021

Salma made her way out of the department and to the café with heavy steps. Her eyes strayed to their usual spot. The area had been cordoned off after the attack. A shiver went down her spine seeing the dilapidated canopy frame. The ghost of the sniper shots ripping at the canopy echoed in her ears.

Hurrying past it, Salma raced across the ground and down the pavement to the café. The usual din and the sweet aroma of the eatery embraced her with a homely familiarity. Salma looked around. Zayn was nowhere to be seen. She made her way to a corner table to wait for him, though part of her hoped he would stand her up. And yet, she had to see him. Louisa needed the cover he could provide her.

They were supposed to talk about in the morning during the coffee exchange but a lot of things messed up that plan. One, Salma had overslept again and was running late for class. Two, Claire and Charlayne were waiting for her. The girls had found out that Salma had saved Lena's life – which was inaccurate, considering it was Spogmae who had rescued her. Salma barely had had enough sense in her to help herself – and wanted to thank her. After accepting their hugs and gratitude that she did not deserve, Zayn had tried to have her attention by escorting her to her department once more, he was interrupted, this time by Jason and Louisa. The latter had tackled Salma in a hug and started squabbling with Zayn when he tried to send her on her way.

"Go to hell Harris, don't act like you care after how you treated her yesterday!" she snapped. "Jase told me all about it! You disgust me!"

Zayn's jaw clenched with anger. Jason refused to meet his gaze but his stiff shoulders and firmly folded arms told Salma he was neither scared, and nor had he forgotten what had happened yesterday.

Glaring at the pair of juniors, Zayn just grabbed Salma's hand and pushed past Louisa.

"Hey!" she protested. "My leg is injured, you dimwit! Apologize!"

Zayn slowed downed as they rounded the corner. He did not say anything. His hard stare dead set on the crowded corridor ahead of him. Salma felt him squeezing her hand harder with each passing second. If this was his way of conveying his regret and apologies, it was not working. Her hand was getting distorted.

"Let go," Salma said quietly, wiggling her hand free. Zayn turned her, looking hurt and worried. "Don't grab my hand or arm like this again. You want me to go somewhere, you ask me and I may or may not follow. Don't steer me around."

"I – I wasn't. I'm sorry," Zayn had said quickly. "Bee, I --"

"I'm getting late for my class."

Zayn had opened his mouth but then shut it close and nodded. Salma had walked into her lecture room, and she had not seen or heard from him since.

Staring out of the window, Salma wondered if snubbing him like that was too harsh. How he had reacted in the wake of the attack was unnerving. Glimpses of the beast she had been running away from the previous year were making an appearance. It worried her. Was it possible that her slowly trusting him was making him relax into his old, horrendous self again?

"Bee?"

Salma startled. She turned away from the window, surprised to see Zayn standing by the table. When did he come around?

"Assalamo' Alaikom," Salma muttered, trying to calm down.

"Wa' Alaikom Assalam," Zayn muttered as he slid into the seat across her. "You want to order something?"

"No, I'm good, thanks," Salma replied, quickly. Her stomach was churning with unease. She might eat something later but right now, she just wanted to get over the discussion to be had.

An awkward silence followed.

"How have you been doing?" Zayn asked after a while.

"Better than yesterday."

Zayn nodded again. Salma opened her mouth to ask about him but then decided against it. Zayn sighed, as if he had realized her lack of concern too.

"I'm sorry about yesterday, Bee," he began uncomfortably. "I really don't have the right words to express my regret. It was cold-hearted of me to hold you responsible like that."

Salma studied his downcast eyes and miserable expressions.

"Do you notice a pattern here?" she said after a while. "I mean it's not the first time we find ourselves in this particular situation."

"I know." Zayn closed his eyes, running his hand through his hair and tugging at the roots. "I know how you feel. I understand. . . Just that - do you see no change in me? A will to be better? That I'm trying? Do you see me as the same person as last year?"

"And that, in your opinion, qualifies for a quick slip?"

"No, but I'm hoping it'll make you consider that the pattern can be broken," Zayn replied, looking at her earnestly. "Please?"

Salma turned away from him unable to meet his gaze.

"Don't give up on me, Bee," he said softly. His words like a spear through her heart. "I let my fear get the best of me. Please. Don't give up on me."

Salma drew in a shaky breath.

"Do you realize what was wrong in what you did?" she asked.

"I do."

"So what if it was me?" Salma asked, turning back to him. "What if I am the reason the Lena got shot? Do you still find me at fault and your outburst justified?"

Zayn swallowed, a frown knotting his brow as he stared at his hands, considering her words.

"Bee, I can offer my life but not of those I love," Zayn said quietly.

"I fail to understand how that makes me the one responsible for their lives?"

"If it were me, I would not want to endanger those people," he replied, still staring hard as his hands.

"I see." Salma laughed. "So your definition of my responsibility to everyone around me is to either die or live like a prisoner."

Zayn's eyes snapped to her, startled.

"That is not what I mean!" Zayn cried, disturbed by her words. "My problem comes with the fact that while you're the target, others get hurt. And where there are three thousand people jumping in to make sure you aren't hurt, the expendables lay ignored till you're whisked away to safety! Niall, Louisa, Lee -- Bee, that's my family and friends! I can't see them getting killed so brutally for something they have nothing to do with."

"There weren't three thousand people, there were only three," Salma replied calmly. "Those left with me while bullets rained down on us were whisked away to safety with me, not after."

"I get that," Zayn argued, "But would you be able to sit across from me and not lose it for a second if I was the target and Asim got shot? What if Alex had jumped in to protect me and I disappeared from the scene till hours later?"

"I'd blame the guy that pulled the trigger," Salma replied firmly.

