The Numbers That Brought Our Fates Together Chapter 181: Who Are You?

The elevator silently climbed to the top floor and just as silently opened its doors. A penthouse in one of the most expensive skyscrapers of the city, panoramic windows, a huge veranda with a pool and a mini-garden, spacious and bright bedrooms and a living room – this apartment really was a worthy investment that would please its owner for many years.

It was not surprising that there were so many who wanted to buy this property, but something stopped Corey from making this decision. At least before this moment. But not now.

The girl held an electronic key through the door lock and went inside. She came here on average once a month or once a month and a half, but if a buyer was supposed to come tomorrow morning, she needed to check if everything was in order here.

Silence met her at the doorstep, the joyful moments that she had once experienced in this place remained in the past. Rick was her first man, first love, but this could not continue anymore, she had to move forward.

The light in the corridor turned on automatically, the girl took off her shoes and went into the living room. Since no one lived in the apartment and the windows were tightly closed, there was no dust in the house and the snow-white sofa in the middle of the room was like it was brand new.

Corey opened the windows to let in fresh air into the room and picked up the phone. "El, hi! Am I not disturbing you?" she dialed her best friend's number.

"Darling, you know me, if I'm really busy, I just won't pick up the phone," Elena answered.

"Are you still in the office?" Corey glanced at her watch; it was half-past six.

"Yes, still here. David has a business meeting in one of the conference rooms, so he is still busy. Moreover, Carter should come from any minute, so I can't go anywhere anyway," Elena sighed.

"Ew, does this moron still have the conscience to appear before you? Ugh, he annoyed me from the first moment I saw him," Corey said, full of indignation. When she found out how this man behaved during the fire, he began to seem really disgusting to her.

"Yes, you remember that Harry scheduled his appointment with me today, so I just have to tolerate this man a little more and we will no longer cross. I just don't want him to spread bad things, the incident with the gallery wasn't pleasant anyway," Elena commented, "By the way, did you take your phone from that fireman?"

"Damn it, I completely forgot!" Cory shouted, yesterday was so chaotic and unpredictable that she didn't even remember that today that person promised to meet her and get her phone back.

"Oh, I see someone had a stormy night," Elena teased her, "And how was it?"

Corey rolled her eyes. "Don't even think that I will tell you the details! This is too embarrassing! But-"

"But what?" Her friend's voice was still provocative.

"God, that was top-notch," Corey added and blushed with embarrassment.

"Mmmm. That's it, today, at 10 P.M. At my place. You'll tell me all the details!" Elena laughed and hung up.

"Here you go, you, little eager beaver," Corey giggled, they had not chatted with Elena on sensitive issues for a long time, it would be nice to recall the old days.

The girl threw her head back on the sofa, on the side something blinked, taking her by surprise.

"What the hell?" She looked toward the bedroom, the lights in the rooms were set to turn on automatically, and when someone went inside, the lights went on by themselves. "Did it just seem to me or what?"

Corey got up on the couch and headed for the bedroom, but when she went inside, the light did not come on. She waved her hand, thinking that maybe the motion sensor did not notice her, but this had no effect. Groping a switch on the wall, she snapped it several times, it was dark in the room.

"Damn, this was still not enough," the girl sighed and thought that most likely the lamp had burned out, but why? It was practically never used, right?

Corey walked forward to the window and opened the curtains, panoramic windows on the floor opened up a stunning view of the night city, a bright moon was shining in the sky. This view from the window always captivated her, it was one of the features that she loved here. In fact, she really liked this apartment, and if not for her relationship with Rick, she would never have sold it.

"Oh, I almost forgot again," the girl opened the call list and dialed her phone number. The evening had come long ago, and that person never contacted her to return her phone back.

But as soon as she heard the beeps, a cold shiver ran through her body.

The girl lowered the phone, her body went numb in place, the buzz continued on the display, and behind her was … vibration. The one that she heard yesterday in the cafe, the one that happens on silent phone mode.

She canceled the call, and the sound behind her stopped immediately. The girl closed her eyes and swallowed a lump, approaching her throat.

Slowly turning her body, she prayed to all the gods that this sound was her hallucination, but when she stood with her back to the window, all her hopes collapsed like a house of cards.

In the back of the room, in the darkest corner where the light did not fall, stood a man.

In the head of the girl, all possible scenarios began to sweep through. Thief, killer, stalker? Any option was unacceptable to her.

The man did not move and was standing still silently.

Corey looked around, 'Damn!' There was nothing in the room that she could grab for her defense. If she only managed to run to the door, but even this did not guarantee success for salvation. She did not know what to expect from this unknown man.

She had only one thing clear, the feeling that she had been followed for the past three days was not her imagination. That was true. It was this man.

