She stared blankly into the ceiling of her room, counting her fingers and her misery.
Her life was nothing less than a misery. She was starting to lose her sanity.
First, she had to bear the fact of being a sleep specter.
Second was her, having to admit to something she clearly had no memory about- a love oath.
Then, came Aradia, the so-called Italian witch, that would not even talk like a normal person but speak in riddles.
She knew that whatever Aradia had said, despite not wanting to believe her, was true.
If there was one thing; she knew about Aradia, it was that she never lies.
Determined to solve her life's most rewarding puzzle, Roxy too out a pen and a book and wrote Aradia's riddles.
She started with crosswords, but she only ended on a crossroad.
With no way out, she resolved to another means, that was when she adopted the acrostic puzzle way.
And to her surprise, it spelt… MILES!
One part of her denied the truth, but the other part kept whispering.
She collapsed to the ground in shock and agony.
Really?
When she thought her life was finally getting a breakthrough, she finds a setback instead!
She drowned in her own world, a world that defined confusion and frustration. There was no way Aradia could have been right.
Maybe there was some other meaning to whatever Aradia meant.
There was no way she was going to do whatever with him.
"There has to be another way out" she thought.
******************************************
" Welcome back Roxy, for the first time in forever you are punctual" Booze teased as they both walked into the elevator.
From his words, Roxy could only specifically guess that Miles was not at the office.
When she got to his office, a wave of relief hit her.
She was still feeling relaxed when Miles' call came in.
"I need you in my house in five minutes Roxy, be there" he commanded.
Before she could try to oppose, he had hung up.
"Five minutes?" she muttered.
There was no way she could get to his house within five minutes, except if… John! She remembered John.
She frantically searched for his number on her phone.
"John please, I need you here within"
"I am right outside your place of work Roxy, you are in luck today"
With zero reluctance, Roxy made her way to the company's gate.
'I am so glad to see you, you are a God-send" Roxy expressed.
"I have always been a God-send" John replied with a smile.
"Miles Mounthill's house please" Roxy said.
"It is not the senate house Roxy; I don't know where Miles' house is" john informed.
Understanding his plight and pitying her situation, Roxy sighed.
She dialed Miles' number.
"Apparently, your house is not a public building, I need directions" Roxy stated.
"I sent a driver to come pick you up, get down from the taxi and you'll find the car waiting" Miles said.
"Shoot! John… she hesitated, she felt bad for having to waste his time.
"I don't think I will be going anymore"
"Oh! Well, it's not a problem"
"Thanks for understanding John" she said as she alighted from the taxi.
"I will always be there when you need me Roxy" he replied.
Roxy simply smiled and walked away trying to find the designated car.
******************************************
"Sit"
A familiar voice echoed the moment she stepped into the house.
Then, she saw him – he was standing beside the window, half-lit by morning sun, like a ghost waiting to be remembered.
She hesitated.
"Sit" he said calmly
Obediently, she sat on the loveseat adjacent the window.
"It's going to be a brief conversation, Roxy; it won't take much of your time… he paused.
"I have been thinking, and I believe that for the progress of the company and my health, I can manage someone like you in my house" he informed.
Roxy just stared at him in shock. She could not believe her ears.
Was he actually asking her to move in? Did he truly want her in his house just for the growth of his company or was there something attached to it?
She wanted to decline and maybe resign, but then she was reminded of Aradia's words.
"It wouldn't hurt to try" she thought.
Afterall, it concerned her life and more.
"Why do you want me…
"I really hate questions girl so if you don't mind, would you just obey me and move in" He said without a second glance.
"I don't…
"Holy shit! Roxy! It's not a request, it's a command, unless you are ready to lose your job and be bankrupt, and I mean it" he stated coldly.
Roxy rolled her eyes.
If only she truly needed the money. Whatever she does, with or without his command would only be something beneficial to her" she told herself with a smile.
"I will go get my stuffs, promise to be here by eight"
Without waiting for a reply, Roxy hurriedly made her way to the exit.
If this was truly the solution she needed, it was too fast and unrealistic.
No solution would come without a little or more drama, she could not understand why life has decided to take things easy with her.
And she was not at peace about it.
The first thing she had to was find out what exactly is wrong about him.
******************************************
"You are not planning on actual relocation, are you?" Adina pondered.
"I am, Mum, I have to move into his house so…
"To hell with that God forsaken job Roxy! You are not moving into that hellish monster's house" her mother yelled from the other end.
"That hellish monster is my boss mum, and I need you to respect the hand that feeds me." Roxy cautioned.
Adina felt outrageously unnerved by Roxy.
"Are you telling me, that you have not been spending my money since you moved to Canada?" She enquired impatiently.
"Yes, I only spend from my salary, house rent has gone up and…
"We have three beautiful mansions, a hotel and a bar in that
Montreal Roxy, you did not choose to live in any of these places, instead you chose a medium sized room and called it an apartment, why are you doing this? Why are you torturing me?" Adina asked with a tone of frustration.
Every attempt she made to get her daughter to realize that she did not need a rough and tough life when she had everything had always been soul-crushing.
Her calm tone belied the anger she felt within.
"I need you to understand that I am doing this only because I need to… Aradia's acrostic puzzle, spelt Miles, so whatever I need to get my life back will come from him" Roxy explained calmly.
Adina could only sigh in relief and in defeat.
"I need to go now, talk later"
As the end call beep sounded, Roxy felt a bit relieved.
If there was anything she could not handle, it was getting into an intense argument with her mum.
She has a chance and she needs to use it wisely.
If it does not work, then she will be reassured that Aradia was never real and was not a goddess or such.
But there was one thing she knew, and it was that she needed to try.
Fictious or not, she had to give in her best.