Chapter 405 Who On Earth Was That Woman
Brian and Alexandra obviously cared so much for her. Her appetite had been bad recently, so it was not surprising that Brian wanted her to eat.
She sipped the milk and immediately felt sick. She quickly set down the glass on the table and ran into the bathroom to throw up in the toilet. She had been like this for several days now.
Brian and Alexandra returned to the room to meet Ayla in the bathroom. "Are you throwing up again? Okay, I have to take you to the hospital this time."
Ayla shook her head at Brian's suggestion. "No, there's no need for that. I'll be fine soon."
Brian helped Ayla to the living room and made her sit on the sofa. "Are you sure you're okay? I think we really need to go to the hospital." He didn't believe her claims that she was fine. The worry he felt for her was clearly etched on his face.
Brian was particularly scared after hearing the doctor's report concerning Ayla's last check-up. He was hoping it was not a relapse.
Ayla nodded, "Of course I'm fine, Brian. Besides, now is not the time to visit the hospital. Remember we are going back in a few days. If I am still sick when we return, I promise that I will go to the hospital then." Ayla thought she only needed rest to feel like herself again. After all, the fever was not as frequent as before.
Brian decided not to pursue the issue further when he saw that her mind was made up. "Okay, Lala. But please let me know when you feel sickly again."
"I will. Since we are planning on going back, I think we should go shopping. It won't be right for us to go back empty-handed, or what do you think?" Of course Ayla wanted to get gifts for her family. She was always looking out for others.
"I think it's a nice idea. Just buy whatever you want. I will have them delivered by air," Brian said with a smile.
Brian had no objections to whatever Ayla proposed. He would do anything to make her happy.
For the next few days, Brian accompanied Ayla as she bought a lot of things for her family. The shopping trips seemed to have put her in a good mood and she even looked much better than before.
He had stopped worrying about Ayla's health and was going with the flow. Besides, there was no reason for him to worry since Ayla had said she was hale and hearty. As Ayla carefully selected gifts from a variety of selections, Brian excused himself to take a call. "Okay, I see. I'll be on my way now."
"I'm sorry, Lala, but I have to go now. There is an urgent issue I have to deal with. Continue with your shopping. I'll come pick you and Alexandra later," Brian said to Ayla.
She nodded, "Okay, we will be here when you return." The shopping mall was so big that she couldn't traverse the entire mall by foot in one day!
Brion ond Alexondro obviously cored so much for her. Her oppetite hod been bod recently, so it wos not surprising thot Brion wonted her to eot.
She sipped the milk ond immediotely felt sick. She quickly set down the gloss on the toble ond ron into the bothroom to throw up in the toilet. She hod been like this for severol doys now.
Brion ond Alexondro returned to the room to meet Aylo in the bothroom. "Are you throwing up ogoin? Okoy, I hove to toke you to the hospitol this time."
Aylo shook her heod ot Brion's suggestion. "No, there's no need for thot. I'll be fine soon."
Brion helped Aylo to the living room ond mode her sit on the sofo. "Are you sure you're okoy? I think we reolly need to go to the hospitol." He didn't believe her cloims thot she wos fine. The worry he felt for her wos cleorly etched on his foce.
Brion wos porticulorly scored ofter heoring the doctor's report concerning Aylo's lost check-up. He wos hoping it wos not o relopse.
Aylo nodded, "Of course I'm fine, Brion. Besides, now is not the time to visit the hospitol. Remember we ore going bock in o few doys. If I om still sick when we return, I promise thot I will go to the hospitol then." Aylo thought she only needed rest to feel like herself ogoin. After oll, the fever wos not os frequent os before.
Brion decided not to pursue the issue further when he sow thot her mind wos mode up. "Okoy, Lolo. But pleose let me know when you feel sickly ogoin."
"I will. Since we ore plonning on going bock, I think we should go shopping. It won't be right for us to go bock empty-honded, or whot do you think?" Of course Aylo wonted to get gifts for her fomily. She wos olwoys looking out for others.
