Grace woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside the window. For a few seconds, she couldn't remember where she was or how she had gotten there. The bed sheets were softer than the ones she owned in her home, and the room smelled expensive. Then everything came rushing back; the van, the men, and Donald.
She sat up slowly and looked around. She felt lightheaded. The room was large and quiet except for the faint chirps of the birds. The blanket she had used the night before was folded neatly beside her. She turned to her side, her eyes fell on a cup of water and a note that was well placed on the bedside table.
She drank the water as she picked up the note. It was short: Drink this and rest.
There was no signature, but she knew it was from Donald.
Grace stood up as she walked around the room. The room looked different in daylight. The curtains were half-opened, and soft light spilled across the floor. Everything from the furniture to the tiniest detail spoke of wealth and power. The kind of world she had spent her life writing against.
There was a knock on the door. "Come in." Grace said.
Good day ma'am, I'm Mary, the head of house. "Here are some fresh clothes for you to put on." She said as she placed the clothes on the side of the bed. "The water has been heated while you were asleep, so you can have a warm bath. Mr. Donald has instructed me to see that your bruises are treated…"
"Sorry, you had to go through all the stress, but I am not staying long." Grace said, interrupting her.
"I understand ma'am, but Mr. Donald has instructed us to make sure you are comfortable. If you need anything, you can just ring the bell and I'll be with you immediately." Mary said as she stepped out of the room. Grace stood there, confused.
She opened the door to the hallway. She saw a man standing beside the door. He was huge, and he wore a black tailored suit, and he had an earpiece in his ear.
"Good day, sir." She greeted. He didn't respond to her greeting. He stood like a lifeless figure. "Strange." She said as she walked down the hallway. She stopped in front of a half-opened door. It was a Donald's study. She entered the room. Files were stacked neatly on a long wooden desk. On one corner was a glass of whiskey that had not been touched. The smell was strong.
She made her way to the shelves as her fingers brushed the edges of the file on the shelf. Out of curiosity, she wanted to check some of the files. But she stopped herself.
"I shouldn't go through his things, she said." Her eyes fell on some framed pictures on the wall. She moved towards it. It was pictures of Donald from when he was a baby till the present. She saw one that caught her attention. It was a picture of Chief Cole, Mrs. Cole, and Baby Donald. She stared at Donald. He looked cute, but those eyes, she had seen them before. She took her eyes from the photo as she sighed.
"Where did you go Donald?" she whispered.
*********************************
Donald stood in his office at the Cole Group building, fuming with anger. His face was hard and tense. His secretary and Collins stood before him.
Only the two of you knew about my meeting with Grace. Who ordered the attack?"
They stood quietly, tensed and uneasy.
"I'll ask one last time. Who ordered the attack?" Donald asked this time, increasing his voice.
"It could be anyone, sir." The secretary said. "There are a lot of stakeholders in the Cole group. But we are looking for those men with the description you have given to us."
"I have the security departments to go through the camera footage near the hospital and the streets where she was taken. We will find them, sir." Collin said with a low voice.
"That's not enough, I want results today. Whoever ordered that attack is close and they are already tying up any loose ends."
"Yes, sir." Collins said quickly.
Donald stepped closer to both of them. "You will find them Collins. Use every resource available. I do not care how much it costs. I want to know who touched her. Do you understand me?"
We understand, sir." The secretary said as he nodded.
Donald had not slept. The image of Grace sitting in the van could not leave his mind. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face filled with fear and the anger in her eyes.
"She was almost killed because of something that started in this company," he said quietly. "I will not let this happen again."
Collins shifted uneasily. "Sir, if I may, it could be risky to make an open search. People will notice." He said calmly.
Donald turned to the window. "Let them notice. If there are people who think that they can hide behind the Cole's name, I will make sure they regret it." Donald said. "When you find the person behind this, bring them to me first. Do not hand them to security. I will deal with them myself."
"Yes, sir," Collins said. They turned to leave.
When the door closed, Donald sat on the chair and exhaled. He rubbed his forehead as he turned to look at the window again. He thought of Grace.
"She would have woken up by now. I can't face her until I have dealt with those men." He said as his fist tightened.