Chapter 31: Rape culture 1
Rosa got up early in the morning and dressed up ready to tail Carlos Ryan today. She was determined to see the time Carlos Ryan would leave the house so that she would follow him around. Truth was, she thought about everything he said the night before and found it hard to believe him.
She drank her coffee immediately and went to the door. Soon as she opened it, she saw Carlos Ryan about to knock on the door. ''You… what are you doing here? Where you going to put something on my door?'' she asked and inspected her door thoroughly.
''I knew you wouldn't believe anything I said last night, but really? Do I have to put something on your door to know what you are doing?'' he asked, entering into the apartment without her consent.
''Where are you going? This is a lady's apartment. You can't just barge in like that'' Rosa said to him.
Carlos Ryan ignored her and turned on the sensor in his hands and started looking around the apartment.
''What are you doing?''
''Looking for bugs? Someone broke into your apartment last night when you weren't around''
''How did you know that?''
''I placed an invisible camera at the stairs by your door. Prosecutor Ann, how could you be so careless after everything you went through?''
Rosa stood frozen on the same spot silently. Her hands quivered and she clasped them together.
Noticing her silence, Carlos Ryan turned and saw her, he went closer and touched her, ''hey, are you alright?''
''He still found me?'' Rosa muttered.
''Who?''
''The stalker, he still managed to find me even when I didn't let anyone know I was around. This isn't going to be good. Carlos, you have to leave this place. I can't let what happened that year to repeat itself again'' she touched his hands as her voice quavered.
''You… did you see the killer that night?'' he asked her and creased his brows looking at her with a complicated gaze.
''I…'' as if coming back to her senses, she pushed him away and went to her bedroom. Carlos Ryan followed her inside and saw her packing her things into her luggage bag. He snatched the things and threw them on the bed and pulled her closer to himself.
''Rosa, get you bearings together and tell me exactly what happened to you''
''I… I'' tears formed in her eyes.
''Come with me'' he pulled her to the hall and sat her down before getting a glass of water from her fridge for her. 'Drink this''
A while later, after calming down, Rosa started to speak. ''Do you know why I suddenly went against the evidence and set you free that year?''
''No''
''That's because I met the killer that night before the trial. He told me that he did it for me. that it was a welcome gift he prepared for me. as to how you factored into that, I still don't know. I don't want to believe it was because your father saved me that he decided to play with you and I like that''
''I always had a feeling that you knew who the killer was. Rosa, just how did you live the past five years?''
''I don't know how I did it, but I survived. I guess I kept consoling myself with the fact that, he will definitely appear in front of me again in five years' time. I survived with the hatred I had for him and the vow I made to unmask him''
''Listen, I came back because I also wanted to close that chapter in my life. If you didn't help me that year, I would have become a convict and my life would have turned out differently. Because of the sacrifice you made that day, I was able to enter into the police force and become who I am today. I'm sorry you had to go through so much because of me''
''I didn't go through anything because of you. It was rather because of me that you had to be called a killer. Next month is my birth month and is exactly five years since that time. He will definitely come to find me. No, he might have already found me''
Carlos scanned the room and saw a red light blinking from under her dining table. he tapped her leg and Rosa turned to him. Carlos Ryan pointed at the camera hidden under the table.
''He is even listening to me right now'' Rosa said and stood up. she walked to the table and squatted down looking into the camera.
''You must be having a full day from watching me. I know you are listening to me you, psychopath. You are brave enough, why don't you just face me and let's get this over with? Instead of hiding away like a cat?''
Carlos Ryan looked at Rosa's face and smiled. He had already anticipated this sort of thing the moment he saw through his surveillance camera the trespasser. But, whoever he was, he knew how to clean after himself, seeing that Rosa didn't even find anything wrong with her apartment after returning. His face was also meticulously hidden so well that nothing could be seen, but it didn't mean his stature could be hidden. It was enough for him to work with.
''Next month, you must be preparing to give me another surprise, right? Let's see what it is going to be this time around'' Rosa said and removed the camera.
''This won't do. This isn't the only place he must have placed a camera. Get some few things and come over to my apartment. I will have my team evacuate the room and fix new security systems in it within the week. Until then, you will stay in my apartment''
''Your apartment? I don't think this is appropriate. No matter what, we are a man and a woman''
''I didn't know you see me as a man?'' he looked at her and saw her reddened ears and smiled.
''It's not that. I just don't want anyone to misunderstand us. I am still a Prosecutor and we are known as the two most hated people in the whole town. Staying in the same building is already something that will spark rumours if someone finds out. What will you do if they now know we stay together?''
''I am not really one to bother about what people say. I thought you were also like that, Prosecutor Ann?''
''Well, I will just stay for a few nights. You have to make sure your people finish it in three days. I will be returning to the Prosecutor's office next week. I don't want to mar my image with another scandal before going there''
''You are going back? You already thought it through?''
''Yes, apart from been a Prosecutor and solving cases, I don't have many talents like you who left the acting field to become a police man. I never could have pictured you to be such a versatile person''
''Why do I feel that this isn't a compliment, Prosecutor Ann? You are secretly cursing me for turning your life upside down, right?''
''No, I'm worried that, my presence will suddenly make things go south for you, special agent Ryan''
''Special Agent Ryan, I like that name. You should call me that more often''
''Yeah, you wished''
Rosa went in and packed a few things into her bag and went back to the hall and found Carlos holding three more camera bugs.
''Did you find those in my apartment just now?'' she asked him.
''Yes''
''Whoa, this psychopath must really be obsessed with my life? What exactly does he want?''
''You''
''Huh?''
''He wants your attention, Prosecutor Ann. Haven't you figured this out after all the recurring things that happened to you?''
''What do you mean?'' Rosa's expression turned serious''
''Come with me'' he said and took the bag from her hands.
Carlos' apartment.
Rosa entered inside and saw the neat apartment which was in sharp contrast to her own and gulped. Everything was so neat and in place. She felt that she could almost see herself in the things in the room due to how spotless they were.
She did a quick take and realised, his apartment was a two bedroomed and had a lot of space than her own.
''Why is your place different from mine?''
''That's because it is two apartments that I joined together''
''If you have so much money, why did you buy this kind of apartment?''
''Because it was cheap and far from the public's eyes. What about you?''
''Same reasons, but I genuinely don't have money compared to someone here. My life didn't turn up pretty good after what happened. I basically live like an outcast. After returning, I found that everything was different. I need time to catch up to the ever changing town''
''You will do just great. Are you going somewhere today?'' he asked and she kept quiet. She couldn't tell him she was going to tail him, right?
''I am not going anywhere''
''Good, feel free to use anything in the house. Call me if you need anything, I will get it on the way'' he removed his work card for her. 'I haven't been introduced to the police here, it's going to cause quite a stir especially with the media coming to interview me later on''
''The media is coming to interview you? Why?''
''You will find out soon. Make sure you tune in to watch'' he said and turned to go.
''Bye'' she waved awkwardly at him.
''Bye'' he smiled and went out.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone