"Hey Muna." Javier greeted, his voice sounded groggy over the phone.

"Hey." I replied, still feeling extremely awkward about the night before. I wasn't sure how I was to feel about it.

"Did you get home safe last night?"

"Um yeah, I did." I replied, playing awkwardly with the hem of my pajama shirt.

"Well, I'm glad you did. I wish I could have driven you, but I was so drunk last night. I honestly can't even remember half the night."

"Oh," I said.

So he couldn't remember what had happened?

"Yeah, did anything interesting happen after we finished the movie?"

"Nah," I lied, trying to make my voice sound casual, "we just hung out for a bit before I went home."

I was a little relieved that Javier hadn't remembered, I really did not want to have to deal with anymore awkward situations.

"Okay." Javier said, "I was just checking to make sure you're in one piece. I'm going back to bed, I have a fucking terrible hangover."

"Sleep tight." I said as I bid him goodbye, "see you at work on Monday."

Monday came around and I did see Javier at work. He smiled at me and waved enthusiastically in his usual manner. However, I did not see Miss Rose at work that day... or for the rest of the week. I asked Alice Ross about it and she had simply replied that Miss Rose sometimes decided not to come into work, this was right before she had told me that I had to take care of the rest of Miss Rose's tasks till whenever it was she came back to work. I found myself showing up solo for more meetings; I had to sign documents on her behalf. Needless to say, my work week was a lot busier than usual. However, I still found ample time to worry about Miss Rose. I genuinely hoped that she was doing okay. It was hard for me not to know how she was, not to know how she was doing. I genuinely wished I could talk to her. I wanted to hear her voice again.

Amanda had called me at some time that week, and I had fabricated a story of a date I went on with Miss Rose. She sounded very happy for me, which reassured me she wasn't in any harm of any sorts. At least Caroline had kept to her side of the deal.

Friday rolled around, and I got lost in a heap load of paperwork. I had no meetings to attend to today, so I sat at my work desk for the majority of the day shuffling through papers, grouping them into files, signing my signature and placing them in a stack to be sent off. I was relieved when the work week finally drew to an end. It had been really stressful.

I left work and walked to the bus stop; I had to run a little to make it in time for the bus. If I'd missed it, I'd have to wait another fifteen for the next bus. I heaved out a sigh of relief once I got on the bus and took an empty seat next to the window.

I left work and walked to the bus stop, I had to run a little to make it in time for the bus. If I'd missed it, I'd have to wait another fifteen for the next bus. I heaved out a sigh of relief once I got on the bus and took an empty seat next to the window.

I was so mentally and physically exhausted to the point where I was numb. I had lost track of how much I had cried these past few weeks; I got very little sleep at night and I had no appetite most days. I had a dull headache constantly in the back of my head, and I popped two pills of aspirin each morning to help me get through my day.

I had not seen Caroline since that wretched day, and I was thankful for that. I knew she probably had people watching me, but I had reached a point of paranoia that now I just lived with it. I was still scared shitless, but I had mastered how to still function despite it.

The bus slowed down in front of where I usually got off. I stood up preparing to leave but changed my mind and sat back down.

I wasn't willing to be all alone in my apartment right now. I had the whole of the weekend for that.

When the bus came to a halt, a few stops later, I finally got off. I walked for a bit before arriving there.

I was instantly engulfed in the warm scent of flowers. I found myself smiling despite myself as sat in the soft grass. The view was as beautiful as it had been the first time I came here with Miss Rose, and my breathing got difficult just thinking of her. I blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall from my eyes. I wasn't going to ruin this moment; I was going to enjoy it. I lay back in the grass; it was like being held in a warm embrace and I stared up at the sky it was such a beautiful shade of blue. There was a cloud in the sky shaped just like a heart and I found myself smiling up at it.

My eyelids suddenly grew heavy. I shut my eyes for a bit and immediately fell asleep. I didn't have any nightmares. No paranoia. For the time being, my head was clear. It was as if I didn't have anything to worry about it. I had not felt this much peace in a while.

"Muna."

Miss Rose called my name in my dream and I smiled, my heart was longing for her.

"Muna!"

My eyes flew open, and I sat up. Right there squatting in the grass beside me was Miss Rose. I blinked a couple of times, wondering if I was still dreaming before realizing that I was not and shooting to my feet.

I began to back away from her, looking around me furiously. What if they had seen me next to her? What if they were calling, reporting to Miss Rose this very instance? What if the order was being given for Amanda's 'disappearance' at this very moment?

"Muna."

My panicking momentarily stopped and my eyes focused on Miss Rose, who was standing a little distance away from me.

