Miss CEO

Chapter 23

My heart was beating rapidly. That was all it seemed to do these days, just beat really fast in my chest.

I felt the wire against my skin. I had repeatedly made sure that it was fully concealed by my shirt. The last thing I needed was the plan falling to pieces even before it began.

I took a deep breath as I stood watching my apartment door. Everywhere was eerily quiet. I had been standing in this position with my eyes fixed on the door for over ten minutes now. How was I sure she was even going to show up?

My door burst open and standing there with a very irritated look on her face was none other but Caroline herself.

"How the fuck did you get my number?"

Good afternoon to you too.

"The internet." I lied. It was a weak lie, but what other explanation could I give?

Miss Rose gave it to me as part of our grand scheme to take you down.

Caroline was now fully in my apartment with the door shut behind her. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at me suspiciously, "why did you text me to come here? What do you want?"

Ironic. The last time we had met, it had been me asking that question.

"Caroline. Please, is there any way that we can negotiate the terms of our agreement?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady when in reality I was quite terrified.

Caroline threw her head back and laughed. "Are you out of your mind? This isn't a negotiation, it's a do or die."

I swallowed and kept going, "please, I really don't want my best friend to be in harm's way."

"Then simply continue to do what I told you too and your little bestie will remain safe and sound." Caroline smirked at me. Evidently, she enjoyed the idea of having control over me.

"But... I really don't like the terms of the agreement."

Caroline stared at me for a few seconds longer before she began to laugh.

"What are you playing at, Muna?" She had a mischievous glint in her eyes, "you think I don't know of your little meeting with Anastasia yesterday? You think you can outsmart me."

I was trembling like a leaf. She knew. The previous plan we had relied on her not knowing that, but it had flown out of the window, I had to think fast.

"You know what. It seems like threatening you with your friend isn't good enough." Caroline said, "maybe I should just handle things myself."

She reached into her the pocket of her brown khakis and withdrew her hand with a gleaming sharp object.

This was not it. This was not how it was meant to go.

"Please, Caroline. Please put the knife away." I said, putting extra emphasis on the word 'knife', "please let's just talk things through."

"I think I'm done talking with you, Muna Johnson. Evidently, you don't seem to take me seriously that way." She was playing with the tip of the knife with her fingers in a psychotic manner.

I opened my mouth to talk but closed it once again. I couldn't form any words. I couldn't comprehend anything past the knife in Caroline's hand.

"I'm going to take care of you myself. Once and for all." Caroline stated. Her voice was flat, devoid of any emotion.

I tore my eyes away from the knife in her hands to look into her eyes, and I knew I was done for. She meant to end me.

We stared at each other for a while, unblinkingly. Caroline suddenly moved and so did I. She was running up to me screaming with the knife raised above her head, I grabbed a chair and threw it at her. She dodged it and came back at me again. I ran around the room throwing and pushing furniture towards her. I threw a book at her hand, trying to knock the knife out. She held on firmly.

Caroline slowly advanced towards me. I was cornered and from the smirk on her face she knew it too.

She whipped her knife-holding hand at me; I tried to roll to the side, but not before it scraped me. I was bleeding, but the cut wasn't deep. It could have been a lot worse. It was about to be a lot worse; I looked at Caroline, who once again had the knife raised in the air, coming down straight at my centre. Her eyes were ablaze. All sense of control was gone.

This was it, I thought to myself. They were not going to arrive here in time.

At the last moment my apartment door burst open and a big police officer jumped in, instantly talking Caroline to the ground and grabbing the knife from her.

I glanced up and there were two other police officers followed by Miss Rose, who instantly ran towards me.

"Muna," Miss Rose gasped, grabbing my arm and investigating the cut.

The policeman that had tackled Caroline now had her in cuffs. The whole thing had happened so quickly. The other two officers were speaking into their radios.

"I'm going to kill you!" Caroline screeched at me from her position on the floor.

"Miss McQueen," the officer that was on top of Caroline said as he got up and lifted a now handcuffed Caroline to her feet, "you are being charged with breaking and entering, trespassing, bribery and attempted murder."

Caroline screamed again. It was loud and piercing.

"I'm gonna kill your friend," Caroline said as she looked at me, "you might have me arrested but my men are out there. Once they don't hear from me after some time, they're gonna kill her!"

"Then men that were working for you have all been rounded up and are facing charges," the second police officer said, "the landlord of this property has also been arrested. He too will be facing charges."

Caroline began screaming again. She was shaking her head furiously. She looked like a rabid dog.

"Anastasia please," she said now looking at Miss Rose, "don't do this. You and I are meant to be together. This bitch came along and ruined everything!"

Miss Rose had a murderous look in her eyes. She left my side and walked over to Caroline. "I will never forgive you for causing Muna pain." Miss Rose said. Her voice was low and hard, "I hope you rot in jail."

Caroline began screeching all over again and was dragged out of the room by the police officers. Miss Rose and I stood there listening to her screams and her curses directed at me. So much adrenaline had been cursing through my veins and I slowly began to feel the pain in my arm.

"Oh shit, Muna," Miss Rose said as she took hold of my good arm. She led me to my bathroom, took out the first aid kit on the counter and began cleaning up my wound.

We sat in silence. Me seated on the toilet seat with the lid down and Miss Rose kneeling in front of me tending to my arm.

"Don't worry. The cuts are not that deep, you wouldn't be needing any stitches." Miss Rose said, looking up at me.

I nodded my head, not fully trusting my voice. So much had occurred in the last twenty-four hours, and I still had not fully processed it.

"Muna," Miss Rose said, noticing the expression on my face. She reached up and touched me, and I immediately broke down in tears.

Silently Miss Rose wrapped her arms around me, pulling me to her chest. My shoulders heaved as I cried.

"It's okay baby, it's all over now, " came Miss Rose's reassuring voice.

My tears were tears of frustration mingled in with relief. I reached up and wrapped my arms around Miss Rose's neck, burying my face there.

"I'm so sorry about everything." I whispered.

Miss Rose pulled away from me, looking into my face with a look of seriousness.

"There is nothing to be sorry about Muna. None of this is your fault. Not one bit. Okay?"

I nodded my head and reached my arms out as I pulled Miss Rose towards me. Her lips connected with mine and I kissed her as we tasted the salt from my tears.

We pulled apart, and I rested my head against her forehead.

"Could you please stay with me tonight?" I asked Miss Rose. The last thing I wanted was to be apart from her right now, my body and my soul were craving her desperately.

"I didn't plan on leaving." Came Miss Rose's straightforward response.