Falling in Love : I love you, Today and Forever

While Aria was busy planning a date, Valerie was having a headache. She had returned to work after a long time and the murder case, she and her team had been handling, had been transferred to another team and she had no idea about it. Nobody had told her or anybody in her team about the case transfer. 

"What the fuck?" Ryder exclaimed loudly on hearing the news. "How can they take our case and that too without informing us?"

Valarie had no answer to his question while Preston looked on. He too was angry with the way the events had turned out to be. They were gone for a few days but that did not mean they had not been working. Even when they were in the hospital, they had been working trying to find out who was behind the three murders. But they had not got any leads and it was giving them a huge trouble.

They had even checked the sites where the murders had taken place, interrogated people, searched for clues, and did everything they could, but with no results. They had reached a dead end. Now, the case had been taken off their hands and given to another team. This was unacceptable.

"Val, let's go to Chief. He might know about it." Ryder suggested after some time.

"There is no use. He was the one who transferred the case. I called him regarding the matter and he informed me."

"You have got to be kidding me." Preston kicked the table near him in anger. "Why is he doing this to us?"

"No idea though. We cannot do anything about it now." Valarie said with a sigh.

"What do we do now?" Preston looked at her, his eyes still emitting anger.

"We will solve the other cases. Get the video. Let's see who was in my ward when I was unconscious."

Ryder handed her the pen drive. The previous day, although they had wanted to see the contents of the pen drive, they could not as Valarie had to go report to Frederick all that had happened to her and this taken a lot of their time. They had no time to take a look at the pen drive. So, they had decided to watch it the next day.

Valarie inserted the drive to her laptop and waited for it to open. There was only one file on it. She played it and it showed the day's recording the mystery man entered her room. It had the entire day's recording. So, they had to fast forward it a few hours when they finally found the part they were looking for.

"Wait, rewind," Valarie said, her eyes widening. Preston did as he was told and went back a few minutes. They saw the room door open and they waited for the man to show his face. However, he had entered the room after stopping at the door for a few seconds. At that moment, there was a nurse who was changing her blood bag. Valarie immediately recognized the man to be Jared Augustus. He was a business tycoon who had gained status and success in the recent years. 

"What is Jared doing in my room?" She said out loud as the two men narrowed their eyebrows in confusion. They had no idea too. Valarie was no way related to him nor was she acquainted with him. In fact, she had not even met him in the first place for him to know about her. This was something to be suspicious about. When he had no idea who she was, why would he visit her?

"He looks suspicious. Do you think he was the one behind your accident?" Preston asked the question that was eating his head.

"I have no idea. Maybe, maybe not. But, how did he find out about it in the first place when it was hidden from everyone."

"What shall we do now?" Ryder was the one to speak.

"Looks like I should formally introduce myself to him now. Let's see how he reacts to seeing me."

"How are you going to do that?" Preston and Ryder looked at her waiting to see what she had in her mind.

"I am going to bait him. Since he has shown his face clearly to the camera and the nurse has also seen him, he can deny not visiting me. Let's see what he has to say."

"Hmm. That's a good idea."

"Preston, get his appointment for tomorrow. I have to thank him for giving me a visit when was injured."

Preston gave her a knowing smile and immediately set to work. After five minutes, he returned with a smirk on his face. "All done. Twelve p.m, Jared's office."

"Great." At that moment, pain shot through Valarie's head and she groaned. "Ouch."

"What happened Val? Are you alright? Do you feel pain anywhere? Ryder and Preston went to her, worry apparent in their eyes.

"I am fine. It's just a little painful."

"I told you to take rest for a few more days. Stubborn women." Ryder chided her.

"What? I was bored alright."

"Anyway, did you take your medicines for the day?"

Valarie pulled out her tongue in guilt and looked at her shoe. Out of nowhere, her shoe was the most interesting thing to her at that moment. She had forgotten to take her medicines and she knew that Preston and Ryder would set off like a rocket if they found out about it. They had repeatedly reminded her to take her pills on time to get better soon and she had ignored just that.

"You forgot to take your medicines, isn't it?" Preston asked, his hands folded as he glared at her. She looked just like a small kid who had been caught doing mischievous deeds in front of the two tall men. 

"Do you hate yourself or something?" Ryder looked at her silently while Preston was the one who did all the questioning. Valarie had to be reprimanded. She had no regard for her life whatsoever and this was not the first time she had done it.

"No. Why would I hate myself?"

"Then, why do you want to stay sick for long?"

Looking Valarie being silent, the men sighed. They could do nothing to her. She had always been this way. "Look, this is the last time. If this habit of yours continues, I am not going to speak to you forever."

"Add me in," Ryder said. "Now, where are your medicines." 

Valarie pointed to her bag and Ryder got it for her and handed her a glass of water. She took the prescribed pills immediately without delay and sighed in relief. She had calmed the raging beasts for now, otherwise, these people would have not spared her. But her heart was filled with warmth thinking that she had such good friends who took good care of her. She was truly blessed to have these two people in her life.