Mr. Hephephobias

CHAPTER 38 - A Torturing Memory

The mimic of the bodyguard changed instantly to hear a shout from someone who was in a phone call with him. He turned off his call, then resolutely asked his subordinates to immediately take a step back away from the door of the room he guarded.

The guard lowered his head, greeting Rayn who was followed by all the other guards. He apologizes to Rayn for his recent actions and allows Rayn to enter.

“Please Young Master Rayn” said clearly, naming Ryan whom he did not previously recognize.

Not until Rayn approached the door of the room, a 40-year-old man dressed in a neat suit came out and opened the door. The man with a face that looked younger than his age looked down to welcome Rayn's arrival.

“Im sorry their Young Master” said by taking a step out of the door so Rayn could get in. Of course, the attitude was taken because he knew the condition of Rayn's phobia.

“You have been disrespectful to Young Master, you are all unworthy and today will be your last day of work" he shouted to the guards who had dared to block Rayn's arrival.

“Then will today also be your last day, Mr Alex?" chirps Rayn.

Rayn looked at the guards who were still lowered their heads, they did not dare to look at the middle-aged man who would end their service life with just a single command. “You blamed them and fired him just for being disrespectful to me?” ask Rayn to Alex.

“I'm sorry if it's sassy Muda” replied he lowered his head.

“Then, I have to blame who if the reason they are disrespectful for not recognizing me?” ask Rayn to the man. “Sir Alex, your age is growing, so don't be more cruel. Let them keep working” continued Rayn's orders and then entered into a luxurious and elegant Presidential Suite room.

Mr. Alex just looked down and followed Rayn in. Rayn stopped her steps right in front of a man who had been sitting at her desk. Rayn bowed her body greeting the man.

“I know you will definitely come” said the man as he closed the notebook in front of him.

“You deliberately asked Mr Alex to do it just to make me come here?” rayn asked remembering the message he received while in the library with Lucia.

Mr. Alex had earlier sent a photo of Lucia to Rayn with a message saying that the Great Lord asked when Mr. Rayn would introduce the girl. That message made Rayn immediately leave Lucia while in the library. The message is a satire and a threat to Ryan if they have learned of Lucia's existence in Ryan's life.

“You still haven't changed” said the man to Rayn's words that sound polite but also rude.

“Last you returned to Canada on the day of your late mother's death, isn't it outrageous to go home without visiting your father?” ask him to Rayn.

“Not now am I here, what more do you want now?” ask Rayn.

"You'll only come after I force you to come?” ask the man.

“If you don't ask me to come, doesn't that mean you don't need me? Then why discuss my return to Canada. Aaa. I forgot. As a business tool, dolls like myself just wait for when I have to go on stage." Rayn replied. It feels like a business tool that will only be noticed if needed.

“Basic, this brash kid” said the man by getting up from his chair.

Rayn does not want further ado, she immediately says her goal is not to discuss her. “I came to warn you not to touch it” Rayn said of Lucia.

"You're going to keep relying on that girl?” Asked the man by taking a step, he walked up to Rayn. Rayn tried to restrain her phobias by standing still without taking a step back.

“It has nothing to do with you. So you don't have to waste your time just to harass people who don't have a big influence on you” replied Rayn.

"Of course it will have a big impact if I make him a new player on your stage" the man said.

"Then I was the one who was going to tear down the stage" Rayn said.

The man smiled faintly. “What's wrong with your reaction? Do you feel like it's a threat to you?” tanyakanya.

“I never felt you were a threat to me. But, it seems that now you feel if the girl will be a threat to you”, Rayn replied.

“Of course he's a threat to me, because he could have influenced you. I have the right to determine who are the people who deserve to be in your life ” said the man sitting on the guest sofa.

Rayn clenched her hands together holding back the anger. "It's ridiculous to hear that. All this time if it wasn't for business, you might have dumped me. How can you not be ashamed to mention the right to my life. Have you reached your qualification? You need to know, I will never enter the world of your business. So, stop putting hope in me and don't touch my people. Just so you know, the people you consider unworthy are the ones who treat me like a human, not a puppet under the control of”, Rayn said.

"You haven't changed at all" the man said.

Mickey entered the room. “Stop your move” orders Rayn to Mickey who is trying to get close trying to calm his anger.

“It looks like you haven't seen him for a long time, you can keep him company before he returns to Canada” Rayn told Mickey.

