Clowny Mess!

Chapter 9 ~ Anxiety is back

"I'm Diana Matthews." I spoke confidently.

"Diana Matthews? I thought to myself that I saw you somewhere and I was right." He said.

"Do I know you too?" I asked, confusingly.

"I'm Nathaniel Winnicott." He said.

"The boy who always sat on the first seat in the college?" I got excited.

"Yeah. So the seat is my identity now." He laughed.

I giggled.

I heard the noises coming from Natalie's Room.

"Oh no, I locked her in the room." I said to myself and started finding the keycard on the carpet.

It was a tough task as room was dark.

Nathaniel switched on the lights and said, "Catching on the slightest ray can be the best solution when darkness gets out of control."

"You can never kick Philosophy out of you." I said with ah so serious plus joking reaction.

"It runs in my blood." He kinda declared.

"Haha, And here's the keycard." I said while taking it and ran to her room.

I opened the door and Natalie was sitting on the floor, next to her bed, crying.

I sat next to her. She saw me and hugged me tightly. She might've felt good in my embrace.

She was sobbing and saying something. I cupped her face with my hands and wiped her tears.

More the tears brimming from her eyes, More my heart ached.

I asked her about the reason behind her crying. I was assuming that she saw that clown.

She said, "Why did you lock me inside again, mommy?"

I was relieved that she was unaware about that incident. But what did she say? Again? I never locked her, what was she talking abou-, The thing clicked in my mind. I know what was she saying.

When she was little, I used to lock her in the room because I didn't want her to see how her dad assaults me. Every night, she used to cry a little and sleep.

When I freed myself and my daughter from Brandon then I received a lot of threats from him about stealing Natalie, kidnapping her. In this situation, what would a fearful mom do? She will protect her daughter at any cost. I did the same.

She was used to get locked inside the house in my working hours. I didn't send her to school for 2 years, instead I taught her at home.

I was feeling guilty. My daughter was in this condition just because of me. I consoled her and she went to sleep.

I remembered about Nathaniel. He was out but he must've gone by now. I rushed into hall.

He was there, watching my Awards and certificates on the wall. He touched one of my framed award and was thinking something. I stood next to him and said, "Employee of the year. It was my first year in the company and I was on cloud nine after winning this award."

He smiled and said, "You are deserving to every award in your department. I heard a lot about you after all. You always go an extra mile on every project."

"Glad to hear!" I beamed. "I'm not that great though."

"That's what a perfectionist say." He smirked.

I squeezed my hand which was shivering due to Anxiety. I instantly covered my face with a casual laughing and said, "Stop building me up!"

"No no, I'm serious." He said and I just patted his back on that.

"Well, Is she your niece?" He asked, looking at me.

"Ugh No, She's my-" I was interrupted by him. "Got it. Your sister is way too young though."

I was again going to say something but he didn't let me. "Oh! I understood. She is your step sister, right?"

"She isn't my sister at all." I stated

"Right. I was going way too far, She's your cousin." He said again.

My hand wasn't stopping.

"Will you listen to me?" I shouted a bit. "She is my daughter." His face turned down but then he gave me a cheerful smile.He faked it of course. I was perplexed about this strange behaviour.

"You have a gem." He finally said.

I grinned.

"And Don't be Afraid. Everything is going to be fine. I'll try to find out more about that Man."

He left, He was on duty of patrolling our area.

I quickly grabbed a glass of water and all the water was inside my stomach. Anxiety was running in my veins. I took a pill and It was getting better.

The Next Day, I was disturbed because of all that happened yesterday so I thought not to go to office for a day.

I called my boss but he refused my one day leave application. He told me that there is a loads of work in the office and I should complete my pending works. Pretty Cool, right? Huh!

I was attending my clients and visiting them in various places.

I was in a Museum with one of my client and I spotted Mr Charles Loughty there.

My Work was nearly finished so I bid a goodbye to my client and was going out.

The Museum Protection Protocols were taking more time as there was new sculptures and paintings installed.

I stood in the queue. He came there too. I tried very hard to hid from him. I succeeded somehow.

I was rushing out of that massive museum and I bumped into someone. Unfortunately, That Someone was no one other than Mr Charles. Ugh, My luck.

His bodyguard gave me my files as my files were scattered all over on the road due to that sudden crashing with him.

"Oh yeah! So, It was you." He said and walked past me so does his three bodyguards.

What did he mean by 'It was you'?

Yes right! I'm going to confront him for this.

I ran to match his steps and stood in front of him.

"Excuse me?" I said.

"Excused." He said and sided me from his path just like kids do with the veggies in food.

"Wait, I wanna talk." I kinda declared.

"Do you want to talk or fight?" He asked.

"Both." I spoke.

"I don't have time." He stated.

"You can't do this with me." I said, landing my hands on my waist.

"Why? Only you can do that? Do you have that warrant?" He chided.

"I don't know about that but the thing I know is You can never do that and I believe it." I said with confidence that I had on him.

"It doesn't matter what you believe and what you don't. I know I can do that too." He fumed in anger and walked ahead tob his car. One of his bodyguard opened the car door for him and he left.