Besotted

Caleb Pov

"Okay, now tell me what you have got. It better be good. I have already paid you a lot and I need up to date information," I slammed the papers on the desk as I sat on my swivel chair, facing Nathan, my childhood friend who worked for a private detective organization. "Relax! You sound like you paid me for free. Dude! I did give you information!" he chuckled whilst I rolled my eyes and watched him taking his laptop out from his sling leather bag.

"Those were of no use," I remarked and this time he was the one who rolled his eyes and shook his head, muttering something under his breath as he focused on his laptop.

"Well, that's because I clearly told give me some time until I get all the information but you insisted on tagging along in my investigation. But don't worry, today I have the information," he smirked as he typed something on his laptop and turned it towards me. His black eyes twinkling with happiness as he raised his eyebrows at me waiting for me to look on what he had got.

"Giselle Lewis or should I say, Miss Melanie Hill, aged; forty-eight, height; 170cm, eyes; green, hair; red, has been living under a fake name for a long time now. Probably, for fifteen years. And guess what!" he said as I looked at the picture of the lady who tried to kill Sang and tried to get every information.

"She took the identity of a woman who is already dead," he coughed and I looked up at him.

"Or probably she was the one who killed the real Melanie Hill who was orphan and had and lived alone but was a drug addict. They look somewhat similar and probably Giselle was the one who killed her and took her identity. Though Melanie was mysteriously abducted, nobody ever found about her but I," he laughed humorously as I squinted my eyes at him. "I found her. She was actually killed and buried near her own house."

"Don't tell me, you went through all the graves and even did a forensic test to check it!" I said and he gave me a cheeky smile.

"It was easy to check since before she started her drug intakes, she had actually transplanted her kidney to her boyfriend. I got her medical reports and I did not had to go through all the graves but the only grave near her house. And Voila!"

A sigh escaped my mouth as I looked at Giselle's picture.

This woman was dangerous and insane. She had killed so many people and yet she was roaming outside freely, betraying people near her and pulling the wool over people's eyes. Moreover, she tried to kill my Sang and there was no way I would ever let her lay a finger on my Sang ever again. Before she reaches her, I will be the one to destroy her.

"Did you find her location?"

"Not yet! I traced her down using the phone number in which she contacted the hitman's but then she keeps on changing her location. She is way too smart but not than me. Now, her location shows somewhere in New Guinea but it is definitely a faux one. I will trace her down," he told me and I nodded clasping my hand looking at the picture of her. It was her recent picture where she was wearing a red jacket and was standing near a shop, probably to buy something. But it was just a CCTV footage.

"And from where is this picture taken?" I asked as he looked up at me.

"I was so near her. If I had been there two days ago then I would have caught her. I went through the areas CCTV and this was just near the real Melanie's house."

"Alright. Bring me more information as fast as you can. Nathan, we can't let this woman roam free. She killed so many people and now she is after my girlfriend. I don't understand why all of a sudden she attacked my girlfriend but the last time my girlfriend ended up on her death bed and I would be damned if I let this witch hurt my girlfriend again. Do whatever you want to do. Don't worry about money. But just find me this woman!" I told him and nodded taking the laptop back as he put it inside his bag and got up.

"I will be off now. And next time, I won't come to your office. I can't openly pay visits to you man! Understand!" he said and I nodded as he picked his bag and left. I looked down at the small watch on my wrist which read six in the evening. I wondered what was Sang doing. Recently, I had bee really busy and we rarely chatted, but she was always in my mind. I focussed on finishing my works so that, I could go back to Paris to visit her. And in the meantime, I left no stones unturned to search Giselle. I am not really astonished to find that she took some other identity to hide.

Criminals like her, do this thing and I was desperate to get my hands on her. Sang looked devasted when she recovered her memories that she had always thought of like dreams. I couldn't bear to see that face again. That, sad, devasted and defeated face of Sang.

And recently my mom came to stay with me and she has been nagging me to know more about my girlfriend. She read those news on the internet and got the wrong idea that Hailey and I are together. Even though it took me some time but I succeeded in letting her know that Hailey has nothing to do in my life. I told her that I do have a woman in my life and that is Sangavi who is studying in Paris.