This was the first time I had seen her all week. Since I had started working for her, I had never not seen her for more than a few days consecutively. I now stared at her as she stood in front of me.

For the first time in a while. I really took her in. She was dressed in grey sweat pants and dark trainers. She had on a dark hoodie with Japanese writing scribbled across the front. The hood was pulled up over her hair, which was falling into her eyes in its usual manner. Her eyes. They were dark and sunken. She had dark circles under her eyes. She then used those sunken eyes to study me for a while before she spoke.

"What are you looking around for? Are you okay?"

No. I wasn't.

"I'm fine." My voice sounded harsh, even to my ears.

I saw the brief flash of hurt that came over Miss Rose's face before it changed to anger, "forgive me for caring."

Her voice was laced with anger and I watched as she turned away from me as she stared into the distance.

The sky had darkened. I just stood there awkwardly staring at her, not sure what to do. I didn't know if I was to leave. Had anyone seen us? The tension in the air was thick.

Miss Rose laughed. It was an empty, hollow laugh. "You know, it's ironic. I didn't come to work all week just to avoid you. I-I couldn't stand it. And then, the first time I leave my house all week and I come here trying to clear my head. But who do I see? The very last person I want to see."

I gulped to ease the pain in my throat.

Miss Rose laughed dryly once again. Her eyes were still fixated up ahead.

"You know, I thought of firing you. I actually thought of firing you. That's how petty and angry I am. But I-I can't. I can't do it Muna." Miss Rose turned then and looked at me. There was no anger in her face, just pain, "The truth is, you are an amazing PA, probably the best I would ever have... I also know how important this job is to you. I will not ruin your plans all because I'm heartbroken."

I stood there trembling. My throat was closing up, and I tried to keep my tears at bay.

"These past few weeks have been hell," Miss Rose said quietly, "I started drinking again. All week that's what I did... but even that didn't numb the pain."

At that point my legs gave in and I fell to the floor, I couldn't take it anymore. I was hunched over on the ground and the tears began spilling from my face; the emotions began spilling from me. And I couldn't stop it. I couldn't stop myself from coming loose.

Miss Rose stood silently in shock, watching me.

My sobs were intensifying. "I'm scared." I sobbed out, looking up unto her face. "I'm so scared, Miss Rose. I'm scared and in pain all the time."

Miss Rose fell to her knees in front of me, "Muna, what's going on?"

I knew I should have probably stopped then, but I couldn't. Everything I had been holding in came pouring out like a packet of mentors in a coke bottle. I couldn't stop myself.

"I didn't want to. I never wanted for you to feel like this," the tears were coming fast, "s-she made me."

I knew my mascara was probably all around my face and my nose was the bright red color it often turned when I cried.

Miss Rose looked at me in utter confusion.

"S-she made me." I sobbed, my heart beating fast, "C-Caroline."

There was a brief moment in which Miss Rose's face went completely blank, then instantly it was filled with nothing but rage as she connected the dots. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

"Muna," Miss Rose's voice was flat but powerful, "what did Caroline do?"

Then it all came spilling out. "She threatened me with a knife to end things with you. I didn't want to, I really didn't want to. B-but then she threatened me with my best friend. She said she was going to take her away. S-she said she was going to make Amanda disappear."

I was stuttering terribly as I cried.

Miss Rose was silent for a moment, just taking everything in.

"What's Amanda's address?"

I looked up at Miss Rose in confusion.

"Amanda, that's your friend's name, right? Where is she?"

"At college," I replied. Tears were still streaming down my face, but I had gained a little control over my voice, "She goes to Drexel University in Philadelphia."

"Write her address down here."

Miss Rose had pulled her phone out of her pocket and I instantly typed the address on it. Without another word, she got up and walked away from me.

I watched her in the distance as she spoke into the phone, her back was turned to me but she glanced back at me occasionally. I couldn't really hear what she was saying.

I just sat there sobbing silently till she came back.

Miss Rose crouched down in front of me. "Nothing is going to happen to Amanda. I've employed a group of mercenaries in disguise to watch over her. Not a hair on her head would be put in harm's way."

I looked at Miss Rose in shock. She had employed a group of what?

Miss Rose's face was set. It was impossible to read the expression in her eyes.

"Now Muna. I need you to tell me everything that happened with Caroline."

I cleaned the tears that had begun to dry on my face as I told Miss Rose about the whole encounter. My voice shook terribly and my heart was beating rapidly. Miss Rose stayed silent the whole time, just nodding her head. Her eyes were locked with mine. The intensity oozing off her was so powerful.

"Okay, Muna, " Miss Rose said once I was finally done talking. She reached over carefully and took my hands in hers before bringing her eyes up back to my face. "Now, here's what we're gonna do..."