Digging The Past

"You already have an interview call?" asked Jerome with an investigating gaze. Leah showed an email on her cellphone, she does have an interview scheduled with a PR agency this afternoon.

"Okay then, Tom will take you there," Jerome said briefly. "I'm leaving with Amy," said Leah, which was quite a shock to Jerome. Yeah, he must have been surprised because Jerome knew, Leah wasn't that close to Amy.

"Amy?" Jerome asked in surprise. Leah nodded, "Yup!  I want to have a spa treatment with Amy right after my interview!" Leah replied cheerfully, trying to look as natural as possible. Jerome shrugged his shoulders, "That's good! I'm glad you got close to Amy again," Jerome said with a little smile. Leah just grimaced.

After Jerome left for work, Amy soon picked her up. "Leah, were you serious about our conversation last night?" asked Amy with a look of hope. Leah nodded, "All you have to do is lie to Jerome and say that we spend a lot of time together," Leah said, her hand holding out a shiny paper bag to Amy who couldn't wait to receive it.

Leah bribed Amy with a famous designer bag that only ten of them in the world and Leah is one of the owners. Amy gladly accepted it, because Leah knew, financially, Jerome and Leah were much richer than Amy's husband, who turned out to be just a senior manager in the tax department.

Leah jumped into Amy's car. "Where are we now?" asked Amy while driving her SUV. "Brooklyn," Leah replied curtly, her hands busy fiddling with her cell phone. Leah was right, her cellphone was hijacked to a spy app that connected directly to Jerome's cellphone.

"We're not close friends, are we?" Leah snapped suddenly. Amy grimaced like someone who was caught lying, "Actually I want to be your close friend, but you are too exclusive and arrogant!" told Amy. Judging from her character, Amy seems to be an innocent and naive person.

"If you're willing to keep working together until I get what I'm looking for, we can become close friends," Leah said casually. Amy's eyes were rounded, "Seriously? Then I will help as much as I can! I have lots of free time, especially if..." Amy's sentence hung, but Leah already understood. "Relax, I'll pay you with other good things," announced Leah which immediately made Amy's eyes widen.

"Put this in your bag, we'll meet again at 4 pm," Leah held out her cellphone to Amy, who received it with a confused face, "Okay, whatever you want," said Amy as she put Leah's cellphone into her bag.

Leah jumped out of the car and headed for a modest apartment where Suzy, a former secretary who turned out to be her old friend lived. Yesterday Leah got Suzy's address after asking VICAR's receptionist.

Leah knocked on the door of Suzy's apartment unit several times but there was no answer, maybe Suzy wasn't there? "People who live there haven't come home for almost a month," said a milkman who happened to meet Leah. Leah frowned, thoughtfully.

Why did everyone closest to Leah seem to have disappeared from the earth? Leah limped, she took her spare cell phone and called Donna.

*****

Donna wanted to hug Leah but felt hesitant so she just tapped Leah on the shoulder lightly. "How are you?" asked Donna cheerfully. "Fine, sorry I interrupted your work hours," replied Leah while played with the tissue in her hand.

"No problem, what do you want to know? I'll answer as best I can," Donna said, waving at a waiter and ordering a cup of Earl Gray.

"How long have we known each other?" Leah asked straight to the point. Donna smiled as she tilted her head thoughtfully. "Hmmm about the past three years. At first, we weren't that close, but after the domestic violence incident that I experienced, we became quite close, especially after you introduced me to Adrian. It's such a blessing!"

Leah smiled faintly, Donna's words sounded honest and straightforward. "You and Adrian have helped me a lot. Leah, whatever help you need, I will help voluntarily..." said Donna, her face looked sincere.

"Wow, I don't even remember you, but hearing you say that makes me want to cry," Leah said, wiped the corners of her watery eyes.

"It's okay to cry Leah, this must be hard for you to go through," whispered Donna, feeling sorry to see Leah's condition now.

"About Adrian..." Leah a little embarrassed. "Do you know anything about us?" asked Leah, without daring to look Donna in the eye. If it was true that Leah and Adrian were having an affair, Leah would hate herself for being disloyal to her marriage.

Donna smiled, understanding the direction of Leah's conversation. "I will tell you what I know, you can filter out what you want to believe and what you don't, what is clear is that I will tell the truth without anything I remove or add," Donna opened earnestly.

Leah felt a little tense so she hurriedly took a sip of her hot chocolate. "Go ahead, I'm listening ..." said Leah as she straightened her seat.

"You rarely talk about personal problems, but you once said that Adrian was like an angel sent by God to save your life," Donna smiled, recalled her conversation with Leah.

"Angel? Why did I say that?" asked Leah who thought the word 'angel' was too much.

Donna shrugged her shoulders, "You never tell specifics and I'm not the type of person who likes to pry stories from other people, so only you and Adrian who know the meaning of that sentence..." Donna replied as is.

Leah bit her lip, imagining herself who might regret marrying Jerome, and then started looking for another ideal man in her life, Leah suddenly felt disgusted with herself.

"Don't feel bad about yourself Leah, your relationship with Jerome has ended since the first three months of your marriage, whether you and Jerome have an agreement but your divorce process is really tough," said Donna, shaking her head.

Leah sighed, "Yeah I don't know, that's what I'm trying to find out..." Leah said and then glanced out the cafe window.

"Did I ever say something about my feelings to Adrian?" Leah asked, slightly embarrassed. Donna smiled and then shook her head, "The divorce process between you and Jerome, which has never been completed, even after almost two years, makes you feel insecure to be open about your relationship with Adrian," Donna replied softly.

Leah was shocked, what agreement was there between her and Jerome that made their divorce so tough? And why did Leah send Adrian a farewell message on the very day the accident happened?

"Oh yeah, maybe you can try to start digging up something about investment funds in Jerome's company, I don't know what exactly because you are always happy to keep your problems to yourself, but I accidentally saw documents about King's investors in your hands while we were having lunch together. At that time you said you needed to take care of something while your hand was pointing at the document," said Donna, her face wrinkled as she tried to remember her conversation with Leah.

"Kings investor documents..." Leah muttered, fiddling with the tissue in her hand. "Okay Donna, your information is really helpful, thank you very much," said Leah sincerely. Donna was right, maybe Leah could start her investigation from there.

*****

"Leah!" a car stopped in front of Leah while Leah was waiting for a taxi. Donna chose to stay at the Cafe because she was enjoying her lunch. Leah frowned, feeling that she had never seen a car in front of her.

"This is me!" The glass of the car is fully open, Adrian's handsome face appears with a smile that can charm anyone.

Leah remained where she stood, looking at Adrian questioningly. Did Donna tell Adrian that she was going to meet Leah this afternoon?

"Get in! We need to talk!" exclaimed Adrian with a slightly begging face. Leah bit her lip, confused. If she got into Adrian's car, maybe things would never be the same again.

Leah didn't know what kind of demon-possessed her mind, but she felt her feet stepped into Adrian's car. The next thing she knew, the car was already driving through Brooklyn traffic with her sitting next to Adrian who occasionally turned to check on her.

"Where are we going?" Leah asked stiffly. "My apartment, I have something to show you," Leah gasped, What? Adrian's apartment?

*****