Chapter 4 WHISPERS OF THE PAST, WHISPERS OF THE PRESENT

Merida ducked into a narrow alley, opting to hide rather than run. She leaned against the cold brick wall and quieted her breath. She could hear him clearly now, the man following her. She had to act, she couldn't let him corner her like that, in response she tiptoed forward

The footsteps grew closer and her heart leaped in fear. Just then, a string hand shot out from the dark and grabbed her tightly by the arm.

A gasp caught in her throat, but became muffled when another hand covered her mouth.

Before she could even process a escape plan, a voice whispered in her ears. "It's Aaron." He said, holding her still without removing his hand from her mouth. Her body immediately eased in relief as she leaned into him, her back firmly pressing against his chest.

The figure's footsteps echoes louder in the dark alleyway before turning away and out out of earshot. Only then did Aaron release her, spinning her to face him.

"W-What are you doing here?" she whispered and her heart pounded not just from fear but from the sudden and unexpected rush of warmth that flooded her at the sight of him.

"None of your business," He answered, straightening his shirt.

"None of my business? You save me from an attempted murder and you say it's none of my business?"

He stared at her intently, "You'd say the same." He smirked, turning away from her.

She sighed and followed him, "I wasn't going to jump," She stressed.

"I don't care anymore." He muttered without stopping.

"Wait!" She called after him but he disappeared into the night.

She heaved a breathe and turned the other way. Getting overwhelmed by fear once again, she ran all the way to her mother's house, banging at the door.

"Do you want to break down my door?" Anne asked as she opened the door.

Merida immediately entered inside without answering her mother's question.

"You live under my roof now and I don't care if your forty or fifty. As long as you stay with me, don't come back here if you're any later

"Yea ma'am," Merida muttered, dumping her things on the sofa in the living room.

Anne walked away, hurling insults at Merida as she left. Merida could have been hurt by her reaction but the adrenaline was still pumping in her veins and all she could think about was the chase and Aaron's voice in her ear. She collapsed on the sofa softly, hoping dreams of being chased would not haunt her this night.

~~~

Aaron stared lazily behind the person seated in front of him, ignoring her yapping and ceaseless words.

"Don't you think it is nice? I knew I would always meet my favourite musician one day but I didn't think I'd meet him at the anniversary of your company," She squealed.

An hour late in the same position and same feeling, with the same baseless thoughts swirling round his head, Aaron decided he'd had enough. He stared straight behind his date, signalling to Austin who was seated on the far end of the restaurant. The latter straight up knew what that look on Aaron's face was, and immediately snapped to action, walking towards the duo.

"Mr Aaron, you have a meeting scheduled in twenty minutes minutes, we need to go now if we want to get there on time." Austin said and Aaron looked at they young woman apologetically before speaking.

"I'm sorry Miss..." He trailed off trying to remember her name. He was sure it started with an "E" but he had no idea what her name was.

"You've forgotten my name?" She asked, her brow arching in a frown. He folded her hand and stared at him.

"It appears so."

"So you really have forgotten my name," She said, her voice lowering into a sad...

"Sorry, miss..."

"Eunice!"She yelled before picking up her bag and stomping out of the restaurant.

He shrugged and took his phone from Austin who led him as they walked to his car. That had been one of the many dates he had had planned that day and none of them went right, not even one.

"I like your toned badly and how buff you look in a simple white shirt and pants." Pass, she was only interested in his body.

"I've always wanted to marry a very rich man and live in a small countryside house with a picket fence and have a lot of dogs." Uhn-nuh, pass. He could not imagine himself in a small house on the country side, smiling for a polaroid photography with a baby and a wife in his arms.

"I understand that your family requires that you marry to get your inheritance and people like you involve yourselves in arranged marriages that lead to broken homes and ultimately leasing to a wrong upbringing of whatever child we bring to this world. Because of this, I am not interested in a loveless marriage." Smart but nah. Pass, he wasn't really interested in an arranged marriage either. His goal was to get his grandfather into thinking he already had a woman.

"You look you would be good in all areas," Pass, she was a pervert, always batting her eyelashes in futile flirting.

And after an entire day of meeting women and pretending to be what he was not, he still had not found someone suitable to get in a relationship with. They were all crazy in their own ways. Two had stormed out on him, and one he had told one he'd give her a call. He checked his phone...she had called him more than five times since that morning.

A text took his interest,

"I'm sorry for walking out on you, I was just mad that you didn't remember my name. I know you must have had a lot on your mind, business and all. Can we catch up where we left tomorrow?"

He snickered before returning the phone to his pocket, "Bullshit."

"What is that?" Austin asked from the passenger seat in front, interested in why Aaron suddenly cussed. "Another woman?"

Aaron frowned slightly, leaning into the seat

"You have two more people to meet before your day is over, sir

"No more, I'm exhausted." He mumbled, shutting his eyes to get a quick nap, "Let's just go home."

"We planned to meet all the women today, don't give up now." Austin urged.

"I'd given up the moment the first woman walked in talking about crystals and how the 'stones' had told her she would meet someone special."

"You actually listened to them talk, I'm proud of you."

"I was interested in what she had to say, she'd talked about constellation yada yada...I logged out after that."

"There is nothing to continue tomorrow. I am done with this women."

"Do you want the position or not?"

"Of course I do."

"You're going to have to bear with this until you find the right person."

"I cannot find the right person here."

"Why? You have someone else?" Austin narrowed his eyes.

"Austin," Aaron's words slurred

"Yes?"

"Let it go." He said, drifting to sleep.

Austin turned back for a moment, focusing of Aaron. "Did you use the sedatives?" He asked.

"I could not sleep last night," Aaron answered.

"Little wonder you could not pay attention to the ladies,"

"I wouldn't pay attention to them even if I was high on caffeine."

"You've been instructed not to use the sedatives anymore, they're doing more harm than good."

"I could have stayed awake all night instead, don't you think? And count sheep."

"You always have to have the last word." Austin hissed, facing the road before then again. "Mr. Peters, didn't your wife put to bed a week ago?" He asked the driver who had stayed mute the entire drive.

