"Take some deep breaths Laurel, I'm sorry!"
But no, It wasn't a panic attack like usual...it was a flash of memories, some painful ones.
Making distance between us I looked behind, at the man whose leg was bleeding.
And then in the hallway, where other people living in the very floor were standing there, some on the phone, while some looked horrified.
And the man...it was none other than Franklin.
Franklin Bernard, the man behind everything...
The mastermind, the murderer.
He was wailing in pain, panting so loudly that I could only hear him, not the ruckus in the whole hallway.
Cassian stood with me, behind me with his hand still on my arm.
The police and paramedics had arrived soon, while he lay there for the whole time.
In fact the staff of the whole building was there too.
For the investigation of the shooting, my and Cassian were taken along with the police, there questions one after another all of them answered by Cassian.
I was still stuck up on, trying to process what had just happened, like I was used to be doing.
He was there, in my bedroom god knows doing what but most probably waiting for me, waiting for me to arrive so he could attack me.
The CCTV footage of 30 minutes before I had arrived was shown to us, as it showed how he walked to my apartment, typing in the pass code of my apartment.
Every single word, every single evidence it was as if it pushed me closer to pit of fire.
He knew the pass code...his hands touched each and every single key like he was used to do so.
He knew how to open the door to my apartment, he was capable of coming and going from there.
Cassian's hand went over mine, squeezing it, to relax me.
My body tensed under his touch as I tried getting it out of his touch but he kept his hand unwavering.
Kalix was there too after the interrogation was completed, and according to police he was stalking me from more than 4 to 5 weeks.
That means, that day...at the day of party he had been at the guest room.
That weird smell was there, and so was he...
"We are going to keep him under arrest on the charge for stalking."
I stared at officer, Cassian beside me and Kalix behind me.
"Then is there a chance that he might be released through bail?"
Kalix's hand squeezed my shoulder, and patted on it gently.
"This is a serious matter, this man was not only stalking Ms. Miller for a month, but he was also waiting with a weapon for her, if she wasn't saved on time this man probably would have became a murderer, so we are going to keep him in jail for the time being."
"Then what about my kidnapping? He...he was also behind it! And...and Luca...my late boyfriend's death too. "
"Ms. Miller, we are aware of your kidnapping but Mr. Luca died after being treated for the gunshot wounds, there is no way he can b-"
My blood was boiling more and more as he tried denying Franklin being the Killer of Luca.
"Can't you understand! I'm telling you Luca didn't die! He was killed, this man sent someone to kill him! He was fine I talked to him hardly 15 minutes before his death! You can't just say he didn't! And and even if he didn't, he is still the master mind, he was the one planned everything!"
Standing up from my chair, I bursted on the officer for his wishful thinking.
"Laurie! Honey, calm down! they are doing there work-"
Kalix backed up, holding both my shoulders, trying to calm me down, before I fully loose control.
"No Kalix, they are not understanding it! He was murdered! You... I was with you, but before that I was with him!"
The officer kept lookimg at me, giving me wierd glances, but was not ready to believe me.
"I swear he is behind it and...even if he is not shouldn't you at least keep him under arrest for attempted mucer charge or for injuring a person?"
"Until or unless we don't have any proof, no we can't."
Letting out a scoff I was ready to throw hands, like what the freak was thatman thinking? He kidnapped me, abused me and then shot Luca.
Even if there is not proof that he killed Luca, at the least they can do is trust me, believe me and what I had gone through.
The thin strand of patience that was keeping me back was breaking apart, one after another.
Kalix felt it as he went for my hand and excused before leaving the station with Cassian behind us.
"Why didn't you say a thing to them? That man killed Luca! He shot him right before me, then how could he not be the murderer? Luca was in that condition because of him, and died midway of his treatment...so how is he not to be punished for that?"
Kalix hugged me tightly, as he patted my back, calming me down slowly.
"Shh... Laurel!"
His stern voice brought me back to where we were, and I straightened up, fixed myself, wiping the tear stains on my face.
"Come on, I'll drop you home!"
"I can't go in that apartment, he knows the pass code!"
"I'm talking about dad's home, where I live! I won't send you back there!"
"Cassian, I'm taking her home, till then can you make sure that all the stuff from Laurel's house is shifted out from there? I can't let her take any more stress, after 4 days it's your wedding and I can't trust her to keep herself healthy and fine!"
A wave of shock and disbelief rinsed over me, can't trust me with keeping myself healthy, but can forget that there are the letters and other things in my apartment.
"I will take care of it, you go back with Laurel"
"What? No no, I can handle this much by myself, there is some stuff of mine that I don't want anyone else to see and..."
I tried remembering each and everything in my apartment that I could talk about, flaunting about the importance it had for me.
"...And my wedding dress! It's still in the bag, what if it rips by someone! I don't want that, I'll go with him!"
Cassian was rather taken back by my words, but Kalix had understood what was the actual reason I said it.
And so, instead of going with Kalix, I was sitting in Cassian's car, waiting for Cassian to come and start driving as he was talking to Kalix, just in front of the car, while they were clearly audible to me.
"He has been working for me, it's not possible for him to do all this alone!"
Cassian was looking worried, as he talked.
"So are you saying this is all a lie?"
"I'm not saying that Kalix, but this is actually very hard for anyone to do, let alone some 18 year old... I don't know why but I think-"
"Cassian, we don't have time to think! That man was in my sister's apartment, waiting for her so he could kill her! What do you think is more important than that?"
Cassian sighed, his fingers running down in his hair.
"I didn't mean it that way! I just, feel like he may not be the only person after Laurel, maybe he was just a sacrificial goat for someone! Her life might still be in danger!"
"Then protect her! Give away anything you can! Just don't let my sister get hurt in midst of everything!"
"You think I will? I will protect her! And yeah! take some people with you, don't go there all alone, it might be dangerous."
Go? Kalix was going somewhere?
Cassian and Kalix shook hands with each other, Cassian came and sat in the driver's seat, and Kalix sat in his own waving us befote driving away in other direction.
"Where is Kalix going?"
Cassian had still not seated properly, tensed up at my question.
"Some company related work!"
He shrugged, and before I could ask any more he changed the topic right then and there.
"You can take your stuff and move in with Cecily, after all, it's less than a week before you'll be living with me."
Controlling the steering wheel, his whole focus on the road as he talked.
"I think I'd be fine after shifting back with Kalix, I will get to soend more time with my family, after we get married it might get busier for us to get married."
Cassian nodded, agreeing with me.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Yeah! Sure, go ahead!"
"Do you... perhaps have you moved on from Luca? Like it has not been that much of a time since he passed away.