Zayn's lips parted. He seemed shocked.

"I know what it's like to have a target drawn on my back, Harris," she continued. "I know the weight that suffocates you. The insurmountable guilt and pain when an unsuspecting bystander bleeds from a bullet fired at you, and the fear. The constant fear . . . if it were you instead of me? I'd blame the one who wanted to end your life. Not you!"

Zayn sat back chewing on his lower lip. He was clearly conflicted by his own emotions.

"I don't want you hurt, Bee," he cried. "I'd gladly take a hundred shots than let even one whizz past you. I just got scared for everyone else. I don't want them getting caught in the crossfire."

"No, I get that," Salma replied. "But I'm afraid you can't do much about it. And I definitely would stand by and let you drag someone else to a corner and question them as if they were the ones shooting people for fun."

"What do you mean?" Zayn stilled.

Salma took in a deep breath before dropping the bombshell.

"I was never the target, Zayn."

Shock, confusion, then realization and disbelief splashed through Zayn's features within seconds.

"If you dare take this verbal crap to that person, I might start throwing blows, Harris," Salma warned.

"Who is it?!" he whispered, looking horrified.

"Just take it easy alright . . ." Salma began carefully. She pulled out her phone and turned it on. "Burak Kaka chased down the shooter while the assault was still on. The shooter was dead but the Green Coats found this." Salma turned the phone around. "The target was Louisa."

Salma watched the ace striker in front of him crushing under the weight of the information. He stared at Louisa's picture, pale-faced and wide-eyed.

"Derek hired the sniper then killed him," Salma continued. "Lena was unfortunate. She chose to lunge at me at a wrong time."

"My God!" Zayn whispered, resting his forehead against his fisted hands.

"Lou was standing right next to me when it happened. Then as the first shots was fired, all of us jumped back on instinct. The canopy shielded Lou from his directed line of vision. The shooter probably missed her in the chaos that followed on the grounds when you rushed her away. He continued aiming at me and Lena after that while we laid low behind the table."

"When did you find out about it all?" Zayn asked, resting one hand against the table while massaging his temples with the other.

"Last night," Salma replied. "An hour or two before I texted you back."

"Thus why you wanted us to meet," Zayn guessed.

"Correct," Salma replied.

Zayn sighed in exasperation. He continued massaging his temples. The news had affected him badly. He was probably at a loss at what to do about it.

Salma stared at his hand, but then looked away. She drummed her finger tips together in her lap.

Oh for heaven's sake! Just go for it! Her subconscious scolded.

Fine! Salma snapped back, making a quick move to grab Zayn's hand. His fingers paused over his temples. Salma felt the same buzz crawl up her arm and her breathing became uneven.

Zayn looked up at her. Salma swallowed, giving his hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It's going to be alright," she said quietly, mostly because she knew her hoarse voice would give her away if she tried to talk with a normal volume. "Louisa will be safe. Call Alex and ask her if she has any news about the assault. I'm certain the bureau would have worked it out by now. See what she says."

Salma felt jitters all over her skin when Zayn started rubbing his thumb back and forth against the back of her hand.

"I think I'll do that," he agreed after a while. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

"Let's get out of here." He grabbed his bag and got up. "I need to find that pest first. There's a chance Derek has contacted her again with threats of sorts.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Salma replied as she followed after him. "I think he would want to lay low after such a big attack. Also, if Louisa doesn't know it's best if you don't tell her yet. She'd get scared. Maybe I'll ask Jason about it. They're close. He'd know."

"She's really taken by the ferret." Zayn smiled.

"He's nice to her – Wait!" Salma stopped by the front just as Zayn was making his way to the door. "I have to get something to eat. I'm starving!"

Zayn raised a brow.

"I was anxious earlier, alright!" Salma defended. "I can't eat when I'm tense."

Zayn chuckled but didn't say anything as Salma quickly grabbed herself a drink and a pizza.

"You want something?" Salma offered Zayn.

"Not food," he replied.

"Then what?" Salma frowned as she fell in step with him.

"You," Zayn replied, draping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. Salma's spine stiffened. "I'm sorry, Bee. I really shouldn't have blamed you for anything."

Salma concentrated on putting one step in front of the other. It was getting harder to breathe and his arm felt heavy on her shoulders.

"Guess you see it from my perspective now that the target is someone that means a lot to you," Salma said quietly, trying to keep her calm.

"You mean the world to me," Zayn replied promptly.

Salma did not say anything. His response to her being the target versus Louisa being the target did not add up to his claim.

"I suppose the only difference is, I know the enemy and how vile he is," Zayn said after a while. "Your enemy is unknown to me. I can't relate to that threat the same way I relate to this threat. And, Lou is just a child. She's vulnerable. At least you have your dad's friends around to protect you so I wrongly assumed you were safer."

"No one can outrun a bullet, Zayn," Salma said.

"I know," he replied, squeezing her shoulder. "Which is why I'm sorry, I was wrong to think like that."

They walked together up until the middle of the grounds, and Salma let him drape his arm around her. Then they parted ways. Salma left to see Sarah, while Zayn decided to check up on Louisa before calling Alex. He promised he would keep it subtle. She believed him.

It was like James said, Zayn may have a hundred and ten flaws, but when it came to the people he loved, he gave them his all.

Author's Note:

So, do you agree with Zayn? Or is he being a jerk and Sally has no clue? What are your theories about his confusing behaviour🤔?

Drop them comments, remember to vote and share the story with your friends!🤩

Also, you can support Salma and Zayn's story by pledging support on my Patreon and get to read chapters waaaaaay before they're posted here. Like till chapter 69 at this point😉.

Lots of Love

J.