She was delighted and since then has been nagging me a lot wanting to get her address so that she could pay her a visit and I knew Sang was already surrounded with so many problems and I didn't wish to add more to her plate. Let the things settle down first and let her complete her study and then we could take the next step.

My only goal right now is to capture Giselle. She has gained my priority at the moment. My jaws clenched as I got up and walked to the couch in my cabin and plopped down feeling a sudden headache. I have been thinking a lot. I reached for my phone on the table and checked for any message or calls from Sang.

My phone was filled up with notifications but there was none from Sang.

Perhaps she has been busy.

I checked the time and called her number wanting to hear her voice. Even if she told me that she was busy and was in her class I was happy to at least hear her voice.

It rung for two times and then she picked up.

"Caleb," her voice was unusually down and breathy.

"What's wrong?" I was already at the edge of the couch worried wanting to know what was going on with her.

"Nothing. I am just not feeling well," she told me.

"What? Did you see a doctor? What's wrong with you?"

"Relax! I am alright. Its just because of the weather, I guess," she spoke with her hoarse voice and I got a feeling that she was lying.

"Sang, are you hiding something from me? Let me video call you," I told her and was just about to hung up on her when she yelled o the phone.

"I am actually going out with my friends now," she said out of breath.

"Out? But did you just not tell me that you are sick? Are you like insane?" I questioned when she laughed.

"When I said sick, it doesn't mean I am seriously sick. I am alright. I wanted to go out for a walk and it was why I called my friends. I have to go now. Don't worry about me, I am fine," she chuckled as I loosened the tie still not buying her excuse. "Fine!"

"Then take care of yourself. Give me a call at night," I told her and even though I wanted to oppose her idea of going out still went against it because I didn't wish her to fight with me for something so small. She would find me overprotective and someday she would even stop telling me if she really becomes sick.

"Alright. Bye," she told me and hung up as I looked at my screen. The call got disconnected and the black screen got replaced by the wallpaper of my phone. It was a picture of both Sang and me together before the Eiffel tower. A smile spread on my face as I shoved my phone back inside my pocket and got up to complete my leftover works before heading back home.

-

I stood right before my door, pressing the doorbell when the door opened and it revealed my goofy mother who smirked at me as I raised my eyebrows at her before getting inside.

"What's up with you?" I asked as I kept my things on the couch and untie my tie looking at her direction.

"Nothing, I cooked dinner for you today," she chirped clasping her hands as she made her way to my kitchen.

"What? What do you want?" I asked astonished by the fact that she cooked.

My mother was not from the type who cooked for their families. She hired a cook and my whole childhood I had always eaten food by the cook in our house. Even if she was free, she would never cook until and unless she wanted something from both me and my father, she would prepare delicious supper.

"Why do you think I would want something from you? I have everything," she said but in the end, she muttered something which was quite not audible to me. I squinted my eyes at her and made my way to her.

"What? Did you say something? I couldn't hear it!" I said and she shook her head as she walked to the kitchen counter while I stood there eyeing her cautiously as I made my way to the refrigerator and got myself a bottle of chill water.

"Your father loved whenever I cooked. You should be happy that I cooked for now but no! Look at you! Questioning your own mother," she huffed at the end while I chuckled at her.

"We both know what you want," I remarked as she grew stiff and stifling a laugh I walked back to the couch, picked my things and went into my bedroom wanting to freshen up.

I kept my things down and saw her following me into my room.

"What do you want?" I huffed at her and all she did was give me a cheeky smile.

"I found your girl's address," she squealed with excitement as I looked at her in horror.

"What? How?" I asked as I kept my hands on my waist and looked her way, totally surprised.

"Remember this! I am your mother. I have my ways," she smirked as she went out of my room flipping her hair while I stood their gobsmacked thinking how in the world did she even get where Sang is.

-

"Tell me," I asked as she wore her oven gloves and made her way to the oven, pulling out the dish and came back as she kept the dish down before me. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she pursed her lips as she looked down at her dish.

"Did I just overcook it?" she mumbled and I looked down at the sautéed chicken. I picked up my fork and took one bite.