"Maybe there are a lot of things you want to discuss with him, then I'll say goodbye" Rayn said, looking at the man and Mickey.

"Rayn, I'll take you back" Mickey said, but Rayn refused.

"Although I'm not sure you still consider myself a son or not. But, I think I have to keep saying it correctly” said Rayn positioning herself firmly.

“May you return to Canada with safe” continued Rayn said with a bow. “And take care of your health. Ayah” he continued and left Mickey and Lord Charles who is none other than his biological father.

This was the first time Rayn mentioned the word 'Dad' to her father. Rayn and her father's relationship has been fractured since her mother's death. The relationship gets worse when her father decides to stop his Phobi treatment and secludes him.

Rayn walked out. Mr. Alex asks his guards to take another step back, opening the way for Rayn. Mr. Alex prepared to take Rayn back, but he was also rejected by Rayn. "Stop following me if you still love your life" Rayn declined.

Mr. Charles asked Mickey to stay. Then he ordered Mr. Alex to obey Ryan and simply sent someone to make sure he returned safely.

"Huh, look how he looked at his father" upset Rayn's father spoke to Mickey by sitting back at his desk.

Rayn who had been trying to stay strong began to feel weak when she entered the elevator. His legs became limp and was no longer able to support his body. He tried his hardest to walk out of the elevator.

Rayn becomes increasingly helpless as her hobby pushes her memory back to recall the dark incident. “Mother... mother...Mister, help my mother master, help my mother....“ the sound of crying and the cry of little Rayn calling her mother who was trapped in a car accident and asking for help has shaken her mind and hearing. Rayn tried to hold back the memory that tormented her by covering both ears and squeezing her head.

Following another memory that also appeared messed with his mind. A memory of the father's conversation with a family doctor. “Do not continue the treatment. I've decided to send him back to our home country." The father's orders to the doctor, which are recorded in Rayn's memory, now appear.

Those pieces of memory came back to haunt and stifle him. Rayn's face grew pale, cold sweat began to pour through his forehead, He was able to continue his footsteps.

.

.

***

At the Cafe, Lucia was already preparing to start her work. His phone kept ringing with incoming calls from Rayn. Lucia, who was still upset with Rayn, ignored her call and continued to wear an apron. The endless phone calls started to annoy him. He realized his responsibility of working with Rayn. He finally answered the call though in a lazy tone.

“Why did you contact me repeatedly? It's like a mere tagger” Lucia replied in a phone call with Rayn.

In a phone call, Rayn simply mentioned his name with a tone of limp and irregular breathing. Lucia became anxious and panicked. He immediately asked Rayn to tell his position and rushed to pick him up. Lucia panicked when she realized she was not carrying a car. The Cafe Momo is currently being carried by other staff.

Kelvin approached Lucia asking what had happened after seeing the panic on Lucia's face. Lucia immediately asked for permission and borrowed Kelvin's car. Kelvin volunteered to drive him, as he was anxious to let Lucia drive alone in a panic.

Lucia rejects Kelvin's offer, not wanting to make it bad because she goes to see Rayn. Although he has no relationship with Rayn, he thinks of Kelvin's feelings.

Kelvin would not allow Lucia to leave if she rejected his offer. Although Kelvin himself still did not know where Lucia would go, he would still accompany her.

Eventually Lucia left with Kelvin. Lucia just asked Kelvin to drive her to the hotel lobby, so she would take care of it herself.

Arriving at the hotel, Lucia got down and rushed to enter the hotel. Realizing that they are currently in a hotel, Kelvin is increasingly worried about Lucia. He was worried that something urgent would pose a threat to Lucia. Kelvin decided not to leave Lucia.

“Rayn's... Rayn... what happened?” call Lucia over to Rayn who just closed her eyes leaning helplessly against the corner of the hallway towards the lobby on the Presidential Suite floor.

Noticing the arrival of Lucia, Rayn immediately embraced him. He wrapped his hands around the waist of Lucia who was standing in front of him.

Kelvin, who follows Lucia out of anxiety, makes her see Lucia with Rayn. He takes a step closer to the two to end the scene that makes him angry about Rayn's attitude that suddenly embraces Lucia. He felt his heart crumpled with anger.

Kelvin takes a step, but suddenly he stops him after seeing Lucia slowly grabbing onto Rayn's shoulder. Rayn hugged him tighter by leaning her head right into Lucia's stomach. Lucia slowly rubbed Rayn's back repeatedly to calm her down.

.

***To Be Continued***