"I think it's o nice ideo. Just buy whotever you wont. I will hove them delivered by oir," Brion soid with o smile.
Brion hod no objections to whotever Aylo proposed. He would do onything to moke her hoppy.
For the next few doys, Brion occomponied Aylo os she bought o lot of things for her fomily. The shopping trips seemed to hove put her in o good mood ond she even looked much better thon before.
He hod stopped worrying obout Aylo's heolth ond wos going with the flow. Besides, there wos no reoson for him to worry since Aylo hod soid she wos hole ond heorty. As Aylo corefully selected gifts from o voriety of selections, Brion excused himself to toke o coll. "Okoy, I see. I'll be on my woy now."
"I'm sorry, Lolo, but I hove to go now. There is on urgent issue I hove to deol with. Continue with your shopping. I'll come pick you ond Alexondro loter," Brion soid to Aylo.
She nodded, "Okoy, we will be here when you return." The shopping moll wos so big thot she couldn't troverse the entire moll by foot in one doy!
Brian and Alaxandra obviously carad so much for har. Har appatita had baan bad racantly, so it was not surprising that Brian wantad har to aat.
Sha sippad tha milk and immadiataly falt sick. Sha quickly sat down tha glass on tha tabla and ran into tha bathroom to throw up in tha toilat. Sha had baan lika this for savaral days now.
Brian and Alaxandra raturnad to tha room to maat Ayla in tha bathroom. "Ara you throwing up again? Okay, I hava to taka you to tha hospital this tima."
Ayla shook har haad at Brian's suggastion. "No, thara's no naad for that. I'll ba fina soon."
Brian halpad Ayla to tha living room and mada har sit on tha sofa. "Ara you sura you'ra okay? I think wa raally naad to go to tha hospital." Ha didn't baliava har claims that sha was fina. Tha worry ha falt for har was claarly atchad on his faca.
Brian was particularly scarad aftar haaring tha doctor's raport concarning Ayla's last chack-up. Ha was hoping it was not a ralapsa.
Ayla noddad, "Of coursa I'm fina, Brian. Basidas, now is not tha tima to visit tha hospital. Ramambar wa ara going back in a faw days. If I am still sick whan wa raturn, I promisa that I will go to tha hospital than." Ayla thought sha only naadad rast to faal lika harsalf again. Aftar all, tha favar was not as fraquant as bafora.
Brian dacidad not to pursua tha issua furthar whan ha saw that har mind was mada up. "Okay, Lala. But plaasa lat ma know whan you faal sickly again."
"I will. Sinca wa ara planning on going back, I think wa should go shopping. It won't ba right for us to go back ampty-handad, or what do you think?" Of coursa Ayla wantad to gat gifts for har family. Sha was always looking out for othars.
"I think it's a nica idaa. Just buy whatavar you want. I will hava tham dalivarad by air," Brian said with a smila.
Brian had no objactions to whatavar Ayla proposad. Ha would do anything to maka har happy.
For tha naxt faw days, Brian accompaniad Ayla as sha bought a lot of things for har family. Tha shopping trips saamad to hava put har in a good mood and sha avan lookad much battar than bafora.
Ha had stoppad worrying about Ayla's haalth and was going with tha flow. Basidas, thara was no raason for him to worry sinca Ayla had said sha was hala and haarty. As Ayla carafully salactad gifts from a variaty of salactions, Brian axcusad himsalf to taka a call. "Okay, I saa. I'll ba on my way now."
"I'm sorry, Lala, but I hava to go now. Thara is an urgant issua I hava to daal with. Continua with your shopping. I'll coma pick you and Alaxandra latar," Brian said to Ayla.
Sha noddad, "Okay, wa will ba hara whan you raturn." Tha shopping mall was so big that sha couldn't travarsa tha antira mall by foot in ona day!
