After Midnight

chapter twenty-nine.

authors note-
Hi friends :) This is a double update, so make sure you're reading chapter 28 first! Enjoy <3

29 - SCARLETT

This whole situation with Zayn's father had me on edge, but it's been almost a month since the wedding and nothing.

We haven't heard anything from him since, and I haven't seen him anywhere, either.

That's the thing, though. I put the pieces together and realized that he's been following me.

How many times did I see him and didn't realize it was him? And why is he following me? Why not his sons? How does he even know who I am?

I just have so many questions and no solid answers. Even Zayn can't seem to figure out why I'm the one he's "targeting" of all people.

Is he trying to fuck with Zayn? It just doesn't make sense to me.

Maybe it wasn't even his father, and we simply jumped to conclusions. That makes me feel even sicker, though, because that means I have some crazy stalker.

All I know is Zayn isn't taking this very well. He practically begged me to send him my location through Find My Friends, so he knows if I get "carted away to Canada."

Zayn tried to get a hold of his father, but he couldn't find him. He can't even get the name of his father's parole officer—something about confidentiality and his father not wanting his sons to know anything about his release.

Needless to say, Zayn's pissed.

He doesn't have time to be pissed, not with his new job. He's been swamped, working hard to ensure his name as an official attorney isn't tarnished with bad case outcomes.

I'm so proud of him. He works so hard, and he cares so much. He deserves every ounce of success possible. The thought of his father taking that away from him with distractions and taunting really pisses me off.

I know I should be scared, paranoid even, but all I can think about is how angry it makes me that his father has the audacity to fuck with Zayn's life more than he already has.

My phone buzzes on my desk, distracting me from my work.

Zayn
You get to work safely?

My heart flutters. I smile to myself, trying not to alert my nosy coworkers to my joy.

Scarlett
Yes. How's your case going?

I turn back to my computer, trying to focus on the manuscripts I'm supposed to be editing.

Zayn doesn't let me focus for long. My phone dings three more times.

Zayn
Slowly.
I wish you were here.
Dinner? Tonight.

Scarlett
Sure. Seven?

Zayn
I'll pick you up. Stay the night?

Scarlett
Sounds good :)

The rest of the day, I'm basically itching to get out of here. I do love my job, so I'm not complaining, but I want to be relaxing with Z.

By the time I finish reading my final manuscript, it's nearly five PM. I have to report to Natalie before I can go home.

I knock on her office door, waiting for her usual "come in" before pulling the door open.

"Hey! Did you finish up?" She asks, smiling brightly as she removes her feet from her desk.

I nod, sitting in the chair in front of her desk. "Yep! We have a lot of promising work coming in, but this was my favorite."