chapter 10

Linda Holmes discharge from the hospital next day. Lisa took leaves for two days to take care of her mother. During this time Daniel Brooke called and messaged her several times but she didn't answer any of them. After two days  she went to school but she was unable to concentrate on her works. To clear her mind she went to have coffee to the cafeteria. She was looking outside through the window holding the coffee cup. Her mind was blank as if there is no hope left. She didn't take a single sip of the coffee. The coffee turned cold as ice.

"What is it? Where is your mind? I was calling you for several times but you are not answering."
A sweet female voice came from above her head and snatched her back to the reality. She looked up and saw her colleague and friend Anna Green who was staring at her with slight frown.
"Oh.... Its nothing."
Anna Green sat down on the opposite chair and said "Really?... Don't tell me that something is not bothering you. Tell me what is happening."

Lisa sighed deeply and said "I am in mess right now. My parents had fixed marriage with someone called Mr. Carl Black."
"What?"
"Daniel is calling me continuously and I don't know how to face him."
"To be honest I really don't like Daniel. Don't mind. I think he is not the person he shows. I feel like something very cruel is hidden inside him."
Lisa was stunned to hear this and said angrily "How could you say like that. He is really...." but she was cut off by Anna Green "Ok, ok, my mistake. I was just sharing my thought. Sorry, don't get angry."
Just than Lisa's phone started ringing. Lisa sighed  and said "It's Daniel again."
"Answer it, you can't ignore him all the time."

She answered just before the call was about to disconnect and she heard Daniel Brooke's cold voice "Finally you have decided to answer my call. You are avoiding me, aren't you?"
"Let's meet at the old place. I will be there after the classes."

After saying that she hung up the phone without waiting Daniel Brooke's answer.

After the class she went to the coffee shop. She ordered cappuccino while waiting for Daniel Brooke. After around ten minutes Daniel Brooke's handsome figure appeared in front of her. He sat down opposite her and with slight frown he was staring at her. Both of them were quiet for long time. No one was willing to start the conversation.

"Why didn't you answer my calls and messages?"
Daniel Brooke was the first who broke the silence. 
Lisa was only staring at him without a single word.
"What?... Tell me, what is bothering you?"

Lisa was still silent. She was unable to find proper words to say. Daniel shrugged with frustration and said "What's wrong? Say something or you decided to not talk?"
"I am getting married."
"What?"
"We are done Daniel. From now on don't contact me."

Lisa stood up to leave after saying that. Tears rolled down and her heart was paining so much as if thousands of needles are piercing continuously together. But before she could go few steps her arm was grabbed by Daniel Brooke's strong hand and pulled her into his embrace.

"You can't leave me like this and you are not getting married to anyone else. You are mine. No one can take you away from me." Daniel said possessively.
"Its too late Daniel. I...."
Before she could finish Daniel held her head from behind, lowered his head and kissed her lips fiercely.

After long time he let her go and started saying "Lisa, you know very well that right now I am handling a very important case. This could change my life. My entire concentration is on this case. Don't create any trouble for me now. You have to wait. Do you understand? Hmm?”
"But my parents have already fixed the marriage on next month."

Daniel Brooke was so angry and frustrated hearing this that he lost his control. He glared at her and said angrily "Ok then, go and get married. But Lisa don't think that you can escape from me. No one can take you away from me. I promise I'll snatch you back."

Within a blink he turned around and left. Lisa was dumbfounded and standing there speechlessly staring at Daniel Brooke's leaving figure.

Her heart was in chaos. She never saw this side of Daniel. An unknown fear appeared in her mind. Daniel Brooke's last words were rewinding in her mind nonstop. After a long time she regained her sense and left the coffee shop.

At night she tossed and turned on her bed unable to sleep. She was thinking what Daniel Brooke said to her in the coffee shop. 
Suddenly her phone rang. Without seeing who was calling she answered the phone "Hello."
She heard a cold sexy male voice from the other end of the phone "Um.... this is Carl Black here. Sorry to call you at this hour. D-did I disturb you?"