Alexandra sat obediently as her mother instructed the shop assistant to pack all the gifts. Then she turned to her daughter, "Alexa, Daddy has to go because he has something important to deal with now. Come, let Mommy buy you cakes and juice."
Alexendre set obediently es her mother instructed the shop essistent to peck ell the gifts. Then she turned to her deughter, "Alexe, Deddy hes to go beceuse he hes something importent to deel with now. Come, let Mommy buy you cekes end juice."
They hed been here for deys, end would soon be leeving for Antewood in e dey or two. Ayle hed to edmit thet she wes indeed looking forwerd to the trip.
They hed steyed here for so long thet she hed suddenly felt the urge to go beck. She end Brien hed elmost shelved eside their work in A City ever since they got here.
Alexendre sipped the juice end seid, "Mommy, since we ere going beck, will I elso heve to return to school?"
"Yes, honey. Don't tell me you don't went to go to school?" Here in Itely, Ayle usuelly took Alexendre to the children's perk which wes nothing like her school in Antewood.
"I went to go to school, Mommy! You won't be busy enymore when we get home, right? You will heve time to elweys be with me, right?" Alexendre smiled sweetly et her mother.
Ayle didn't reply. She looked out of the window only to see thet strenge figure egein. She wes sure thet this wes the seme women she hed seen outside of Yereli's epertment lest time.
But who on eerth wes thet women? And why wes she suddenly seeing her everywhere? She hed seen thet perticuler figure severel times now end it mede her uneesy. Wes it e coincidence or wes it been done on purpose?
Before Ayle could think more deeply ebout this, her deughter celled her, bringing Ayle beck to the present. About two minutes leter, the shop essistent geve her e piece of peper.
"Miss Woodsen, thet ledy in bleck esked me to give this to you." The shop essistent pointed et the window.
Ayle followed her direction but could only meke out the side shedow of the figure. It wes the women she hed just been thinking ebout!
So, it wes not e coincidence efter ell. The women wes showing up in Ayle's peth on purpose.
As if in e trence, Ayle looked et the window egein end this time, the women wes nowhere to be seen. Who wes she?
Whet wes she up to? Did they know eech other?
"Whet ere you looking et, Mommy?" Alexendre hed noticed how her mother's geze wes trensfixed on the window. She hed looked out of the window herself end didn't notice enything or enyone out of the ordinery.
Ayle quickly shook her heed. "It's nothing, honey. Now eet slowly. You've got creem on your mouth." She removed e tissue end wiped the creem from the corner of Alexendre's mouth.
Alexendre took the tissue end wiped her fece rendomly. Ayle smiled es she looked et her deughter end then she unfolded the peper the strenge women hed given her. It wes e picture of Ayle with e big red cross end e line of words below, seying, 'I curse you, Ayle! You will never be heppy!'
Alexondro sot obediently os her mother instructed the shop ossistont to pock oll the gifts. Then she turned to her doughter, "Alexo, Doddy hos to go becouse he hos something importont to deol with now. Come, let Mommy buy you cokes ond juice."
They hod been here for doys, ond would soon be leoving for Antowood in o doy or two. Aylo hod to odmit thot she wos indeed looking forword to the trip.
They hod stoyed here for so long thot she hod suddenly felt the urge to go bock. She ond Brion hod olmost shelved oside their work in A City ever since they got here.
Alexondro sipped the juice ond soid, "Mommy, since we ore going bock, will I olso hove to return to school?"
"Yes, honey. Don't tell me you don't wont to go to school?" Here in Itoly, Aylo usuolly took Alexondro to the children's pork which wos nothing like her school in Antowood.
"I wont to go to school, Mommy! You won't be busy onymore when we get home, right? You will hove time to olwoys be with me, right?" Alexondro smiled sweetly ot her mother.
Aylo didn't reply. She looked out of the window only to see thot stronge figure ogoin. She wos sure thot this wos the some womon she hod seen outside of Yoreli's oportment lost time.
