CHAPTER 58: WAITING FOR YOU

Naomi eagerly read Zero’s letter.

Dear Naomi,

What happened? You are not online yet. Did you lose your phone or maybe your parents took it away? Anyway, here is your new phone. Take care of it and always turn down the volume so that you don’t lose it too soon. I don’t know if a marriage certificate can help prevent your wedding to your boyfriend. But I hope it can help you. If you see the drone again, rest assured it’s me operating it. Come online quick, I have new photos and videos of baby Jacob. I hope you are OK. Chat with you soon!

Yours truly.

Zero

She quickly activated the fully charged phone and logged into the Windowless Lover chatroom and also sent a hello greeting to Alpha Maxwell.

She glanced at the door, moved towards it and locked it so that her family would not know about her new phone. She can’t lose this new phone, it is her only way to contact Alpha Maxwell and Zero. Done locking the door, she returned to the bed and waited for the two men to join her in a chat.

The first one who came on line was Zero.

Naomi: Hello Zero, thanks a million for the phone and the marriage certificate. I will show it to my father after we are done chatting later.

Zero: You’re welcome dear. It was nice chatting with you again. Where is Alpha Maxwell? Not online yet? Have you chatted with him or not yet?

Naomi: He’s not online yet. My father took my phone away so I don’t have a phone to contact you anymore. Good thing you sent me a new one. I appreciate it very much. Thank you so much Zero for the phone and the marriage certificate. I hope my father will honor it and no longer force me to marry Edison.

Zero: I hope too dear.

Naomi: By the way did you also send a copy of the marriage certificate to Alpha Maxwell?

Zero: Yes, of course. I already sent him a copy.

Naomi: He came here earlier wanting to see me but my father didn’t allow him to see me. So he just waited outside the gate of our house. Then his fiancee also arrived, demanding to talk to me. But when the guard told them that he would call the cops because they are noisy, they eventually left.

Zero: Oh, sorry to hear that...

Naomi: I cried when he finally left together with his fiancee.

Zero: Oh, that’s so sad, dear. Do you want to see the latest photos and videos of your son?

Naomi: Yes, upload them please! I’m excited to see my son. I miss him so much.

Zero: OK. Wait a minute. Um, I wanted to ask you this first. Are you still interested in returning to the facility to be with your son?

Naomi: Yes, as soon as possible. But if my father honors the marriage certificate, I will be reunited with Alpha Maxwell soon. No need to return to the facility. The management will give me back my son, right?

Zero: Yes of course. As long as you and Alpha Maxwell live under one roof as husband and wife, baby Jacob will be returned to you anytime.

Naomi: Okay, thanks.

Zero: Alrighty, here is the latest video and photos of baby Jacob. Enjoy. I’ll be offline for a few minutes to run some errands. I’ll chat with you later. Just leave a message for me if you want to tell me about something.

Naomi: OK. Thanks for the photos and videos. I appreciate it very much.

Zero: You’re welcome

Zero left the chat.

Naomi watched lovely photos of her son in different poses on the bed. Then there was a video of him smiling brightly while trying to reach the yellow rubber ducky mounted above his crib.

Tears of happiness and deep longing squeezed her heart painfully. If she could only teleport to the facility she has already arrived there at this very moment to see her son.

She repeatedly watched the videos and photos of her son, waiting for Alpha Maxwell to appear online. But she got tired of waiting and finally exited the chat.

She put the phone in the closet, hiding it, covering it with her old unused clothes. Done, she picked up the marriage certificate and left the room to show the documents to her father. She hoped he would honor it.

She was about to go to her father’s study room but she met her stepmother in the hallway, on her way to the staircase.

"Mom, where is my father?" she asked.

"He is out of the house reporting to his office. Why?" Luna Alicia asked.

"I want to give him this document, my marriage certificate to my husband Alpha Maxwell," Naomi said nervously, showing her the certificate.

Luna Alicia raised a brow and scrutinize the document. "Is this real or fake? How did you make it? I mean do you already have this document in your possession after the kidnappers set you free?"