~~~

Merida quickened her pace, sensing eyes upon her. She'd been feeling watched all day but this time, she was sure no one was around to save her. Suddenly, rough hands grasped her shoulders, spinning her around.

A scream erupted from her throat but a loud slap on her face shut her up.

"Look what we have here," a menacing voice coming from an equally menacing man sneered, crouching in front of her. His face had a long line scar starting from the outside corner of his eyes and ending at his jaw.

Merida's heart sank as Martin's men closed in, forming a circle around her. The biggest man amongst them, sneered, "You're quite the elf, aren't you. I wonder how you managed to escape my men the last time."

Merida tried to break free from his painful grip around her arms but his other hand shot out instead, tightening around her neck.

"Not until we've had a little chat," He said, his breath reeking of cigarettes.

Martin emerged from the shadows, his eyes glinting with malice. "Merida, darling. I see you're still ignoring my messages."

"What do you want from me?" Merida spat, trying to hide her fear.

"Oh, I think you know exactly what I want," Martin said, his voice dripping with menace. "My men have been keeping an eye on you."

One of them shoved Merida to the ground, and the others closed in, snatching her purse and phone.

"Hey!" Merida cried, scrambling to her feet.

Martin's eyes narrowed. "You see, my dear, your father's debts haven't been forgotten, and since he's dead, you have to pay for it."

"Please," Merida whispered, her mind racing. "Please, I'll pay you back, just give me more time."

"I have, darling. I was nice enough." His fingers traced the curve of her face. "But you ran away."

"I-i p-p-promi-se to pay you back." Tears were beginning to spill from her eyes.

"I've been nice enough. I'll let you in on a secret," He stood up and checked her, "Your father owed me more than just a couple hundreds of dollars, he owed me more," He faced her squarely, crouching to her level once again. "He owed me a life."

Merida could only whimper softly as the man grinned.

"He told me that if there was ever a time that he couldn't pay his debt...I could take his daughter." As soon as the words left Martin's mouth, Merida's world dimmed and for a while, all she could hear was a loud ringing sound in her ears.

"No,"

"I don't tell lies, I have a written contract with his signature on it."

"My father can never do that," She raised her voice.

"But he did, howbeit drunk."

"T-that should not count," She strained,

"He borrowed the money, drunk too." He smiled, "And the money counted. Why should this not?"

"I'll pay the money, please let me go. I-i'll find you myself. I'll pay the money."

You have two days to come up with the money. If you don't...well, let's just say your lover might find himself in a bit of trouble. I heard he's rich."

Merida's thoughts spiraled into panic.

Aaron?

They knew about Aaron?

"We did some digging and you guys have literally been in each other's faces these days." He said as if he could read her thoughts. "Give the man what he wants and take his money for it."

Panic surged through her veins. she could not let Aaron get hurt because of her but there was no way she could raise more than a hundred thousand dollars in two days.

The bigger man kicked her, sending her stumbling back. "You escaped me once, I'm sure that would not happen again."

Tears pricked at the corners of Merida's eyes as Martin's men closed in, taunting her.

"You're going to pay, Merida," Martin repeated, his voice echoing in her mind. "One way or another. I'll love it best if you paid with something other than your money."

As they left, Merida collapsed to the ground, her heart shattered.

She scrambled to her feet, determination burning within her. She'd find a way to pay Martin, no matter what it took.