NTH DEATH THREAT

She may be hiding it, but Troye could see that she was enjoying the food. Still, Hailey still acted as usual with that attitude of hers.

Due to their late meals, they have arrived at the condominium at dusk.

“You may be my bodyguard, but I don’t need you inside my unit anymore. No matter how you look at it, I’m still a grown-up woman.” Hailey remarked as they got inside the elevator.

“I’m provided with a condo unit by your mother, ma’am.” Troye replied as he got back to his posture.

“Then, why are you still tailing me?” Hailey furrowed her brows as she looked at him with annoyance.

The elevator opened as it creates a sound, revealing another floor. Troye got out first and replied, “We’re neighbors, ma’am.” He said, and went toward a unit. He input his passcode, and get inside without even a courtesy to Hailey.

Hailey harshly blew an air through her nose. “Did she really had to have him as my neighbor? God!” she murmured and paced out of the elevator before it would close again.

With the feeling of burden as she carries the world on her shoulders, Hailey threw herself on the couch. This day just didn’t go as she wanted to… as the usual. She never had a peaceful day for the meantime simply because of the people surrounded her. Though, she could somehow manage to keep up with June, but the rest? No.

She’s tired of them.

Not to mention the countless death threats that she has been receiving.

“Ah, it’s exhausting…” she stared at the ceiling. Until her gazes broke when someone rang the doorbell. She looked at that direction before getting to her feet to see this person.

“Delivery, ma’am.” A welcoming voice arose. Hailey peeked through the door’s peephole. She furrowed her brows at the bewilderment.

“I didn’t order anything…” she whispered as she looked down. Ever since she received a threat through the courier, she had stopped doing online shopping for the meantime— Hailey frowned when a realization dawned to her.

Slowly, the door creaked open as she gripped on the knob tightly. And there stood a bulk-figured man holding a red box that welcomed her.

Meanwhile, Troye stood behind the door as his eyes met the interior of the condominium unit. He glued his feet while he gazes at the unit with pure admiration. So, this is what she had provided me? They really are rich.

He was about to take a step to see further, when a phone call interrupted his momentum. He picked it up from his pocket and seeing the caller made him withdrew his feelings for his new home.

“Right, I have to report.” He muttered and sighed, before answering the call. But before he could even say a thing regarding to his report about Hailey, when the other line whose Hailey’s mom greeted him first and said something he didn’t expect.

“Pass your phone to my daughter, I have something to tell her.” She remarked. Though, bewildered, he still abided to her.

He opened the door to go pass the phone to his boss. Their unit are just facing each other, but it seemed like he didn’t have to get her, though, as he could see her behind a bulk man who’s in front of her unit.

“Then, ma’am, I’ll be going.” The bulk man muttered which was within the capacity of Troye’s hearing. As a presumed by Troye, that huge man is a courier. However, he noticed something odd. Hailey looked at the box on her hand with curious gazes, although, there’s no excitement carved on her face.

Rather, a worrisome one.

“Your mother called—” Troye cut his words short when, in a harsh manner, Hailey started to tear the cover of the box and opened up the lid. But then, what inside that reveals to their sight, left her hands hanging as the box fell on the floor.

“What was that?” he heard her mom asked at the sound that the fallen box created. But he gave her no attention as his sight locked to the colorless rabbit soaked with its own blood.

Troye lifted up his head only to see his boss’ pale skin as her hands trembled in fear. Hailey seemingly lost her strength when her body was inclined to sit there in terrific. Her widened eyes stared blankly.

“I’ll come back to you soon, ma’am.” Troye remarked before hurriedly dropping down the phone call to help the woman get to her feet as he wrapped his arms to her.

As he successfully did it, he then led her to her unit and gently put her down to the couch.

“Ma’am, are you with me?” Troye knelt down and looked at her pale face. Though, Hailey’s hazel-brown terrified eyes were just staring at his blue concerned ones, Troye softly tapped her shoulders.

“Ma’am?” he called her out once again which resulted to success as Hailey began to move her eyes by blinking a few times at him. “Let me get you a water.” Troye then flew toward the kitchen and got back to her instantly.

He looked at her intently and her expression moments ago rushed back in his head. She may have the attitude of being ill-tempered and fiery to anyone, obviously, she also could feel emotions such as fear. But on Troye’s perception, he didn’t expect that.

Troye knew very well that Hailey was already immune to threats, but given the expression she showed a while ago, it’s not hard to assume that it was her first time to receive one like that. Now that he thinks about it, he was reminded that the dead rabbit was left outside. “I’ll be back.”

There was no response from her, instead she just stared blankly where Troye left his position. Soon later, he got back to her unit. Fortunately, he didn’t entirely close the door, otherwise, he couldn’t come in by himself.

“Are you okay now?” he asked in a gentle manner, as a bodyguard’s concern etched on his face.

“That was the first time.” And Hailey finally muttered her first words. Her voice was calm, not the irritated, nor annoyed, neither frustrated one. It’s calm and moderate. “I knew it was a threat, though. I didn’t expect that it’s…” Hailey closed her eyes intently, whereas Troye gave all his attention to her.

Hailey let out a deep breath. “Those motherfuckers…” she whispered and her gazes went back to its usual. “They really don’t stop, huh?”

“I’ll have the sender investigated.” Hailey turned her head to Troye’s direction upon hearing that gibberish.

“Perks of being former police, huh?” Hailey snickered. “But there is no need. It will just be left in vain; I tell you. These threats are never-ending saga, so if you were to knock down one of those bastards, another one would still follow. In short, it’s useless.” She explained and leaned on the couch.

“Then, I’ll take them all down.” Troye replied without having second thoughts. He looked down at her in his serious eyes.

And as though as a comedian doing his show, Hailey laughed. “I’ll give credits to your confidence, but I tell you it’s a waste of time. And I doubt you could.” She crossed her arms and met those ocean eyes of his.

Troye smirked, and Hailey arched one eyebrow. “Should I prove it to you, then, ma’am?”

“Why not? Let me watch you try.”