Don’t Let Me Break by Linda Verji

 

 

CHAPTER 15

 

Something was wrong with Marley.

Sebastian had noticed that something was off right from the moment he came to work. As usual, he couldn’t help glancing in the direction of her desk as he climbed the stairs to his office. She was there of course, but she was unusually boisterous. Her wide smiles and avid participation in her coworkers’ conversation had him frowning and tilting his neck in confusion.

It bothered him the whole morning. So, when he walked into the meeting room with her team, he was already on high alert and waiting to confirm that his fears were justified. Then she winked, and his heart dropped right to the pit of his belly.

Something was definitely wrong with her.

Throughout the meeting, he avoided looking directly at Marley. However, his senses were completely trained on her. Every smile she gave, every huff she made, every word she said, he noted and added into his list of things about her that were off today.

“Have you discussed the drop in views of the house tours?” Sebastian asked the team.

“We have.” Xavier nodded. “And we’re thinking that we can increase the views by getting more popular house owners. Vicky suggested that we get someone like Cardi B or Meghan Trainor or -”

A sudden loud snort interrupted his words. Everybody turned towards the source of that snort. Marley. But she didn’t even notice their looks because she was spinning in her swivel chair like a naughty child while smirking and playing with her phone.

Immediately, Sebastian tensed. Not out of anger but out of nervousness that everyone else would figure out what he already had… that she had some kind of mental disorder.

“Marley.” Eugene nudged at her with his elbow.

“Huh!” Marley looked up.

Xavier sent Sebastian a nervous look, probably assuming his silent assessment of Marley was anger, before scolding Marley. “Do you have something to say?”

Though she’d just been caught slacking, Marley looked completely unruffled as she asked, “Something to say about what?”

“We were just talking about the low views on house tours,” Xavier summarized, “and you snorted.”

“Aaaah… that.” Marley’s swiveling seat stilled. “I just snorted because Vicky’s idea is ridiculous.”

“What?” Vicky’s stunned expression reflected everyone else’s surprise.

“I said your idea is ridiculous.” Marley turned mocking eyes to Vicky. “More famous guests won’t help. Sure, they might let the view rise a bit but it’s just a temporary solution. There’s a finite number of extra-famous people who’ll allow camera people into their home. After you exhaust them, what will you do next? Shut down the show?”

“Wow! Look at you sounding so smart,” Dawn mocked while glaring at Marley. “What’s your great idea to increase the views then?”

It was as if the woman hadn’t even spoken because Marley completely ignored her and her comments. Her gaze still on Vicky, Marley said, “The problem isn’t the guests. It’s you.”

“Wh- what?” Vicky blustered, completely blindsided by the attack. “How can you say I’m the problem?”

“Yes, you and the format of the tours.” Marley snorted. “I watched your videos. You’re doing tours of other people’s homes but you insist on keeping the attention on yourself. Instead of letting the house and the owner of the house be the star, you keep shoving your ugly ass into the limelight. You’re the one doing the tour, doing most of the speaking, putting in lame jokes… boooring.”

With an annoyed huff, Marley continued, “The house is the owner’s. They should take us around it. Show us their personality and how it’s reflected in the house. I don’t want to see your face. I want to see theirs. If it was up to me, I would completely erase your presence from the videos and just let the owners walk us through while we enjoy them and their house.”

For a minute or so after Marley’s monologue, nobody spoke. They were still reeling not just from the unprecedented attack on their most popular host, but also at where the attack had come from. Marley wasn’t the type to participate in meeting let alone drop a nuclear bomb on someone else.

“That’s ridiculous,” Vicky blustered. “People watch the videos for me.”

“Do they?” Eugene was the first to speak up. “I know I don’t. I watch it for the owner and the house.”

“Well, that’s cause you’re weird,” Felix chimed in. Glaring at Marley, he snarled, “Normal people watch the house tours because they love Vicky’s great personality.”

“Nope.” Zion shook his head. He looked like he wanted to say something else to support Marley, but Sebastian raised a palm. Automatically everyone shut up and turned their attention to him.

In silence, he pondered over the dilemma for a minute. Like everyone, he was shocked by Marley’s participation. He wanted to drag her out of the meeting room and ask her if she was fine. However, before he was her friend, he was this team’s boss.

“Actually, Marley has a point.” Sebastian gave Marley a pointed look. “She could’ve put it more delicately but still… she has a point.” His gaze wandered to the clearly irate Vicky. “I watched your videos too, and there’s too much of you in them.”

