Chapter 4
By the time work ended that afternoon, the office was almost empty. Jessica stood by the
window, watching Derrick wait downstairs with a bouquet of flowers, and she couldn’t help but find it laughable.
Derrick was a deputy director in City Hall on paper-a position his father had secured for him through connections. His father was the owner of Avelridge’s largest car dealership, and he had always disapproved of Jessica’s relationship with Derrick. He much preferred Celine’s family background.
Because of that, Celine was determined to win Derrick over. However, since Derrick was still dating Jessica, the two of them could only see each other in secret.
Jessica stood in the elevator lobby, earbuds in, chatting with Derrick as she scrolled through a webcomic on her digital tablet. She replied in a syrupy sweet voice, “Yes, darling. Go ahead without me. I’ll be there soon. Don’t worry, I’ll arrive on time!”
She didn’t realize that the elevator doors had been open the whole time. Joshua was holding them with his hand, keeping them from closing. Her deliberately coy demeanor drew the faintest smile from Zachary inside the elevator. Joshua suppressed his laughter, turning his
head away.
“Mhm, you know how it is. Our boss is such a vampire-” Jessica was about to continue when she absentmindedly looked up and found herself face-to-face with Zachary’s dark, stormy expression and Joshua’s “You’re so doomed” look.
Startled, she hung up on Derrick right away. “Mr. Jones…”
“Mhm.” For some reason, she could’ve sworn she caught the faintest curl of a smile on Zachary’s lips.
“Get in!” Joshua shot her a pointed look. Jessica forced a smile before she stepped inside and took her place against the elevator wall.
In an instant, an awkward silence settled over the three of them. This showed just how much damage a single remark could do.
Zachary inquired, “Are you heading out on a date, Ms. Lockman?”
“No, I’m just helping a friend dig his own grave,” she blurted.
“Do you need a hand?” He didn’t seem surprised by her response.
“Not at the moment.” Jessica managed a weak smile.
Joshua caught on. After all, Derrick and Jessica’s relationship wasn’t exactly a secret among
Chapter 4
the three of them.
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Just then, the elevator reached the 18th floor, where the PR department was located, and seven or eight people piled in. Joshua and Jessica hurriedly stepped back.
“Good evening, Mr. Jones!” The group greeted Zachary, unbothered by the cramped space.
Zachary merely nodded at them.
The employees in the PR department were outgoing, laughing, and joking all day. Even while they were squeezed together in an elevator, they could still strike up a lively conversation.
“Move over. It’s so cramped here,” someone said as the elevator became crowded.
Out of nowhere, firm hands tightened around Jessica’s waist. Warmth seeped through her thin blouse as she was drawn against Zachary. Her powdered cheek grazed his black suit, leaving a faint pale streak.
He released her almost immediately. In the blink of an eye, her face burned as though she had been sitting next to a roaring oven.
When the elevator reached the first floor, the PR staff members streamed out. Jessica could still hear their gossip in the distance.
“Did you see the hickey on Mr. Jones’ neck?”
“I heard he had breakfast with someone this morning. I have no idea who, but judging from that hickey, it has got to be a woman!”
“The PR department sure lived up to its name,” Jessica brooded. She was about to follow them out when she spotted Derrick waiting at the entrance, so she hurriedly shrank back.
Zachary glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
“Aren’t you getting off?” Joshua asked, smiling. Jessica was certain that he knew something.
If she went out, she would have to face that scumbag. But if she didn’t, she didn’t know what else she was supposed to do. Was she supposed to leave with them?
She had arrived at work in Zachary’s car that morning. She couldn’t exactly leave with him again.
“I forgot something upstairs. Go ahead without me. I’ll head back up later.” Jessica casually made up an excuse.
Even the short ride down to the basement parking garage stretched on forever, like a blade pressed to her neck, ready to end her at any moment. At long last, the elevator reached the basement, and Zachary and Joshua stepped out.
Jessica couldn’t leave even if she wanted to. So, she went back to her desk to work on her
Chapter
sketches.
Jessica let out a breath of relief when she reached the 28th floor. She returned to the window ledge, gazing at the sea of lights across the city. Then, she settled back at her desk, played some music, and started sketching.
She lost track of time until Derrick called again. Ignoring it, she powered off her phone, brewed herself a cup of coffee in the break room, and returned to her work.
“Let’s see how long you can keep up your double life,” she mused.
At 10:30 pm, she pressed her lips together and looked over her sketch, feeling quite pleased with it. She shut down her computer and stretched. Then, she slung her bag over her shoulder
and headed toward the elevator.
“What’s going on?” Both elevator lights were off.
Jessica checked her phone and saw a group message. The elevators wouldn’t be back in service until 8:00 am the next day, which meant that she would have to walk down 28 floors.
Jessica snapped a photo of the elevator with her phone and posted it on her Reels, accompanied by the caption: “I’m trapped. Can anyone come and save me?”
Then, she dragged herself toward the dark, echoing emergency stairwell. With a weary sigh, she mustered up all her courage and began her descent.
Jessica had only gone down two steps when her phone rang. Startled, she let out a shrill scream and dropped her phone before she even saw who was calling. It clattered down into the
stairwell.
The ringtone reverberated through the stairwell and then abruptly died. In the blink of an eye, darkness closed in on her, leaving only the faint sound of her breathing.
Jessica felt her way around until she found her phone, but the screen was dead. She figured that it was probably broken. She couldn’t believe her luck and wondered if the night could get
any worse.
She pressed and held the phone’s power button, hoping against hope that it would restart. However, her phone never lit up. The motion-sensor light overhead flickered on instead.
Then came the sound of measured footsteps.
The echo of leather soles carried down the stairs, mingled with a whisper of breath.
“W-Who’s there?” Jessica backed into the corner, a clammy sheen of sweat streaking her forehead.
Chapter 4
As soon as her words fell, a tall figure appeared on the landing. Backlit by the dull lighting, he was nothing more than an expressionless silhouette.
“It’s me, your vampire boss.”
Jessica recognized Zachary’s voice. “Mr. Jones, what are you doing here?” she asked shakily, still reeling from the shock.
“Vampires usually hunt at night, don’t they?”
She could almost picture the teasing smile on his face. She was speechless, thinking to herself
that he sure was petty.
Nevertheless, relief washed over her. At least it wasn’t some creep, though he wasn’t exactly a good guy
either.
“Come with me,” he ordered.
“I’m going home.” All of a sudden, the man in front of her felt more terrifying than any
situation she had ever been in.
Zachary let out a soft sigh. “The first floor is locked. You won’t be able to leave.”
He paused before adding, “It’ll probably be an hour or two before the elevator’s repaired. If you don’t mind, join me upstairs for a cup of coffee.”
She really didn’t want to, but what other choice did she have? Without waiting for her response, Zachary started up the stairs.
Jessica looked at the pitch-black drop below and decided to follow him up. Even the fire exit on the 30th floor was secured with an access lock.
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