Chapter 4- An Unknown Number

Polly had a forceful dinner with her brother downstairs before retiring to bed for the night. She was grateful he made the call on her behalf, and she really needed to use the night to clear her head and set things straight.

Malcolm handed her an envelope, informing her the letter was directed to her, but she was too emotionally drained to check it out, so she promised herself she'd do so in the morning.

In the morning, she forgot.

Going downstairs in her black pajamas and a toothbrush in her mouth, she found Malcolm in the kitchen and waved her good morning greetings to him!

However, her hands freezed in the air when she noticed he had company. In the kitchen with him was the milkman she had seen in Andrew's hotel yesterday, and he was assisting Malcolm stuff the bottled milk into the fridge.

The two of them were chatting amicably, making Polly wonder how they knew one another. She has never seen him visit their cottage before, so what was he doing here??

"Thank you, Rafael." Malcolm genuinely thanked the young man. When they both turned around, Malcolm's chat trailed off when he noticed Polly standing at the side of the living room not too far from the kitchen, and she was a morning mess.

Malcolm palmed his face after taking in her morning appearance, cluelessly wondering why she would come downstairs looking like this. From the look in her eyes, it was obvious she had cried herself to sleep, and even comparing her appearance to that of a mad woman would be too polite.

The young man beside him kept his reaction natural, but his poker face certainly screamed, 'I've seen weirder things at a zoo.'

"Ith thoo!" Polly pointed a finger at the man, her toothbrush partially obstructing her mouth from uttering the correct thing 'it's you!'

Her cheeks ignited like a rocket launch pad after taking in her own appearance. Surely this man won't believe that the dazzling diva he saw yesterday was the same woman standing in front of him, but unfortunately, recognition dawned in his teasing peepers.

"Rafael," Malcolm's voice disrupted the awkward silence, and he decided to introduce, "you haven't met sir Norman's sister yet. She's the madame of the house, Miss Polly. Miss Polly, meet Rafael. He's the neighborhood's favorite milkman."

'Favorite? Does he milk other things too?' thought Polly as her eyes scanned him from head to toe.

"Uhm… it's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Polly." Rafael's voice was panickingly deep and soothing. His eyes bore into her green ones, and she's never seen a shade so pretty.

His eyes resembled the velvety midnight-sky, tinged with violet, just like how you view the sky before dawn. He wasn't sporting his nose mask today, granting her an unobstructed view of his face.

Her inexplicable silence made Rafael and Malcolm exchange puzzled glances, and the next thing that happened baffled them both.

Polly sprinted up the stairs like a caffeinated rabbit, tripping on the middle step only to rise and disappear into a corner. For some unblinking seconds, Malcolm and Rafael's gaze remained fixated on the stairs.

'Did she perhaps wake up from the wrong side of the bed this morning?' thought Malcolm, and he really hoped she would hit the snooze button and give waking up another shot, this time with a bit more grace and charm.

"She's had a really bad night," Malcolm explained. "I'll see you out. Those neighborhood women aren't forcing you into their homes, are they?" He questioned Rafael with narrowed eyebrows, and the charming young man just smiled faintly.

"Remember, only leave the milks at their doorstep, I don't want to hear news of mountaineer's favorite milkman getting kidnapped overnight." Malcolm received the receipt after seeing him to the door.

Rafael nodded politely and turned to leave. Malcolm shook his head as he watched the young man strode off to his van, wondering why such a fine man would work as a milkman. If he was rich enough, he would have shipped Polly with him, because he knew Rafael well enough to tell that he was a respectful, good-looking man, unlike the chameleon she dated.

The heavens really accepted his prayers by setting those two apart for good!

Meanwhile, Polly had done her morning duties before coming downstairs for breakfast. She was dressed in a high-waist black palazzo, and an ash-colored shirt. Her long coat was draped on her forearm, and her favorite black bag was on the other.

Malcolm gave her a pointed look as she sat at the dinner table.

"Good morning."

"Mhmmn." Malcolm was not buying it. "Did you sleep well the second time?"

"I had my reasons." Polly didn't want to be reminded of the spectacle she made in front of them, and she was still heavily exhausted. Malcolm simply served her breakfast, and he proceeded to say..

"He's a good-looking young man, isn't he?"

"Malcolm, allow me to heal, will you?"

"Wasn't one night enough to get over that chameleon, you need more?" Malcolm sounded stupefied, and he filled her glass with orange juice, "Here, drink up, and maybe you'll pee out whatever lingering emotions you have left for that guy."

Polly rolled her eyes dramatically, and she had gotten so used to Malcolm's mouth that whatever he said no longer bothered her. But he was right, she would see Andrew as this orange juice, and hopefully, she does exactly that… what Malcolm had said.

"Norman already left?" Polly inquired, and Malcolm nodded with a sigh.

"He skipped breakfast today, the lazy lad woke up this morning and chose violence. Who knows where he's gone to." He shrugged, "have you opened the letter? Was it anything important?"

"I haven't, I'll do that when I come back from this project meeting. It's very important to the company, I can't lose the contract so I have to go now." quickly eating her meal and emptying the glass, Polly rose to her feet and was out to get some work done.

She brought out the remote transmitter of her Acura ILX car and pressed the unlock button. She got into the car and drove out of the building, wounding down the clear street.

If there was one thing she loved about mountaineer Avenue, it was how peaceful and quiet it was. A perfect relaxation spot after a hectic day in the bustling city of Dunecliff.

Her phone suddenly buzzed in her palazzo pocket, and she cautiously brought it out to see she had received a message from an unknown number.

Clicking on it, the first thing that popped up was; 'Have you read my note?'

It was an odd message, and Polly did not recognize the number at all. Since she was driving, she decided to respond to the message later and focus on getting to her destination on time, however, another message popped up on her screen.

'Get out of the road! Now!'

"Huh??" Polly was perplexed.

'There's a black car behind you! Drive as fast as you can and lose sight of it!'

"A black car??" Polly's eyebrows furrowed deeply, and she looked at the rearview mirror to see that there was indeed a black range rover car behind her. She wanted to ask the unknown stranger how he knew there was a car following her, but panic immediately set in when the car behind her drove violently into her own.

It made her car jolt in reaction, but Polly didn't wait another second before stepping her foot on the accelerating gear!

Someone was after her life!

*******

Vote and support for more!