Erisha felt a nervousness within.

Treyton is coming..I just know it!
Why else would he send Gordon to take Nanna to his place..even if it's for a little while..
But why am I getting excited to see him?

Because he's done so much for you..saved your life for one..
Yes! That must be the reason..

Stupid! Because he stirs you up like no one has ever done before, not even the odd nunber men you have dated.

Whatever!

Erisha saw the handle of the door turn, and quickly fixed her hair, wishing she had been wearing something better than the ugly hospital gown.
But, the door didn't open, the handle turning back up, and she frowned.
Maybe, it hadn't been him..

That's when she heard the commotion.

***************************

'What do you think you are doing..'
Treyton turned the person around, his eyes widening as they saw who it was.
'You!'

'Let go!'
David Huber jerked off Treyton's arm, and fixed his cap back on his head.

Treyton narrowed his eyes at his enemy.
'You dare! After all you have done, you dare to come here!'

'I mean no harm. I just want KK. Give me him, and I'll leave!'

'Give you? He's not some object that I can hand over to you. And you are a jerk for treating him like one!'

'What does it have to do with you?'
David looked impatient, as he glanced beyond Treyton where a few people were starting to look their way.

'You think you can get away scot-free after all you have done?'
Treyton was fast losing his calm.
'What you did with KK and Erisha..she..'

'That was unfortunate yes..but she survived, didn't she?'
David said scornfully, no sympathy in his tone.

'You!'
Treyton stepped forward angrily.

'Just let me get KK, and I shall be on my way..'

'You are a bastard of the highest order!'
Treyton clenched his teeth.

'Let's not talk about that!'
David guffawed.

'What does that mean?'
Treyton scowled.

'Don't act so innocent! I'm talking about Erisha!'
David spat at him.

Treyton blinked.
'What about her? You are the one who used her for your means..'

'Ha! I may have..but what about you? You took advantage and reaped the rewards..'

'What even..'
Treyton flared.

'Yes! I may have sent her to get you to soften..but what did you do? You couldn't keep away from her, could you? You had the hots for her and couldn't waste the opportunity to get in her bed..'

'Shut up!'
Treyton shouted, unable to keep his anger at bay anymore.

David laughed derisively.
'A bit too close to the truth, ain't I?'

Treyton knew the man was just riling him into admitting it.
An image of Erisha and him, their naked bodies joined in passion, flashed through his head. And he knew David was right.
He had slept with her..but he was damned if he let David demean the most beautiful experience of his life.
Any remarks on my reputation, I can handle, but Erisha! I can't let him tarr hers like this.
Especially, after all she had had to tolerate at David's hands all these years.
Divert him, Treyton! Divert him!
'Shut up! You are not even close to the truth!'

'Really? What about all the times you saw each other? You can't tell me nothing happened between you two, because I just won't believe it!'
David scoffed at him.

'We did see each other a few times, but only because I had discovered the truth about you when you had me abducted. I had to know what game you were planning, so I just played along..'

Treyton's voice was so matter of fact, and his face so expressionless, that even David seemed taken aback.
'Hunh?'

'Yes! You may have set her up like bait for me, but frankly, I wasn't interested!'
David's mouth hung open now, as Treyton continued to deny any association with Erisha.
'She's just not my type..'
Treyton shrugged his shoulders.
'..and you know how I like my women..beautiful, charming, successful, sexy..someone who matches my position as the owner of a company like Elrod Enterprises..and looks good on my arm..'

'What?'
David was in shock.

'Yes! So just stop throwing her in my face all the time! I have no interest in catching the bait you set for me. I'm neither the one woman type, neither can anyone force me to be!'
Treyton threw in more lies, his conscience berating him. But he had to get David off of his and Erisha's back.

'O..kay..anyways..I don't really care about her..'
Treyton fisted his hands, itching to knock him out.
'..I need to talk to KK..'
David reached for the handle of the door again.