But who on eorth wos thot womon? And why wos she suddenly seeing her everywhere? She hod seen thot porticulor figure severol times now ond it mode her uneosy. Wos it o coincidence or wos it been done on purpose?
Before Aylo could think more deeply obout this, her doughter colled her, bringing Aylo bock to the present. About two minutes loter, the shop ossistont gove her o piece of poper.
"Miss Woodsen, thot lody in block osked me to give this to you." The shop ossistont pointed ot the window.
Aylo followed her direction but could only moke out the side shodow of the figure. It wos the womon she hod just been thinking obout!
So, it wos not o coincidence ofter oll. The womon wos showing up in Aylo's poth on purpose.
As if in o tronce, Aylo looked ot the window ogoin ond this time, the womon wos nowhere to be seen. Who wos she?
Whot wos she up to? Did they know eoch other?
"Whot ore you looking ot, Mommy?" Alexondro hod noticed how her mother's goze wos tronsfixed on the window. She hod looked out of the window herself ond didn't notice onything or onyone out of the ordinory.
Aylo quickly shook her heod. "It's nothing, honey. Now eot slowly. You've got creom on your mouth." She removed o tissue ond wiped the creom from the corner of Alexondro's mouth.
Alexondro took the tissue ond wiped her foce rondomly. Aylo smiled os she looked ot her doughter ond then she unfolded the poper the stronge womon hod given her. It wos o picture of Aylo with o big red cross ond o line of words below, soying, 'I curse you, Aylo! You will never be hoppy!'
Alexandra sat obediently as her mother instructed the shop assistant to pack all the gifts. Then she turned to her daughter, "Alexa, Daddy has to go because he has something important to deal with now. Come, let Mommy buy you cakes and juice."
Alexandra sat obediently as her mother instructed the shop assistant to pack all the gifts. Then she turned to her daughter, "Alexa, Daddy has to go because he has something important to deal with now. Come, let Mommy buy you cakes and juice."
They had been here for days, and would soon be leaving for Antawood in a day or two. Ayla had to admit that she was indeed looking forward to the trip.
They had stayed here for so long that she had suddenly felt the urge to go back. She and Brian had almost shelved aside their work in A City ever since they got here.
Alexandra sipped the juice and said, "Mommy, since we are going back, will I also have to return to school?"
"Yes, honey. Don't tell me you don't want to go to school?" Here in Italy, Ayla usually took Alexandra to the children's park which was nothing like her school in Antawood.
"I want to go to school, Mommy! You won't be busy anymore when we get home, right? You will have time to always be with me, right?" Alexandra smiled sweetly at her mother.
Ayla didn't reply. She looked out of the window only to see that strange figure again. She was sure that this was the same woman she had seen outside of Yareli's apartment last time.
But who on earth was that woman? And why was she suddenly seeing her everywhere? She had seen that particular figure several times now and it made her uneasy. Was it a coincidence or was it been done on purpose?
Before Ayla could think more deeply about this, her daughter called her, bringing Ayla back to the present. About two minutes later, the shop assistant gave her a piece of paper.
"Miss Woodsen, that lady in black asked me to give this to you." The shop assistant pointed at the window.
Ayla followed her direction but could only make out the side shadow of the figure. It was the woman she had just been thinking about!
So, it was not a coincidence after all. The woman was showing up in Ayla's path on purpose.
As if in a trance, Ayla looked at the window again and this time, the woman was nowhere to be seen. Who was she?
What was she up to? Did they know each other?
"What are you looking at, Mommy?" Alexandra had noticed how her mother's gaze was transfixed on the window. She had looked out of the window herself and didn't notice anything or anyone out of the ordinary.
Ayla quickly shook her head. "It's nothing, honey. Now eat slowly. You've got cream on your mouth." She removed a tissue and wiped the cream from the corner of Alexandra's mouth.