"Yes," Naomi lied. Suddenly she felt nervous because she was not sure if the marriage certificate was real or fake. She forgot to ask Zero if it was real.

"Alright, let me check its legality. I will check online with the Marriage Record Bureau if your wedding to Alpha Maxwell is indeed legal. Wait for me on the sofa downstairs," Luna Alicia responded, heading back to her room to check the marriage certificate.

Naomi descended the stairs and sat on the sofa, nervously waiting for her stepmother.

A few minutes later, Luna Alicia came down the stairs and looked at Naomi, sighing heavily. "Dear, this document is a fake. I can’t find it in the Marriage Record Bureau database. Your name and Alpha Maxwell’s name are not registered as husband and wife. Next time don’t waste my time with fake documents. Don’t bother giving it to your father. He will get mad because you are trying to deceive him."

Her stepmother handed her back the certificate and proceeded to the kitchen to talk to the cook about the menu for dinner.

Tears shimmered in Naomi’s eyes. Very much disappointed that Zero sent her a fake document. But it was also her fault for believing that her wedding to Alpha Maxwell at the facility was authentic.

She climbed the stairs and returned to her room, locking the door, making sure no one could enter it.

She went to the closet and retrieved the phone that Zero gave her and quickly entered the chat.

No one was online. Where are they?

Why is Alpha Maxwell not online as well?

While waiting for the men to come online she rewatched her son’s photos and videos.

After half an hour of waiting, Zero joined the chat.

Zero: I’m back. Wazzup, dear?

Naomi: The marriage certificate you gave me is fake!

Zero: Whaaat? How come? The last time I checked it online it was registered with the Marriage Record Bureau. It was there. I swear!

Naomi: My stepmother has already checked the legality of the certificate. There was no record of my wedding to Alpha Maxwell in the facility. It was fake!

Zero: Really? Let me check it... give me a moment.

Naomi: Don’t bother checking it. My stepmother won’t lie. It’s okay, I’m not angry anymore.

Zero: No, I will still check it.

Naomi: OK, fine, do it then.

Zero went silent.

She continued watching her son’s video. Hoping Alpha Maxwell will come online soon.

Zero: I’m done checking it. You are right, I’m sorry dear. Your marriage record with Alpha Maxwell was erased from the database of the Marriage Record Bureau. I wonder why it happened? Perhaps a system glitch? I will ask management about it. I will get to the bottom of it.

Naomi: It’s okay. Just let it go. I’m losing hope already.

Zero: Sorry about that. Any news about your wedding to Edison?

Naomi: The civil wedding will take place here in the house. My stepmother hired a catering restaurant to provide food for the event because Edison’s family will also attend the wedding.

Zero: When will it happen?

Naomi: This coming Sunday.

Zero: Are you sure about this Sunday? Is it final?

Naomi: Yes

Zero: Alright, let me think of a brilliant plan to counter the wedding before it happens.

Naomi: What are you going to do?

Zero: Not sure yet. I will tell you if I already have a plan.

Naomi: OK, whatever it is, just make sure you inform me in advance so I can make preparations and one more thing, you can’t hurt any member of my family. Do you understand?

Zero: Yes of course. By the way, no sign of Alpha Maxwell yet?

Naomi: Not yet. I’m waiting for eternity for him to appear online.

Zero: Alright, I’m going offline now. I’ll return tomorrow.

Naomi: OK. Take care and I’ll chat with you tomorrow.

Naomi left the chat after Zero went offline.

She went to the window and looked outside, sighing heavily.

That night, Naomi couldn’t sleep. She kept sending text messages to Alpha Maxwell’s phone number and also in their private chat but he was offline, and he never saw her messages.

She will wait for him until eleven tonight. If he still doesn’t come online which is strange, then maybe he also lost his phone just like her, perhaps confiscated by his family.

At 6:30, she went downstairs and ate dinner with her family. After dinner is over, she returns to her room and checks her phone. Still not a single message from Alpha Maxwell.

She was worried about his silence. Maybe he was mad at her because she didn’t come out of the gate to see him.

She kept looking at her phone anxiously, patiently waiting for Alpha Maxwell to come online.