'And the police needs to talk to you!'
Treyton caught his arm again, to prevent him from going inside.
He knew Erisha would freak out if she saw David. And he couldn't let that happen while she was still recuperating.

'Ha! They can't do anything! I got free last time too..'

'All due to your lies..'

'All due to my efficient lawyers..'
David gave a sarcastic laugh.

'Not this time!'

'We will see..'
He made to open the door again.

'KK is not here!'
Treyton stopped him again.
'Erisha is inside, and she's just recovering from a life death situation..no thanks to you..I don't want her progress to turn into regress.'

Something in Treyton's tone must have convinced him, because David moved away from the door.
He kept darting his eyes here and there, contemplating which was the easy way out. And right now it was to get out of here.
'Don't think you have won! I'll find him..sooner rather than later..'

Treyton stepped back to let him pass.
'Sure! Keep trying!'
He gave David a sarcastic smile, and shrugged his shoulders.

David gave him a dirty look, and left.

Treyton quickly took out his phone, and dialled.
'Officer Dane, Elrod here..'

***************************

Erisha felt numbed.

She had heard noises, and had gotten up from her bed to go investigate. She had sauntered over to the door to open it and see.
But what she had heard, had frozen her in her tracks.

'She's just not my type..and you know how I like my women..beautiful, charming, successful sexy..someone who matches my position as the owner of a company like Elrod Enterprises..and who looks good on my arm..'

Her heart felt as if someone had clutched it and pulled it out of her chest.
Treyton had been using her..whereas she..she had been imagining..oh, God!
Is that all he thought of her? Bait? A means to get to David?
Erisha! You have been double duped..by David and by Treyton..

Erisha felt a sudden weakness, and went back to lie on her bed.
All this while..I've been thinking of him..I thought he liked me atleast..the way he kissed me, the way he had made love to me, the way he had been so tender afterwards..it had all been a lie?
Why am I having a hard time believing that?
He's not as hard hearted as he shows the world..

Erisha thought back to all she knew about him from what her grandfather had told her when she had come to live with him, and even now, when he had been staying at the hospital with her.
About how vulnerable Treyton had been at twelve years of age. About how he had used to cry when he thought no one was looking. How he had, with KK's help, searched and searched for his father.
How he had been forced into growing up, to survive in this world.
How KK had taught him to believe in himself, to study hard, become stable on his own feet..

How can I believe the hard demeanour he puts on now for the world, when I know all this.
It's true no one ever overhears good about themselves..but..she had never expected to hear all this..

Erisha heard the noises die down, followed by silence, and felt bereft.
Treyton didn't come inside, and she was left to think..and think..

A knock on the door pulled her out of her thoughts, and she felt her heart lurch.
But it was KK, back after freshening up.

'My child! How are you? Any problems after I left?'

If only I could tell you..
'No! None at all!'
Erisha gave him a small smile, as he continued to peer at her.

'Good!'
He came and sat on a stool next to her bed.
'Talking of good, I have some good news!'

'Good news? I could do with some for sure..'
Erisha smiled at him.

'David Huber got arrested!'

Erisha was not surprised. She knew that whatever Treyton may think of her, he wouldn't let David Huber get away with what he had done with KK.
'Really? How did that happen?'
She pretended to be unaware of hearing him outside her door.

'He came here to the hospital to get me, but Treyton got to him before he could disappear again, and called the police..a couple of their men had already been here under cover in case he came here, and it was all easy after that..'
KK folded his hands together in gratitude.

'Okay, that's great! After what he did to you, I..'

'And what he did to you? You are still here in the hospital ten days later..'

'I'm fine now, Nanna..'
Erisha put her hand on his, reassuring him.

'Thank God! And thank Treyton!'

Erisha knew KK thought the sun shone out of Treyton, and that he could do nothing wrong.
I hope you don't get to know what he did with your granddaughter..or how your granddaughter seems to have fallen for him..

Another knock broke into her mind boggling thoughts, and in came the object of them.
Treyton Elrod.