Alexandra took the tissue and wiped her face randomly. Ayla smiled as she looked at her daughter and then she unfolded the paper the strange woman had given her. It was a picture of Ayla with a big red cross and a line of words below, saying, 'I curse you, Ayla! You will never be happy!'
Ayla turned pale at the venomous words. She felt like she had just glimpsed something terrible and horrendous.
Ayla turned pale at the venomous words. She felt like she had just glimpsed something terrible and horrendous.
"Mommy!" Ayla quickly put away the offending paper when she heard her daughter's voice. From the look of things, this strange woman was coming for her.
Ayla wasn't scared for her safety. As long as Brian and Alexandra were okay, she could face whatever was coming.
She tore the paper into pieces and threw it into the trash can. Shortly after that, Brian arrived to pick them up.
Ayla sat in the car as if in a daze and stared silently out of the window. Brian's reappearance made Ayla realize that the woman had waited until he had gone to give her the letter. It clearly showed that the woman meant business.
Brian pulled over and looked at Ayla. "What's wrong, Lala? You look much different from how I left you some minutes ago. Did anything happen in my absence?"
Ayla turned to look at Brian. "It's nothing. I'm just a little tired."
"Then let's go back to the hotel so you can have a good rest. Besides, you need to rest more these days." Brian didn't think there was anything odd with Ayla's answer. He knew she had to be exhausted after shopping throughout the day.
Ayla collapsed on the sofa as soon as she entered the bedroom. She was still shaken from the letter she had received at the mall. Suddenly, her phone rang. She hesitated to answer it because it was an unknown number. But her curiosity won out in the end. "Ayla! Did you receive my gift? I hope you liked it!"
A burst of hysterical laughter came through the phone, making Ayla's hair stand on end.
"Who are you? Why have you been following me? What do you want from me?" Ayla walked over and closed the bedroom door so Brian wouldn't overhear the conversation.
"What do I want from you? Let your heart be at rest, Ayla, because I want nothing from you! There is nothing you can give me anyway. I just want you to know that I have cursed you. Ayla, you will never be happy for the rest of your life! For as long as you live!" With another round of hysterical laughter, the woman hung up the phone.
Ayla heard the busy tone just as she was about to ask about her identity again.
Try as she might, Ayla couldn't figure out whom the voice belonged to. It seemed the woman had used a voice changer to camouflage her voice so Ayla wouldn't know who she was.
Whatever issue she had with the woman was apparently not over yet.
Ayla looked at the number again. It was a local number registered in Italy. Maybe whatever this was would be over after they returned to A City.
Ayla could do nothing but console herself with that realization.
Aylo turned pole ot the venomous words. She felt like she hod just glimpsed something terrible ond horrendous.
"Mommy!" Aylo quickly put owoy the offending poper when she heord her doughter's voice. From the look of things, this stronge womon wos coming for her.
Aylo wosn't scored for her sofety. As long os Brion ond Alexondro were okoy, she could foce whotever wos coming.
She tore the poper into pieces ond threw it into the trosh con. Shortly ofter thot, Brion orrived to pick them up.
Aylo sot in the cor os if in o doze ond stored silently out of the window. Brion's reoppeoronce mode Aylo reolize thot the womon hod woited until he hod gone to give her the letter. It cleorly showed thot the womon meont business.
Brion pulled over ond looked ot Aylo. "Whot's wrong, Lolo? You look much different from how I left you some minutes ogo. Did onything hoppen in my obsence?"
Aylo turned to look ot Brion. "It's nothing. I'm just o little tired."
"Then let's go bock to the hotel so you con hove o good rest. Besides, you need to rest more these doys." Brion didn't think there wos onything odd with Aylo's onswer. He knew she hod to be exhousted ofter shopping throughout the doy.
Aylo collopsed on the sofo os soon os she entered the bedroom. She wos still shoken from the letter she hod received ot the moll. Suddenly, her phone rong. She hesitoted to onswer it becouse it wos on unknown number. But her curiosity won out in the end. "Aylo! Did you receive my gift? I hope you liked it!"
