Dr. Nicca James Alfarone

It had been two months. Two months ever since I met Steve and we entered a relationship. Two months of happiness and it was the best thing I had ever experienced since my high school days.

"You like Steve that much, eh?" Jose raised an eyebrow at me. "You're such a bloody wanker." He teased and I scowled at his mocking tone. "Why though?" He asked and I sighed like I was in heaven. "Oi oi, come on now." He snapped his fingers at me. "I don't know. He's like the best guy I've ever met and he makes me really happy and I love being around him. I dunno, I could see myself being with him for the long haul." I said and Jose folded his arms, a sign he wasn't believing in me or my words.

"Be careful with that though, throwing the word love around like that. Don't get too ahead of yourself and start thinking you have everything you could have ever wanted in Steve because then, you'll wind up heartbroken and alone." He warned, glaring at me. "I know you want happiness but be weary of certain things, Nicca. Not everything is what it seems." He rolled his eyes. "I know." I whispered, pouting just a bit. "That's just how much I like him." I beamed and Jose snorted.

"Yeah, okay. Are you sure you aren't with him because he's some world renowned millionaire?" Jose clicked his teeth and I sent a glare his way. "Yeah, no I'm not. It's good that he has money of his own. Shows that he's successful in life as he appears to be." I stated and Jose shrugged. "Well, looks like you've landed yourself a rich boy, son. I always taught you well." He smirked and I flipped my middle finger at him. "Fuck off." I deadpanned and he let out a hearty laugh. "He's someone good." I defended Steve's honor and Jose shrugged once again. "If you say so, mate." He walked over to the desk and sat down in the chair. "If he's rich like you say he is and he has money to throw everywhere like supposedly, then I should be able to find him online. Don't you think?" He asked and I nodded in agreement. 

"You should try it." I motioned for him to log on to my computer. Steve never did say that I couldn't find him on the internet. "You're so eager, idiot." Jose rolled his eyes and I flicked him on the back of his head. "Get to work." I said and he typed in my password, logging in. He clicked on the google icon at the bottom of the task bar. "You say he has everything at his fingertips so we should be able to read about him and his 'successful' life." Jose typed in 'Steve Bardlow, millionaire' in the search bar and clicked search. 

"Let's see what we find here." He furrowed his eyebrows at the things that popped up on the screen. "Steve Barlow, the author of Skull Island." He huffed. "So, I'm going to take a guess and say that's not him." He scrolled down the screen a bit further. "Skull Island, Skull Island, 7 habits of a self made millionaire by Dr. Steve Barlow." He muttered to himself and I narrowed my eyes in confusion. "So none of these seem to be him." He concluded and I tapped on the screen to take me to the images.

There were several pictures of a gay couple with their children as well as a couple of pictures of the book, Skull Island. "None of these idiots look like Steve, the one we know of." Jose folded his arms, clicking his teeth. "If you're as rich as he is, then surely, you would be on a website or something like that. What is his job, Nicca?" Jose turned to me, a peculiar expression taking over his usual exuberant demeanor. "Oh, he's a CEO of his own company thus why he's a millionaire." I finished, staring at him in confusion and he nodded. "Let's try that then." I ignored the mocking tone in his voice and watched him type 'Steve Bardlow CEO' into the search bar. 

I ignored the rising feeling of angst piling up in my stomach as nothing came up on the screen that gave me indication of Steve. "There is not a single bloody thing about this asshole." Jose concluded once again. "You can type as many things as you want as many times as you possibly can about Steve, but there wouldn't be one thing about him." Jose peered into my face as I stared at the screen. "Are you aware just how mental this seems? Are you truly understanding what this means, Nic?" He retorted. "I'm just saying, be careful of who you trust. It's just a little suspicious on how he claims that he's richer than a mofo but you can't find a single bloody thing on this website about him." He finished and I sighed, knowing full well that Jose was right even if I didn't want to admit it.

"I don't know what to say. He just doesn't seem like the type of person to lie to me." I said in all truth and Jose muttered something under his breath, something I couldn't hear. "Sometimes, the person you think has your best interest at heart, turns out to be the one who ends up breaking the trust they have with you." Jose explained. "I'm not saying Steve seems like that type of person but you can never be too sure about the people you talk to. Lies are lies, Nicca. Just be aware and be able to tell the difference between a lie and the cold truth." Jose folded his arms, blowing out some air.

I nodded in understanding. "I hear you." I wouldn't think that Steve would have the motive to lie to me about anything when all I have done was be truthful to and with him. I hadn't given him a reason to want to lie to me about something so simple as what he did for a living. I don't know, I guess he has his secrets and everyone is entitled to them.