'Hi..'
His gaze zeroed in on Erisha, who after a small glance, moved her eyes away.
'How are you doing?'

What were you thinking? Falling for him?
'I'm fine..'
She forced her voice to sound normal, and was glad when it backed her wish.
'I heard what you did with David..'

Treyton's head went up in shock, his eyes widening.
How did she know?
'I have a reason. I mean, I was..uhm..the situation was such..I had to..'
He fumbled, trying to explain, but stopped when he saw KK and Erisha give him wierd looks.
'What?'

'We know you are a good person, don't we Erisha?'
KK answered.
'I just told Erisha how David came here and you got him arrested..'

'Oh, that!'
Treyton swallowed in relief.
'Well, I would never have let him be free after what he had done..to you..to Erisha..'
His gaze again settled on Erisha, but she didn't meet his eyes.

'Thankyou..'
Erisha thanked him, although her mind was still on his opinions of her, all she had heard, and what her conscience had just revealed to her.
Is that why it hurts so much hearing what I did?

'I have to go to the police station, so I guess..I'll go..'
He didn't sound very happy to do that, because somewhere he was upset, that he hadn't been able to get Erisha alone and tell her how wrong he had been about her..

'Yes! And if you need any help regarding evidence, I'm willing to give any statements they need..'
KK piped in.

'Sure..I'll let you know..bye..'
He looked at Erisha again, but she was already talking to KK, leaving him no choice but to leave.

He left, unaware of a pair of eyes following his exit, till the door shut behind him.

***************************

It took a whole week for things to finalise regarding David Huber's arrest.

The news hit the public, followed by a dip in the stock market, as The Huber Company was sealed.
This time, Treyton saw to the proceedings personally, not leaving anything to his lawyers alone.
KK also helped, and it was finally revealed to all who had invested with the company, that David Huber and Steven Huber had built the company on a lie. They had no real knowledge of doing business, it was people like KK and a couple of others who had been the mastermind behind all their decisions. They had just reaped all the rewards and profits, giving credit to no one else.
Since KK had been Erisha's relative, he had been discovered locked up. But the other two three men had still been kept hidden, and only been set free after everything had come out in the open.

Treyton was so involved in the whole matter, that he got no time for himself.
He paid the mandatory visits to the hospital, but they were always in the presence of Erisha's grandfather.
Still, he couldn't help but  notice Erisha's demeanour.
Although she sneaked glances at him, and spoke to him normally, there was an aloofness in her attitude that worried him.
But he hadn't been able to talk to her about it, and he felt the gap growing.

With that thought taking up what little free time he got, Treyton decided to take the matter in his hands.

KK or no KK, I need to talk to her!
That look in her eyes whenever I visit..accusing, sad, like a storm that has forgotten to rage, dying before it hits..I just don't like it!

The day the Hubers were shifted to prison, waiting for the courts' decision, Treyton used that as an excuse to go and tell Erisha and KK.

His mind on the beautiful woman with the sad eyes, Treyton reached the hospital, and immediately headed for Erisha's room.

I'm going to clear it all today..what must she be thinking of me? I just left her at the mercy of the hospital..when all I had really wanted to do was to take care of her myself..yes..but how could I with KK guarding her..

His thoughts were troubling him, and he didn't hear the nurse call out to him, as he knocked and opened the door of her room.
But in the next instant, he was rooted to the spot, and all he could do was stare.

For the room was empty, no sign of anyone having been there at all.
His heart plummeted to his stomach.

'Herr Elrod..'

Treyton whirled around to see the nurse standing behind him.

'Where's Erisha..I mean, the patient?'

'I did call out to tell you, but I don't think you heard me..'
The nurse began to explain.

'Where is she?'
Treyton was miffed.

'That's what I have been trying to tell you sir..that Frau Erisha is gone..'

'Gone where?'

'She was discharged from the hospital this morning...'

To be continued...