CHAPTER 47: I COULD HAVE DIED.

The day went by very fast, and now it was already past seven in the evening. I was sitting at the All Stars Cafe waiting for Noura. It was so bright here that it was difficult to tell if it was night or day time. There were people sitting, having coffee dates, while others just hung around the entrance. Overall, it was a busy and beautiful spot for night out.

Even at that, I still had a growing knot in my stomach that refused to leave no matter how hard I reassured myself. Noura wasn’t a bad person, was she? Though she was strange. But based on her texts, she seemed to be a thoughtful person. Like the other day she told me never to call Alexander an orphan again... She was quite nice too.

"Can I take your orders, Miss?" A server approached me with a professional smile plastered on her face.

"Umm... yeah. Just a coffee," I replied awkwardly. Not that I was planning to get anything so soon, but it was okay if it would keep me busy and not raise suspicion.

The server nodded and left. Then shortly, she came back with a tray of coffee.

"Bon appetite."

"Thank you," I said and she left me alone.

As I was sipping my coffee, I suddenly noticed a familiar figure amidst the few people outside the entrance.

I put my coffee down and squinted my eyes to get a clearer look.

Then, my expression morphed into confusion upon seeing who it was. Katie? What was she doing here?

As if sensing my stares, she turned to my direction and her eyes widened the moment her gaze fell on me.

"Anna!" She gasped. Then, pushed herself through the entrance and hurried towards my table with a broad smile on her face. "I wasn’t expecting to see you here. I came to get some tea... it has been a long day at work," she added as she plopped on the chair opposite me.

"Yeah... I thought you were out of town. You never told me you returned," I said with no smile on my face. She was my friend, yet she couldn’t tell me she was back. What if I haven’t seen her tonight. I still wouldn’t have known.

"I am really sorry, Ann. I just didn’t have time. I have to work extra time to make up with my vacation. It was so stressful... believe me." She wriggled her shoulders while playfully pouting her lips. What now? Was she trying to bribe me with her innocent look? Smart move, but not today.

"Still, you should have let your friend know," I insisted.

"Yeah... I admit it was my fault," she muttered under her breath and looked down at her hands like a child getting scolded by her mother. Now that she looked like that, how could I still be angry at her?

I reached for my mug of coffee and took a little sip.

"By the way... why are you here?" Katie asked after she had ordered tea for herself. As soon as she asked that, I suddenly remembered the reason I was there. Noura... l carefully looked around the Cafe, but there was no one new. She still wasn’t here.

"Anna?" Katie called, confusedly looking at me.

"I was waiting for someone. I guess they aren’t here yet," I responded. And I didn’t fail to catch the slight pause Katie’s body made.

"Ohh..." was all she said, before systematically changing the topic. "What about you? How have you been doing? Anything wrong lately?"

"You won’t believe me, Katie if I say it’s a whole book. A lot have been going on and I am confused... I don’t know what to do..." my voice trailed off at the last part.

"Wait... what?" Katie adjusted herself on the chair properly. "Tell me about it."

And again, I explained everything to her without leaving out any part. From where my necklace was sold, how I got a text from Noura, how Alexander strip my father’s off his wealth, how I found out he was an orphan, and the most dreadful part... where I found out his mother was killed by my father.

When I was done, Katie didn’t look a bit surprise which was very strange. It was as if she already knew everything.

"Do you know about this...?" I carefully asked, as though I was scared of her response.

And to my uttermost bewilderment, she slowly nodded her head, unfazed. My eyes popped out of their sockets as stared at her in awe.

"How... How did you know?"

"Anna, I think it about time we talk about some things," she said. "Remember when I told you that Alexander was someone I knew very well."

I nodded, absently.

"Alright... I knew everything about him. How he ended up in the hood, how his mother was killed..."

"You also knew my father was responsible for the death of his mother?" I asked, unable to believe my eyes or ears.

"Yes..."

A gasp escaped my lips before I could stop it. What?

"You knew that and you never told me? Even when I told you everything that was happening to me in that marriage??" I almost yelled, anger and betrayer lighting up in my blood.

"I am sorry, Anna... I just couldn’t say..."

"How could you, Katie, how could you do that to me," I interrupted her before she could finish. "You literally let me live with this man, knowing fully well how dangerous he was to me and my family. You knew his intention for revenge. I could have died, Katie. He could have killed me..."

"He wouldn’t, Anna. You and I know he wouldn’t do anything to harm you."

"Of course he would," I snapped, my face turning red with pure rage. "I am his enemy’s daughter, Katie. The man who murdered his mother in the most horrible way. He hated me to the very core. And you don’t think he would harm me?"

I laughed bitterly. "I thought you were my friend, Katie. I can’t believe this is coming from you of all people."

Katie looked at me with glassy eyes. "Anna, I am sorry... please believe me... I thought I was doing the right thing by keeping it away from you. I was happy when you were able to leave your abusive family... I never wanted you to return to them if you know the truth about Alexander... I am sorry..."

"What if I died?" I whispered, feeling tears in my eyes. "What if anything had happened to me? I wonder how many more secret you are keeping from me. Are you even the Katie you claimed to be?"

Katie was caught off guard by my question. She quickly wiped her eyes with her palm and gave me a disappointed look.

"Don’t say that, Anna. I know I lied to you... I’m not saying you should be soft with me. But that doesn’t mean I am not Katie. I am still your friend, Anna."

I scoffed and spat. "I doubt that. I don’t even know who you are anymore. And to Alexander’s, I wonder what you were to him. His ex girlfriend? His mistress?" Saying that, I abruptly stood up and grabbed my bag to leave. I didn’t even care about why I was in the Cafe in the first place. I was so done with everything, including Katie. I couldn’t believe she could betray me like this after so many years of our friendship.

"Anna wait," Katie voice rang out. But that wasn’t what made me stop, it was the figure in front of me. I had almost bumped into someone.

I slowly raised my head and my heart dropped into my stomach the second my eyes met with those eyes. They belonged to Alexander. What the hell was he doing here?

I looked over my shoulder to Katie and saw that she was on her feet. She was staring at Alexander, her eyes filled with an emotion I couldn’t tell. Alexander also held her gaze for about three seconds before returning to me.

I shook my head in disbelief and continued moving. Whatever.

As I walked, I noticed that Alexander was following me. But I didn’t stop. My chest felt so heavy as if it was going to explode. A lot had been happening lately and it was taking a toll on me. I wondered how long this would continue.

Stepping out of the Cafe, the gentle night air hit my face, caressing my heated cheeks, but it did little to soothe the storm brewing inside of me. My fingers tightened around the handle of my bag as I hurried past the people at the entrance of the Cafe. All I needed right now was to have a good sleep, one I would never wake up from.

I could still feel Alexander’s presence behind me, and it made whatever emotions I was feeling turned into anger.

I abruptly stopped and spinned around to face him, rage burning in my eyes.

"What do you want?" I fired, my voice louder than I intended.