????'? ????????

"Do it." Arna claimed sternly.

"I don't want to do it," Jenna whined at the kitchen counter. A small thud came from the corner and Jenna peeked to see the woolen ball Tux was obsessed with falling on the ground.

"Then let me do it," Arna pressed again.

"I don't even want you to do it," Jenna sighed, leaning down from the kitchen stool to pick the red ball that brought happiness to her fluffy boy. At least one of them could remain ignorant in their lives.

"This is stupidity, Jenna." Arna entered the kitchen in a loose hoodie she probably stole from Jordan. They had been dating since their junior year, and continued strong. Jenna was almost sure Jordan already had a list of names they'd give their babies.

"Tell me about it," Jenna banged her head on the marble of the kitchen counter in defeat. White and cold, it seemed unstained and clear while her own head was black and chaotic.

"He won't jump out of the browser to eat you, girl." Arna was now behind her probably looking at the empty search bar on Jenna's Mac. Though Arna had met Maddox way back through Jordan and Chase, the history between Jenna and him had always been locked tight in the casket of her dead heart.

"He's the spawn of Satan. We never know," Jenna mumbled under her breath and Tux meowed leaning his soft head on her forearm. His black eyes twinkled expectantly in the dim warm light.

"Tux agrees," she emphasized giving her little boy a good head scratch.

"Alright. I'm done." Arna declared and for a small fleeting moment the relief Jenna felt was surmount when she heard the former turn around. Nothing compared to the realisation of extending a deadline when one was knee deep into trouble but..but she still had time. She didn't have to solve the mystery Maddox Bradshaw was until-

"Alexa! Search for Maddox Bradshaw." Arna yelled from the kitchen. Her high pitched voice reached straight to Alexa placed in the corner of their hallway.

"Fuck no! Stop Alexa. Cancel! Cancel! Tell me about strawberries!" Jenna yelled standing up utterly horrified. The movement caused the kitchen stool to fall backwards and Tux shrieked on the counter. His black tail stood straight in alert, and teeth clutched into to his playtoy in a silent growl.

Jenna's horrified eyes darted to the hallway as if saying his name would actually summon him. All the while Arna took out her half-eaten apple from the fridge she left that morning leisurely.

Not now, not yet, Jenna prayed. She wasn't ready.

Too late.

"Searching for Maddox Bradshaw." Alexa's deep feminine voice rippled in the silence of their walls.

Silence.

Silence.

It was a mere search and nothing else, and still she felt as if fate was dragging a chainsaw through a pavement in dark and every scratch was depriving her brain from oxygen.

Jenna looked at Tux in alarm, while Tux kept looking sideways at the hallway for any sign of danger. She held her breath for a second-praying for their wifi to crash unreasonably.

"According to Wikipedia—"

Fuck.

"Maddox Lorevic Bradshaw is an Italian entrepreneur, investor and business manganate. He is best known for founding Lorevic Securities Private Limited and co-founding Maze Arm Establishment Centre. During his career, he has closely worked with the Defence ministries of various G-7 countries including Italy, France, United Kingdom, and United States of America to combat challenges arising from cyber and social security."