Vicky’s face fell. Her anger was immediately replaced by disappointment and hurt.

“I’m not asking you to completely erase yourself,” Sebastian soothed. “But you need to focus more on the guests. They should be leading the tours not you.”

“How do we do that without erasing Vicky?” Xavier asked.

“That’s for you and your team to figure out.” Sebastian suggested, “Brainstorm together, come up with ideas then let me know and I’ll see if it works.”

With that, the group moved on to another topic. The meeting ended fifteen minutes later. Sebastian walked out ahead of everyone else in the team. However, as he got to the door, he glanced at Marley. She was watching him, and the second their eyes met, she smiled then gave him a coquettish, little wave. His heart jerked in alarm.

Something was definitely wrong with her.

He kept a close eye on her throughout the day, and as the hours went by, his unease increased. Instead of burrowing at her desk like she usually would, she kept wandering around her teammates’ desks to gossip. He predicted that she wouldn’t show up at the rooftop for lunch, and he was right. She and her friends headed to the cafeteria. While there, she was especially animated, and her laughter rang in the large space several times.

Sebastian had to stop himself from approaching her several times during the day. By the time five p.m. came, he was straining at the leash to talk to her.

He sent her a text message. Meet me by my car in ten.

Though she’d given him her number weeks ago, he’d never actually called her because they always met up on the rooftop. Consequently, he didn’t really know what her response time was. But it was pretty slow. Five minutes later, she still hadn’t texted him back. Feeling like there were needles dancing on his nerves, he stood up. His intention was to go and make sure that she hadn’t already left. However, just as he got to the door, his phone beeped. Swiftly, he strode back to his desk.

Okay. Her short reply was accompanied by a smiley face and a thumbs-up.

It was just one word and a couple of emojis but the relief it sent through Sebastian was indescribable. He shut down his computer, grabbed his satchel and headed for the door.

Several people were done with work and filing out of the building too. Sebastian forced himself to slow down and interact with them as they walked to the exit but as soon as they were outside, he hurriedly parted ways with them.

Marley was leaning against the car directly adjacent to his, playing with her phone. When she saw him coming, her eyes immediately lit up. “Hi, Sebastian.”

If he weren’t already suspicious, her calling him by his first name would’ve raised several red flags. The ‘normal’ Marley was too shy to call him Sebastian, and preferred to either call him ‘Mr. Levy’ or not mention his name at all.

“Hi,” he returned tersely. He clicked on his keys and the doors to his car opened. “Get in.”

He’d considered giving Marley a ride a couple of times since they’d become closer, but he’d resisted. There were too many curious eyes at About It, and he didn’t want to give them something to see. However, today was different. He was afraid that if he didn’t keep an eye on Marley, she’d end up in another nightclub or worse, in a stranger’s bed.

Instead of getting in, Marley folded her arms over her chest. “Why?”

“Just get in.” He circled to the driver’s side and opened his door. “I’ll give you a ride home.”

“Don’t need one,” Marley retorted. “I’m not going home.”

Sebastian tensed. “Then where are you going.”

“Not that it’s any of your business but-” Marley grinned. “-Quinn invited me to a party.”

His mouth fell open. “On a Thursday?”

“Hey.” Marley shrugged. “There’s no such thing as a bad day for a party.”

The Marley he knew wasn’t a party girl, Thursday or otherwise. The only way she’d end up at a party was if someone hauled her there. So many questions flitted through his brain but instead of asking her, he just watched her in silence for a second. In that second, he realized that with her current personality, demanding that she go home would only make her more resistant. So, he changed tactics.

“Get in.” He circled the car and opened the passenger door for her. “I’ll take you to the party.”

“You will?” Her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Why?”

He shrugged. “I like a good party too.”

Her response to that was a guffaw.

Sebastian prodded, “What?”

She snorted again. “You don’t give the vibe of being a party person.”

“Don’t I?”

“No, you’re more of a party pooper,” she retorted. “Remember that time at the club?”

“I just wasn’t in the mood that day, but I’m in a party mood today.” He gestured towards the inside of the car. “Get in. We can go together.”

Marley’s skeptical gaze shifted between him and the car for a few times before she nodded. “Okay, but let me call Quinn first and get her address.”

“Don’t bother,” he said. “I already have her address.”

Of course, Sebastian didn’t have Quinn’s address, but he didn’t need it anyway. There was no way he was taking Marley to that party.

