Page 156 of Don't Leave Me

“Thank you,” I smiled at him as he handed me the towel.

Jack took his phone off the counter, typed in a few things, hit dial and put it on speaker. A familiar voice answered after two rings.

“Hey, everything alright?” she answered – I immediately knew it was Jess.

“Yes, I was just checking in. How are you, dear sister?” he asked kindly, staring at my body as I dried off.

“Well, I’m busy as hell, thanks for finally asking. Between shows and meetings and having to stalk Michael and Emily for you, I barely have enough time to breathe,” Jess answered, out of breath, and my whole body went tense.

“You’ve been helping me tremendously, Jess. I’m sorry I haven’t thanked you enough,” he admitted, waiting for my reaction.

“And the whole thing with Michael and Billie showing up at your flat with what seemed to be policemen – I nearly had a heart attack. You are all clear though, aren’t you? You’re both upstate?” she inquired, and now it started to sink in and I started to fully sob, my legs giving out as I slid down the wall to my ass.

I felt like I couldn’t breathe. Jessica was helping Jack with all of this, andstalkingMichael and Emily? Michael showed up to Jack’s place with Billie and the police – does that mean Billie told Michael what was going on? Did my fantasy actually come true? Does that mean…wait, that means Jack knows that I told Billie. Oh my god, he’s known this whole time. Oh my god, he’s going to kill Michael.

Jack stared at me, his eyes now hard and resentful. “Yes. We’re all clear. Hana has agreed to marry me,” the smile on his face vexing.

“Oh my god! Please tell me you’re waiting to get married till you get back to the city,” she exclaimed, clearly delighted by the news.

“No. We’re getting married tomorrow. That way we can get back to the city and no one can be suspicious anymore,” he explained, his plan now making sense.

“Has she come to her senses? I mean, you’ve been together for two weeks now and she hasn’t tried to leave. You either have her really scared or she wants to be there with you,” Jessica said casually, as if they had talked about this a million times.

Jack stared down at me, observing me curiously and tilting his head. “I think it’s a little of both,” he shrugged to himself. “Come on, Han…it’s alright, get up,” he added, finally talking to me, his tone totally soft and sweet now.

Jessica gasped. “Oh god, has she been listening this whole time? Jack, why didn’t you tell me?”

“What, you wanted to keep her in the dark forever? Shame on you, Jess,” Jack responded playfully, holding his hand out for me to take.

I could hear Jess sigh over the phone as I took Jack’s hand and he helped me up from the floor. I was convinced he would hang up with her and have me watch as he ordered a hit on Michael or something similar – and it would all be my fault.

“I’m sorry, Hana. He’s my brother. I just want him to be happy,” she said to me, and I widened my eyes at the phone, unsure of how to respond.

“I’ll call you tomorrow, Jess. Keep me updated,” Jack said and hung up.

I stood nude in only a towel as Jack set the phone back down on the bathroom counter and turned back to me.

“Please don’t kill Michael. I will do everything you ask of me for the rest of my life if you just leave him alone,” I pleaded with him, tears streaming down my face.

Jack looked surprised, raising his eyebrows at me. “Oh, I already expect that, Hana,” he said with a smile. “You’re going to be my wife and you will be absolutely thrilled when we apply for our marriage license and get married. You will beecstaticabout it. You will post loving photos of us with the rings on our fingers all over social media, you will call your mum & dad, we will throw a wonderful wedding party when we get back to the city. You will convince everyone of how much you love me,” he demanded sternly, all with his sinister smile on his face.

“Of course,” I smiled back at him, the tears still flowing.

“You have so much to make up for, sweetheart. Now hurry up and get ready so we can go apply for that marriage license.”

39

Chapter 39

I could barely write my details into the piece of paper that was our marriage application. We sat in the lobby of the Holiday Inn after Jack had politely asked the receptionist to print it out for us, and once she realized what was happening she was thrilled for us.

“Congratulations!” she said to me warmly, and I nodded politely with a smile, my stomach twisted and my heart feeling like it was going to jump out of my body.

All I could think about was the inevitable conversation that Jack and I would have once we returned back to the hotel room. I had so many questions that I was terrified to ask – did he know that I told Billie before we left the restaurant? How? Did he know that Michael was on his way when we were packing at his loft after dinner? He had said nothing more of my betrayal to him as I got dressed and hurriedly dried my hair – in fact, he seemed triumphant, like he had won. As if my life in his hands were a game. Perhaps he knew that I realized I had lost in all of this, that any plan I had conceived was now futile. I was going to be his now, and there was nothing I could do to stop it. I knew this was all my fault.

“I need my birth certificate,” I pointed at the marriage application, the requirements listing at least an ID and birth certificate.

“I’ve got it all, sweetheart,” he assured me and watched me fill in my half.

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