As I had imagined. Delicious!

The chicken melted in my mouth as I enjoyed and chewed down the heavenly food and looked up at her smiling.

"Amazing," I remarked and she smiled sitting before me taking a plate to herself.

"Why in the world is Jenny? How can you give her such a long holiday? I will find you a new maid," she scowled as I choked on my food and immediately gulped down the water, whizzing looking anywhere but her.

I did give Jenny a long holiday for her to recover from the bullet shots she got when she was with Sang. If anything she the most faithful maid I ever had and she had even begged me not to give her duty to anyone else or else she would always be unemployed and would fail to look after her daughter's education.

I didn't let mom find anything that has been going on with me. She would freak out if she knew my girlfriend has been kidnapped, shot and was nearly dead while my maid was injured in bullet shots too. If anything, I wanted my mother to stay away from Sang until and unless the case is resolved or I don't even know how she would react.

"Relax! She has been working for us, for such a long time. She deserves her vacation and moreover there is no need for you to find me a maid because Jenny will be back soon. And I am habituated to her food," I told her and she sighed nodding and we continued having our dinner until her phone rang and she excused herself from the room. I looked in her direction and it was when my phone started ringing.

It was Sang.

I picked it up immediately looking back at where my mother just went not wanting her to hear my conversation. "Hello?" I whispered.

"Hi? What's up with you?" she asked probably judging me for whispering.

"Oh, its nothing!"

"Really?"

"Yeah! Yeah. So how are you now?" I asked recalling the time in the evening when she told me she felt sick.

"I am feeling good now. I wanted to ask-"

"Why are you whispering? Who is it? Is it yo-" my annoying mother came out of nowhere and succeeded in snatching the phone away from me as she looked at the caller ID. Her eyes grew wide perhaps looking at Sang's picture and they twinkled with mirth as I tried to snatch the phone away when she walked out of my reach and talked on the phone.

"Hello? What is your relation with Caleb?" she smirked as my eyes widened and I walked up to her gritting my teeth and snatched the phone from her.

"I will call you back," I told Sang in the phone and hung up on her as I narrowed my eyes on my mother who stood there as if she had just won a trophy, victorious.

"Just what the hell?"

-

"What?"

"You can't just snatch my phone and talk to anyone like that!"

"Why not?" she narrowed her eyes at me this time as I looked at my phone which switched off because of less battery. I knew I would have to explain Sang a lot of things but with my mother behaving childishly, I was worried how Sang would react when I tell her everything. She was surely still not ready for our relationship to go public and surely not ready to start a family with me.

And now when she also studying, even if I propose her again, I might burden her with our relationship and her studies.

"Is she the one?" I heard my mother and looked down at her as I shoved my phone into my pant pockets.

"She is beautiful," she smiled and I couldn't help smile as I nodded.

"I know," I told her and walked back to have my dinner as she followed me and finally we had our dinner with peace.

"Just tell me the date and I will not pressurize you anymore," as I was getting ready for my office, my mother nagged me early in the morning wanting to meet Sang. Last night, I should have known that this topic is not going to end this soon but I had never realized that so early in the morning while I get ready she would be after me nagging and irritating me.

"What!"

"What is your problem? You have a girlfriend and what's wrong with introducing her to me? It's not like I will eat her or something. I just want to meet her that's it!" she argued as I picked up my tie and growled at her.

"Mom! Look I will be truthful to you. We are taking things slowly. She is studying in Paris and right now she wants to concentrate on her studies. We are not that at that moment yet where we are ready to meet each other's family. I will personally take you to meet her when agree to meet each other's family. If you keep on insisting to meet then you would definitely scare her away," I said and heard her huff.

"It's just a meeting. I don't understand why are you making a fuss over it. And what's wrong in meeting each other's family? Okay! I get it she is studying but she can still continue to study even if you two get married right?" she shot and I sighed throwing the tie on my bed. I knew it!

"Look, mom! Things are a little bit

complicate between us at the moment so please don't make me do which I don't want to. You want to meet her, I will take you to meet her but you will have to promise me that until then don't persuade me or her for marriage or any other thing. It's been only two months since we got in a relationship and we are taking it slow. So please?" I asked and she nodded crossing her arms over her chest.