"I think you should ask him about it. Who knows?" Jose ran a hand through his hair, letting out a cough. "Maybe he just doesn't have his information on the web for security purposes. I know most celebrities and most successful people have that privilege and that right to hide their personal lives from people and the media. I don't see why he wouldn't do that." He offered and I nodded. "But the only time someone would seriously do that is if they had something to hide." He put a hand on his chin in a thinking position and I narrowed my eyes at him.

"Stop looking for the bad things in every situation!" I snapped, whacking him in the arm and I watched as he clutched his arm in pain. "Okay! Sorry, bitch." He glared at me like he wanted to kill me. I stuck my tongue out at him, walking away from him to go sit on the bed. "So what does this mean?" I asked as I flopped down on the bed, letting out a breath. "Maybe he's a serial killer pretending to be a celebrity." Jose said in all seriousness from across the room and I threw a pillow at him. "You're not helping!" I screeched as he cackled, catching the pillow in his grasp. 

"Ugh, fine. If you're so worried about this, I will have to bring in reinforcements." Jose said in a disgusted voice before pulling out his phone. "Reinforcements?" I asked, scrunching my face into one of confusion. "What reinforcements do you even have?" I snorted and he sighed. "It's not like I want him to be my go to when we are in potential danger." He tapped the screen, dialing a number before putting it on speaker so he and I could hear.

"Hello love." A deep, dark voice came into the call. "Bitch, I need you to do me a favor." I raised an eyebrow as Jose turned red, clenching his fists. "Oh yeah, what is it?" The person on the call asked. "And what do I get in return?" Their voice took on a low timbre and I fought the urge to laugh at Jose's angry expression. "Save that for later, Kaiden. I need you to find out information about someone." He rolled his eyes.

"Who is Kaiden?" I mouthed to him and he put up his index finger, telling me to wait. "Who is it?" Kaiden asked. "His name is Steve Bardlow." Jose announced and I heard a guttural noise on the other side of the call. "Is he trying to hurt you?" Kaiden seemed panicked, like he was about to jump through the phone to see what was going on. "No, it's not for me. It's for my best friend." Jose let out a breath of agitation. "Anyway, thank you Kaiden. I'll call you later." Jose hung up before he could say anything.

"Who's Kaiden?" I asked and he rubbed the sides of his head. "The bane of my existence." He growled, tossing his phone on the desk behind me. "The most annoying person I have ever had the pleasure of meeting." He shook his head, standing up. "He should be able to give me that information sometime soon so I'll tell you once I find out, mate." He confirmed and I rolled my eyes. "Come sit next to me and talk to me." I patted the spot next to me on the bed and he flopped down so graciously like he was some queen.

"My best friend wants to spend time with me." He grinned and I smacked him on the back. "Shut up." I snorted, about to lay my head on his back when all of a sudden, the doorbell rang. "You expecting anyone, mate?" Jose peered down at me and I shook my head. "No. You're only supposed to be here." It was true, my father was at home and my mother was in Arondale. Steve was on a business trip so it left Jose, who was here with me.

"Let's go see who it is." He hopped off the bed, walking out of the room with me on his trail. "That's weird." He said after it took us about 45 seconds to reach the bottom of the stairs. "It's natural for humans to ring the doorbell every 15 seconds. This person must have some patience." He chuckled, walking over the door and pulling it open.

I stood behind him, unable to see due to his obnoxious height so I sat and waited for his voice.

"There's nothing here." Jose announced. "Is some asshole playing ding dong ditch? Oh, fuck off. We aren't in secondary school anymore." He rolled his eyes, scoffing at the immaturity of some people. "You would think people would be more intelligent and have some class but they're fucking idioti!" He came back inside, hand on his hip, about to close the door. "Wait Jose!" I halted his actions. "What is that on the ground?" I pointed to something white stuck under the mat. "The hell?" He muttered, snatching it from under the mat.

"It's for you." He said with his brow raised in curiosity as he handed me the small card which resembled my business card and had 'Dr. Nicca J. Alfarone, M.D' engraved with my information on how to contact me on the front. "There's something on the back." Jose murmured and I flipped it over, shock taking over me as my throat began to lock up, my fists feeling clammy and shaky, my breath stuck in my throat.

My eyes widened as I stared at the note in confusion, my hands starting to shake with how afraid I seemed to be. "Where did this come from?" I muttered, looking around but I saw no signs of people who could do this. "What did this mean?" I flipped the note back and forth, but I got nothing. My blood ran cold as I realized it was directed at me.

3 days, doc.