The girl took a step towards the door and immediately jumped back with a cry, dropping the phone. The door slammed shut by itself and the room plunged into total darkness. Only moonlight, breaking through the glass, illuminated just a part of the room, hiding the silhouette of a man in the shade.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Corey asked in a shaky voice, she pressed her back against the window, her legs riveted to the floor. She was afraid even to take a breath.

"You," a low male voice sounded in silence like thunder from a clear sky, "Who are you?"

He took a step forward and slowly headed toward the girl.

"You, from the first moment I saw you, I can't get your image out of my head."

The girl felt her heart slowing her beat. Lord, that voice…

"Every time he touches you, I want to tear you out of his arms."

This height, this body… With each step, as he was approaching the light, the image of the man was becoming more and more distinct.

"I can't breathe, feelings that I have not experienced before, deprive me of the ability to think sensibly."

No, it can not be. This is impossible… The man removed the hood from his head and took the last step.

"So tell me who you are?"

Corey put her hands to her mouth to hold back her scream. Tears streamed down her cheeks, the world around her turned into a silent void.

The man was standing, lit by moonlight, his face filled with pain and confusion. He took a phone from his pocket, turned it on and showed the girl a picture of Ashley with a photo frame in her hand, "Why does the man in this photo look like me? Who is he? Who is that girl?"

His voice sounded monotonous as if he were talking about another person.

"Rick … you're alive," Corey said, in a trembling voice. She did not believe in the reality of what was happening, but his next question plunged her into even greater shock.

"Who is Rick?" the man asked with complete seriousness in his voice.

The girl dropped her hands and looked at him in bewilderment, she would not have confused him with anyone else, it was definitely Rick Stein.

"You. And the girl is your daughter," she replied, not understanding herself how, until now, she had not lost consciousness when she saw a man who should not even be supposed to be alive.

"Me!? My daughter!?" The man asked as if her answer was from the realm of fantasy.

Corey reached out and touched his chest, the man winced at her unexpected touch. "Oh Lord, it's really you. You are alive… All this time you were-" She did not have time to finish the phrase, as the man's palm touched her cheek.

Rick looked into her eyes, trying to find the answers to his questions in them. Why did this woman have such an influence on him? If that girl really was his daughter, then this woman…

He ran a thumb over her lower lip. Soft as he has thought. Every time that man touched her, Rick wanted to be in his place. He wanted to feel what it was like, to feel her touch, her hug, the tenderness of her lips.

New emotions, previously unknown, began to take hold of his body. The man's eyes grew darker, and before Corey could understand what had happened, his lips touched her mouth.

'Bliss. That is probably how bliss should be felt,' Rick thought and began to kiss the girl with even greater fervor. His mind was completely disconnected and desires, accumulating in a man for a long time, took possession of his body.

Seconds later, Corey regained consciousness. Realizing what was happening, the girl tried to push the man away from her, but everything was in vain. He was too strong and unwavering for her fragile body.

Rick pressed her body to the window with his body and completely ignored all her attempts to free herself. The girl's strength gradually dwindled, and some time later she stopped resisting, and replied to his kiss.

Their lips began to move in the same rhythm with each other, these feelings completely absorbed both of them.

A man never felt any desire for other women, he had no desire at all, and only this girl aroused such feelings in him. Touching her was so natural as if it was not the first time. It was as if his body itself knew what to do and knew itself what she loved.

He wrapped his arms around her and pressed her to him, a sensation of déjà vu arose in the man's head, hundreds of electrical impulses pierced his body, as if she were his lost source of energy.

His movements were filled with more and more passion, he wanted her more and more every second, every time he touched her brought him back to life from the depths of nothingness.

In the blink of an eye, he carried them both to the bed, his hands caressed the girl's body, his lips never parted from her lips. Feeling her under him was as natural for him as breathing. Even the smell in this room seemed familiar to him.

Saturated with her lips, the man began to kiss her neck with fervor. The aroma of her perfumes began to drive him crazy, it was not enough. He wanted her all.

Corey let out a loud moan as his teeth dug into her delicate skin, leaving a scarlet mark. She arched her back and ran her fingers through his hair.

"Mmm, Co…rey," the man groaned next to her ear, not understanding himself what he was saying. He covered her mouth with his lips, his hands penetrating smoothly under her clothes.

Beep, beep.

The phone on the floor vibrated from the incoming call.

The couple froze in place, their eyes met and only then did they return to reality. The confusion on the girl's face began to gradually give way to horror. Rick bounced off her against the wall, shocked. They were looking at each other, taken aback completely.

The man grabbed his head and shouted as if pain had pierced him, after which he looked at the girl and disappeared into the air.

Corey sat for several minutes and looked into nothing, the realization of what was happening gradually began to reach her brain. The girl's body shook, she backed away until she rested against the head of the bed.

Like a frightened child, she grabbed a blanket and began to pull it over herself until it covered her body with her head. The phone on the floor continued to vibrate, leaving another call unanswered.

Corey pulled her knees to her chest and burst into tears.