"Fine. Just give me a date when you are taking me to meet her and I won't disturb you!"

"Let me talk to her first and I will give you a date alright?" I asked frustrated for being asked so many questions early in the morning. She looked unsatisfied but nevertheless nodded as she turned to leave.

"I will be waiting," she said as she walked out and finally I exhaled a breath out that I didn't know I was holding looking at the door. Having a conversation with my mother is really a difficult task. I wonder how Sangavi is going to cope up with my mother.

I have to ask her if she is okay to meet my mother because I knew, if I keep on ignoring my mother's advances then she would take the flight on her own to meet Sang and that would be the last thing we would ever want.

I watched as Lee gave a presentation about the new change in the policy of the company when Stella interfered as she made her way to me and gave me my phone.

"Its a call from Mr. Nathan Lynn and he says it is urgent. I'm sorry but he wanted to talk to you only," she apologized for her interruption and I nodded as I got up taking the phone from her and excusing myself from the conference room as I walked back to my cabin to have a talk to him.

"Yes, what do you have for me?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Something big!" he told me and he seemed overwhelmed with excitement as he spoke: "Guess what?"

"What?" I asked as I waited patiently wanting to hear it out.

"Found her location," he laughed at the end and immediately I understood that he had finally managed to trace Giselle down. A smile formed on my face as I my fist curled up.

"And where is she?" I managed to ask too overwhelmed with my feelings.

"She is in Versailles, France"

As soon as he told me that the blood in my face drained as I thought of it carefully. "What?" I managed to ask too shocked.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Why?"

"If you are sure then that would be a big problem. My girlfriend is in Paris. It means she has finally gotten where my girlfriend is and she is after her," I said and heard him take a deep breath.

"Just what type of woman is she?" he cursed under his breath as I hung up on him and immediately contacted the police letting them know about it. They told me that they will be calling the Paris Police and send the picture of Giselle of being a criminal roaming free. But still, I wasn't satisfied as I paced around my cabin, too worried as I thought about Sang again and again. How did she know Sang is in Paris?

Just how did she know?

I raked my hand through my hair as I thought about it. My body tensed up thinking if she gets Sang then she will hurt her again. I am not even there to help her. What the hell am I going to do now?

My phone pinged and I picked it up to find a notification from my social media feed when it struck me as I searched for Sang's feed and opened her profile. Four days ago she had posted her picture with her friends under Eiffel Tower. She had many likes and comments from her social media friends and one from all those comments got my attention.

Who would've thought that you will be in Paris?

It was a man's account, he looked probably in his forty's and as I went through his account I found something weird and immediately without thinking, forwarded the account's details to Nathan. Within minutes, I got a reply from him which told me that its a fake account. My only conclusion was that account belonged to Giselle and she is the one who has been following Sang for a long period of time.

Shit!

Since Sang posted a picture, she got her location immediately. She will definitely try to harm Sang. My heart already starting to beat faster as I thought of it again and again. I pressed the button of my buzzer wanting my PA's presence and immediately after some seconds he was right before me waiting for my order.

"Quickly get me a ticket to Paris as fast as you can!" I told him and watched as he looked confused.

"Paris? Is there anything important? I have not been asked to schedule anything like that beforehand. And what about your upcoming meetings?" he questioned as I paced around my desk and looked back at him.

"Reschedule it! And go back to my house and get my things. I am going directly to the airport," I told him as I picked up my things and he nodded turning off and leaving when I stopped him.

"When you meet my mom, don't tell her that I am flying off to Paris. Tell her that I have an urgent meeting in Sans Fransisco and I won't be back for some days," he nodded and left as I picked up my phone and tried to call Sang.

Her phone rung for sometimes but then it went off. I was trying her phone multiple times as I packed up my things. But every time it rung for sometimes and went off. I even left a message letting her know to call back when she gets my call.

"Just what the hell are you doing?" I muttered annoyed and feeling a sense of panic growing in me thinking about the impossibilities as she didn't pick up the call.

"Pick it up!"

"Pick up the damn phone Sang!"