Lisa startled and jumped out of the bed. Her jaw dropped and  eyes wide opened in shock. There was a long pause.
"Miss Holmes are you there?"

She swallowed a mouthful of saliva before saying "Yeah, yeah, um.... how can I help you Mr. Black?"
"Oh.. a- about that. I just want to know that, um.... are you free t-tomorrow?"
Lisa narrowed her eyes and asked "Why?"
"I just want to have coffee with you if you are free."
"Oh.. Mr. Black I am sorry I can't. My Mom always told me to come back home early, so..."
Carl Black interrupted "Ok, no problem at all. Um... at what time your classes over?"
"4 pm. Why?"
"Just curious. Ok then good night Miss Holmes."
"Good night."

Lisa was flabbergusted by the sudden call of Carl Black. She sat down on the bad and thought 'what just happened?' Her heart was beating very fast. She sighed deeply and tried to sleep but whenever she closed her eyes Carl Black's words were ringing in her ears. She tossed and turned again and again. After long time she fell asleep and woke up by the sound of the alarm in the morning.

During lunch break she was having lunch with Anna Green. 
"Did you meet with Daniel yesterday?" Anna Green asked.
"Hmm."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I have no options. Daniel wants to concentrate on his career now. He is not ready to get married."
Anna shook her head helplessly and sighed deeply.
"What is it?"
"Forget it. You will not trust me if I say it."
Lisa frowned and said "Oh come on, we are good friends, why won't I trust you?" 
"If you say so, I want to say that I feel like Daniel is not a good person." Anna Green sighed and continued speaking "I don't know to whom you are going to get married but it should not be Daniel."
"Thank you for your concern Anna. It means a lot. But right now I just want to enjoy this moment. I don't want to think about the marriage and I don't want to think about Daniel."
Anna Green chuckled and said "That's the spirit. How about this...... Shall we go for shopping?"
"Yeah, that's a good idea to release the stress."

They both laughed and chatted for sometimes and went back to their respective classes.

After finishing the classes Lisa and Anna Green came out of the school together. They saw a handsome man who was standing in front of the gate. He was staring at them with faint smile on his face.

Lisa was stunned to see him and asked in surprise "Mr. Black why are you here?"
"I just come to see you."

Anna Green's jaw dropped when she saw Carl black. Her gaze was fixed at him with mouth agape. 
She regained her sense by Lisa's next words "Anna you are drooling."
"Is he the one to whom you are getting married? Wow. he is so hot."
Anna Green asked to Lisa fixing her gaze at Carl Black.

She was so excited to see Carl black that she couldn't help but extend her hand to introduce herself "Hello Mr. Black, I am Anna Green."
Carl Black took her hand to shake and said "Nice to meet you Miss Green."
"Oh, nice to meet you too Mr. Black. By the way we are going for shopping. Will you come with us?"

Lisa pinched Anna Green's waist and whispered "Anna."
"Ahh..... Why are you pinching?" Anna Green shouted.

Carl Black laughed and said "Sure, why not. Its my pleasure."
Lisa shook her head and said helplessly "No its ok Mr. Black. You don't bother about that."
"Don't worry. In fact by this way I can spend some times with you. Come on, there is my car. Let's go for shopping."

Anna Green was jumping up and down and said happily "Yes, yes, let's go, let's go."

Lisa was feeling so helpless to see Anna Green like this that she couldn't help but glare deadly at Anna Green. But Anna Green didn't notice it. Very soon Carl Black drove away to the shopping mall.

All these were seen by Daniel Brooke not from afar. Actually he came there to meet Lisa and was waiting for her for long time sitting in his sport car. But before he could go and meet her he saw the scene so he didn't get down from the car. His expression turned gloomy when he saw Lisa went with another man. He tightened his grip around the steering wheel and murmured "You can't escape from me Lisa."