Chapter 2: The Unwelcome Surprise
Alicia’s heart raced as she stared at Joshua, her mind scrambling to make sense of the situation. He stood in the doorway, his expression dark and unreadable, water droplets still glistening on his skin. The towel around his waist did little to soften the tension radiating from him.
“What male escort?” Joshua repeated, his voice low and dangerous.
Alicia’s throat tightened. She couldn’t tell if he was angry, curious, or something else entirely. Her mind flashed back to the previous night—the dimly lit room, the stranger whose name she didn’t even know, and the stack of cash she’d left behind. She had no idea how to explain any of it, especially not to Joshua.
“I… I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she stammered, clutching her phone tightly.
Joshua stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. “Don’t play dumb, Alicia. I heard you on the phone. Who were you with last night?”
Alicia’s stomach churned. She couldn’t tell him the truth—not when she didn’t even fully understand what had happened herself. But lying to Joshua wasn’t easy. He had a way of seeing through her, even when she tried to hide.
“It’s none of your business,” she shot back, her voice trembling despite her attempt to sound strong. “You lost the right to ask me questions the moment you decided to drug me.”
Joshua’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t deny it. Instead, he took another step closer, his presence looming over her. “You think I drugged you?” he asked, his tone icy.
Alicia’s anger flared. “Don’t act innocent, Joshua. You texted me to meet you, and the next thing I know, I’m waking up in some stranger’s room. What else am I supposed to think?”
For a moment, Joshua looked genuinely confused. His brow furrowed, and he opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say anything, Alicia’s phone buzzed again. It was Monica, calling back. Alicia hesitated, then answered, keeping her eyes locked on Joshua.
“Alicia, are you still there?” Monica’s voice was urgent. “What’s going on? Who were you with last night?”
Alicia swallowed hard. “I don’t know, Monica. I thought it was the escort you hired, but—”
Joshua snatched the phone from her hand, cutting her off. “Monica, this is Joshua. Alicia’s fine. She’s with me now. We’ll talk later.” He ended the call before Monica could respond and tossed the phone onto the bed.
Alicia glared at him, her frustration boiling over. “You have no right to do that! Give me my phone back!”
Joshua ignored her demand, his focus entirely on her. “Alicia, listen to me. I didn’t drug you. I didn’t text you to meet me. Someone set this up, and I need to know who.”
Alicia stared at him, her anger faltering. His words sounded genuine, but she couldn’t shake the doubt. “Then who did?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
“I don’t know,” Joshua admitted, running a hand through his damp hair. “But I intend to find out. And until I do, you’re not safe.”
Alicia’s chest tightened. She wanted to believe him, but the events of the previous night were still too fresh, too confusing. “Why should I trust you?” she asked, her voice breaking.
Joshua’s expression softened, just for a moment. “Because despite everything, I still care about you, Alicia. And I’m not going to let anyone hurt you.”
The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard. For the first time in a long time, she saw a glimpse of the man she had once loved. But before she could respond, Joshua’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen, his expression hardening again.
“I have to take this,” he said, stepping back. “Stay here. Don’t go anywhere.”
Alicia watched as he walked out of the room, her mind racing. She didn’t know what to think or who to trust. All she knew was that her life had just become a lot more complicated.
As soon as Joshua was out of sight, Alicia grabbed her phone and quickly dialed Monica’s number. Her friend answered on the first ring.
“Alicia! What the hell is going on? Why did Joshua answer your phone?” Monica’s voice was frantic.
“I don’t have time to explain,” Alicia whispered, keeping her voice low. “But I need your help. Can you meet me at the café near my place in an hour?”
“Of course,” Monica said without hesitation. “But Alicia, be careful. Something about this doesn’t feel right.”
“I know,” Alicia replied, her heart pounding. “I’ll see you soon.”
She ended the call and quickly gathered her things, her mind made up. She couldn’t stay here, not with Joshua acting so strangely. She needed answers, and she wasn’t going to get them by sitting around.
As she slipped out of the house, Alicia couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see Joshua or someone else following her. But the street was empty, and she forced herself to keep moving.
When she reached the café, Monica was already there, waiting at a corner table. Her friend’s face lit up with relief when she saw Alicia, but it quickly turned to concern as she took in Alicia’s disheveled appearance.
“What happened?” Monica asked as Alicia sat down. “You look like you’ve been through hell.”
Alicia took a deep breath, trying to steady her nerves. “I don’t even know where to start,” she admitted. “But I think someone’s trying to set me up. And Joshua… I don’t know if I can trust him.”
Monica reached across the table, squeezing Alicia’s hand. “We’ll figure this out together. But first, you need to tell me everything.”
Alicia nodded, her eyes filling with tears. For the first time since the previous night, she felt a glimmer of hope. Whatever was going on, she wasn’t alone. And with Monica by her side, she was determined to get to the bottom of it.
But as she began to recount the events of the past 24 hours, she couldn’t shake the feeling that the worst was yet to come.