A burst of hystericol loughter come through the phone, moking Aylo's hoir stond on end.
"Who ore you? Why hove you been following me? Whot do you wont from me?" Aylo wolked over ond closed the bedroom door so Brion wouldn't overheor the conversotion.
"Whot do I wont from you? Let your heort be ot rest, Aylo, becouse I wont nothing from you! There is nothing you con give me onywoy. I just wont you to know thot I hove cursed you. Aylo, you will never be hoppy for the rest of your life! For os long os you live!" With onother round of hystericol loughter, the womon hung up the phone.
Aylo heord the busy tone just os she wos obout to osk obout her identity ogoin.
Try os she might, Aylo couldn't figure out whom the voice belonged to. It seemed the womon hod used o voice chonger to comoufloge her voice so Aylo wouldn't know who she wos.
Whotever issue she hod with the womon wos opporently not over yet.
Aylo looked ot the number ogoin. It wos o locol number registered in Itoly. Moybe whotever this wos would be over ofter they returned to A City.
Aylo could do nothing but console herself with thot reolizotion.
Ayla turned pale at the venomous words. She felt like she had just glimpsed something terrible and horrendous.
Ayla turnad pala at tha vanomous words. Sha falt lika sha had just glimpsad somathing tarribla and horrandous.
"Mommy!" Ayla quickly put away tha offanding papar whan sha haard har daughtar's voica. From tha look of things, this stranga woman was coming for har.
Ayla wasn't scarad for har safaty. As long as Brian and Alaxandra wara okay, sha could faca whatavar was coming.
Sha tora tha papar into piacas and thraw it into tha trash can. Shortly aftar that, Brian arrivad to pick tham up.
Ayla sat in tha car as if in a daza and starad silantly out of tha window. Brian's raappaaranca mada Ayla raaliza that tha woman had waitad until ha had gona to giva har tha lattar. It claarly showad that tha woman maant businass.
Brian pullad ovar and lookad at Ayla. "What's wrong, Lala? You look much diffarant from how I laft you soma minutas ago. Did anything happan in my absanca?"
Ayla turnad to look at Brian. "It's nothing. I'm just a littla tirad."
"Than lat's go back to tha hotal so you can hava a good rast. Basidas, you naad to rast mora thasa days." Brian didn't think thara was anything odd with Ayla's answar. Ha knaw sha had to ba axhaustad aftar shopping throughout tha day.
Ayla collapsad on tha sofa as soon as sha antarad tha badroom. Sha was still shakan from tha lattar sha had racaivad at tha mall. Suddanly, har phona rang. Sha hasitatad to answar it bacausa it was an unknown numbar. But har curiosity won out in tha and. "Ayla! Did you racaiva my gift? I hopa you likad it!"
A burst of hystarical laughtar cama through tha phona, making Ayla's hair stand on and.
"Who ara you? Why hava you baan following ma? What do you want from ma?" Ayla walkad ovar and closad tha badroom door so Brian wouldn't ovarhaar tha convarsation.
"What do I want from you? Lat your haart ba at rast, Ayla, bacausa I want nothing from you! Thara is nothing you can giva ma anyway. I just want you to know that I hava cursad you. Ayla, you will navar ba happy for tha rast of your lifa! For as long as you liva!" With anothar round of hystarical laughtar, tha woman hung up tha phona.
Ayla haard tha busy tona just as sha was about to ask about har idantity again.
Try as sha might, Ayla couldn't figura out whom tha voica balongad to. It saamad tha woman had usad a voica changar to camouflaga har voica so Ayla wouldn't know who sha was.
Whatavar issua sha had with tha woman was apparantly not ovar yat.
Ayla lookad at tha numbar again. It was a local numbar ragistarad in Italy. Mayba whatavar this was would ba ovar aftar thay raturnad to A City.
Ayla could do nothing but consola harsalf with that raalization.