Chapter 11 : UNWELCOMED VISITOR

Mia walked through the aisles of the grocery store, keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact with fellow shoppers. She was dressed in a baseball cap and sunglasses. Her oversized hoodie and baggy sweatpants further disguised her figure, ensuring that no one would recognize her.

As Mia made her way through the aisles, her phone suddenly buzzed with an incoming call. She glanced around to make sure no one was watching before answering.

"Hello?" she whispered.

"It's Katherine. How's the grocery run going?" Katherine's voice sounded through the line, concerned.

"Fine," Mia replied, trying to keep the irritation out of her voice. "I'm not a child, Katherine. I can handle a trip to the store without being noticed."

"I know, I just worry about you, Emilia." Katherine's tone softened.

"oh I know, I know, thanks", Mia said, " so..., how's fiesta treating ya" mia asked reaching out to a box of cereal as her eyes caught something.

Katherine chuckle in her voice. "Just a little bored without my crime partner to get me into trouble." But Katherine's laughter faded when she heard Mia's silence on the other end of the line.

"Emilia? You still there?"

"What? Oh, yeah, I'm here," Mia replied, her voice distant.

"Hey, you okay? You sound...off. Did something happen?"

"Huh? Oh, no. I'm fine." Mia's words sounded rehearsed, her tone lacking its usual confidence.

"Mia, I know you better than that," Katherine pressed. "Something's up. You don't get distracted in the middle of a call for no reason. What is it? Are you in trouble? Do I need to-"

"No, no," Mia interjected, her eyes still fixed on the direction, she could swore she saw someone, the Tyga guy who assisted her with groceries, "I'm just... fine that's all, will soon be done with groceries"

Katherine wasn't convinced, but she decided not to push the issue further. "Alright, but be safe, Call me if you need me, okay?"

"Sure, Trina, I'll be fine. Talk to you soon." Mia hung up, her gaze still fixed on the spot. Something didn't feel right, but she quickly washed off the feeling as she hurried with the groceries.

She hurried to the checkout counter, keeping her head down and avoiding eye contact with the cashier. Once the groceries were paid for, she made her way out of the store with a sense of urgency.

The sun was still high in the sky, Mia, who was eager to quench her thirst ducked into a nearby restaurant, making sure not to linger too long.

The cool air conditioning of the restaurant was a welcome relief, and Mia couldn't help but relax a little. She took a seat in a booth by the window, where she could keep an eye on the street outside. A waitress approached, and Mia ordered a cold drink.

As the waitress brought her drink, Mia's gaze drifted back to the street outside. The sun was starting to dip towards the horizon, casting a warm glow over the bustling cityscape. Mia only smiled at the view, but it wasn't for long. "when did my life become like this, hiding and laying low", Mia's thought hung heavy as Mia watched the city streets begin to empty. The fading light cast long shadows across the pavement, giving the scene an eerie, almost dreamlike quality. "I should be out there, living my life," Mia thought to herself, her fingers idly tracing the condensation on her glass. "not hiding like a fugitive."

But deep down, Mia knew that those days were long gone. Jonathan would never let her go. If she wanted to survive, she would have to keep running.

"Here's your drink miss"

Mia's eyes flicked up to meet the waitress's gaze, and she forced a tight smile. "Thank you," she murmured, lifting the glass to her lips. The cool liquid soothed her parched throat, but the knot of tension in her stomach remained.

"Can I get you anything else?" the waitress asked, oblivious to the turmoil raging inside Mia's mind.

Mia shook her head. "No, thank you. I'm fine."

The waitress nodded and moved away, leaving Mia alone with her thoughts once again. She glanced outside, then noticed the sun's setting

With a deep sigh, Mia gathered her things and stood up. She straightened her clothes, adjusted the bag of groceries on her shoulder, and took a deep breath. It was time to move.

As she made her way to the exit, she kept her head down, her eyes fixed on the floor. She reached the exit and pushed open the door, stepping out onto the street. Mia flagged down a taxi, settling herself in the backseat. The driver glanced back at her in the rearview mirror, giving her a friendly nod of acknowledgement.

"Heading home?" he asked, maneuvering the car out into traffic.

Mia gave a slight smile. "Yeah, it's been a long day."

The taxi maneuvered through the streets of the city, the nightlife beginning to come alive as they passed bars and restaurants filled with people. Mia peered out the window, lost in thought as she watched the world go by.

"Rough day at work?" the driver asked, making conversation as he navigated the busy streets.

Mia turned her attention back to the present, offering a small shrug. "Not quite. Just trying to figure some things out."

"Ah, I hear ya," the driver replied with a knowing nod. "Life can be a puzzle sometimes, huh?"

"yea, an annoying one at that" mia said as the rest of the ride was silent. As soon as she got to her destination, she hopped out of the taxi, "have a nice evening sir" she said waving at him as he drove off while she walks into her apartment building.

Mia stepped into her apartment, only to find the it dark. She frowned as she glanced around, the dim light from outside casting eerie shadows over the room. Something seemed off.

"well that's odd," mia muttered as she begin taking off her hood leaving her on a bralette as she walks to the living room, sts.

With a mounting sense of dread, Mia continued to move through her apartment, her eyes still adjusting to the darkness. Her fingers trailed along the wall, feeling for the switch that would bring light to the room. But all she found was the cold, unyielding surface of the wall.

"you know for someone who went groceries shopping, you came in quite late." A voice said shocking Mia.

"who said that-" just then the light came on revealing Jonathan who wore a mischievous look on his face.

"What the-- Jona?" Mia gasped, taking a step back in surprise. Her eyes darted around the room, now illuminated in the harsh light.