Ashton picked up almost instantly. “You’re awake?” he said casually as though nothing was out of the ordinary.
“Where did you take Summer to?” I asked with much restraint, for I was still fuming at how he acted as he pleased. “I suppose you took my phone as well. Ashton, this is a new low for you.”
I had expected Ashton to fly into a rage at my words, but he acted as if he did not hear me. “A bodyguard will inspect the house every hour,” he said, in an attempt to divert the conversation. “If there’s anything you need, let them know. But do not for a moment imagine you can borrow their phones. If you do, I will make sure that they will not be able to speak again for as long as they live. I’d advise you to consider their wellbeing before you make any rash decisions.”
I knew from experience that he was in an aggressive mood, it was one that would not allow any room for compromise or reasoning. I gritted my teeth in resentment and tried again. “How about Summer? You could at least let her stay with me. She wouldn’t affect you in any way.”
“She’s at Emery’s. Summer is fond of the boy and wouldn’t miss you and I have fulfilled her wish too. This time you are not allowed to go anywhere.”
With that, Ashton slammed the phone down before I could react. It was just me and the solitude of a large empty house.
I was in a serious enough rage to fling the phone against the wall, but as it was my only mode of communication with the outside world. Having no choice, I was forced to replace the receiver with care.
It was one thing to be on your own but another to be forced into it. I was the latter. I spent the entire morning reading, but with the high anxiety level over my situation, not a sentence entered my mind. As a result, my temper only worsened.
As Ashton had mentioned, a bodyguard made his rounds every hour. They peered down at me through the length of the corridor and left promptly. It was at this moment that I felt rather sick of studying. When I heard his footsteps coming upstairs, I gazed in its direction reproachfully.
The men were dressed in similar suits. They were actually uncouth thugs clad in refined clothing. In a fit of mischief, I wanted to scare whoever was on his rounds with a fierce expression.
This man in particular did not stop at the stairs and turned around after his examination. He walked along the corridor and to the study.
As if by instinct, I held my belly and leaned back in my chair as he approached. At this point, he had arrived at the door and faced me. I looked him in the face and frowned, as it was a very familiar face to me. But at that moment I can’t quite put my finger on where I’ve seen him before.
He was in front of me within three broad strides and handed me a satellite phone with his long, outstretched arm.
I snatched it from him in surprise and delight. I had only seen this in use once before by Abe. That thing could reach the outside world through the deepest of valleys and jungles. It was a treasure to outlaws and convicts.
“Mrs. Fuller, Mr. Fuller has installed a signal blocker around the villa. This satellite phone is able to make contact with the outside world. Someone will call you soon on this number. Be careful not to let anyone see that with you.”
He had just finished speaking when the sound of footsteps came rattling up the stairs. The other bodyguards were suspicious at how long he was taking and came up to look for him. “Shon, what are you doing? Shout out if everything’s fine.”
I hastily stowed away the phone at the nearest drawer. “Nothing’s wrong,” I called out, covering up for Shon. “I just couldn’t reach a couple of books up the shelf so I asked this young man to help me out.”
The footsteps stopped abruptly at the sound of my voice. They were so afraid of being caught interacting with me and losing their tongues for it that they did not respond at all.
Shon gave me a meaningful look and hurried back downstairs, his mission completed.
After ascertaining that both men’s footsteps had receded, I retrieved the satellite phone and locked myself in the toilet of my bedroom.