The car ride started off silently. Sebastian was preoccupied by thoughts of how to confront Marley. Last time, asking her if she was sick hadn’t worked. So, what was he going to do this time? He stole a glance at her. Marley didn’t even notice his looks. All her attention was on her phone. From the looks of it, she was on a social media site liking and commenting on people’s pictures.

Marley was being active on social media? That didn’t seem like her at all.

Who are you? Sebastian thought in his head as he watched her.

“Huh?” Marley’s head immediately came up. From the shock in her eyes, it was clear that she’d heard him.

Had he said it aloud? Instinctively, he wanted to say, ‘Nothing’ then apologize, but there was just something about the panic in her eyes that had sirens ringing in his brain. Had he hit on something?

He repeated, “Who are you?”

 

* * * * *

 

WHO ARE YOU?

To say Hazel was shocked by the question would be an understatement. It was like getting hit by lightning then struck by a truck. She was caught so off-guard that for a while, all she could do was stare at Sebastian in consternation. Those few, tense, silent minutes were enough for Sebastian to bring the car to a stop on the side of the road.

Turning off the engine, he turned and repeated, “Who are you?”

“I’m… I’m…” Hazel swallowed to ease the sudden dryness in her throat. “I’m Marley.”

Sebastian stared at her, and from the frantic look in his eyes, it was obvious that his mind was spinning. “If you’re Marley, then tell me what we did yesterday.”

He and Marley had done something together? What? Hazel had no idea because Marley had left before leaving a vlog for the night. Besides that, there was little mention of Sebastian in the vlogs so Hazel had no idea what the two’s relationship was like now.

“Who cares?” Hazel shrugged. Forcing herself to sound flippant, she said, “Yesterday is gone. Today is a new day.”

His piercing gaze rested on her for an uncomfortably long while before he softly said, “You don’t remember, do you?”

Fear circling in Hazel’s belly because it felt like he could see right through her, she bit out. “I’m tired of this stupid conversation. Can you just take me to Quinn’s party?”

Sebastian didn’t answer her request. In fact, he was so quiet that she started to think that maybe he hadn’t heard her. His gaze held confusion and disbelief as he studied her. Finally, he took in a shaky breath then repeated, “Who are you?”

“Marley. Marley. Marley.” Her voice rose with her panic. “I’m Marley.”

“If you’re Marley, tell me what happened when you woke up at my place.”

“I took a cab home.” That was all Marley had said in her vlog.

“What did we talk about before you left? What was I wearing?” Sebastian rattled out the question speedily. “What time did you leave?”

“Stop,” Hazel ordered, a desperate edge to her voice. “I don’t remember all that because it was a long time ago.”

“Not that long ago.” Sebastian’s gaze never left her. “Barely two months in fact.”

“I have a short memory,” Hazel retorted.

“Okay, then let me jot your most recent memory then.” He demanded, “What book was I reading yesterday?”

Her voice rising, Hazel asked, “How would I know that?”

“I showed it to you and we talked about it.” His endless questions continued. “Who called you while we were talking? Where were we when we were talking?”

Hazel had no answers so she bit out between gritted teeth, “Leave me alone, Sebastian. Stop asking me questions.”

His gaze now unfathomable, he countered, “Tell me who you are and I’ll stop asking.”

Hazel wanted to insist that she was Marley but it was clear that that response was past its expiry date. Sebastian wouldn’t believe her and would just keep bombarding her with questions she couldn’t answer. She was truly and firmly caught in his net.

The only way out now was to give him a believable answer that wasn’t ‘I’m Marley’. Fortunately, she, Marley and Kenny had come up with a plausible alternative story if they were cornered by a strong opponent like Sebastian.

“Fine. Fine. I’ll tell you.” Hazel took a breath to ease the tightness in her chest. “You got me. I’m not Marley.”

It almost seemed as if Sebastian was holding his breath as he prodded, “You’re not?”

“No.” Hazel shook her head. “I’m her twin sister.”

His eyes immediately widened and shock filled them. “Who?”

“Marley’s twin sister, Hazel.” Her voice steady despite her rapidly beating heart, Hazel continued, “I’m standing in for Marley because she’s not feeling well but didn’t want to take another day off.”

Testing her name on his lips, he tentatively tried, “Hazel? Your name is Hazel?”

“Mm hmm. Hazel.” She forced a smile. “Pretty name, isn’t it?”

Sebastian didn’t answer. He just steadily studied her.

Forcing herself to sound confident, Hazel explained, “Whatever you did yesterday… that was all Marley. But she asked me to come in for her today.”