"Just be alright," I prayed as I picked up my things and walked out of my cabin but trying her phone my whole way. As I was passing the reception area, I saw a woman standing near the reception talking to the receptionist when my attention fell on her.

Her figure looked familiar and I found myself keeping the phone in the pocket as I furrowed my eyebrows and walked up to her. And as I got nearer, I heard her voice and stopped right behind her when she turned and smiled up at me.

"Oh, here you are!" she said her eyes twinkling up and reached forward but I took a step back as I looked down at her with an icy glare. She looked confused for a bit but then turned around and walked out of the place and felt her following me. I felt her following me with those clicking of her heels and heard her calling my name multiple times but I didn't stop as I pressed the elevator button angrily and it pinged open and I entered.

The door was just about to close when she put her foot to stop the door from closing and walked in as she looked up at me with those beautiful smile of hers.

"What's wrong?" she asked and I reached forward as I put my hand in her pocket and pulled her phone out shoving it back to her.

"Do you have any responsibility? Do you even know how many times I tried to call you? Did you even check your phone or were you trying to ignore me on purpose?" I couldn't help but snap at her as the smile on her face faded away and she furrowed her eyebrows looking up with me.

"What's with you? I wanted to give you a surprise. I came all the way to meet you and you are snapping at me?" she argued. Her face marred with hurt as moved to the corner of the elevator and stood straight looking towards the front. I looked at her for some seconds but the longer I looked at her, my anger subsided and finally, I sighed rubbing my face in aggravation.

"Sang," I begun but she cut me off as she huffed at me.

"If you are not happy with me being here then just tell me. I will take the next flight and go back to Paris,"

"It's not that-"

"Well, you don't really look happy. We are meeting after two months and how was I greeted?" she grew sarcastic and pressed the button to the next floor and as the elevator stopped on the floor, it pinged open and she took a step wanting to leave when I got hold of her hand and pulled her back pressing the door shut and she yanked her hand away from me.

"Go away!" she hissed and refused to look up at me. Holding her arms, I made her turn back to me as I pulled her into a tight hug. She resisted for some minutes but didn't hug back. I kissed her cheek and watched as she glared at me but her reactions only made me chuckle as I pulled her for a kiss and as our lips met she gave in to my touch and closed her eyes responding to my kiss.

I felt her encircling her arms on my torso and as we pulled back I kept my forehead on hers smiling down at her.

"I love your surprise," I whispered and this time she was the one who chuckled and I looked down at her. At that moment, I understood how badly I had missed her from the last two months. Surely, I didn't even get enough time to talk to her my heart out but she was always in my mind. I missed her hug, her smile and her being closed to me. Her warmth was everything to me.

"You look different," I spoke as I checked her out. She looked as if she had gained some weight. Her cheeks were chubby and I looked down to find her little thicker than before.

"What do you mean?" she asked as I got back checking her completely from head to toe.

"Did you gain some weight?" I couldn't help but ask and watched as her eyes grew big and immediately she gritted her teeth before raising her handbag on the air wanting to hit me.

"No! I mean you look cute. You look nice. Previously you were really skinny. It's nice! Cute!" all the positive words seemed to get out of my mouth on their own and she looked my way for some more minute before she backed away putting her handbag over her shoulder as she fixed her jacket and arched an eyebrow at me.

"Thank god that I am in a good mood today," she mumbled as she looked to her straight and I chuckled wrapping my hands on her pulling her closer as she resisted and looked up at me. My hands touched her belly and surely I felt she really did put on some weight just in two months. But nevertheless, I still loved her the way she was. Even more, than I had ever thought I would ever love anyone.

Nothing mattered to me any longer and the only thing I only wished and hoped for was her to be in my arms and me to protect her until the very end. She was the only love of my life and was precious to me and being next to her meant having everything that a man would

ever wish for.

She looked up at me and finally smiled as I pinched her cheeks and kissed her forehead feeling overwhelmed with excitement as I realized she was in my arms and I was actually meeting her after two months. It was only two months but it felt like an eternity since I last saw her and the fact that she was safe and sound in my arms brought relief to me.

I forgot about my PA as I quickly pulled my phone out and sent him a quick message telling him no to book the flight ticket.000