Technically, she wasn’t lying. Her and Marley were born the same day and had the same parents. They were like twins… except they shared the same body.

Still looking confused and stunned, he asked, “She’s never talked about you.”

“We don’t get along so we tend not to mention each other,” Hazel returned quickly.

“Then why are you standing in for her?”

“Because family is family.” Hazel shrugged. “You help each other out even when you can’t stand each other.”

It was a good story, and most doubting Thomases fell for it. Holding her breath, Hazel watched Sebastian to see if he believed it. He returned her stare with one of his own. There were questions in his eyes along with lingering doubt.

However, instead of pushing for more information, he sighed. “Okay.”

“Okay?” She couldn’t quite believe that he was letting the issue go just like that. Wasn’t he going to ask for more proof that she was Hazel… like ID or something? Wasn’t he going to berate her for standing in for Marley? Wasn’t he going to ask her to call Marley so he could confirm her story? Hazel had excuses all planned out in case he asked those questions. But he didn’t.

“Okay,” he repeated, but didn’t say more. He just started the car and got back on the road.

Is that all you have to say? Hazel wanted to confront him, but he was a hornets’ nest and she didn’t want to poke him. So, she kept her silence. A few minutes later, she realized that they weren’t on their way to Quinn’s house.

Her heart jumped to her throat. “Where are you taking me?”

“Home.” He glanced at her then clarified, “Your home.”

“Why?” Hazel’s voice rose. “I told you-”

“You’re not going to Quinn’s party.” His eyes on the road, he said, “If you’re standing in for Marley, then you would know that she’d never attend a party like that. Do you want to make everyone suspicious of you?”

Hazel immediately wanted to protest. Yeah, she’d raised a few eyebrows at About It today and no doubt her presence at Quinn’s party would cause more speculations. But so what? Hazel was only here for a day or two. Why couldn’t she have her fun? Besides, Marley would deal with the consequences, not her.

However, the look in Sebastian’s eyes and the firm set of his lips kept Hazel from speaking up. It was the same look Kenny usually had when she was trying to put a leash on Hazel.

Great. Hazel rolled her eyes. Now I have a new warden.

Thankfully, Sebastian only dropped her in front of the gate because Hazel had no idea what she would’ve said if he’d insisted on coming up the apartment to see Marley.

“Thanks for the ride.” Hazel opened the door. On the inside, she was grinning and planning how to call a cab to take her to Quinn’s party.

It was almost as if Sebastian could read her mind because he called out, “Make sure you go straight up to your house and stay there.”

“Sure, dad!” she returned sarcastically before slamming the door shut.

Through the open window, Sebastian yelled, “I’m calling Kennedy to let her know that you got home.”

Hazel immediately bent to the window to glare at him. “You’re doing what?”

“I don’t trust you to stay at home.” He pulled out his phone, “so I’m calling your sister to tell her to keep an eye on you.”

“Don’t call her,” Hazel protested.

But she was too late. He was already dialing. Barely a ring later, Kenny picked up. His eyes on Hazel, Sebastian said into the phone, “Kennedy Carter?” After a pause, he continued, “This is Sebastian Levy, Marley’s boss. We met at the hospital.”

“Don’t!” Hazel mimed silently even while glaring at him.

Sebastian was unmoved. To Kenny, he said, “I just wanted to let you know that I dropped Marley at home. But she wants to go to a party. Maybe you can talk her out of it.”

This snitch! If Hazel was wearing stilettos instead of Marley’s sneakers, she would’ve stabbed him with the heel. For now, all she could do was glare at him and pray that he burned in hell.

He listened to Kenny for a minute or so then ended the call.

Both frustrated and curious, Hazel demanded, “What did Kenny say?”

“She’ll tell you herself.” His gaze moved away from Hazel to the entrance of the building. “There she is.”

Hazel turned her head only to see Kenny striding towards the car with clear anger in her steps. Oh, shit!

As soon as Kenny was within talking-distance, Hazel started, “I wasn’t going to-”

“Shut up!” Kenny furiously made a beeline for Hazel. For a second, Hazel thought that her sister was about to fight her and prepared to defend herself. However, Kenny only bent to the open window and said to Sebastian, “Thanks for dropping her off. I’ll take care of it.”

“No problem.” Sebastian’s unfathomable gaze switched to Hazel. “Take care.”

Snitch! Hazel almost spat in his face. Seconds later, he backed out of the parking lot and sped away. Kenny yanked her by the arm and silently led her into the building.